|
|
History of San
Diego
Outpost of the Spanish Empire, boomtown, cradle of the aerospace industry,
beach resort and modern metropolis:
San Diego has been all of this and more during its 450-year history.
The Cabrillo National Monument on Point Loma commemorates the area's discovery
in 1542 by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese explorer, who called
it San Miguel. A Spaniard, Don Sebastian Vizcaino, rediscovered the bay
in 1603 and renamed it San Diego de Alcala after his favorite saint and
his flagship.
However, because Point Loma hides the bay from sight from the Pacific,
no one returned to San Diego for more than 160 years until Spanish ships,
following Vizcaino's rough maps and carrying missionaries, arrived in
mid-1 769. Father Junipero Serra celebrated the first Mass in San Diego
on July 16, 1769, a day now celebrated as the city's birthday. Serra later
presided over the construction of the first mission, which overlooked
the growing settlement, now known as Old Town.
Spain relinquished control of San Diego to Mexico in 1821. After San Diego
became part of the United States in 1846, entrepreneur Alonzo Horton was
among those who came to seek their fortunes in the new boomtown. Intent
on developing a new and modern city, Horton began selling parcels of land
just south of Old Town. In 1872, a fire destroyed much of Old Town and
many San Diego merchants moved their businesses to Horton's thriving New
Town. To ensure his settlement would be a success, Horton later acquired
railway and stagecoach connections to the city. New Town is the site of
present-day downtown San Diego, and Horton is regarded as the father of
modern San Diego. Horton Plaza, an upscale downtown shopping center owned
by Westfield Shopping town, is named in honor of this famous San Diego.
New technology played a key role in the city's growth. Aviation pioneer
Glenn Curtiss chose North Island as the location of his aviation school
known today as the North Island Naval Air Station. T. Claude Ryan and
B. Franklin Mahoney founded the first regularly scheduled year-round passenger
airline, Ryan Airlines, in 1925 in San Diego. The company later built
the Spirit of St. Louis for Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic flight.
Always a progressive city, San Diego's city government set aside land
in 1868 for what would become one of the first planned parks in the United
States. With many of its structures built for the 1915 Panama-California
Exposition, Balboa Park today is home to the world-famous San Diego Zoo,
and many of the park's original buildings are now museums.
Today, San Diego is a thriving metropolis with 2.6 million residents.
More than 14 million visitors come to experience the city's near-perfect
climate, culture, and varied geographic features, including beaches, mountains
and desert.
|
|
|
|
ORIENTATI0N
Within the county of San Diego is a tremendous diversity of scenery ranging
from Pacific Ocean beaches to mountains, desert, and range land.
Downtown /Balboa Park
Since its settlement in the 1870s, downtown San Diego has become the center
of business and commerce, offering a tremendous array of accommodations,
shopping, and dining. Historic Balboa Park is home to 14 museums and the
Tony Award-winning Old Globe Theatre, along with the world-famous San
Diego Zoo.
Airport / Harbor
Island
Spanish Landing Park, tucked into the Harbor Island Cove, is dedicated
to Don Sebastian Vizcaino, who is credited with giving San Diego its name.
The island is a great place to sit and watch the activities of aircraft
carriers and other ships based across the bay at the North Island Naval
Air Station on Coronado, as well as cruise ships and pleasure craft. As
the principal port of entry to San Diego, the area also houses many restaurants,
hotels, and shops
Hillcrest/North Park
A quiet suburb located just north of Balboa Park, this area was once called
Bankers Hill because of the number of financiers who lived there. Hillcrest
is also known for a variety of ethnic and family-run restaurants and cafes
Point Loma/Shelter Island/Sports Arena
A complete panoramic view of San Diego Bay, Shelter Island, Harbor Island,
Coronado, the Embarcadero, and downtown can be seen from the Cabrillo
National Monument at the southern tip of Point Loma. Point Loma is also
an ideal spot to watch the annual migration of the California gray whales;
between December and March, 15,000 of the sea-going mammals pass by on
the way to warmer waters off Baja California. Shelter Island is the center
of San Diego's yachting industry, and visitors can see hundreds of beautiful
boats anchored in its sheltering coves. Many yacht-related services are
located on the island, as well as hotels, restaurants, walking paths,
and monuments.
