Now Mission Beach is a little more on the residential side, with condominiums and night clubs nearby. You can find people from all walks of life here – hippies, dreadlocks, designer fashion divas; you name it, they're probably here somewhere. There is still a recreational side here. You can go skateboarding, surfing or ride your bicycle. Of course, there's the beach. You could take your children for sailing lessons at the Aquatic Center or have a nice picnic with your family.

Most of the residential area lies in North Mission Beach. Apartments line the beachfront area and you can find head shops, smoothie bars and clothing stores on the main strip. The area is so carefree; people are not so much into the latest fashion for the moment. They don't care that their thrift shop furniture is not upgraded to the latest style.

If you're looking for fun and recreation, Belmont Park is the place to be. There is a Giant Dipper roller coaster you can ride on. This attraction was built in 1925 and was recently restored. If you're a daring person, get your thrills by going over the hills and curves and let your stomach drop. There's also the Beach Blaster, which is the newest ride at Belmont Park. If you think the Giant Dipper is daring, think about swinging up to 60 feet in the air to 120 degrees forward and backward. You can take a dare and try rollerblading up and down the boardwalk. If you don't want to engage in either of these, there's always walking or surfing, if you're daring.

South Mission Beach is similar to its North counterpart, but the pace is slower here. It picks up when you reach the end of the boardwalk for rollerblading. At the end of the beach and the end of the road picks up the same way. In the Harbor Channel, fishermen try to hook a beauty. You can also see the boats pass your way and go the opposite way.

You can find a lot of the boardwalk in the beach area with lifeguards and rest rooms. Near the bay area, there are coves and paths for people to walk. You also have eateries where people can order takeout food. You can also find carnival rides for the children. If you're an avid surfer, stop at one of the surf shops to get more gear.

The streets around South Mission Beach are so narrow and populated, you would be very fortunate to find a place to park. You would make out better parking in Belmont Park, Santa Clara Point and South Mission Beach Park. Better yet, you can ride the bus or ride your bike there.

If you drink alcohol, you can only do so between 12 noon and 8 pm. Alcohol is not allowed on the boardwalks or in the parking lots.

With all this going on, you would never run out of things to do at Mission Beach.

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The Reserve is known worldwide and is visited by many each year. Some come for the authentic nature environment, others come to exercise on the walking trail and others come just to see the beautiful views. Since the resources at the Reserve are in limited supply, it is strongly advised that visitors do not harm or damage the plants and flowers.

All of the parkland areas are protected and visitors are not allowed to remove the flowers and plants. Visitors are also prohibited from feeding the animals. The Reserve is very protective of their areas of nature. Because of this, visitors cannot pick up or collect items that belong in the Reserve. They do not want any unknown substances to interfere with the animals or the environment. For that reason, you are not allowed to bring any outside food into the Reserve; it is only allowed on the beach area.

The Reserve has several different trails within its confines:

The Guy Fleming Trail is the easiest to navigate through. It has a level base and the scenery is different. Some of the things you'll see are ocean vistas and spring wildflowers. Gray Whales can be spotted during the winter season. Bottlenose Dolphins are subject to come out anytime.

The Parry Grove Trail is separated from everything else. The entry and exit area is has a sharp maneuvering process, but is slightly difficult to deal with. The grove was damaged by lack of water and a mass of bark beetles. However, it is slowly coming back to normal.

The Beach Trail has access to the beach that is well known. This trail lacks in the scenic route department. There are not many trees in the area. Using this trail, you have to beware of the tides. During the winter, storms come through and wash away a majority of the sand from the beach. If you like to walk, you may have a hard time because of the rocks and cobbles along the way.

The waters in the beach area are close to semi-tropical. The Reserve area experiences mild winters and moderate summer conditions. This weather causes marine flora and fauna to root up. Along the coast, the water's cool temperatures are derived from Alaska, the Aleutian Islands and Siberia. Even with that, plants and marine animals that can handle cool water can live in the Reserve's warm climate.

The marine animals that live on the Reserve depend on water to thrive. If the tide is washed away, that means their resource is not available. This makes the marine animals uncomfortable and stressed. They become oxygen-challenged. Human beings can get to them faster and they may decide to starve themselves. To get away, they hide under rocks, in places with an opening, under the sand or stay in their shells until the tide comes back. As you can see, water is imperative for them to live a normal life.

