2 0 1 7 T R A V E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 131
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Belmont Park The compact amusement
park's 1925 Giant Dipper rollercoaster marks the
unofficial entrance to the boardwalk along the
perpetually packed sands of Mission and Pacific
beaches. The park's wave machines give newbies a
chance to ride relatively tame waves before braving
the open ocean.
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belmontpark.com
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La Jolla This upscale Mediterranean-style
community lives up to its name ("The Jewel" in
Spanish), with a postcard-ready setting, white sands,
turquoise waters, sea caves (including Sunny Jim
Cave, California's only known land-access sea cave)
and an Underwater Park teeming with pinnipeds,
rays, scuttling lobsters and countless fish. It's not
just another pretty face, though; it hosts the Tony
Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse, Museum of
Contemporary Art San Diego, Murals of La Jolla and
the Birch Aquarium—while also offering the "Rodeo
Drive of San Diego," named for Prospect Street's
stellar shops, galleries and restaurants.
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lajollabythesea.com
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San Diego Zoo Known for its naturalistic
habitats, endangered animal species and adorable
giant pandas, the zoo requires a minimum of a full
day. Allow time for the fabulous shops.
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sandiegozoo.org
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Balboa Park The country's largest urban
cultural park is a rambling landscape of museums,
theaters, artists' studios and gardens. The tiled
California Tower, with its unobstructed 360-degree
view of the park and city, has become a treasured
landmark, reopened after an 80-year closure for the
park's centennial in 2015
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balboapark.org
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Cabrillo National Monument High above
the tip of Point Loma, this sprawling park
commemorates Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo and San
Diego's early history. It's most popular for the
panoramas of the boat-filled bay and sea, the
mountains to the east and the hills of Tijuana to the
south. It's a great place to look for whales spouting
offshore in winter.
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nps.gov/cabr/index.htm
SPECIAL
EVENTS 2017
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FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN Jan. 26-29, Torrey Pines Golf Course, La Jolla
farmersinsuranceopen.com
GASLAMP QUARTER MARDI GRAS Feb. 28, Downtown San Diego sdmardigras.com
ART WALK @ LITTLE ITALY April 29-30, Little Italy artwalksandiego.org
FIESTA OLD TOWN CINCO DE MAYO May 6-8, Old Town San Diego
cincodemayooldtown.com
SAN DIEGO COUNTY FAIR June 2-July 4, Del Mar Fairgrounds sdfair.com
ROCK 'N' ROLL MARATHON June 3-4, Central San Diego runrocknroll.competitor.com/san-diego
PORT OF SAN DIEGO BIG BAY BOOM July 4, San Diego Bay bigbayboom.com
SAN DIEGO LGBT PRIDE PARADE, RALLY & FESTIVAL July 15, Hillcrest and Balboa Park
sdpride.org
DEL MAR THOROUGHBRED CLUB HORSERACING July 19-Sept. 4, Nov. 1-30, Del Mar
dmtc.com
COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL July 20-23, Downtown San Diego comic-con.org
ARTWALK NTC @ LIBERTY STATION Aug. 12-13, San Diego artwalksandiego.org
SAN DIEGO BEER WEEK Nov. 3-12, Throughout San Diego County www.sdbw.org
beaches to the south county. The red tur-
rets atop the Victorian Hotel del Coronado
peek above the city's modest skyline.
Coronado's pleasures include shopping
and dining on Orange Avenue, visiting the
Coronado Museum of History & Art,
ogling the San Diego skyline from Tide-
lands Park and teeing off at Coronado
Municipal Golf Course.
Balboa Park
San Diego's century-old cultural heart occu-
pies 1,200 acres of hills and canyons just
east of downtown. It hosts 17 museums and
The Old Globe theater, winner of multiple
Tony Awards. Its most famous tenant, the
justly renowned San Diego Zoo, celebrated
its Centennial in 2016 and opens a huge
new Africa Rocks exhibit in 2017.
SAN DIEGO BAY and the city skyline, opposite; Coronado Bridge, above.
MUST
DO
SEE,
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