San Diego beaches, Sea World, Coronado and Belmont Park are a few vacation attractions in the top Southern California vacation and on Labor Day weekends, often the top choice for a California beach weekend getaway.

San Diego is the top Southern California vacation and one of the most popular destinations in the U.S.  California's second largest city gets millions of visitors and with good reason. Ranked as one of the top 6 safest cities in the US, San Diego offers a beautiful convention center located along the water, world-class San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, Sea World marine and entertainment park, art and space museums in an historic Balboa Park, a mission, Point Loma Lighthouse, historic Old Town, the San Diego Padres baseball team, the red trolley for day trips to Tijuana, Mexico and scenic Coronado Island. And that's just for starters!  We've researched all of California and have determined that hands down, San Diego is the number one beach resort in all of California. No other city compares with the number of hotel rooms, unique beach locations and amenities at a variety of beach resorts that include boat cruises, gondola rides, sailing, swimming, skating and amusement rides outside your hotel door.  Avg. temp. 70º F.  Visitors: (619) 236-1212 

San Diego, California enjoys a southern warmth all year long and holds onto some of the Hispanic cultural influences seen in architecture, infused food dishes and events with mariachis, margaritas and mucho fun. San Diegans are passionate about their home and share enthusiasm for their local beach neighborhoods such as Ocean Beach "OB", Mission Beach, Pacific Beach and Mission Bay. On any given day, you'll see folks of all ages out walking, jogging, sailing, swimming, surfing and even singing.

Another influence you will notice in San Diego is the military presence in huge berths where Naval ships docks, in military statues commemorating service to the USA, and in military facilities both active and for retired service women and men.

San Diego also features some of America's favorite beaches. With a local feel and friendly appeal, San Diego beaches stretch for miles from Borderfield State Beach to beautiful La Jolla and beyond.  Unlike Los Angeles and Orange County beaches to the north, San Diego beaches generally are opened longer each day and permit alcohol consumption.

For gambling, you can go to nearby Alpine and for amusements, check out the cool Belmont Park. Nightlife is authentic and enjoyed on foot in the Gaslamp District. You can't see all of San Diego in a day, but we wouldn't want you to miss seeing it so when L.A. be sure to take an Amtrak train ride, automobile drive or even a flight south to San Diego. It is well worth your time.

Sailing, swimming, surfing and shopping are some of the favorite activities in the city by the bay where the sun almost always shines and the temperature hovers around a perfect 70º F nearly all year long. 

Getting there:  Located in the southwest corner of California, 120 miles south of Los Angeles and 20 miles north of Tijuana, Mexico, San Diego is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from L.A. via Interstate 5, which stretches from Canada to the Mexico border. Interstate 15 provides access from Riverside County, Nevada and other western states. San Diego International Airport is near downtown and is served by over 15 airlines. Amtrak passenger trains, Coaster and San Diego Trolley provide service to and around San Diego and the Mexican border at Tijuana. Greyhound provides bus service, too.

Where to eat: San Diego dining includes thousands of restaurants ranging from fast food and chain restaurants to upscale night clubs with live music and live entertainment. You won't go hungry in San Diego, and what you'll discover is that the international influences from South of the Border and elsewhere make for dining experiences that make the trip worthwhile.

When you arrive in San Diego, you have decide how you'll spend your time. Unless you stay for three or four days, you just can't do and see everything. San Diego is a casual place filled with color and fun.  From the harbor where you can tour the Star of India ship, catch a ferry to Coronado Island for under $5 / one direction, depart a cruise ship, take a harbor cruise or hop on a pedicab and catch an open air tour of the city, you're only a few blocks walking distance to colorful Horton Plaza open air shopping mall.  You are also within walking distance to Seaport Village, another open air mall with several restaurants overlooking the bay. 

Would you like to get around without driving? San Diego has an incredible public transportation system and local senior citizens who have given up driving tell us it is a wonderful network of buses and trolleys that will take you anywhere you want to go.  There's a train station right near the action, a few blocks from Horton Plaza and the harbor. 

Do you like beaches? San Diego has lots of them. From Border Field State Park, the southernmost beach that actually touches the Mexico border and is divided by a big wall running out into the ocean, north through Silver Strand State Beach in Coronado, San Diego's popular Pacific Beach, Mission Beach with its roller coaster and famous "Plunge", Ocean Beach with "Dog Beach", Mission Bay with jet skis and boating, north to La Jolla Cove, Children's Beach and a spot where seals like to hang out, San Diego loves its beaches. 

No matter what you chose, the things you'll find in San Diego are an abundance of amusements and attractions, plenty of ocean and bay views offered at dozens of hotels, lots of waterfront dining and some wonderful foods. Serving tourists for over 100 years makes San Diego a friendly place, accustomed to catering to tourists. In fact, one local told us that when you drive in San Diego, drive defensively and be prepared for the car in front of you to stop in the road and ask for directions because it happens so often (drive to a gas station or pull over to a parking lot or side of the road for help - it's safer). Finally, to insure that you have fun, don't forget to take a jacket. It can get cool in San Diego so if you dress in layers with tanks and T-shirts, sweaters and jackets, you can peel off the layers of clothing as the day gets warm and put them back on as night returns. 

Where to stay: Here are some hotels we've visited and reviewed. There are so many great hotels for family vacations that you can hardly scratch the surface of seeing them all. Many are fantastic. Catamaran Resort Hotel - Catamaran Birds /  Hilton Torrey Pines  /  Holiday Inn-Harbor View  /  Holiday Inn on the Bay  /  Horton Gas Lamp Quarter  /  Hotel del Coronado  /  Hyatt Regency Islandia  /  Hyatt Regency La Jolla  /  Hyatt Regency San Diego  /  Lodge at Torrey Pines  /  Loew's Coronado Bay Resort  /  Marriot Hotel & Marina San Diego  /  Town & Country Resort Hotel  /  Wyndham Emerald Plaza