Hotel Circle/ Mission
Valley
Great shopping, entertainment, and accom-modations define Mission Valley.
Fashion Valley Shopping Center, Hazard Center, and Mission Valley Center
offer hundreds of shops ranging from off-beat boutiques to Neiman Marcus,
along with a variety of restaurants. Qualcomm Stadium, home to the San
Diego Padres, the San Diego Chargers, and the San Diego State University
Aztecs, is located in Mission Valley. Accommodations range from affordable
to lux-urious, and they are convenient to all the attractions San Diego
has to offer. The area features close to 300,000 square feet of meet-ing
space.
Old Town
The city's original central business district, Old Town is now preserved
as the Old Town State Historic Park, and it is among the most visited
sites in the city. Many of the original structures in this area have been
rebuilt or restored to reflect the city's character during its days as
an outpost of the Spanish Empire. One of the most popular Old Town attractions
is the Bazaar Del Mundo, a unique outdoor shopping experience that features
international bou-tiques and eateries, and weekly concerts and dance performances.
Pacific Beach/
Mission Bay/ Mission Beach
Dominated by Mission Bay Park, a 4,600-acre public aquatic playground
created in 1960 by dredging, tilling, and landscaping the marsh-lands
north of Point Loma, the area contains 27 miles of bay front and 17 miles
of ocean-front beaches, all home to resort hotels, camp-ing areas, Sea
World, and the lively beach com-munities of Pacific Beach and Mission
Beach.
La Jolla
Its name means "the jewel" in Spanish, and La Jolla certainly
lives up to it. La Jolla's Prospect Street is called the Rodeo Drive of
San Diego for its upscale boutiques and restaurants. The Scripps Institution
of Oceanography, the inter-nationally known Salk Institute, the San Diego-La
Jolla Underwater Park and the famed La Jolla Playhouse also are located
in the area.
Clairemont/Kearny Mesa / Miramar
Located in the northern portion of Mission
Valley, the towns of Clairemont and Kearny
Mesa are defined by the Tecolote Canyon
National Park and Marine Corps Air Station
Miramar.
East San Diego/
Lemon Grove
Named for the lemon trees planted in the 1 890s, Lemon Grove today is
largely a residen-tial community of restored Victorian homes and newly
built apartments and condos. Although all of San Diego County is widely
thought to have a near perfect climate, Lemon Grove is considered a notch
above the rest, thanks to a prevailing breeze.
Coronado
Renowned for its white sand beaches and unique character, Coronado remains
one of the most popular destinations for vacations and business retreats.
It's the location of the historic Hotel del Coronado, which has attract-ed
the rich and famous since its opening in 1 888, along with many charming
cottages and hotels. Easily reached via the scenic San Diego-Coronado
Bridge or regularly scheduled ferry service, Coronado features boutiques,
shops and restaurants, a large central park, and the popular Ferry Landing
Marketplace.
South Bay
Encompassing the cities of Chula Vista, National City, and Imperial Beach,
San Diego's South Bay provides visitors with miles of public beaches and
many marinas. The area is a ship-watcher's delight; many naval vessels
are moored throughout the bay, and two private shipyards and a major naval
installation line the shores. Chula Vista also is the site of the ARCO
Olympic Training Center, the nation's first year-round multisport training
facility for Olympic athletes. The international border between the United
States and Mexico can be crossed at San Ysidro and Otay Mesa, both in
South Bay.
North Coastal
This area contains the beach towns of Del Mar, home of the famous Del
Mar Thoroughbred Club; Solana Beach; Cardiff-by-the-Sea; Encinitas; Leucadia;
Carlsbad, and Oceanside. Part of North County's charm is its beach-ori-ented
culture. The long stretches of sand are dotted with surfers and fishermen,
sharing the water with swimmers and sun worshippers. North County is also
the home of LEGOLAND California, a 128-acre interactive experience designed
for families with children ages 2 through 12. Combining nearly 30 hands-on
attractions, family rides, shows, restaurants, shopping and landscape
features, LEGOLAND offers a full day of family fun, where "play"
is considered a child's most important work. The park is the first in
the United States, and only the third in the world created by the LEGO
Group, the Danish toy manufacturer.