For those who wish to visit the Reserve, there are a few things you should know:

* The only animals that are allowed are service dogs (seeing-eye dogs); no other dogs or animals are allowed.

* Camping is not allowed at the Reserve; the Reserve doesn't have any camping facilities, nor are people allowed to spend the night there.

* The only drink that is allowed on the Reserve is water. It is definitely recommended if you plan to go hiking or walking on one of the trails.

There is so much to see here at the Reserve, it would take you a while to go through it all. However, if you're a nature enthusiast, you'll just bask in it.

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There are several places to choose from if you're coming to visit. There is the Ivy Hotel that has 16 suites with a spiral staircase that connects to a private cabana. To cater to your needs, a butler is available. This hotel also has a nightclub that boasts four levels, a restaurant, rooftop terrace and swimming pool. If you need to have a business meeting, they have facilities for that too.

The Keating Hotel is a boutique style hotel that features Italian design. These designs are created by the same people who are responsible for Ferrari and Maserati. The hotel's interior has a historic look and feel to it. It features a concierge and a lounge that is located underground.

The late musician Jim Croce has a restaurant named after him. Croce's Restaurant & Bars is owned by his widow, Ingrid. It has been in the San Diego are for more than 20 years and features jazz and fine dining.

There are other restaurants in the Gaslamp Quarter that you can choose from. They cater to about every cuisine you can imagine. Some of them include Afghan, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Persian, Thai and many more.

If you are an art enthusiast, you can check out the Tim Cantor Gallery. His gallery consists of oil paintings, different writings and other types of art. There's the CJ Gallery that focuses on art from an Asian perspective. If you're looking to find art created by national and international artists, you can go to Michael J. Wolf Fine Arts.

The Gaslamp Quarter has a mixture of clothing shops that have apparel for skateboarding and snowboarding; jewelry; men and women's apparel and much more. There are also places to go if you're looking for things for your home. If you like imported items, you can check out Kita Ceramics & Glassware; or if you're into more exotic things, Opium Gallery has exotic furniture and other items.

New Orleans isn't the only city that hosts Mardi Gras. The Gaslamp Quarter has a Mardi Gras celebration on Fat Tuesday. It includes a parade and block party held outside. There is also live music from different musicians.

On Halloween, the Monster Bash is annual event that features an outdoor music festival surrounding the streets. There are also live bands and a costume contest that's out of this world.

If you decide to visit around St. Patrick's Day, there's an event called Shamrock that has live music, and Irish cuisine, green beer and lots of Guinness beer.

Are you ready to get in the dance groove? The Side Bar features house and hip-hop music so you can get it on. If you don't want to dance, you can just sit back and enjoy a refreshing cocktail in the lounge area. If you want to put some salsa in your dance, Café Sevilla features hip-hop music and Latin beats. On Fridays and Saturdays, you can enjoy a flamenco dinner show.

No matter where you go in the Gaslamp Quarter, there's something available for people to do. There is never a dull moment in this historic area of San Diego.

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If you're looking for lodging that is up and coming, the Keating Hotel would be a good choice. This hotel was designed by an Italian designer named Pininfarina. This designer also put the magic touches on Ferrari and Maserati.

The Little Italy area has plenty of boutique shopping and cafes. In 2007, the San Diego Museum of Contemporary art expanded its facilities to provide more art and culture. On the waterfront downtown, you can find outdoor activities, art and other forms of recreation.

There are eight neighborhoods in the downtown San Diego area: Little Italy, Marina, Columbia, the Core, Cortez Hill, Gaslamp Quarter, East Village and Horton Plaza. Each of these neighborhoods stands out in their own unique way. There is always construction going on to expand on what is already there.

Walking is the best way to get around in the downtown area. The city blocks are short and the majority of downtown streets flow in a one way direction. However, if you can't walk long distances here are some alternative ways to getting around downtown San Diego:

The San Diego Trolley has a service that goes through certain sections of the downtown area. The light rail operates Sunday – Saturday from 5 AM to 12 midnight. They operate at fifteen minute intervals.

Pedicabs are a means of transportation on a smaller scale. They are made similar to carriages, but they are not as long and large. They can carry at least two passengers, plus the driver. You can find these vehicles in the most parts of the downtown area. You can find them more so in the Gaslamp Quarter, Marina and Columbia areas. Pedicabs are something different than taking a taxi and as close to riding a bicycle as you'll ever get.

