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San Diego real estate library
San
Diego Activities
| Air Activities |
Airjunkies Paragliding: (760)
753-2664 Air Adventures Skydiving: (619)
661-6671
A Ballon Adventure by California Dreamin: (760)
438-9550; 438-3344 |
San Diego’s
incredible views, warm climate, and sunny skies create a very popular
sports and recreational flying activities. The Palomar Airport in
Carlsbad, Gillespie Field in El Cajon, Montgomery Field in central San
Diego, and Brown Field in South County all have FAA-approved flying
schools and aircraft rental facilities.
Hot-air balloons are also popular in San Diego. Only in coastal
communities can you fly a hot-air balloon at sunrise AND sunset. Many
companies that offer tours provide special picnics or champagne flights
to cater to a couple’s anniversary or any other occasion.
Aside from these activities, are also available in beautiful San Diego! |
| Beaches |
Coronado: (619) 435-4179
Oceanside: (760) 966-4570
San Diego: (619) 221-8884
Solana Beach: (858) 422-2971 |
When a tourist comes to San Diego,
the most common attractions they want to visit are the amazing beaches
surrounding the area. Serious surfers, young couples, and parents with
excited children alike can all find the perfect beach for them. San
Diego’s 70 miles of coastline attract people of all types. Most beaches
are patrolled by lifeguards that keep beaches safe during riptides.
Anybody eager to learn more about lifeguarding or surfing can enjoy
specific classes teaching technique and facts about each. Surf and
weather reports are available at the phone numbers above. |
| Bicycling |
County Route S7, Palomar Mountain (800)
895-4427 |
The bicycling-lover will feel
pleasantly catered to by San Diego's bicycle lanes, which are available
on almost all roads and various bike paths throughout the county. Also
popular among bike-riders are the boardwalks along the beach. |
| Boating |
Oceanside Yearley Sailboats: (760) 722-4940
Seaforth Boat Rentals: (619) 223-1681; 239-2628 |
Time after time, San Diego’s
famous weather of fair winds, sunny skies, and wonderful climate creates
the ideal site for boating, power-boating, and sailing. There are
multiple marinas if you need to rent a boat or even take sailing
lessons. The boat-launching ramps are plentiful as well. |
| Camping |
California State Lifeguards (Beach): (760)
438-2675 California Park Service
Information Center (State Park): (760) 767-5311
California State Park Reservation Center
(Fee-paid Beach): (800) 444-4275 |
San Diego is home to a wide
variety of camping spots to choose from; 30 of these campsites have
private camping locations equipped for RVs and tents. Whether you prefer
camping on creeks, rivers, beaches, deserts, or forests, San Diego is
the place for you.
o The always popular Cleveland National Forest is home to chaparral,
mile-high mountains and coniferous trees.
o Anza-Borrego Desert State Park offers the camper miles of deep
canyons, desert oasis, and wide plains.
o The relaxing beaches of South Carlsbad and San Elijo have campgrounds
on the bluffs that overlook the beach.
o The Cuyamaca Rancho State park offers around 110 miles of horseback
and hiking trails and lies around 45 miles east of downtown.
o The La Jolla Indian Reservation and Palomar Mountain area both have
various campsites that are popular year-round. |
| Del Mar Fairgrounds and Racetrack |
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar (858)
793-5555 |
Quite possibly, the most popular
event in Del Mar is the 375-acre site’s 3 week long Del Mar Fair The
old-fashioned county fair showcases traditional events such as eating
contests, cooking contests, livestock racing and judging, as well modern
entertainment and the yummy, time-honored fast food that can be expected
from any fair.
Regular events being hosted by the Del Mar Racetrack, however, “the surf
meets the turf” for seven weeks of horse racing during the Pacific
Classic race. The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club also hosts home and horse
shows, a light show, riding competitions, and a Halloween haunted house! |
| Gambling |
|
If gaming is what you seek, Sycuan,
Viejas, and Sycuan Indian reservations are all home to popular casinos
and can be found in eastern San Diego County. The casinos all have video
gaming machines, bingo halls, card tables, off-track satellite wagering
on horse races, as well as restaurant dining with live headliner
entertainment! |
| Golfing & Tennis |
Balboa Golf: 2600 Golf Course Drive
San Diego, CA 92102 (619) 570-1234
Mission Bay Golf 2702 North Mission Bay Drive
(858) 581-7880 |
The infamous “perfect” weather in
San Diego is a golfer's dream. Maybe delight is the reason San Diego
holds 87 amazing golf courses. For this reason also, many high-status
golf tournaments are also held in the region.
Another year-round sport in San Diego is tennis. There are more than
1,200 private and public tennis courts, many of which are enclosed by
large condominium complexes that offer private lessons. La Costa Resort
& Spa annually hosts the TIG Tennis Classic, which always attracts the
top tennis pros. |
| Hiking |
Audubon Society: (619) 275-0557
San Diego Trails Council: (619) 563-5025
Sierra Club: (619) 299-1744 |
Many organizations promote San
Diego's appealing characteristics with guided hikes and trips. Jerry
Shad's Afoot and Afield in San Diego County is a great reference with a
full listing of local trails. See the section on San Diego’s numerous
parks to learn about all of the beauty and wonders available to the
outdoorsman. |
| Horseback Riding, Running, and Jogging |
|
San Diego provides numerous
outlets for renting horses, exploring the area’s more pastoral places,
or finding equestrian classes for the new rider.
