California Travel Guide

Anaheim

Anaheim is another one of the cities within the County of Los Angeles and the name will be unfamiliar to many. This is because until the1950's it was an unremarkable collection of orange groves. That all changed when a certain Walt Disney picked it as the site for his first theme park. Anaheim may as well have changed its name at the time because now it is known the world over as Disneyland.

Visiting the park and the more recently opened 'Disney California Adventure' is a two-day trip. Admission prices include access to all rides including the still terrifying Space Mountain. To help separate you from more of your money there is Downtown Disney. This is a shopping mall come entertainment centre with shops, restaurants and bars.

Nearby is Knotts Berry Farm, which is another massive theme park.

Anaheim is also birthplace of Ex President Richard Nixon whose life is celebrated in the Richard Nixon library and Birthplace.

Anaheim, thanks to the Disney effect is a sprawling mass of souvenir shops, bad hotels and fast food restaurants of every description.

Most people choose not to stay in the area but return to the real world in other parts of LA.

San Diego

An instantly likeable place, San Diego sits 125 miles south of LA, almost on the Mexican border. It strikes a balance between the laid back and the conservative; it lacks the traffic of its northerly neighbour and is an altogether more relaxed city. Sited on a gently curved bay with over 40 miles of beaches it is difficult to fault what is one of the largest urban areas in the country.

First discovered by the Spanish in 1542 there were occasional landings but nothing permanent until the opening of a mission in 1769. Following the Spanish came Mexican rule with the US only taking control in 1846. The coming of the railroad saw the town begin to develop but it only really began to boom following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbour in 1941. With the relocation of the Pacific Command Centre to San Diego the town really took off. Now, apart from still being a military city, San Diego's prosperity rests with its large aviation and technology industries.

Industry and the pleasing climate have made San Diego one of the fastest growing cities in the States. A relaxed place with some great attractions to distract you should the weather, and being cool and laid back get too much.

Where to Go and What to See

Balboa Park

The impressive array of trees and shrubs alone would make this Park worth a visit but it also contains a collection of museums and one of the world's great zoos.

Amongst the highlights of the twelve museums are the Timkin Museum of Art and the San Diego Museum of Art both of which contain varied works from all over the globe. The latter is one of the largest museums of its kind in the country.

For the more scientifically minded there is the Natural History Museum, The Museum of Man and the Reuben H Fleet Science Centre.

Many of these museums are housed in Spanish colonial style buildings that were originally put up just for the duration of the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition. These buildings have since been extensively renovated and rebuilt.

The world famous San Diego zoo occupies a large part of the park. This zoo has a reputation for its work with endangered species and for its pioneering work with the actual keeping of animals. The philosophy of the zoo is not to keep animals behind bars but in 'natural' examples of their habitats.

La Jolla

Stroll through this well-to-do suburb enjoying the shopping, the galleries and the cafes and restaurants that line its sedate streets. The seafront is very attractive and for the more active visitor there is the San Diego-La Jolla underwater park which has great scuba diving.

Sea World

Much criticised but not to be missed, this is San Diego's busiest attraction. Essentially this is a theme park for sea creatures. Whale and dolphin shows are the main attractions but if such spectacles make you a little uneasy there is still plenty more to see. If you can, take a behind the scenes tour and don't miss the Manatees; fascinating creatures.

The Old Town

By US standards San Diego is a long established town and its Spanish heritage becomes apparent with a visit to the Old Town and Presidio Hill. In 1769 Presidio Hill was the site of the first of a string of missions in the area. Although the original buildings are long gone they have been reproduced in the Junipero Serra Museum with collections of pieces from the early mission period. The land beneath this hill was where the first real settlement began and it is this that forms the basis of the succinctly named Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. It is a little touristy but does try and give a flavour, through reconstructed adobe buildings of the city as it was during early Mexican and US times. This is an interesting place for a stroll, with its 'old' buildings interspersed with shops, bars and restaurants.

Another historical district worth a look is the Gaslamp Quarter a collection of late Victorian buildings. Covering sixteen blocks, this is a great place at night with its many popular bars and restaurants.

Embarcadero

This is the San Diego waterfront with its Seaport Village and Maritime Museum. The museums spectacular centrepiece is the 'Star of India' the world's oldest functioning merchant sailing ship. Elsewhere lies the Seaport Village, another area of pleasant shops and restaurants. Looking seaward it is possible to stare in shock and awe at the lumbering, brutish aircraft carriers across the harbour.

Coronado

Cross the breathtaking Coronado Bay Bridge from downtown San Diego to this resort isthmus (that's pokey out finger of land to you and me). The town is pleasant enough but the real draw for visitors is the Hotel del Coronado. This has a number of historical points not least of which is the role it played in the Billy Wilder film 'Some Like It Hot'.

Point Loma Cabrillo National Monument

The monument is in honour of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo the Spaniard who first landed here in 1542. There are rock pools, a mid 19th century lighthouse and a half decent visitor centre but the main reason to tarry here is for the views. From here you can see a panoramic view of the bay area. Between mid December and mid February the monument becomes a Mecca for whale watchers hoping to catch a glimpse of majestic Grey Whales on their way south to Baja California.

Hit the Beach

There are several beaches in San Diego the most notables being Mission Beach, Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach. All of them are what we imagine Californian beaches to be. There are great bodies, surfing, volleyball, barbecues and a party atmosphere to greater or lesser degree on each one.

Eating, drinking, sleeping and clubbing

Choice of places to eat is huge with excellent seafood and fine ethnic cuisine's well represented.

For nightlife there are the discos, nightclubs and live music places that line the beaches.

There is also a wide choice of places to stay, from hostels to high price hotels. There are a large number of decent places at very reasonable prices. In high season, as one might expect the prices rise.

Fri 12th Mar 2010