If you are into go cars, there's a place in the downtown area called Go Cars. These mini cars only have three wheels and can be used as an alternative to tour buses. The mini cars can only seat two people and there is an audio tour which is navigated by a GPS.

Horse drawn carriage rides from the Cinderella Carriage Company are available for your enjoyment. You can sit back and relax as your riding through the Embarcadero and Gaslight Quarter neighborhoods.

If you're looking to have a really good time, the Gaslight Quarter is the place where you can dance the night away. With over 40 nightclubs and bars, you don't have any reason not to be able to party like you want to.

If you're more of a day person, you can check out the USS Midway Museum and learn more about the history of the Navy. For you animal lovers, PETCO Park is available for you and your furry companion(s).

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This tour is located at the Wild Animal Park within the Zoo. In order to start at the beginning, you must board at the Simba Station. The tour lasts four about a half an hour and runs for about two-and-a half miles. This tour opened in March 2007 and is fun and very educational. The African Express tour vehicle will guide you through a multi-media presentation with maps and videos. You will get to see the dense forests, deserts and other African habitats.

You will also see rhinos, giraffes, antelope and other breeds of animals that are usually found in Africa. You will hear about endangered species and about them being violated. They're being forced out by others, including other animals and people. This tour will also enlighten you on a conservation campaign that's taking place there.

During the tour, you'll get to explore more about wildlife and see the size of a rhino or a buffalo. You will also see ostriches and other bird species. These are the same kinds of animals you would see if you were actually living in Africa. Including different types of birds would help the mixture of animals within Africa.

This tour is involved in the greenforest. At the zoo, there are several African trees that have been planted and will grow into a replica of a Central African forest. There is also a waterhole that will be used for pink pelicans to procreate and reproduce. The area won't be just for pelicans, it will be for storks and vultures as well. Also included in this project are bongos, red river hogs and Vaal rheboks, which are small antelope.

The tour will guide you through South Africa. You will be able to see Grevy's zebras. In North Africa, there are animals that live in the Sahara Desert. You will also find red deer and red-fronted gazelle. Also, you will get to see oryx and Ankole cattle, which are different species and will get your attention. Continuing in North Africa, the tour will go through East Africa.

You will get a chance to see the impalas, gnus with white beards and more gazelles. You will also get to see more giraffes and more rhinos. These rhinos will be Southern white. As you come to the end of your tour, this will not be the end of your journey. This tour was designed so that you would be able to experience the animal culture in Africa. You will also know what the animals have to go through to keep from becoming lost or extinct.

The Journey Into Africa tour will be one that you or your family will never forget.

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The golf course gets its fair share of inclement weather, including rain, winds, and fog. Torrey Pines Golf Course was named after the rare Torrey Pine tree, which is only located in the local area and Santa Rosa Island. You will know what the tree looks like when you see bunches of five pine needles.

The golf course has two sides, the North and the South. In 2001, Architect Rees Jones was commissioned to remodel the South course. The North course is very scenic, sits on the bluffs, and looks over the Pacific Ocean.

It recently received the honor of being the host of the U.S. Open for 2008. This will be a special honor because this will be the first time that Torrey Pines has hosted an event such as this. They feel that having this on their resume will boost their status even higher.

Torrey Pines recently hosted the Buick Invitational Golf Tournament, as they do every year. This tournament involved professional golfers from all over the world. If they keep hosting these high profile events at the rate they're going, there is no doubt that they will be in the top tier of golf courses in the near future.

In preparation to be a top notch golf course, the facility changed the greens and fairways. One of the holes received more bunkers. On another hole, the fairway was moved further out to help the cliffs operate better. For each tournament that Torrey Pines hosts, the setup is different. The same setup used for the Buick Invitational will not be used for the U.S. Open.

Torrey Pines also operates a golf school with instruction by PGA and LPGA professional golfers. There are private lessons, full and half day golf schools, and clinics available. It depends on what's best for you.

If you are interested in individual golf lessons, contact the facility directly. Junior Golf, Nike Resident Camps and Nike Day Camps are available for the younger crowd. For tee times, it's requested that you call the facility to set that up.

The golf shop provides accessories so your game can flow smoothly. They also have golf apparel with logo and designer fashions. Torrey Pines golf shop is consistently listed in the 100 Best Golf Shops in America. Gift certificates are also available for that golf enthusiast.

