California Archives

So much to see. My first post ran out of space after only 2 attractions! What else is there to see?

Well, one of the top things to do in San Diego is to go to the beach. I’m not a beach lover unless it’s in conjunction with some activity like snorkeling or exploring tide pools but all I heard from the wait staff while I was in San Diego was…go to the beach. Big waves coming in. 10 ft. plus! If there were 10 ft. waves I bet there were surfers. And if there were surfers I bet there were photo ops! So go to the beach has just landed on my list.

The San Diego Zoo is way up on my list, a real “Must see”. I love zoos and this is supposed to be one of the best. The San Diego Zoo is top-rated everywhere, consistently included on various top zoo lists and active in animal conservation. The San Diego Zoo put its first animal on display in 1916, a Kodiak bear named Caesar. Today, the San Diego Zoo is a far cry from the zoos of yesteryear where animals were simply displayed in cages. Instead, you’ll find them in the most natural settings possible, at the same time giving visitors the opportunity to see them up close.

Another Must See for me is the San Diego Zoo’s sister park, San Diego Zoo Safari Park. I haven’t been yet but I bet it’s on the same idea as Disney’s Animal Kingdom, one of my all time favorite places to be. Lots of large animals live in the same big, open areas here – predators kept away from prey, but otherwise much as they would in their natural habitat.

The highlight is the safari-style tour, which may be the closest many of us will ever come to seeing these critters in the wild. Besides that, you’ll find lots of other animals also in natural environments, including a pride of lions.

Balboa park is a haven for photographers so you know that’s on my list. Originally built for temporary use during the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition in San Diego, Balboa Park boasts buildings beautiful enough to be considered attractions in themselves, especially if you’re a photographer. They’re surrounded by trees, lawns and fountains, but that’s only the beginning.

America’s largest urban cultural park has more than 25 museums and attractions, from the astronomical to the zoological. In Balboa Park, you can take a walk, ride a bike, see a Tony Award-winning play, ride a carousel or go to the San Diego Zoo. With 8 gardens and 15 museums to choose from, you could be busy here for days.

Balboa Park is east of downtown San Diego.

There was so much I wanted to see in San Diego. But at least I know for the future that there won’t be any sight – seeing time on the annual meeting trip. I’ll need to “Tack-on” vacation either before or after. Could be worth it as the flight will be paid for by the company.

So what did I miss and why should I plan a trip back.

One big reason is Sea World. It’s in the Mission Bay part of San Diego so it would have been easy to get to from the resort or the Hyatt. Everyone knows that Sea World is home to Shamu or a succession of Shamu’s as all the performimg Orca’s are named Shamu at Sea World. But Sea World has more to it than that. There are indoor exhibits too besides the shows and in recent years a child’s water play area was added.

And while we are thinking about sea life, why not stop off at the Birch Aquarium. Birch Aquarium is north of San Diego in La Jolla. It’s not as big as some of the other aquariums in California or as flashy as the big sea-themed park down the road, but instead just right, filled with interesting exhibits and home to leafy sea dragons like the one above, creatures so improbable they look more like something from a children’s book than from the ocean.

At the Birch Aquarium, you can watch the creatures being fed, touch some in an outdoor tide pool and get mesmerized gazing into a 70,000-gallon kelp forest. But our favorites are the sea horses. And their cousins the sea dragons.

Still focused more on the kids we can’t skip Lego Land. I saw some of this in Orlando and hear one is opening in the northeast. It’s certainly someplace to visit at least once. Legoland theme park takes its inspiration from Lego toys, those cute little bricks that snap together to build all kinds of fun things. It’s one of several Legolands worldwide.

You’ll find life-sized traffic cops, dinosaurs and a dizzying collection of other creations made from Lego blocks all over the place, but they’re just the decoration that surrounds the park’s rides. At Legoland, little ones will find rides just for them, with age limits that keep the bigger kids from running all over them – and the adults get a kick out of all the great big Lego creations.

The adjoining Sea Life Aquarium is nice, but if you’re visiting Sea World or the Birch Aquarium during your trip, you don’t need to see this one, too. (Of course I probably would want to. )

Legoland is north of San Diego and the most practical way to get there is by driving.

Let’s see what else I missed….to be continued