DK Travel : San Diego

Blessed by a sunny climate that never varies ten degrees from moderate and a splendid setting along the Pacific Ocean, San Diegans can well boast they live the California Dream. Although non-stop outdoor recreation, a vibrant downtown, and world-class attractions keep the city’s spirit young, its heart lies in its Spanish beginnings as the birthplace of California.

Circa a.d.

Discover decorating ideas among the exotic home accents, antiques, and teak furniture, mostly from China and Southeast Asia. Planters and patio decor fill the outside.
Citizen Kane, 1941

Orson Welles used the California Building (see California Building) in Balboa Park as Xanadu.
Civic Theatre

If you missed the latest Broadway show, chances are the touring company will perform at this grand theater. Featuring local talent and the world’s most acclaimed stars, the San Diego Opera stages five annual productions here. The theater is also home to the California Ballet.
Clayton’s Coffee Shop

Old-fashioned, home-style cooking. A quarter buys three oldies at the jukebox.
Club Montage

Three floors of bars with a laser light and great sound system.
Comedy Store

Headliners from LA’s famous Comedy Club often perform at their San Diego branch. David Letterman, Garry Shandling, and Pauly Shore have all had a go here, as well as the local talent. Sundays are open mike nights.
Coors Amphitheatre

Major pop artists perform from March to October in this acoustically notable open-air amphitheater. Great sight lines and giant video screens ensure a good view. Seating holds 10,000 people with room on the grass for another 10,000.
Copley Symphony Hall

Formerly known as the Fox Theatre, a Rococo-Spanish Renaissance extravaganza built in 1929, it was to be destroyed until developers donated it to the San Diego Symphony in 1984. Now brilliantly restored, the hall hosts excellent classical music concerts.
Coronado

This idyllic community is recognizable throughout the world by the fabulous Hotel del Coronado. Coronado’s white sandy beaches, sidewalk cafés, and oceanfront mansions have enticed visitors for over a century (see Coronado).
Coronado

In the 1880s, two wealthy businessmen, Elisha Babcock, Jr. and Hampton Story, purchased Coronado and set out to build a town. They sold lots, laid streets, and constructed the landmark Hotel del Coronado (see Hotel del Coronado). John D. Spreckels (see John D. Spreckels (1853–1926)) soon bought them out and turned Coronado into a haven for old-money gentry. The military permanently took over much of the peninsula during World War I. The old mansions, resorts, and military base exist harmoniously and give Coronado its unique identity (see Coronado).

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Restaurant price categories

For a three course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes and extra charges.
- under $20
- $20–$40
- $40–$55
- $55–$80
- over $80