GENERAL INFORMATION More than sixty years before John Smith founded Jamestown and almost a century before the pilgrims landed at Plymonth, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese-born conquistador sailing under the flag of Spain, put into San Diego Bay on Sept. 28, 1542. Sixty years later, another Spanish explorer, Sebastian Vizcaino, arrived to give the port the name it bears today. In 1769, Fr. Junipero Serra established the Presidio of San Diego; this mission and the small settlement that developed around it became an agricultural and trading center. When Mexico declared her independence from Spain in 1822, most of the world had never heard of California yet alone San Diego. During the Mexican War the town and the port were commandeered by the U. S. Navy – the U. S. Navy never left. However as a consequence of the Mexican War, this small outpost and all of California became a part of the United States and a migration rush ensued. After the Civil War Alonzo Erastus Horton, a shrewd developer, decided that land south of the Mission had possibilities. He bought several acres of land for thirty-three cents an acre and sold them to adventure-seeking males looking for a piece of California. Within two years, the modern city of San Diego, founded three miles from Mission, went from 0 population to 2000. In the late nineteenth century as San Francisco and Los Angeles prospered, San Diego slowly grew into a city and seaport, primarily centered around fishing. Today San Diego’s diverse economy supports millions. Today the city is home to 1,230,400 making it the second largest city in California while the metropolitan area encompasses over 800 square miles; San Diego County’s population is 2,855,833 Population: San Diego, 1,230,400; San Diego County, 2,855,833. Flight times: Chicago-4.5 hrs, London-10 hrs, N.Y.-5 hrs, Los Angeles- 1 hr, Miami-6 hrs, Tokyo-10 hrs WEATHER Average daily temperature of 70.5 degrees F (21.4 degrees C). Days of sunshine: 248 Annual. Precipitation: 10 inches Average Daily High/Low. Average Daily High/Low: March 66°f / 52°f, 19°c / 11°c June 71°f / 61°f, 22°c / 16°f September 77°f / 65°f, 24°c / 18° December 65°f / 49°f, 18°c / 9°c TRANSPORTATION San Diego International Airport is 10 minutes from downtown San Diego, 22 major and commuter airlines service the San Diego International Airport. For terminal and airline information call (619) 231-2100 or visit www.san.org. For a list of services to get you to and from the airport, into Mexico or around town, visit our shuttle services page. Public Transportation MTS buses, trolleys and coasters provide convenient transportation throughout San Diego County. Travel to and from the airport, all shopping centers, attractions, beaches, hotels and Mexico. Bus schedules differ, but most hotels and attractions have service every 15 to 20 minutes. The San Diego Trolley runs every 15 minutes throughout most of the day and 30 minutes in the evening. The North County Coaster runs 43 miles along the coast with station stops in downtown San Diego, Old Town, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad and Oceanside. You can also get a free trolly transfer which will take you to Tijuana. All MTS buses, trolleys and coasters are equipped with wheelchair lifts. For schedule and fare information contact the Metropolitan Transit System at (800) COMMUTE or visit their website at www.sdcommute.com. Taxi Service Five can ride for the price of one! Taxicab stands are located at the airport, most hotels, attractions and shopping centers. Your fare will be displayed on the meter and will include a flag drop charge plus a per-mile and/or a per-hour charge. All cabs leaving the airport charge the same rate. Rates for all other cab trips may vary from company to company. A company´s rates of fare are posted on the outside and inside of every taxicab. Amtrak Whether you are traveling to San Diego by rail or taking a short trip between San Diego´s 3 picturesque coastline stations, Amtrak offers daily service. For schedules and fares call (800) USA-RAIL or visit www.amtrak.com 800 USA-RAIL (371-5465). Greyhound: 800 231-2222. Downtown San Diego to Downtown Los Angeles by automobile: 2 hours (depending upon traffic conditions). VISITOR INFORMATION San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau, 401 B Street, Suite 1400, San Diego, CA 92101-4237, or call (619) 236-1212. In San Diego, visit the International Visitor Information Center, 11 Horton Plaza at First Avenue and F Street, and the La Jolla Visitor Center, located at the corner of Herschel Avenue and Prospect Street in La Jolla. Internet users can visit www.sandiego.org MUSEUMS SAN DIEGO MUSEUM COUNCIL consists of 27 member institutions in the county of San Diego reflecting a diverse range of educational, cultural and entertaining collections. San Diego's rich interest in arts and culture is showcased throughout the county in some 90 museums. San Diego Museum Council P.O. Box 3836 San Diego, CA 92163 619-276-0101 (Phone) 619-276-0101 (Fax) http://www.sandiegomuseumcouncil.org PERFORMING ARTS Guests to San Diego can also discover a dynamic performing arts scene, including two Tony Award-winning theatres, the San Diego Opera, San Diego Symphony Orchestra, professional dance companies, chamber music ensembles and much more. The San Diego Performing Arts League is a great source for more information on local performing arts organizations: http://www.sandiegoperforms.com/whats_playing/member_links.html The San Diego Art + Sol website is another great place to go when there are songs to be sung, music to be mused, and curtains to be called; the definitive guide to San Diego arts and culture: http://www.sandiegoartandsol.org The La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art 7966 Herschel Ave. Suite A La Jolla, CA 92037 619-236-1212 (Phone) 619-230-7084 (Fax) ATTRACTIONS & CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS ARCO/U.S. OLYMPIC TRAINING CENTER 2800 Olympic Pkwy Chula Vista, CA 91915 United States Olympic Committee facility for Olympic-caliber athletes. 619-656-1500 (Phone) 619-482-6200 (Fax) 888-OLY-TOUR http://www.usolympicteam.com BALBOA PARK Featuring 15 museums, the Tony Award-winning Old Globe Theatre and the Starlight Bowl. Balboa Park is the cultural heart of San Diego and the largest urban cultural park in the U.S. Balboa Park Visitors Center, House of Hospitality 1549 El Prado # 1 San Diego, CA 92101 619-239-0512 (Phone) 619-557-9446 (Fax) http://www.balboapark.org THE BIG BAY, SAN DIEGO BAY 877-2-BIGBAY (Toll Free) www.thebigbay.com San Diego's biggest attraction, with 27 miles of scenic waterfront, seven yacht clubs, 16 bayside parks, 17 marinas, 69 restaurants, 14 hotels, hundreds of shops and miles of waterfront promenades and bikeways. 877-2-BIGBAY (Toll Free) www.thebigbay.com CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Dr. San Diego, CA 92106-3601 National monument commemorating Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo's 1542 exploration of California coast. Point Loma Lighthouse provides spectacular view of San Diego. 619-557-5450 (Phone) 619-557-5469 (Fax) http://www.nps.gov/cabr THE GASLAMP QUARTER A 16 1/2-block historic district located in the heart of downtown San Diego; home of 90 restaurants, 40 retail shops, 20 nightclubs and the William Heath Davis Historic House Museum. Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation 410 Island Ave. 619-233-4692 (Phone) 619-233-4148 (Fax) http://www.gqhf.com HOTEL DEL CORONADO 1500 Orange Ave. Coronado, CA 92118 688 units, National Historic Landmark, oceanfront resort, spa, nearby marina and golf. 26 acres of each, boating, surfing and tennis. 619-435-6611 (Phone) 619-522-8262 (Fax) 800-HOTELDEL http://www.hoteldel.com KNOTT'S SOAK CITY U.S.A. 1950's California beach-themed water adventures park including 17 tube and body slides, raft ride and remmie Lagoon kids area. 2052 Entertainment Cir. Chula Vista, CA 91911 619-661-7373 (Phone) 619-661-7393 (Fax) http://www.soakcityusa.com LA JOLLA Visitor Center "The jewel" of San Diego is renowned for its luxury resorts, beautiful beaches and coves, the La Jolla layhouse, Museum of Contemporary Art. 7966 Herschel Ave. Suite A La Jolla, CA 92037 619-236-1212 (Phone) 619-230-7084 (Fax) LEGOLAND California An interactive family theme park for youngsters 2-12. Rides, shows and attractions. One Legoland Dr. Carlsbad, CA 92008 760-918-LEGO (Phone) 760-918-5408 (Fax) http://www.legoland.com MISSION BASILICA SAN DIEGO DE ALCALA The first of a chain of 21 missions along the California coast. Museum and gardens open daily, 9am-4:45pm. 10818 San Diego Mission Rd. San Diego, CA 92108-2498 619-281-8449 (Phone) No Fax (Fax) http://www.missionsandiego.com MISSION BAY-SAN DIEGO VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER 4,000 square feet of visitor information on Mission Bay, the largest aquatic playground of its kind in the world. 2688 E. Mission Bay Dr. San Diego, CA 92109 619-276-8200 (Phone) 619-276-6041 (Fax) http://www.infosandiego.com MISSION SAN LUIS REY California's largest mission on 56 acres. California's first pepper tree. Museum, Lavanderia, picnic gardens, gift shop. Daily, 10am-4:30pm. 4050 Mission Ave. Oceanside, CA 92057-6402 760-757-3651 (Phone) 760-757-4613 (Fax) http://www.sanluisrey.org SAN DIEGO ZOO and SAN DIEGO ZOO'S WILD ANIMAL PARK 4,000 rare and endangered birds, mammals, reptiles; 6,500 varieties of exotic plants. Features Absolutely Apes, Ituri Forest, Giant Pandas and Polar Bear Plunge. Open daily. WILD ANIMAL PARK A 2,200-acre exotic animal and botanical reserve dedicated to the preservation and protection of endangered species. Park Blvd. & Zoo Pl. San Diego, CA 92112-0551 619-718-3000 (Phone) 619-718-3021 (Fax) 800-628-3066 http://www.sandiegozoo.org SEAWORLD SAN DIEGO 150-acre marine life park featuring Shamu (r) the killer whale, new attractions, shows, marine habitats, aquariums. Experience new Pirates 4-D. 500 SeaWorld Dr. San Diego, CA 92109 619-226-3901 (Phone) 619-226-3952 (Fax) 800-SEAWORLD (Toll Free) http://www.seaworld.com