San Diego Travel Guide

Top PicksFrom AOL Travel Editors

Inside ScoopFrom San Diego Locals

Happy Hour in San Diego

Getty Images When it comes to bargains and fun, happy hour in San Diego...Read More

San Diego Slang

San Diego, Calif. -- home of sun, sand, surf.... and slang! Of course, San Diego...Read More

San Diego OVERVIEW

Sailboat and Skyline

Corbis

SeaWorld San Diego

Sea World San Diego

La Jolla

San Diego CVB

San Diego Bay

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San Diego Sunset

San Diego CVB

Sun, surf and exquisite scenery are San Diego travel's main calling cards, but it's far more than just a pretty place. Each neighborhood claims so many desirable features it's hard to decide where to start or stay. Downtown's Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy and East Village are packed with exciting restaurants, clubs and shops. Balboa Park, the city's cultural heart, sits on a slight hill just above Downtown and showcases more than a dozen museums, the stellar San Diego Zoo and The Old Globe in a garden-filled center city park. You can easily spend several days amid San Diego's urbane attractions and there are plenty of outstanding hotels worth sampling while on your vacation to San Diego. Of course, you can't ignore the sea and must wiggle your toes in the sand at least once—San Diego travel isn't complete without a visit to the beach. Classic beach towns are sprinkled along the coastline like Monopoly properties. There's something different in each town, from Ocean Beach's funky surf scene ...See More to the historic roller coaster at Mission Beach's Belmont Park. Classy La Jolla showcases a more refined SoCal style with great shopping at its sophisticated boutiques and galleries, and fine dining at gourmet restaurants. Whatever you are looking for while on your San Diego vacation, this city has it. Yet, for all its outdoor attractions, San Diego also has a rich cultural and intellectual soul. Writers, artists, musicians and scientists conjure ideas while surfing the La Jolla Shores or jogging in Mission Bay Park. The Old Globe and La Jolla Playhouse, both Tony winners, frequently send plays to Broadway. There's a reason Dr. Seuss and Jonas Salk both chose San Diego for their creative inspiration. See Less

AOL Pick

BEST IN San Diego TRAVEL

from our Editors

Jerrin Kelley

500 West HotelWith its inexpensive rates, comfortable accommodations and Downtown location, the 500 West Hotel is a rare find. You can...
Top Of The MarketTop of the Market's ahi might come from local waters, but this elegant dining room is best known for its impeccable...