North County Inland
Away from the coast, San Diego's North County becomes rolling hills and
valleys lead-ing to mile-high mountain ranges. It's a region of orange
and avocado groves, flowers and vegetable farms, horse ranches, and award-winning
vineyards. North County Inland is home to the San Diego Wild Animal Park;
the California Center for the Performing Arts, Escondido, and the Palomar
Observatory, site of the world's second-largest telescope, as well as
some of Southern California's most luxurious resorts.
East County
The cities of La Mesa and El Cajon lie east of San Diego on the way to
the mountains and the desert. La Mesa is the home of several his-torical
landmarks, such as the San Diego Railroad Museum. Every November, El Cajon
hosts the Mother Goose Parade, a SO-year tra-dition that's the second
largest parade in California. The nearby Laguna Mountains give visitors
the chance to sled and toboggan in the winter months, with hiking, camping,
and fish-ing available year-round. Farther east is the Anza-Borrego Desert
State Park. Set among this half-million-acre park lies Borrego Springs,
where desert wildflowers provide a profusion of color during the late
winter and early spring.
East County is home to three of the largest gaming casinos on the West
Coast, placing San
Diego as one of the top destinations for casino action across the country.
The Barona, Sycuan, and Viejas casinos are located on three of 18 Indian
reservations in San Diego. With all types of gaming excitement and shopping,
these casinos are only a 40-minute drive from down-town San Diego.
|
|
|
|
THE BASICS
Climate/ What to Wear
San Diego was voted the only area in the United States with perfect weather
by Holiday Magazine. The average annual temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit
(20 degrees Celsius), and our typical day is sunny and mild with low humidity-always
just another beautiful day in San Diego.
San Diego will put few demands on your wardrobe. You'll rarely need a
topcoat or rain-coat. However, evenings are almost always cool, even in
summer, so be sure to bring a sweater. Days are warm, even in winter,
so always have shorts and swimwear handy. Few restaurants require coats
and ties for gentle-men, and most welcome casual attire.
TeIephone
Instructions for using public telephones are list-ed on the phone apparatus
itself. The cost for a local call is 35 cents. Insert coins first, then
dial the number you wish to reach. Dial 1 when the area code is different
from the one on the phone that you are using. Area codes (800), (888),
and (877) are all toll-free to the caller.
Some portions of San Diego County will begin using new area codes in 2000,
pending approval by the Federal Communications Commision. In June, the
communities of Coronado, Dulzura, La Mesa, Chula Vista, Spring Valley,
Lakeside, El Cajon, Alpine, Pine Valley, Campo, Jacumba, Imperial Beach,
Santee, San Ysidro, and most of Lemon Grove and National City will switch
from the current (619) to (935). In October, portions of the cur-rent
(760) area code will switch to (442). The listings in this guide indicate
those numbers receiving new area codes with asterisks. Downtown and central
San Diego, including Mission Valley and Hillcrest, will continue to use
the (619) area code.
If you experience difficulty in completing a call using the (619) area
code, try dialing with one of the new area codes, or contact the operator
for assistance by dialing 0.
Useful Telephone Numbers
Operator
0
Directory Assistance
411
Police, Fire, Ambulance
911
Weather Forecast
(619) 289-1212
Beach Report
(619) 595-3954
Time
(619) 853-1212
Postal Service
The cost of a first-class letter mailed within the United States is 33
cents; a post card is 20 cents.
If you do not know where you will be stay-ing in San Diego, mail can be
sent to you care of:
Your Name
do General Delivery
San Diego Main Post Office
San Diego, CA 92186
Mail can be picked up at the main post office at 2535 Midway Dr. For more
information, call (800) 275-8777.
