San Diego is one of the best beach destinations in Southern California. With over 70 miles of fabulous beaches lining the shores of the majestic Pacific Ocean, you are sure to find one that suits you. The most popular stretch of beach called ‘The Strand’ includes Mission Beach, the most crowded of all the beaches in San Diego. There isn’t much you won’t find here. The boardwalk is lined with shops, restaurants and rental outfits. You can ride the Bigger Dipper rollercoaster at Belmont Park, play arcade games or ride the bumper boats at the Mission Beach Arcade and of course after all that activity you can cool off with a swim in the ocean. Pacific Beach, also part of ‘The Strand,’ is another popular beach, especially in the summer when it gets packed with extremely diverse crowds. Swimming, kayaking, rollerblading, body boarding and cycling are all common activities here. There are plenty of other beaches to enjoy and just to give you a heads up… if you choose to visit Black Beach, you should be aware that although not officially sanctioned, many beach visitors here practice nudism.

There are plenty of other things to do and places to see in San Diego. So much in fact that it could keep you busy for months. The absolute best place to start your San Diego sight seeing is at Balboa Park, covering an expanse of over 1,000 acres and home to 15 museums, botanical gardens, miniature railroad ride, lawn bowling and cultural centres. Balboa Park is also home to the world famous San Diego Zoo, home to more than 4000 species of rare and exotic birds, animals and plants including the only pair of giant pandas in the United States. Your best option for exploring all the park has to offer is to purchase a park passport which provides entrance to most of the park attractions. You may also want to visit Shamu the whale at Sea World or tour the African themed Wild Animal Park with its cheetahs, lemurs, lions and giraffes. For history buffs and museum lovers, there are plenty to visit. The San Diego Museum of Natural History is a favourite with interactive programs, live insects, reptiles and amphibians as well as fossils and skeletal remains of regional flora and fauna.

The San Diego area is home to over 80 golf courses including the world-renowned Torrey Pines Golf Club and La Costa Golf Resort. Both are exquisite, challenging and host PGA events but they are also quite pricey and hard to get a tee time on. A fantastic option is the Gary Player designed Steele Canyon Golf Course with its breathtaking backdrops and challenging layout. It also received 4 stars from Golf Digest. San Diego is also home to a number of professional sports teams and you can always catch a game in any season. The San Diego Padres baseball team and the San Diego Chargers football team are home town favourites. San Diego is also a shopper’s paradise. Las Americas Premium Outlets, Carlsbad Premium Outlets and Viejas Outlet Centre are home to hundreds of brand name fashion outlets including Barney’s, Neiman Marcus and Ralph Lauren. Save a little time and money for the trendy boutiques, shops and department stores of Fashion Valley, the Gaslamp Quarter and Little Italy. You will find everything you are looking for and more in San Diego. The city of San Diego enjoys beautiful weather year round. The average annual temperature is approximately 21˚C. The end of summer and early autumn are typically the hottest times of the year but even the winter months are mild. The average temperature in January is still 14˚C. However, on occasion Santa Ana winds bring in hot, dry desert air and the temperatures can soar. The varied topography can cause drastic differences in temperature. The mountains are cooler and the desert much hotter than the coastal areas. So if you are planning on exploring different areas be prepared.