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| Air Activities |
Airjunkies Paragliding: (760)
753-2664 Air Adventures Skydiving: (619)
661-6671
A Ballon Adventure by California Dreamin: (760)
438-9550; 438-3344 |
San Diego�s amazing
landscapes, clear skies, and amazing climate make a very popular sport
and recreational flying activity. The Palomar Airport in Carlsbad,
Gillespie Field in El Cajon, Montgomer Field in central San Diego, and
Brown Field in South County all have FAA-approved flying schools and
aircraft rental facilities.
Also common in San Diego are hot-air balloons. Only in coastal lands can
you ride a hot-air balloon at daylight AND dusk. Many businesses that
provide tours provide unique meals or champagne flights to cater to a
couple�s anniversary or birthday.
Aside from these great air sports, skydiving, air combat and biplane
adventures, helicopter or blimp rides, and even sky sailing are also
available in beautiful San Diego! |
| Beaches |
Coronado: (619) 435-4179
Oceanside: (760) 966-4570
San Diego: (619) 221-8884
Solana Beach: (858) 422-2971 |
When a tourist comes to San Diego, the most popular
locations they want to visit are the astounding beaches surrounding the
area. Serious or new surfers, young and old couples, and parents and
children alike can all find the perfect beach for them. San Diego�s 70
miles of coastline draw people of all kinds. Many beaches are patrolled
by lifeguards that keep beaches safe during riptides. Those who want to
learn more about lifeguarding or surfing can enjoy different classes
teaching technique and different facts about each. Surf and weather
reports are available at the phone numbers above. |
| Bicycling |
County Route S7, Palomar Mountain (800)
895-4427 |
San Diego provides very well to the bicycle-lover with
bicycle lanes offered on most all roads and many bike paths all around
the county. Bicycling is also prevalent along the boardwalks at the
beach. |
| Boating |
Oceanside Yearley Sailboats: (760) 722-4940
Seaforth Boat Rentals: (619) 223-1681; 239-2628 |
Yet again, San Diego�s amazing weather of light winds,
shining skies, and wonderful climate creates the idyllic site for
boating, power-boating, and sailing. There are a number of marinas if
you need to rent a boat or even take sailing lessons. The boat-launching
ramps are numerous as well. |
| Camping |
California State Lifeguards (Beach): (760)
438-2675 California Park Service
Information Center (State Park): (760) 767-5311
California State Park Reservation Center
(Fee-paid Beach): (800) 444-4275 |
San Diego has a numerous variety of camping spots to
choose from; 30 of which have private camping locations ready for RVs
and tents. Whether you like camping on beaches, rivers, creeks, mountain
forests or deserts, San Diego is the idyllic place for you.
o The popular Cleveland National Forest is home to chaparral, mile-high
mountains and coniferous trees.
o Anza-Borrego Desert State Park presents the camper miles of drastic
canyons, desert oasis, and wide plains.
o The state beaches of South Carlsbad and San Elijo have campgrounds on
the bluffs that look out over the beach.
o Cuyamaca Rancho State park is about 45 miles east of downtown and has
110 miles of hiking and horseback trails.
o The Palomar Mountain area and La Jolla Indian Reservation also contain
several campsites that are popular year-round. |
| Del Mar Fairgrounds and Racetrack |
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar (858)
793-5555 |
Quite possibly the most admired event in Del Mar is the
375-acre site�s 3 week long Del Mar Fair. The old-style county fair is
composed of traditional events such as livestock judging and races,
cooking contests, and eating contests as well as popular entertainment
and the great long-established fast food that can be expected from any
fair.
Though the Del Mar Racetrack presents events throughout the year, �the
surf meets the turf� for seven weeks of horse racing during the Pacific
Classic race. The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club hosts home and horse shows,
riding competitions, a Halloween haunted house, and a light show. |
| Gambling |
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If gaming is what you desire, Barona, Sycuan, and Viejas
Indian reservations can be found in eastern San Diego County, all of
which provide popular casinos! The casinos include video gaming
machines, card tables, bingo halls, off-track satellite wagering on
horse races, as well as restaurant dining with live headliner
entertainment! |
| Golfing & Tennis |
Balboa Golf: 2600 Golf Course Drive
San Diego, CA 92102 (619) 570-1234
Mission Bay Golf 2702 North Mission Bay Drive
(858) 581-7880 |
San Diego�s renowned �ideal� weather is a golfer�s
dream. Possibly the reason San Diego hosts 87 wonderful golf courses is
because one could pick a tee time on any day in the whole calendar year
and experience a golfer�s paradise. Therefore many prestigious golf
tournaments are also held in the region.Another year-round sport in San
Diego is tennis. There are over 1,200 private and public tennis courts,
many of which are bordered by large condominium complexes that provide
private lessons. La Costa Resort & Spa hosts the TIG Tennis Classic
annually attracting top tennis professionals. |
| Hiking |
Audubon Society: (619) 275-0557
San Diego Trails Council: (619) 563-5025
Sierra Club: (619) 299-1744 |
Read about San Diego�s wide parks to completely see the