Public Transportation
Metropolitan Transit
System (MTS)
1255 Imperial Ave.,
#1000
San Diego, CA 92101
Regional Transit Telephone Information
1-800-COMMUTE
Business Office (619) 231-1466
Recorded Trolley Info. (619) 231-8549
The Transit Store: Lost & Found, Tickets,
Timetables, Memorabilia
(619) 234-1060
www.sdcommute.com
MTS buses and trolleys provide convenient transportation throughout San
Diego County. Visitors can use MTS San Diego Transit buses to travel to
San Diego International Airport, Lindbergh Field; all regional shopping
centers; Balboa Park; San Diego Zoo; Old Town; SeaWorld; all beaches,
and nearly every major hotel and visitor attraction. Bus schedules dif-fer,
but most hotels and visitor attractions have service every 15 to 20 minutes
(check schedule for exact times).
The San Diego Trolley provides quick, con-venient service to Old Town,
the San Diego Convention Center, Center City, the interna-tional border
of Mexico and many cities in East County and South Bay. In addition, the
San Diego Trolley serves a number of Mission Valley hotels, shopping centers,
and Qualcomm Stadium. The Trolley runs every 15 minutes throughout most
of the day with evening serv-ice every 30 minutes until 1 am. (check sched.
ule for exact times).
Bus fares range from $1.S0 to $3.25, and trolley fares range from $1 to
$2.25 (depend-ing on distance). Seniors and disabled riders (with proper
ID.) pay 75 cents. Children 5 years and under ride free. Exact change
is required on buses (dollar bills accepted) and recommended for trolley
vending machines (you must purchase a trolley ticket before boarding).
Day Tripper passes for MTS buses and the San Diego trolley are available
for $5 (valid for one day of travel). 2, 3 and 4-day passes are also available
at the Transit Store, all trolley station ticket machines and select out-lets.
All MTS buses and trolleys are equipped with wheelchair lifts.
Taxi Service
Five can ride for the price of one! Taxicab stands are located at San
Diego International Airport, and most hotels, major visitor attrac-tions,
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 rates. Rates for all other cab trips vary from
company to company. A company's rates of fare are posted on the outside
and inside of every taxi cab.
The Metropolitan Transit Development Board (MTDB) Taxicab Administration
welcomes your comments and ques-tions. Call (619) 557-4518.
Orange Cab
3911 Pacific Hwy., #208 San Diego, CA 92110 (619) 291-3337
An association of 125 taxicabs doing business in the City of San Diego
and San Diego County Operating on a 24-hour basis, offering Dial-A-Ride
services and specialized taxicab services of all kinds.
Driving
Driving is done on the right-hand side of the road. Maximum speed in California
is 65 mph or 104 km per hour. Safety belts must be worn by all passengers
at all times and children under the age of 4 or weighing less than 40
pounds (20 kg) must be restrained in a child safety seat. For further
information on state regulations, call the Department of Motor Vehicles
at (619) 688-0227
Drinking Age
To consume alcohol in the state of California, one must be at least 21
years of age. It is ille-gal to drive a motor vehicle or boat while under
the influence of alcohol. Alcoholic bev-erages may be purchased seven
days a week at liquor or food stores, with proper identification showing
birthdate and photo.
Dining
Fresh seafood and Mexican cuisine are San Diego specialties. However,
there are a number of steakhouses, fine continental restaurants and, recently,
a proliferation of Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, Italian, and
Moroccan restaurants offering dining variety. Many of the area's restaurants
are noteworthy for their oceanfront views, garden settings, and patio
dining that can be enjoyed year-round. For more information on dining
options, contact the Travel Industry Sales Department of the San Diego
Convention & Visitors Bureau at (619) 232-3101; fax (619) 230-7032;
or visit us on the World Wide Web at www.sandiego.org.
Tipping
A reward for service is common in the United States. It is customary in
restaurants to tip wait staff 15 percent of the bill; 20 percent for above-average
service. No tips are necessary in cafeterias with self service. At hotels,
$1 per bag or suitcase is the recommended amount for the bellboy or porter.
Taxi drivers are usual-ly tipped 15 percent of the fare.
|
|
