Fall in Love with San Diego Tour

This introduction to San Diego represents 55 years of map creation and insightful map tour creation laid out in a table of Contents Page format (below). It showcases all of the important San Diego city & suburbs with attractions and TONS of things to see and do in a handy self-guided do-it-yourself editorialized series of 50 chapters and maps. These next few paragraphs are also your essential introduction to San Diego whether you are going to be here for one day, three days or a lifetime.

We’re YOUR #1 Newcomer, Visitor & Resident City Guide – 55th Year

Being the #1 newcomer, visitor and resident city guide, we are most reliable city resource for newcomers, visitors and residents seeking to learn how to navigate the city. You should begin your discovery of San Diego proper by viewing the panoramic view of San Diego Bay from historic Cabrillo Monument via the Point Loma Chapter. Directions can be found by reading the Point Loma chapter and viewing the easy-to-use map. Each suburb chapter contains its own custom built chapter with map locators tied to the editorial content. Most maps contain a handy legend.

Besides being the most visited historic site on the west coast of the United States, Cabrillo Monument offers the most panoramic view of San Diego Bay, Downtown San. Diego, South Bay and all the way down to Tijuana , Mexico. Then to the East, you’ll view Cowels Mountain in East County and on a clear day you can see Mt. Palomar Observatory 50 miles away.

While Cabrillo Monument is one of the most visited historical attractions in America, even better, you’ll gain a visual perspective of the layout of central San Diego from the Mexican border to downtown San Diego, the suburb of Mission Hills and beyond. Thus, gaining a geographical perspective of Greater San Diego is the KEY. So take some time studying the San Diego County. Then marry together enlarged versions of each suburb using both the county map and each suburb map so that you can see how the city fits together.

TAKE A QUICK STUDY OF THE COUNTY MAP

Also of paramount importance in navigating the city is understanding the configuration of the freeways and major highways and thoroughfares. It’s actually pretty easy. A view of the county map shows that the major north-south freeways are I-5 (interstate 5) and I-15 Interstate 15. Most travelers coming to San Diego from Los Angeles come here via I-5 and those coming to San Diego from the inland regions of California come via Riverside County via I-15. Eastward travelers arrive in San Diego by car via Highway 80 from Phoenix, Arizona.

Our other smaller freeways are East-West Freeways. A glance at the county map, you’ll see how they’re numbered from North County southward to Tijuana as follows: Highway 78 travels from Oceanside to Escondido; Highway 56 travels from the city of Del Mar on the coast to the city of Poway; Highway 52 travels east-west from Santee in East County and crosses freeways 15, 805 and Interstate 5. Not to be overlooked are Highway 80 coming from East County’s City of El Cajon and Arizona. Then there is a smaller hIghway coming from Rancho San Diego and the many Casinos. Finally, in south county is a small east-west freeway connecting Interstate 5 with the 125 Toll Road and the cities in East County.

BEST HOURS TO NAVIGATE THE LOCAL FREEWAYS

The best news about San Diego’s freeways and highways is that they are easy to navigate. Even better if you wait till after 9 a.m. and get off of the freeways before 3:30 you can get anywhere in a. half hour.

MANY LOCAL ROADS ARE HISTORICAL

Beyond the Freeways and highways are several essential thoroughfares. What’s great about these roads is that they are historically significant, and thus virtually impossible to forget. Let’s get started. The first commercial thoroughfare on what is now the west coast of the United States of America is Rosecrans Street. It came into being out of necessity because when the Boston Whaling Ships made stops in San Diego after coming around the horn (the tip of South America) to take on hides and tallow, the only place they could tie up their ships was at Ballast Point on the seashore of the Bay. Ballast Point got it’s name because it was here on the seashore that the sailors off loaded their ballast of rocks to weigh down their ships and on load their ships with hides and tallow from the Ranchos that comprised San Diego County when it was a Spanish Colony. Thus, busy Rosecrans Street empties out at the foot of Old Town, which is today a must explore historical landmark, operated by the State of California. They offer a free, fun and informative walking tour of many of the historical buildings. Parking is FREE. The tour is FREE and Admission is FREE. Be sure to have lunch a one of the many recommended Mexican Restaurants and be sure to have a frosty margarita while you’re entertained by strolling mariachis. But don’t think for a moment, that Old Town is a tourist trap, on the contrary Locals Love dining in Old Town and never tire of showing their out-of-town guests their adopted city. You’d be amazed at the number of visitors that came to San Diego on a vacation and ended up living here. See the Old Town Chapter.

EVERYTHING IS PERSONALLY REVIEWED

Thus, the SanDiegan.com is first and foremost written for Newcomers, followed by Visitors and finally for LOCALS. Thus, everything is personally reviewed, updated and researched for people who deeply interested in what makes San Diego tick from a social, economic and historical perspective. So, when you leave San Diego, you’ll know you’ll be back or at least know it fairly well in a very short time.

A BAY CRUISE OF SAN DIEGO IS A MUST

At dusk, plan on taking a breathtaking champagne harbor dinner and dancing cruise on a Hornblower Yacht around San Diego Bay. A view of San Diego aboard a luxurious boat is an absolute must. It’s the same view the early explorers saw when they discovered San Diego. It’s just as breathtaking a view today as it was then, perhaps even more so. All three of these two must-see sightseeing excursions (Cabrillo Monument, Old Town Historic Tour with lunch, and a breathtaking champagne dinner and dancing cruise on San Diego Bay will definitely make you fall in love with San Diego.

WHY CABRILLO MONUMENT IS THE BEGINNING

After a visit to Cabrillo Monument you may find yourself taking a mapped excursion in historic Old Town via picturesque Shelter Island and Liberty Station (see map). What’s most important is the view will give you a panoramic view of San Diego Bay and the city from Cabrillo Monument. Then with this geographical perspective in your mind’s eye you’ll know how central San Diego is laid out. then studying the maps you’ll be able to navigate the city like a local in no time. THUS, THE ESSENTIAL ONE DAY SAN DIEGO TOUR was created.

WHAT TO SEE ON SUBSEQUENT DAYS

On subsequent days, add the other cities and suburbs you want to see allowing one day each at the world-famous San Diego Zoo and a day for Balboa Park. The other equally popular attractions can be seen in half a day such as the aircraft carrier USS Midway CVA 41, which is thoroughly explained along with tours of the historic ships of the Maritime Museum moored at the waters edge which you can board as well. Everything is laid out in the historic Embarcadero Chapter along with a map and awesome seafood restaurants to dine in. This must see walking tour is 1.4 miles of. fun, fun, fun. What’s also wonderful about these walking and driving tours it that they also include wonderful places to eat. I have dined in them all over the past 54 years paying for my own meals and inspecting the kitchens. So, rest assured that you will be enjoying the best of the best for my best friends.

How to Use this Website:

(1) Click here for instant access to 50 suburbs & city walking & driving tours with maps. (2) Click on the Barry Icon at the top left corner of every page to return to the home page. (3) Click on the little box with the arrow in it in the right corner to instantly return to the top of any page. (4) SEE Today’s most visited Pages at Bottom of the Home page. (5) MEGA 700-pages of content is organized & HOT-LINKED in alphabetical order after the introduction.