For nearly 100 years, the San
Diego Zoo has been charming
visitors and contributing to the
preservation of innumerable
keystone species. Every corner of
the globe is showcased in habitat-apt enclosures, and for an even
more open-topped experience, the
zoo’s Safari Park brings Africa and
the Asian steppes to the countryside
beyond Escondido. On trams, trails,
elevated walkways and even atop
Segways, visitors get nearly nose-to-nose with lions, giraffes, warthogs
and an Ark load of other critters.
On the waterfront, La Jolla Cove
is noted for its snorkeling and diving, Mission Bay for its calm waters, miles of foot- and bike-friendly
shoreline and Sea World San Diego,
Pacific Beach for its funky, laid-back vibe and Coronado for its historic resort and miles and miles of
uninterrupted sand.
The Gaslamp Quarter is the pulse
of downtown, with hundreds of
shops, galleries, eateries, nightspots and watering holes arrayed
across blocks and blocks— 16. 5 to be
exact—of restored period structures
dating back to the 19th century. The
entire district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places,
and it’s just steps from Petco Park,
where the Major League Baseball
San Diego Padres play.
zoological society of san diego
ABOVE & BELOW: San Diego's charms are many,
from the family favorite San Diego Zoo to the bucolic
skyline fronting San Diego Bay.
sAn diego county is
Woven through With
history, culture,
sunshine, A love for
sports And the outdoors.
it’s A tApestry, rich And
vibrAnt.
For a taste of the past with deeper
roots, venture over to Old Town,
where seven years before the Declaration of Independence the Spanish established their first permanent settlement in California and
the first of the Franciscans’ 21 missions. In architecture, in shops and
on plates, the mission, presidio and
Old Town celebrate the state’s Spanish colonial and Mexican past.
San Diego County is woven through with history, culture, sunshine,
a love for sports and the outdoors.
It’s a tapestry, rich and vibrant. And
tapestries are works of art. n
