Parks and fun things to do
The USS Midway museum
The USS Midway is America’s longest serving Aircraft Carrier in American history, almost 48 years of service. One reason she was such a great ship, she was built by women. The USS Midway was built during the 2nd world war, you remember Rosie the riveter and Rosie the welder.
Balboa Park
Balboa Park is a must see on your trip to San Diego, a great place to take a walk or have a picnic or just to relax and take in your surroundings. Come and enjoy. The park is a 1,200-acre urban cultural park, in addition to open space areas, natural vegetation zones, green belts, gardens, and walking paths, it contains museums, several theaters, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo.
Old Town San Diego
Old Town is located in the heart of San Diego with 9 hotels to choose from and is convenient to everything. Stay in Old Town and you will be ready to experience San Diego and the adventure that is Old Town, California’s first settlement.Within walking distance there are a great many places to shop and dine with unique merchandise and a quaint atmosphere. Discover Old Town by visiting the many historic sites and learn about San Diego history.
Cabrillo National Monument
Climbing out of his boat and onto shore in 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo stepped into history as the first European to set foot on what is now the West Coast of the United States. In addition to telling the story of 16th century exploration, the park is home to a wealth of cultural and natural resources. Join us and embark on your own Voyage of Exploration.
San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo is centrally located in Balboa Park, housing more than 3,500 animals of more than 650 species and subspecies Its parent organization, San Diego Zoo Global, is one of the largest zoological membership associations in the world, with more than 250,000 member households and 130,000 child memberships, representing more than a half million people The San Diego Zoo was a pioneer in the concept of open-air, cageless exhibits that re-create natural animal habitats. It is one of the few zoos in the world that houses, and successfully bred the giant Panda although the pandas have recently been repatriated to China. In 2013, the zoo added a new Australian Outback exhibit, providing an updated Australian animal experience. Another new exhibit, called Africa Rocks, opened in 2017.
With over 4 million visitors, San Diego Zoo is the most visited zoo in the United States.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The safari park is an 1,800 acre zoo in the San Pasqual Valley. The park houses a large array of wild and endangered animals including species from the continents of Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, and Australia. The park is in a semi-arid environment and one of its most notable features is the Africa Tram, which explores the expansive African exhibits. These free-range enclosures house such animals as antelopes, giraffes, buffalo, cranes and rhinoceros. The park is also noted for its California Condor breeding program, the most successful such program in the United States. The park has the world’s largest veterinary hospital. Next door to the hospital is the Institute for Conservation Research, which holds the park’s frozen zoo
Seaworld
Enjoy a one-of-a-kind family experience at SeaWorld San Diego, with awe-inspiring animal encounters, thrilling rides, and amazing shows. Ideally located on nearly 200 acres in Mission Bay, SeaWorld San Diego is an ocean adventure unlike any other. Our park is about animals, exciting rides and family-friendly entertainment. From the rush of the ray on our Manta roller coaster to the awe-inspiring and playful dolphins in our Dolphin Days show, there is something for everyone at SeaWorld San Diego-a real, amazing adventure.
Mission Trails Regional Park
The park is a 5,800-acre open space preserve within the city, established in 1974. It is the sixth-largest municipally owned park in the United States, and the largest in California. The park consists mostly of rugged canyons and hills, with both natural and developed recreation areas, including many beautiful flowers. The highest point is 1,592-foot-high, Cowles Mt. which is also the highest point in the city of San Diego. The San Diego River flows through the park. The park is open every day of the year. The park has sixty miles of hiking, mountain bike and equestrian trails, a rock-climbing area, and the Kumeyaay Lake Campground with 46 camp sites adjacent to a small lake. Another popular stop is the Old Mission Dam, which was built to supply irrigation water to farm land that supplied food for the Mission San Diego De Alcala, the first of the chain of missions established by Father Junipero Serra in California. Another popular destination within the park is Lake Murray, a reservoir supplying water to San Diego neighborhoods. It has a surface area of approximately 168 acres.
Torry Pines Gliderport
The gliderport is a city-owned private-use glider airport located in the La Jolla It was first established as a soaring site in 1930 and is the home to hang gliding, paragliding radio-controlled model sailplanes, and full-scale man-carrying sailplanes. It is listed as a National Landmark of Soaring, the National Soaring Museum, a San Diego City Historical Site. It’s also listed on the California Register of Historic Places, and the National Register of Historic Places. It is considered by glider enthusiasts of all types to be the “Kitty Hawk of the West.” Full-scale sailplanes are operated by the Associated Glider Clubs of Southern California (AGCSC), only during special permit windows between February and April, while models, hang gliders, and paragliders fly any time the wind permits. The local Flight Director and Concessionaire maintains and enforces safety rules to protect both pilots and spectators.
Legoland
Legoland is a theme park, miniature park, and aquarium located in Carlsbad, California, based on the Lego toy brand.