beauty and wonders on had to the outdoor-lover. Many people encourage
the area�s appealing characteristics with guided hikes and trips. Afoot
and Afield in San Diego County by Jerry Schad is a great reference with
a complete listing of local trails. |
| Horseback Riding, Running, and Jogging |
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San Diego provides numerous outlets for renting or
boarding horses and exploring the area�s more rustic places or finding
equestrian lessons for the new rider. The great weather and beautiful
views of San Diego provide a numerous selection of clubs and popular
5K/10K runs including the Camp Pendleton International Triathlon and the
San Diego Track Club offering coached workouts at Balboa Stadium. |
| Ice Skating |
Ice Chalet, University Towne Centre: (619)
452-9110 San Diego Ice Arena, San Diego:
(619)530-1825 |
Aside from what is truly a big misconception about San
Diego, there is really public ice skating access year round! Popular
sports aside from ice skating are broomball and hockey. |
| Indoor Sports |
Balboa Park Activity Center: (619) 581-7100
San Diego County Parks and Recreation Department:
(858) 694-3049
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For people who like indoor activities such as bowling,
bridge, chess, table tennis, and arts-and-crafts clubs, San Diego
provides numerous venues. Dance groups that include international folk
dance, Middle Eastern belly dancing, Hawaiian hula dancing, square
dance, swing dance, and tap and ballet dance provide lessons and parties
throughout the county. |
| Inline Skating |
Hamel Sports on the Mission Beach Boardwalk:
(619) 488-5050 Rock & Roll at the
Escondido Sports Center: (760) 839-0796 |
Close to 80% of the nation�s inline skating industry is
based here in San Diego. Famously known top line inline skaters featured
on ESPN�s X-Games live in North County so it is no surprise that skating
has increased in popularity all around the city. Many women over 30 are
commonly incorporating inline skating into their regular fitness
activities! |
| Shopping |
Horton Plaza � Fashion Valley � Mission Valley
Mira Mesa � College Grove � La Mesa - Escondido
Bonita � Chula Vista � La Jolla � Carlsbad |
One of the most admired pastimes in San Diego is
enjoying the numerous shopping venues throughout the city. Major malls
are scattered at all of the above listed locations, but there are also
outlet stores in Carlsbad, San Marcos, San Ysidro, Alpine and Temecula.
San Diego also has numerous specialty districts such as Solana Beach
(off Lomas Santa Fe and Cedros) where one can find stores highlighting
interior design and home furnishings. In Hillcrest (near downtown) you
will located many bookstores. The Bazaar del Mundo in Old Town features
Mexican art, clothing and jewelry. Coronado Island is known for its
Ferry Landing Marketplace and Orange Avenue (between First Street and
Dana Place) where more than 200 stores line the streets. Also, the
famous Prospect Street in La Jolla is the �Rodeo Drive� of San Diego.
If swap meets are what you enjoy, look in National City, Oceanside,
Santee, Escondido, South Bay, Spring Valley, and the Sports Arena in San
Diego. But, if fresh produce is your search, go see one of the city�s
MANY farmer�s markets where the corn you buy was picked from the fields
earlier that day. |
| Skateboarding |
Escondido Sports Center, Escondido: (760)
839-5425 YMCA Skate Park; (619) 298-3576
Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA: (760) 942-9622
Robb Field Skateboard Park: (619) 531-1563 |
Though it is very important to remember that
skateboarding is not permitted on any school property, malls, shopping
centers, parking lots, or on the street, there are numerous designated
areas listed above where a boarder or a fan can show off their tricks. |
| Skiing |
Big Bear Mountain Resort, Big Bear Lake: (909)
585-2519
Snow Report: (800) BEAR-MTNSnow Summit
Mountain Resort, Big Bear Lake: (909) 866-5766
Snow Report: Toll 888- SUMMIT-1
Mountain high Resort, Wrightwood: (760)
249-5808
Snowcrest Snow Park/Ski Area, La Crescenta:
(626) 440-9749
Snow Report: 583-9477
Snow Valley, Running Springs: (909) 867-2751
Snow Report: (800) 680-SNOW
Tamarack Ski Resort, Mammoth Lakes: (760)
934-2442 Snow Report: (800) 237-6879 |
Where else in the world can you enjoy the sunny surf in
the morning and the snowy ski in the afternoon? San Diego is a short
three to four hours away from the San Bernardino Mountains, home
consting of Big Bear Lakes. AlthoughThough only 135-180 inches of snow
falls in the area yearly, the resorts are equipped with top of the line
snowmaking machinery that can provide top of the line snow cover no
matter what the weather may be. Aside from skiing, Big Bear and Snow
Summit are complete with snowboard parks. If it's been awhile since you
last hit the slopes, Snow Summit even has one of the biggest
snowboarding schools in the state!
Mammoth Mountain is the place to go for the Southern Californian willing
to drive eight hours. The annual Winter Gravity Games, an alternative
winter sports festival, is hosted at Mammoth. Top athletes from around
the nation are drawn to California for competition in snowboarding, free
skiing, snow mountain biking, and more. |
| Spectator Sports |
Padres Tickets: (619) 283-4494
Chargers Tickets: (619) 280-2121
Gulls Tickets: (619) 224-4625 |
San Diego is where baseball�s Nation League Champions
San Diego Padres and the National Football League�s San Diego Chargers.