If you need assistance with your clubs, instructors are available to assist with custom fitting. They can help you match your irons and metal woods. The instructors use current techniques so that you will have a good fit. Your swing will also come out better.

So if you're looking for a place to play and enjoy golf, look no further than Torrey Pines Golf Course.

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The majority of these places are located up to an hour away from San Diego's downtown area from the north. If you're into outdoor scenery, you might be able to see some of the vineyards that overlook some of San Diego's hills. There are others that are located among winding dirt roads.

Here is a sampling of some of the more well-known wineries:

If you're looking for an Italian dish to compliment your wine, look no further than Bernardo Winery. You can get olive oil, homemade pasta and other items that they have available. Their red and white wines are the most popular. Their shops are open Tuesday through Saturday and their tasting room is open daily. The winery also offers tours to the public and picnic facilities are available for use.

Nestled in Temecula Valley, top notch wines are made at Falkner Winery. This winery has grape vineyards that are produced on their property. Some of the well-known wines they produce are Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and other exquisite wines. The winery also offers daily wine tasting and tours of the estate.

Orfila Vineyards is set in an agricultural area in the San Pasqual Valley. It's also not too far from the San Diego Wild Animal Park. The winery offers daily wine tasting and tours. A gift shop and a picnic facility are available for use.

If you're not up for driving during your wine tasting experience, Destination Temecula will help visitors to plan wine tasting excursions to North County. These trips include rides to and from the wineries from certain points in Southern California. During this trip, the guides will talk about the winery history and scenic areas. You will also be able to see ranches, massive estates, fruit orchards and lots of vineyards. Of course, you would see the most important part of the trip, the top notch wineries and you'd get to do some more wine tasting.

Downtown San Diego also has a wine tasting facility. The San Diego Wine & Culinary Center has great wine tasting sessions accompanied by food. They also offer private label wines sold in cases. You can also purchase them as gifts and they can be custom wrapped to your specifications.

One of their food and wine excursions, the Behind The Scenes Winery Tour, is held at Fallbrook Winery. You will learn the way wine is made from start to finish. You will actually see how the grapes are grown to how they are processed and turned into wine. Also included in this excursion is a picnic lunch outdoors and a private wine barrel tasting.

At the Culinary Center, there are group excursions for 10 or more people. The excursion can be public or private. Participating in something like this can be fun and educational at the same time.

San Diego's wineries are some of the best undisclosed hideouts. Before you know it, you too can be a wine connoisseur.

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Coronado Municipal Beach runs south of the city of Coronado and ends at the Mexican border. There are three zones that make up the area. Even with that, there's no sign of ownership here.

The North Beach coastline faces south. The best time to go surfing is during hurricane season in the summertime. This is when the San Diego area is free from the currents of steep angle swells. You can also get hot dogs at the "Outlet" and check out fire rings near the dunes area.

Central Beach is at the south end of the Hotel Del Coronado. There are many ways to access the area or you can take the shortcut to get to the sand. You can park wherever you can find a parking space. This part of the beach is so popular it stays crowded for the most part. If you're looking to relax on the boardwalk, you can do so and have the servers bring you a drink or two.

The Shores is the large area that is south of the hotel. Since it has a lot of exposure, this part of the beach provides a place for longboarding and bodyboarding. The high-rise condominiums should not stand in the way of where you need to go. You can find plenty of ways to access the beach area, even if you can't find a place to park.

Coronado Municipal Beach is a great way for the family to spend a day at the beach. Lifeguards are available to help if you're swimming or surfing. There are plenty amenities to choose from. You can also play volleyball at the courts. This beach is also equipped with handicapped accessible facilities, such as wheelchairs and the like.

Even thought there is ample parking, during the busy season, parking is at a premium. If you snooze, you lose. Be prepared to walk if spaces become scarce and you don't find one.

You will want to bring some flip flops to wear for the sand. During the day, the sun rays tend to beam down on the sand. Walking barefoot might pose a problem for your feet later on. The closer the sand is to the water's edge, the less heat the sand will absorb. However, for all intents and purposes, keep the flip flops handy. For you canine lovers, dogs are allowed on the beach.

At Glorietta Day Park, there is a small beach, a boat ramp and a place for children to play. For arts and crafts, Spreckels Park would be the place to go. On weekends and holidays, Spreckels Park is the place to go for art and craft fairs.

So whether you go the beach or the park at Coronado, you can always find something to do and you'll never be bored.