The fantastic scenery and beautiful sunny climate of San Diego offer a
wide selection of clubs and popular 5K/10K runs. Some examples include
the San Diego Track Club and the Camp Pendleton International Triathlon,
which offer coached workouts at Balboa Stadium. |
| Ice Skating |
Ice Chalet, University Towne Centre: (619)
452-9110 San Diego Ice Arena, San Diego:
(619)530-1825 |
Despite the big misconception
about San Diego, there is actually public ice skating access year round!
Popular sports aside from ice skating include broomball and hockey. |
| Indoor Sports |
Balboa Park Activity Center: (619) 581-7100
San Diego County Parks and Recreation Department:
(858) 694-3049
|
San Diego offers numerous venues
for those who enjoy outdoor activities such as chess, table tennis,
bowling, bridge, and arts-n-crafts. Dance groups featuring international
folk dancing, Middle Eastern belly dancing, Hawaiian hula dancing,
square dancing, swing dancing, and tap and ballet dancing as well, host
lessons and parties throughout the county. |
| Inline Skating |
Hamel Sports on the Mission Beach Boardwalk:
(619) 488-5050 Rock & Roll at the
Escondido Sports Center: (760) 839-0796 |
Nearly 80% of the nation’s inline
skating industry is based in sunny San Diego. Celebrity professional
inline skaters featured on ESPN’s X-Games live in North County so it is
no surprise that skating has increased in popularity throughout the
city. Many women over 30 are even mixing inline skating into their
regular fitness activities! |
| Shopping |
Horton Plaza – Fashion Valley – Mission Valley
Mira Mesa – College Grove – La Mesa - Escondido
Bonita – Chula Vista – La Jolla – Carlsbad |
Shopping is one of the most
popular San Diego pastimes. You can find major malls at all of the above
locations, and outlet stores can be found in San Marcos, Carlsbad, San
Ysidro, Alpine and Temecula. San Diego is also home to numerous
specialty districts such as Solana Beach (off Lomas Santa Fe and Cedros),
where you’ll find stores exhibiting interior design and home
furnishings. The Bazaar del Mundo in Old Town features Mexican art,
clothing and jewelry. In Hillcrest (near downtown) you can find tons of
bookstores. Also popular are Orange Avenue (between First Street and
Dana Place), where over 200 stores line the streets, and Coronado
Island, which is known for its Ferry Landing Marketplace. Last but not
least, the famous Prospect Street in La Jolla is like a miniature “Rodeo
Drive” in San Diego.
San Diego also has many swap meets if they are your favor. Look in
National City, Escondido, Oceanside, Santee, South Bay, Spring Valley,
and the Sports Arena in San Diego. However, if fresh produce is what
you’re looking for, go and see one of the city’s MANY farmer’s markets
where the corn you buy was picked from the fields earlier that day. |
| Skateboarding |
Escondido Sports Center, Escondido: (760)
839-5425 YMCA Skate Park; (619) 298-3576
Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA: (760) 942-9622
Robb Field Skateboard Park: (619) 531-1563 |
There are numerous designated
areas listed above where the skateboard-fanatics can show off their
tricks. Although, it is important to note that skateboarding is not
allowed on any malls, shopping centers, school property, on the street,
or in parking lots. |
| Skiing |
Big Bear Mountain Resort, Big Bear Lake: (909)
585-2519
Snow Report: (800) BEAR-MTNSnow Summit
Mountain Resort, Big Bear Lake: (909) 866-5766
Snow Report: Toll 888- SUMMIT-1
Mountain high Resort, Wrightwood: (760)
249-5808
Snowcrest Snow Park/Ski Area, La Crescenta:
(626) 440-9749
Snow Report: 583-9477
Snow Valley, Running Springs: (909) 867-2751
Snow Report: (800) 680-SNOW
Tamarack Ski Resort, Mammoth Lakes: (760)
934-2442 Snow Report: (800) 237-6879 |
What other place in the world can
you enjoy the sunny surf in the morning and the snowy ski in the
afternoon? San Diego is a mere three to four hours away from the San
Bernardino Mountains, home to Big Bear Lakes. The skii resorts are
equipped with top of the line snowmaking machinery that can provide top
quality snow cover no matter what the weather is, and despite the mere
135-180 inches of snowfall that the area receives yearly. Big Bear and
Snow Summit are also equipped with snowboard parks for all the non-skiiers.
Snow Summit eve has one of the biggest snowboarding schools in the
state!
For those Southern Californians willing to drive eight hours, Mammoth
Mountain is definitely the place to go. An alternative winter sports
festival, The annual Winter Gravity Games, is hosted at Mammoth.