Charger games can be viewed at QUALCOMM Stadium in Mission Valley and
the Padres play at Petco Park found downtown. The San Diego Sports Arena
is home for the San Diego Gulls Hockey Team as well. |
| Sportfishing |
Pat�s Fishing Reports: www.biteson.com
Helgren�s Sportfishing at Oceanside Harbor: (760) 722-2133
H & M Sportfishing: (619) 222-1144 |
No matter what type of a fisher you are, San Diego can
cater to your needs. Whether you prefer a half-day or a full-day trip,
alone or with a group, week-long trips to Baja or short trips closer to
home your own sportfishing trip is available in San Diego. Charter
fishing boats sail each day from San Diego and Oceanside. Information
can be accessed by phone about daily catches. You can also find
information on runs of particular kinds of fish such as albacore,
yellowtail and rock cod over the phone. |
| Team Sports |
YMCA Youth Sports: (858) 292-4034 |
Both Children and adults alike have excellent
opportunities to participate in the camaraderie and skill-building that
is the team sport. To sign up in any of the numerous varietes of sports
available, contact your local city park and recreation department,
school district, or YMCA for more information. If you are looking for a
highly competitive team or something fun to occupy your spare time,
there is no doubt you will definitely find the right league for you!
Particularly the YMCA of San Diego: It contains the most populated youth
and family services in the County because of its thirteen branches that
each provide a variety of programs. Every sports program, including
indoor and outdoor soccer, swimming, gymnastics, flag football,
basketball, baseball, tennis, skateboarding, inline skating, roller
hockey, and more, includes trained coaches and even character
development. All throughout the year, the YMCA offers Sports Camps that
provide with specialized training in all activities including even
surfing and boogie boarding in the summer! |
| Water Parks |
Wave Waterpark, Vista: (760) 940-9283
Whitewater Canyon Waterpark, Chula Vista: (619) 661-7373 |
If you or your family is searching for water slides and
exciting play structures, these water parks are guaranteed to keep you
entertained throughout the summer! |
| Water Sports |
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The breathtaking lakes, bays, and beaches of San Diego
attract adventurers interested in kayaking, swimming, water polo,
canoeing and sailing. Anyone can also have fun waterskiing, wind
surfing, fishing, personal water craft activities, and rowing. |
| Whale Watching |
San Diego Harbor Excursions: (619) 234-4111
Seaforth Sportfishing: (619) 224-3383 |
If you enjoy a calmer and more quiet vacation or
pasttime, in the months between December and March, you can view the
California gray whales pass the San Diego coastline. The whales are
making their 7,000 mile migration from Alaska to the warmer lagoons of
Mexico�s Baja peninsula. In Baja they give birth to their newest members
of the migration, their calves. |
| Wine Tasting |
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To enjoy the social stage of San Diego one can learn
about the secrets of connoisseurs of wine. With the wineries found in
Rancho Bernardo, Escondido and Julian areas of the Orfila Vineyards,
many San Diegans participate in wine tasting. Other wineries include:
Bernardo Winery, Deer Park Winery, Ferrara Winery, and Shadow Mountain
Vineyards all of which are so near to San Diego; wine tasting is a
common activity. |
City Offers Many Free Activities
Having a good time in San Diego doesn�t always require a lot of money. In fact,
many things to see and do here are absolutely free. With 70 miles of beaches,
amazing weather and an array of settings country-wide, San Diego offers a fun
and inexpensive getaway for all seasons of the year.
Here�s a partial list of free, year-round San Diego activities:
* Head to San Diego�s many beaches, all free, to swim, body surf or hang-ten.
Play in the sand, collect seashells or just bask in the sun.
* Visit La Jolla Cove and see the magnificent sunset on the ocean. The cove is a
spectacular natural setting.
* See Seaport Village during the weekends for exciting, free entertainment and
hours of stress-free strolling and window-shopping. Or just sit in the grass and
enjoy the passing yachts and ships on San Diego Bay.
* Wander through the 16 � block historic Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego
and see the renovated turn-of-the-century Victorian architecture, home to
restaurants, boutiques, art galleries, specialty shops and more.
* Fly a kite along the vast grassy areas in the Tecolote Shores of Mission Bay
Park, a 4,600-acre park. Here, away from trees and overhead wires, friends and
family can come together to launch their colorful kites into the San Diego
breezes.
* Listen to free organ concerts at 2 p.m. on Sundays at the Spreckels Organ
Pavilion in Balboa Park. The Organ Pavilion hosts one of the world�s largest
outdoor pipe organs, a San Diego landmark since 1914.
* Bike or jog along Mission Bay Park�s many trails. Joggers and wlkers share
more than 20 miles of scenic running paths that wind through sunlight and shade
near the shoreline and feature workout courses at planned stations along the
route.
* Visit the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista for a free tour of the
150-acre-facility, including training fields and tracks, athlete dorms and the
Otay Lake Reservoir. Tours are given daily.
-- San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau
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