Population :1,200,000 Area Code : 619, 858, 760 & 935

When To Go

San Diego has an all-but-perfect climate, so weather-wise any time is a good time to visit. If you want to indulge in watersports and bake yourself on the beach, it's best to come between May and October, when average daily highs range from 70° to 85°F (22° to 30°C). Even in the coolest months (December and January), daily high temperatures still hover pleasantly close to 68°F (20°C). Surfing is always good, but the best conditions are from September to November, with strong swells and offshore Santa Ana winds. Gray whales migrate along the coast from January to early April. Point Loma is the best viewing spot in town.

Things To Do

SeaWorld

Undoubtedly one of San Diego's best known and most popular attractions, SeaWorld opened in Mission Bay in 1964, and Shamu, its resident killer whale, has become an unofficial symbol of the city. SeaWorld is very commercial, very entertaining and slightly educational.

There are plenty of whales, sharks, dolphins and penguins on display and, if you like your marine life choreographed, various special animal performances. Note that SeaWorld has steep entry prices and long queues for some shows and exhibits at peak times. The marine park is 5miles northwest of downtown.

Web : www.seaworld.com

San Diego Zoo

One of San Diego's biggest attractions, this superb zoo has a worldwide reputation, a colorful history and an enlightened zoo management program. Highlights of the zoo include the Tiger River bioclimatic exhibit, which realistically re-creates an Asian rainforest environment, and Gorilla Tropics, which does the same with an African rainforest.

It hosts more than 3000 animals in beautifully landscaped grounds in the northern part of Balboa Park, and also runs a free-range 1800 acre Wild Animal Park in Escondido, 32miles north of the city. The zoo and associated park breed endangered species in captivity for re-introduction into their natural habitats. Its successes include the Arabian oryx, Bali starling and California condor. Other gems are the Sun Bear Forest, where Asian bears frolic, and the African Rock Kopje, where klipspringers display their tremendous rock-climbing abilities. Kids can touch small animals at the Children's Zoo exhibit, and you can also peek at the zoo's latest arrivals in the nursery. This is a wonderful institution; anyone remotely interested in the natural world should set aside a full day to explore it.

Web : www.sandiegozoo.org

Old Town State Historic Park

The original town that sprang up in San Diego below the mission and fortress back in the 18th century. It preserves five of the original adobe (mud brick) buildings alongside scores of recreated structures, including a schoolhouse and a newspaper office.

It's a pleasant place to soak up some history, browse for souvenirs and perhaps enjoy a Mexican meal. Across from the visitor centre is La Casa de Estudillo, a restored adobe home filled with authentic period furniture which is worth a look. Just off the plaza's northwestern corner is The Bazaar del Mundo, a colourful collection of import shops and restaurants, which is open late - a good place for a stroll.

Web : www.parks.ca.gov

Transportation

Getting there and away : There are some direct international flights to San Diego's Lindbergh Field (SAN) airport, but it's not a major gateway. If you're flying in from abroad, you will most likely come via Los Angeles or another big US city. A connecting flight from LA to San Diego takes about 35 minutes, or you could rent a car for the 2.5-hour drive south. San Diego's Lindbergh Field airport is 3miles northwest of the downtown area. Municipal buses, shuttle buses and taxis make the short trip downtown an easy one. The major car rental agencies have desks at the airport. If you plan on driving to Mexico, make sure your rental agreement allows this. The colonnaded Santa Fe train depot - one of the Spanish Colonial-style structures built at the time of the 1915 exposition - is the locus of Amtrak's only services to and from the city, all of which run along the coast. The getting around : The city bus system covers most of the metropolitan area and is the most convenient way of getting around if you're not staying out late at night. Two trolley lines run from the terminal near the railway station at the western edge of the downtown grid. One heads south to the Mexican border at San Ysidro, the other heads east through the downtown area to El Cajon. A commuter rail service operates from the Santa Fe depot along the coast north of the city in the morning and evening rush hours. A ferry shuttles between Coronado and the Broadway Pier, on the extreme western edge of the downtown area. There are great cycle routes in Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, Mission Bay and Coronado. Some routes on MTS buses have a bike rack, and bikes can be transported without extra charge.