| Introducing San Diego | | | | RIver. Children will enjoy the animal infant nursery |
| San Diego, the Golden State's oldest, second | | | | and petting zoo. |
| biggest and south-most city is celebrated for its | | | | 4 Gaslamp Quarter |
| perfect climate, miles of beaches, and southerly | | | | The Gaslamp Quarter is possibly the city's most |
| location on the border with Mexico, adjacent to | | | | characterful section. The original buildings date to |
| Tijuana. Originally San Diego started as an | | | | the mid 19th century. Enjoy your visit to a cluster |
| insignificant Spanish settlement, founded in the | | | | of fashion shops, restaurants, galleries, bars, |
| early nineteenth century, and for over a hundred | | | | sidewalk cafes, jazz clubs and nightclubs with a |
| years developed relatively slowly, until the 1940s, | | | | romantic Victorian feeling mixed with a modern |
| when the population boomed. San Diego bay is | | | | buzz. The quarter is also a center for big parties, |
| fabulous for sailing, and the city has a rich | | | | from music and food festivals to St Patricks Day. |
| maritime heritage - here you'll find the base for | | | | 5 Spanish Missions |
| the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy. | | | | San Diego has twenty one missions, established |
| Today the visitor will find a city that mixes | | | | over two centuries ago. The major task of the |
| contemporary urban design with historical Spanish | | | | missions was converting the native Indians to |
| architecture, sparkling sea views to the west | | | | religion. The first ever, known as the Mother of |
| coast with barren, rocky hills to the east, and | | | | the Missions, is the Mission San Diego de Alcala. |
| haute-cuisine restaurants, with characterful | | | | This was founded in the late 18th century by |
| tortillarias. | | | | Padre Junipero Serra. A few years after |
| San Diego Cruise Port | | | | completion the mission was torched in a riot, but |
| The Cruise Ship Terminal is located at North | | | | it was quickly rebuilt. |
| Harbor Drive at the B Street Pier, very near to | | | | Picking A Cruise From San Diego |
| the city center. The cruise ship terminal is a | | | | Pick from an amazing variety of cruises. |
| modern building with the usual variety of facilities | | | | Possibilities include the Mexican Riviera, the |
| for cruise passengers. The wharfs at the cruise | | | | Hawaiian islands, or trans Panama canal voyages |
| port are numbered in the following way. Wharfs | | | | to Florida. For experienced cruisers more far-flung |
| on the north of B Street pier are one and two, | | | | routes to the South Pacific or South America are |
| on the west three, and on the southside four and | | | | a possibility. |
| five. The wharfs on the Broadway pier are | | | | A typical Mexican Riviera itinerary offering would |
| numbered identically. On both piers, wharfs one | | | | be visiting Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto |
| and two are combined to dock a large cruise ship, | | | | Vallarta, Acapulco, Zihuataneojo, and Manzanillo (11 |
| similarly four and five. Berth three is kept for | | | | Night Mexican Riviera from Royal Caribbean). |
| shorter vessels. Thus the port has the ability | | | | Travelling to San Diego Cruise Port |
| overall to dock four large cruise ships | | | | From the Airport |
| simultaneously. A second terminal is being built on | | | | The cruise terminal is a quick ten minute cab |
| Broadway pier, due to open in 2010. | | | | journey from the Airport. Taxicab pick-up areas |
| 5 Best Things to Do in San Diego (Editor's choice!) | | | | are easy to find on the forecourts of each of the |
| When planning a cruise trip from San Diego, make | | | | three airport terminals. |
| sure to spend a day at one or other end of your | | | | By Amtrak |
| vacation exploring the city. Highlights include | | | | Amtrak's major San Diego terminus, the Santa Fe |
| 1 USS Midway Museum | | | | Depot, is only a fifth of a mile away from the |
| Walk south for just 5 minutes on North Harbor | | | | cruise port, so you can walk or take a taxi. If you |
| Drive from the cruise port towards the | | | | are walking, travel west on Broadway towards |
| awe-inspiring carrier ship, named the USS Midway, | | | | the waterfront. When you reach the bay, the |
| docked at the Navy pier. Visit the USS Midway | | | | cruise port is easy to see. |
| Museum to find out about the city's unique naval | | | | By Car |
| tradition. | | | | If traveling south on Interstate 5, continue along |
| 2 Coronado Beach | | | | the highway into downtown San Diego. Turn off |
| Catch a short ferry to Coronado island. A quick | | | | at Sassafras, signed to the airport. Follow Kettner |
| cab ride across the barrier island will get you to | | | | for three-quarters mile, until you reach Laurel. |
| the island's beach, a lovely stretch of fine, white | | | | Make a right on Laurel and carry on until Harbor |
| sand on the ocean's coastline. Tour famous Hotel | | | | Drive. Make a left to join Harbor Drive. The cruise |
| del Coronado, an unique example of a Victorian | | | | ship port is half a mile on your righthand side. |
| beach hotel. | | | | If traveling north on Interstate 5, continue along |
| 3 San Diego Zoo | | | | the highway into central San Diego. Exit at |
| San Diego Zoo, situated in Balboa Park, is | | | | Hawthorn, signed to the airport. Continue along |
| internationally renowned for its design and | | | | Hawthorn to Harbor Drive. Here, make a left. The |
| astonishing collection of animals. There are over | | | | cruise ship port is one-half mile on your righthand |
| seven hundred different species, who live in a | | | | side. Numerous parking lots are available. It's a |
| creatively landscaped 100 acre park. Favorites are | | | | good idea to arrange parking in advance. |
| the Polar Bear Plunge, the Gorilla Tropics and Tiger | | | | |