San Diego

San Diego is the second-largest city in California and the eighth largest in the USA. The city almost stretches as far south as the Mexican border. The city has a mild climate all year round.

Due to its deep natural harbours the city has developed as a commercial and naval port. San Diego is a university city, with a strong emphasis on biotech research.

The city's economy has developed around the naval and military bases and tourism. The convention centre attracts thousands to the city annually.

With its beaches, parks, waterways, SeaWorld, Zoo and Midway, there is a lot to entertain families.

Tours start close to Broadway Pier and tour either the North Bay, South Bay or combine both in one trip.

The shorter tours last about 90 minutes and the combined about double this.

At least nine cruise lines operate services from San Diego - so the cruise ship choice is very good. With the huge choice of destinations, San Diego is a great place to start your cruise.

Set sail for the Mexican Riviera, the Panama Canal or Hawaii

The battleship USS Midway is now a museum, where the public can walk in the footsteps of the navel men who fought on the ship during the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm.

The ship was decommissioned in 1992 and subsequently became a museum in 2007.

The ship was built during the WWII but never saw active service, only being commissioned in Septer 1945, just after the end of the war.

San Diego International Airport (SAN), is also confusingly called Lindbergh Field. The SAN is the IATA airport code. The airport sits right on the edge of the harbour and is only 3km from the central business district.

It's easy to land at the airport, pass through baggage and be on the way downtown in 30 minutes or less.

Due to the airport's close proximity to the city, it is not unusual to see flights flying low as the descent towards the harbour and airport.

Over the years as the airport has grown there have been calls to have it located further rout of the city, only time will tell if this change takes place.

The promenade along by the Midway Museum is a popular walking place for both Tourists and Locals. At weekends, the area can be thronged with people.

Marina district is an area to the south/west along by the harbour and naturally San Diego Marina and stretching in as far as the Gaslamp Quarter to the East.

The area used to be a conglomeration of warehouses and vacant lots until its recent redevelopment. It now has a range of apartments, hotels and parks.

The Marina is part of the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina complex.

The complex is both a hotel with 1,360 guest rooms, and a 446-slip marina.

The San Diego skyline has gone through a number of major changes in the last ten years.

The skyline, with it's skyscrapers and low flying aircraft, which seem to fly between the buildings is best seen from the water, either from a ferry or a cruise boat.

South of the Midway Battle ship> there is a pleasant walk along the harbour side. Across the waterway lies the Coronado Peninsula - which can be accessed by ferry moored along this walkway.

The walk takes you past the Seaport Village, a restaurant standing on stilts which juts into the harbour, and further south along by the convention centre.

The San Diego Convention Center is located along the harbour side in the Marina district and stretches back to the Gaslamp Quarter.

The Convention Center is known for its Sails Pavilion a large exhibition hall whose roof consists of distinctive Teflon-coated fiberglass "sails" which symbolises San Diego's maritime past.

The Marina district once the home of warehouses, dockland traffic and derelict sites was redeveloped resulting in apartments, condos and retail spaces. Seaport Village is within the Marina district.

This retail and dinning area is located close to the harbour with stunning views of the waterway. The village has over 70 shops in a variety of architectural styles from Mexico to Victorian. Seaport was developed on what were railroad yards, though in former times the area was known as Punta de los Muertos (Point of the Dead).

During the 1782 Spanish expedition, those who died, many from scurvy were buried.

Pantoja Park the oldest city park is located near Seaport Village.

The harbour can look particularly picturesque at sunset as a westerly setting sun, sinks beyond Coronado and leaves in an orange-pink hue on whatever clouds may be passing.

Coronado is one of the most expensive residential areas in the USA.

Though when you see how attractive are its miles of beach, its eastern waterfront which faces over the city of San Diego, and it's marina on the south, it's not hard to see why the island, is popular with the wealthy.

Though of course it isn't really an island, but a peninsula or sand spit>, attached to the mainland by a narrow neck of beach.

The island can be reached by >ferry from the Broadway Pier or from a pier adjacent to the Convention Center.

The navy is big business to San Diego, directly employing 37,000 military and civilians, over its seven facilities in San Diego County.

While touring the harbour or walking along Coronado beach you come close to Naval Air Station North Island, which is on the north end of Coronado.

The naval base is home to a number or aircraft carries which can often been seen moored along the island or trafficking the harbour.

The navy is a major part of San Diego's economy and way of life and is the county's largest employer.

Throughout the day ferries cross the Bay to Coronado Island. The trip is fairly short, about 15 minutes.

The ferries leave from a number of points along the Promendade.

Coronado Island being one of the most popular destinations in the area has a range of tourist and leisure activities.

On the south side of the island there is a well equipped marina.

Broadway is a main street downtown San Diego that runs West to East from Broadway Pier.

The western end of the street has large hotels, the courthouse and major banks.

Close to Broadway Pier is Santa Fe or Union Station.

The station architecture is Spanish Colonial style and is called Santa Fe as it was the terminus for the Santa Fe rail line, though over the years since opening in 1915 it handled the traffic of many railroads including Amtrak.

The Gaslamp District or Quarter is the old and historical part of San Diego, just a few blocks in from the harbour.

At night, the main streets of the quarter are a buzz with people heading to the many bars and music venues. Throughout the year, the quarter hosts many festivals such as Mardi Gras and the St. Patrick's Day Festival.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the area which had fallen into decay underwent an urban renewal programme, which brought life and people back to the quarter.

Many of the historic buildings in the 16 block quarter date from the Victorian Period.

The Westfield Horton Plaza is large partially outdoors shopping mall adjacent to the Gaslamp Quarter. The plaza is interesting due to its architectural design and use of bright and vibrant colours. The Horton was the first successful retail centre since the city's revamp in 1986.

A park with a similar name Horton Plaza is close by. The shopping plaza is pet friendly with a small walking and watering garden for dogs.

The plaza is named after one of the city's historical figures Alanzo Horton.The shopping plaza was designed by Jon Adams Jerden.

The plaza prior to its redevelopment was a place where the homeless, beggars and prostitutes of the city would hang out, since rejuvenation the area is more family orientated.

The Broadway Ferry leaves the pier at the bottom of Broadway, crossing the waterway and docking on Coronado Island.

The single ferry is only a few dollars.

The journey time is less than 30 minutes and the schedule is very regular - with the times posted beside the pier.

As well as the Broadway ferry, a number of smaller ferries depart for Coronado from the piers close to the Convention Centre.

The schedule which can be less frequent are posted on the pier gates.

The Padres who shared the Qualcomm Stadium in the Mission Bay area with the National Football League's San Diego Chargers until 2004 when they moved to the purpose built stadium between 7th and 10th Avenues and close to the San Diego Light Rail Terminal.