For those who live in cold weather climates, the winter months can create a bad case of cabin fever. Once it takes over, only sunshine and wide open spaces can cure the mind and body from the bitter frost.
San Diego in Southern California is an attractive option for healing the winter blues, as many of its residents know. This luxurious city has so much to offer by way of water activities, amusement parks, and historical buildings. Learn a little about this sunny city’s attractions for the perfect weekend getaway.
San Diego and Southern California
La Jolla Beach
San Diego is a city known for its beaches and La Jolla is one sand spot that locals go to see and be seen. People from all walks of life come to the active beach to enjoy surfing, water boarding, volleyball, Frisbee games, and people watching. Grand water front properties align the walk path and high cliffs of La Jolla Beach and impress with their variation in architectural styles.
If you like to shop, there are restaurants, beach stores, tattoo parlors, and other boutiques on the boardwalk of La Jolla Beach. So, bring your friends, favorite pets, and some washboard abs to this affluent jewel by the water to relax the afternoon away.
Sea World Amusement Park
The University of California, San Diego, the Stephen Birch Aquarium & Museum, along with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography has put San Diego on the map for their leading expertise in ocean studies. Although these establishments are on the forefront of sea life discovery, Sea World amusement park is the premier site to see the animals of the ocean that we know and love in prime time action.
The Sea World Park offers visitors entertainment with live animal water theater shows, daring roller coasters, and touch and feel animal exhibits. You can spent a day enjoying Shamu the killer whale, sea lions, penguins, flamingos, bat rays, sea birds, fish, and more. Atlantis is the feature water coaster that visitors can ride and get wet with to cool off from the hot San Diego sun. You can purchase tickets to the park online or at their ticket booth.
Old Town San Diego
The west has a very rich history and visitors to San Diego can learn about the birth of California during a trip to Old Town San Diego. A unique cultural location, Old Town gives you a look into California’s past through historical buildings, antique shops, and even ghost tours. Take a walk through The Whaley House to learn about the tragic events that occurred to Thomas Whaley upon arriving from New York to San Diego during the Gold Rush period or explore the open cemetery of El Campo Santo, dating back to the 1800s, to pay respect to the famous early residents of the town.
At Old Town State Historic Park, discover the making of a state by listening to how the interaction of Spanish settlers, Native-Americans, and European inhabitants developed into California then and now. After a day of sightseeing, satisfy your taste buds with some delicious Mexican cuisine and beverages at Cafe Coyote & Cantina, voted best Mexican restaurant since 2005.
San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo has the distinction of being one of the oldest zoological parks in the world. Approximately 3.2 million people visit every year. Keep reading, for a few fun (and interesting) facts about this well-loved attraction. The San Diego Zoo’s aerial tram, known as Skyfari, gives visitors an impressive view of the entire park.
Currently, home to over 3,700 animals, consisting of more than 650 species, the San Diego Zoo is a pioneer in the concept of cage-less exhibits that recreate natural habitats for animals. When you plan a visit to San Diego – definitely don’t miss visiting the zoo.
It’s easy to see why this Southern California location receives high reviews from residents and visitors alike. Remember to get out there and enjoy it while the sun still shines!
Southern California Amusement Parks
When you need a break, the best therapy is to let go of all your worries and have fun like you were a kid again. Southern California has several family-oriented amusement parks that offer fun for the adult and the kid in you.
Just a short drive from San Diego there are three famous venues, Disneyland, California Adventures, and Universal Studios, all popular attractions that receive millions of visitors throughout the year. At these locations, you can let go of stress with the help of rides, theater shows, and hanging out with your favorite cartoon character.
Disneyland
Located in Anaheim, California, Disneyland is the amusement park creation of animator Walt Disney, where cartoon characters come to life. Rides themed after famous Disney characters like Snow White and Peter Pan are available throughout the park and cater to different age groups. The castle of Sleeping Beauty is Disneyland’s most iconic image and is modeled after the Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany.
Visitors can purchase souvenirs at shops located within the castle on the ground level. Classic attractions like It’s A Small World and adventure rides like Pirates of the Caribbean and Indian Jones are always busy and have the longest lines in the park. Visitors can take pictures with their favorite characters like Mickey & Minnie Mouse and listen to them sing and dance during scheduled parade performances. Tickets to the park can be purchased online or at the park’s box office and be sure to reserve a full day to enjoy yourself like a kid.
California Adventures
Located alongside Disneyland in Anaheim, California, California Adventures is the sister park that offers another variety of fun for the amusement park lover. The park gives reference to famous locations in California and offers more hands-on activities for visitors. You can create your own animation at the cartoon shop and learn how the animations in movies like Toy Story were generated.
One ride that delights visitors is Soarin’ Over California, an experience where you’re suspended in the middle of an 80-foot dome screen that soars over California’s picturesque locations with added sensory effects like wind blasts and scents. Visitors can scream to the top of their lungs with the horror ride Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, where an elevator ascends and drops without warning from its video screen hosts. Entrance passes to the park can be purchased online and bought as a package with the Disneyland tickets.
Universal Studios
Located in Los Angeles, California, Universal Studios is the gateway to Hollywood’s movie magic. Various theater shows, fun rides, and tours give you a closer look into the world of movie-making.
The 90-minute studio bus tour offers visitors an inside view of film and television sets like that of Desperate Housewives and Back To The Future along with an exciting ride from the movie King Kong that puts you in the fight between ape and t-rex. You can also discover the different techniques that directors use to create amazing shots from moving vehicles and tall building at the Special Effects Stage.
Feel the rush of adrenaline with the Revenge of the Mummy and Jurassic Park rides and then get wet at the Waterworld presentation. The park has plenty to offer by way of entertainment and can be visited in a day’s time. Purchase tickets online or at the park ticket booth to experience Hollywood stardom in front of and behind the scenes.
A weekend getaway in San Diego and Southern California not only offers sunshine and ocean-side views, but a chance to be free from the daily responsibilities of adulthood.
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