Talented athletes from around the globe are drawn to California for
competition in free skiing, snowboarding, snow mountain biking, and
more. |
| Spectator Sports |
Padres Tickets: (619) 283-4494
Chargers Tickets: (619) 280-2121
Gulls Tickets: (619) 224-4625 |
San Diego is home to the National
Football League’s San Diego Chargers and baseball’s Nation League
Champions San Diego Padres. Charger games can be watched at QUALCOMM
Stadium in Mission Valley and the Padres play at PetCo Park in downtown.
Additionally, the San Diego Sports Arena hosts the San Diego Gulls
Hockey Team. |
| Sportfishing |
Pat’s Fishing Reports: www.biteson.com
Helgren’s Sportfishing at Oceanside Harbor: (760) 722-2133
H & M Sportfishing: (619) 222-1144 |
Whether you prefer a half or a
full-day trip, alone or with a group, short trips closer to home, or
week-long trips to Baja, your specialized sportfishing trip is available
in San Diego. Charter fishing boats sail daily from both Oceanside and
San Diego and usually offer information by phone about daily catches.
Information is also available on runs of particular kinds of fish such
as albacore, yellowtail, and rock cod. |
| Team Sports |
YMCA Youth Sports: (858) 292-4034 |
Both children and adults alike
have great opportunities to participate in the camaraderie and
skill-building that is the team sport. In order to join in any of the
wide variety of sports available, contact your local city park and
recreation department, school district, or YMCA for more information.
Whether you are looking for a highly competitive team or something fun
to take up your spare time, there is no doubt you will find the right
league for you!
In Particular, the YMCA of San Diego contains the biggest child and
family services in the County because of its thirteen branches that each
offer a variety of programs. Every sports program, including indoor and
outdoor soccer, swimming, gymnastics, flag football, basketball,
baseball, tennis, skateboarding, inline skating, roller hockey, and
more, features trained coaches and character development. Throughout the
year, the YMCA offers Sports Camps complete with specialized training in
all activities including even surfing and boogie boarding in the summer! |
| Water Parks |
Wave Waterpark, Vista: (760) 940-9283
Whitewater Canyon Waterpark, Chula Vista: (619) 661-7373 |
If your family happens to be
searching for water slides and interactive play structures, these water
parks are definitely going to keep you happy all through the summer! |
| Water Sports |
|
The bays, lakes, and beaches of
San Diego attract adventurers interested in swimming, kayaking, water
polo, canoeing, waterskiing, sailing, wind surfing, fishing, personal
water craft activities, and rowing. |
| Whale Watching |
San Diego Harbor Excursions: (619) 234-4111
Seaforth Sportfishing: (619) 224-3383 |
For a calmer and more serene
setting, between the months of December and March, you can watch the
California gray whales pass the San Diego coastline. The whales migrate
7,000 miles from Alaska to the warmer lagoons of Mexico’s Baja peninsula
where they give birth to their calves. |
| Wine Tasting |
|
To take part in the social scene
of San Diego one can attempt to understand the ways of the connoisseurs
of wine. With the wineries of Rancho Bernardo, Escondido and Julian
areas of the Orfila Vineyards, Bernardo Winery, Deer Park Winery,
Ferrara Winery, and Shadow Mountain Vineyards so near to San Diego, wine
tasting is a popular activity. |
City Offers Many Free Activities
Having fun in San Diego doesn’t require a lot of money. In fact,
many things to see and do here are absolutely free. With 70
miles of beaches, near-perfect weather and a variety of settings
country-wide, San Diego offers a fun and inexpensive getaway
during all seasons of the year.
Here’s a partial list of free, year-round San Diego activities:
* Head to San Diego’s many beaches, all free, to swim, body surf
or simply hang-ten. Play in the sand, search for seashells or
just e joy the sun.
* Visit La Jolla Cove and see the amazing sunset on the ocean.
The cove is a spectacular natural setting.
* Visit Seaport Village during the weekends for free
entertainment and hours of leisurely strolling and
window-shopping. Or just sit in the grass and gaze at the
passing yachts and ships on San Diego Bay.
* Stroll through the 16 ½ block historic Gaslamp Quarter in
downtown San Diego and view the renovated turn-of-the-century
Victorian architecture, home to boutiques, art galleries,
specialty shops and more.
* Fly a kite along the grassy field in the Tecolote Shores of
Mission Bay Park, a 4,600-acre park. Here, away from trees and
overhead wires, friends and family can gather to launch colorful
kites into the bay breezes.
* Enjoy free organ concerts at 2 p.m. on Sundays at the
Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. The Organ Pavilion is
home to one of the world’s largest outdoor pipe organs, a San
Diego landmark since 1914.
* Bike or jog along one of Mission Bay Park’s many trails. Both
Joggers and walkers can use more than 20 miles of scenic trails
that wind through both sunlight and shade near the shoreline.
The paths also have workout courses at planned stations along
the route.
* Visit the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista for a
free tour of the 150-acre-facility, including training fields
and tracks, athlete dorms and the Otay Lake Reservoir. Tours are
offered daily.
-- San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau
San Diego real estate library |
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