Things To Do In San Diego

Things To Do In San Diego When You're In Town
By Khieng Chho

When planning a trip to California, you might as well spend a good portion of it in San Diego. This city, while famous for its trolley and being the home of the world’s most crooked road, offers more than just curiosities. Take the time to explore and it’s guaranteed to be a trip well worth the time. Here are just some places to get you started.

San Diego Zoo

The world-famous San Diego Zoo began as a collection of plants and animals from the Panama-American Exposition back in the early 1900s. Today, it is a world-class research facility and home to several endangered species, all the while still a fun place for families to go to on vacation.

With such wide acreage, going through the entire zoo will take more than just a day trip. Fortunately, there are several benches all over the zoo to give rest tired feet a rest. Mei Sheng, the panda, is a tourist favorite and the queue can take as long as an hour during peak season. Zoo mascots are around for photo ops with children (and adults, if they’d like too!).

You can get there by car, bus or bike and the parking is free. You can enter via Zoo Place just off Park Boulevard, which is located in Balboa Park, close to downtown San Diego.

Balboa Park

Balboa Park lies northeast of downtown San Diego. The park boasts of hiking and biking trails as well as play and picnic grounds. The Sixth Avenue and Laurel Street entrance has a bridge you can cross, which will lead you to what is left of the Panama-American Exposition held in 1915 to 1916. The buildings in the park are quaint and house gift shops, cafes and restaurants. The bigger and finer museums of San Diego are located here as well.