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Depending on where you go inside the Park, the admission prices differ. You can also purchase memberships from the various museums and performing arts venues. This way, if you live in the area or nearby, your monetary support will help them maintain their service. You don't have to pay anything to get onto the Park grounds. Other facilities that are free are the Botanical Building, gardens (outside) and other venues. Balboa Park offers passports to visit 13 of the 15 museums, which is good for a week.

Inside the Park, you have a choice of venues to choose from:

* Restaurants and outside dining

* The San Diego Zoo

* Spreckels Organ Pavilion

* Gardens and Landscaping

* Plays and Concerts

* Museums

You can find more detailed information about Balboa Park at the Visitors center. The Visitors Center is located in the National Historic Landmark House of Hospitality facility. More than 500,000 visitors come to Balboa Park each year.

One of the museums in the Park, the San Diego Natural History Museum, was created in 1874. This museum is known for its research and is the oldest facility located in Southern California. The Marston House museum is part of the National Register of Historic Places. This museum is surrounded by acres of gardens.

The San Diego Museum of Art was created in 1926. This museum has a selection of European art, 19-20th century American art, Asian art and Latin American art.

Within Balboa Park, each facility operates their own tours. However, the Visitors Center offers a 60-minute audio of the tour of the Park. There is an audio made for both children and adults. It contains information on architecture, the history of the Park, and other subjects. Balboa Park conducts free tours during the week.

What would this massive park be without anything for children? Balboa Park has indoor and outdoor activities for them. There are museums located in the Park that have something for children. They include: The San Diego History Museum, San Diego Hall of Champions, San Diego Air & Space Museum, San Diego Automotive Museum, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum and we can't forget the San Diego Zoo.

In the year 2000, San Diego's millennium celebration was held at Balboa Park. The San Diego Natural History Museum reopened in 2001 after a massive rebuilding. The museum expanded by 90,000 square feet. Balboa Park has received many honors. Some of them include:

* 2003 – One of the best parks in the world

* 2004 – The Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden as one of the top 12 rose gardens in the world

In November 2005, the new Veterans Memorial Garden opened in Balboa Park. It takes up one acre in the Park.

In San Diego, Balboa Park is the place to come for a great cultural experience.

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Sea World has different rides, attractions and shows for the whole family. The Skyride travels across Mission Bay. This ride will allow you to see the scenery of Mission Bay Park. With the Skytower, you will have a spectacular view of the skyline in the city.

Sea World has rides for everyone to enjoy. Journey to Atlantis is a roller coaster ride that will force you to experience mists and drops during the ride.

The Shamu attraction is very popular with tourists. Shamu the killer whale is loved by many. The trainers and other whales are always in sync with each other. If you are sitting close to the whale area, there's a chance you may get wet. If you don't want to get wet, then don't sit near the front of that section.

If you come during the Spring or Summer season, you will be able to see the mammals perform in the Shamu Rocks show. There is another show featuring sea lions called Sea Lion Tonite. There are more shows to see, like Skyblast, Pets and in the Summer season, check out Cirque de la Mer. There's so much to see, it would be impossible to name them all.

If you're really into dolphins, you can sign up to interact with them for a day. You'll be nose to nose with them, getting to know them in the water. You'll be allowed to feed them and touch their skin. If you've never made contact with a dolphin before, this will be an unforgettable experience. The children would enjoy it even more. If you want to get more advanced, you can become a trainer for a day. In addition to feeding them, you will be able to study dolphin behavior patterns.

In Spring 2008, there will be a new addition to the Sea World family in San Diego. Sesame Street will makes its way here. You and your children will be able to have a breakfast buffet with the characters. There will be a movie available in 4-D.

Sea World also offers different tours within the park. The Animal Spotlight Tour allows you an hour to get close and feed the dolphins. You will also be able to feed other animals, including eels and endangered sea turtles. The Behind The Scenes Guided Tour allows you watch dolphin training, which includes animal care, rescue and rehabilitation.

The Saving A Species Tour allows you to get to know sea turtles and sharks. The good thing about this is that part of each ticket fee goes to a conservation fund. Learn more about the penguins with the Penguin Experience Tour. You will learn how they live in warm and cold weather.

You and your family would be here for days going through all of the shows and attractions. Sea World is not only a fun experience; it's an educational experience as well, especially for the children. Neither you nor your children will forget it and will want to come back.

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