inspired menus created by innovative chefs,
you’ve definitely landed in the right place.
MISSION BAY
The water is the main draw in Mission Bay.
Enduringly popular with families for its
many entertainment offerings, this more-
than-4,600-acre aquatic wonderland has
become an equally trendy destination for
visitors without kids in tow.
Located near Pacific Beach, Mission
Bay is the ideal launch site for a host of
water activities from sailing to boating,
paddleboarding, surfing, boogie boarding,
swimming, kite boarding or simply heading
out across the water in two-person FunCats
(electric catamarans). If getting below the
surface is more your style, an artificial reef
composed of shipwrecks—dubbed Wreck
Alley—lies a mere half-mile from the coast
and offers plenty of opportunities for snor-
keling and diving. Boats, paddleboards,
bicycles and Segways can be rented at Action
million transformation that will feature the
diverse habitats of the African continent,”
says Robert Arends, public relations man-
ager for the San Diego Tourism Authority.
He explains that the exhibit, called Africa
Rocks, comprises “tropical forest, rocky
shorelines and wide savannahs.”
Elsewhere in San Diego, the districts of
Old Town, Mission Bay and the historic
Gaslamp Quarter offer entire worlds worth
discovering. Regardless of the season, set off
on your own quest along California’s lumi-
nous southern coast—and whether your
definition of treasure involves history, shop-
ping, family adventure, entertainment or
Sport Rentals, which has multiple locations.
You can also stroll the wide boardwalk,
then shake things up at Belmont Park, where
oceanfront amusements have been thrilling
visitors since 1925. While there, be sure to
ride the Giant Dipper, a historic wooden
roller coaster that ranks as one of the oldest in
the U.S. Other excitements include a three-
story Vertical Plunge ride and the swinging
Beach Blaster, which takes passengers 60
feet into the air. An outdoor venue called the
WaveHouse, home to the FlowBarrel artificial
wave ride, lets you test your surfing skills (on a
smaller “flowboard”) sans ocean.
Other attractions requiring slightly less
adrenaline include classic bumper cars,
as well as the colorful Liberty Carousel.
The park is also the location of Tiki Town
Adventure Golf, where you can relax and
putt away the afternoon while enjoying sea
breezes rolling in from the Pacific.
If images of SeaWorld splash to mind,
that’s likely because this iconic sea life park
Clockwise from top left: Gaslamp Quarter; the San Diego Zoo; Petco Park baseball stadium
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