If you haven’t been to San Diego, you must visit. It’s warm and sunny almost every day, and there are fabulous things to do, like petting a rhinoceros at the Safari Park or traveling over two miles through the clouds up Mt. San Jacinto. Sound thrilling? It was! Here are five things I highly recommend if you are ever near San Diego.
Kayaking on Mission Bay
We rented kayaks from Mission Bay Aquatics Center and spent the morning paddling around Mission Bay. The staff at MBAC was extremely helpful and friendly, and there were free lockers to store small items. Mission Bay is great for kayaking- it’s self-contained and fairly calm, there are small beaches to explore, and there is little motor traffic. While paddling, we saw two amphibious boats used for seal watching— basically big blue buses floating on the surface of the water! Rentals were inexpensive: $21/single/2.5 hours and $26/double/2.5 hours. You can also rent sailboats and paddle boards. The only negative was parking- the lot at MBAC was full, and we had to find pay/ street parking. When you venture out on the water, be prepared to navigate around large groups of novice sailors and paddle boarders close to the MBAC.
Torrey Pines State Preserve
At Torrey Pines State Preserve you will find beach access, hiking trails, and one of the few places where Torrey Pines still grow. They are beautiful trees with twisting trunks and branches that reminded my son of something from a Dr. Seuss book. We took the Guy Flemming Trail and were treated to gorgeous, panoramic views of the coast. Access fees range from $12-20, depending on the day and season (fees are higher on weekends and during high season, spring-Sept).
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The Safari Park promotes education about animal conservation and does much research to keep fragile species alive. Some of us did the Caravan Safari and rode a truck into a huge animal enclosure. We got to feed a giraffe: note, giraffe saliva is the same consistency as hair gel. Another note: giraffes have huge, beautiful eyelashes.
We were also lucky enough to feed and pet a rhino mom and her “baby” (who weighed 500 pounds). We just leaned over and dropped apple slices into their waiting mouths (which happened to have very large teeth.) The other half of our crew rode a zip line across the enclosure in a Flightline Safari.
In the new Walkabout Australia section, we walked through an area with loose kangaroos and wallabies playing nearby. A kangaroo literally jumped right in front of me across the path.
We spent the entire day there, and it’s well worth the entry fee ($54 for 12+). If you plan on going to the San Diego Zoo also, get a 2 day pass and save yourself some $$. (2 day pass is $86.40 for 12+)
The San Diego Zoo
The world-renowned San Diego Zoo did not disappoint, even though we had already spent a day at the Safari Park. It’s clean, with lots of trees to provide shade from the San Diego sun. We saw a mama hippo napping with her head on her baby’s back, as well as a Giant Panda enjoying a mid day snack. Again, education and conservation were the focus. My family loved it, especially the snuggling koalas and the mama leopard with her two cubs.
At both the Zoo and the Safari Park, we found the best time to visit the animals was early morning or evening; they tend to sleep during the hot, midday hours. Food inside both parks was pricey, but we felt better knowing the money was going toward animal conservation. Tickets same price as for the Safari Park.
Palm Springs Tramway
We drove over two hours to Palm Springs, but the day long excursion was worth it. We parked at the base of Mt. San Jacinto in the desert, then rode the Palm Springs Tramway two and a half miles up the mountain to access hiking trails at 9000 feet. The tram ride is “amazing and terrifying”, as my daughter described it. The floor of the circular tram car slowly rotated during the ten minute ride, giving visitors views in all directions.
The tram ran on cables supported by five towers, and at every tower, the tram swung, prompting stomach lurches and contemplation of the meaning of life (’cause it felt like it was about to end.) Comments from my husband regarding the likelihood of our tram falling did not help my anxiety during the trip, but I squeezed his hand tight (perhaps cutting off blood flow), and survived unscathed.
There were lots of hiking trails available from the mountain station, and we opted to hike to the “saddle” of the mountain, a six mile adventure round trip. The trail was steep at times, and the altitude change slowed the adults down. The teens did just fine and enjoyed scaling giant boulders along the trail while the old people caught up. (Excuse me, oldER). The views at our destination were well worth the thigh-burning climb.
Fees for the tram are $25.95 for adults (aged 10+). Hiking is free, but you must obtain a permit if you go beyond the ranger station.
Word Nerd note: The Palm Springs Tramway is an engineering feat from the 1960s. Helicopters flew 23,000 missions over 24 months of construction to build the towers for the tramway.
Have you ever visited any of these or other noteworthy sights in San Diego? Please share. We stayed with friends, but if you have any tips about lodging, please share those as well.
Thanks for “traveling” with me!
I remember some of these pics from your FB posts – what an amazing trip! We have been to the zoo but now I wish we had done the Safari Park too. And your other excursions – thank you for all the ideas if I ever get back there. One fun thing we did was ride bikes around Coronado, but the kayaking sounds even better.