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Join the downtown workers for some fresh air and sunshine. Wide grassy areas and benches give you solitude to enjoy the sweeping views of the harbor. During summer, concerts are held on the lawn.

On a sunny day nothing beats a ferry ride on the harbor, gazing at the white sailboats against a blue sky.

You can almost see what people are having for dinner as you fly in directly over downtown San Diego.

Watch the annual golf tournaments at Torrey Pines and La Costa.

With San Diego’s perfect climate and amazing views, over 90 public courses and resort hotels offer some of the best golfing in the country. Tee times may be hard to get, so reserve early. The San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau has a listing of courses.

Hiking is available in every environment imaginable. Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve and Mission Trails Regional Park offer trails of varying difficulty through their canyons and valleys; the trails of Torrey Pines State Reserve and Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve (see Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve) pass near the ocean. The San Diego Natural History Museum (see San Diego Natural History Museum) hosts guided nature tours.

Named in honor of the mother of Balboa Park (see The Mother of Balboa Park), this peaceful spot, with a terrific view of Mission Bay (see Mission Bay Beaches), is a popular picnicking area. Take advantage of the ocean breezes to rediscover kite flying. Walking trails extend 2 miles (3 km) through a canyon lined with native coastal sage.

A great family beach, but summertime gets crowded as sunbathers, Frisbee-throwers, and boogie-boarders spread out along a broad, sandy white strip lapped by gentle surf. Kellogg Park, which runs alongside part of the beach, is a good picnic area for those who forgot their towels. The La Jolla Underwater Ecological Reserve (see Diving) is just offshore, so divers are usually out in the water.