Posts Tagged ‘San Diego history’

San Diego is a place that has so much to offer for visitors and people who reside here. You will never run out of places to see and things to do, especially outdoor activities. The top three main attractions are SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park. You can shop in Old Town, visit the numerous beaches and visit downtown’s Gaslamp Quarter, just to name a few things to do.

If you are interested in architecture and historical buildings San Diego has a variety of places to see. Irving Gill was the first major architect to leave his mark on this city. He arrived here in 1893 and began designing buildings were designed to be integrated into the desert like landscape. You can see homes he designed in Uptown and La Jolla. The First Church of Christ Scientist is on the National Historic Landmark list and is one if his famous structures.

The Spanish Mediterranean style buildings can be seen throughout the city and one of the best known one is the Serra Museum at Presidio Park. Modernism swept through the city after WW II and can be seen throughout the downtown and business districts.

If you love to visit gardens, San Diego is a gardener’s paradise. You must see Balboa Park’s spectacular gardens of all types. You can visit the serene Japanese Friendship Garden and the Botanical Building and Lily Pond. You will also want to visit the thirty acre Quail Botanical Gardens in Encinitas. There are truly beatiful gardens and landscapes to admire througout the city.

If you are a military buff there are many opportunities here to learn about the military influence that made the city what it is today. One third of the Navy’s Pacific Fleet is ported in San Diego’s harbor. San Diego hosts numerous celebrations and events to honor the armed forces in October. You can see the popular Miramar Air Show which has aerial performances by the Blue Angels. The main military attraction is the USS Midway which is the home of the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum. The Midway served from 1945 until the Gulf War.

There are a variety of things to do and see in San Diego. You can visit the turn of the century Gaslamp Quarter or enjoy the modern architecture of the Horton Plaza shopping center. The Seaport Village is designed to look like a New England seaport community and is a place to enjoy shopping and fine dining. There are also several harbor tours available so you can experience San Diego from the harbor.

San Diego is a unique and exciting place to visit or to relocate to. There is something here for everyone. No matter your interests you will find something to do here whether it be sunbathing and surfing on the numerous beaches or visiting the many different museums. It is home to three of the best major animal parks in the nation. You will find so much to do here that you will want to return again and again.

San Diego is a wonderful coastal city to visit and enjoy. It has a long and colorful past. There are several exciting places to visit and to discover the rich history of this area. The Old Town San Diego Historic Park is a great place to experience the history of early San Diego.

Visitors can get a glimpse into how this area was a joining of two cultures which turned San Diego from a Mexican pueblo into an American settlement. You will be able to see original and reconstructed building from that period. There are five original adobe buildings that are a part of this historical park and are now museums, shops and restaurants.

The park has many historical buildings to visit. The La Casa de Estudillo is a mansion built around a beautiful garden court yard. Mason Street School was California’s first public schoolhouse. Make sure you visit the San Diego Printing Office – the city’s oldest surviing newspaper office. There are many sights to see and sounds to hear.

Mission Trails Regional park is one of the largest urban parks in the nation. There is over 5,800 acres to explore and it includes two lakes, the San Diego River and the Old Mission Dam. You can visit the 1,592 foot Cowles Mountain which gives you a scenic view of the area. There are many trails to explore and an abundant of bird life.

Heritage Park, an 8 acre country park, is dedicated to the preservation of Victorian architecture. You can visit seven original 19^th century homes that were moved to the park. These homes are now the home to a bed and breakfast, and other novelty shops. At the entrance to the park you can see the Temple Beth Israel which was originally built in 1889 in classic revival style.

Visit the Junipero Serra Museum if you want to learn more about the people and cultures that first settled in this area. This museum is perched on a hill above Old Town and is a Spanish Mission styled structure. The museum contains exhibits on Native American, Spanish and Mexican people who first settled here. You can visit the tower which overlooks the city and you can see for miles. There is also a park surrounding the museum where you can walk the trails or have a picnic.

The Whaley house was built in 1856 and was the first two story brick house to be constructed in this part of the country. There is an urban legend that this house is a designated haunted house. As many as 100,000 people visit each year to see for themselves. There are many interesting and unique artifacts here. You can visit and maybe you will see one of the four spirits who are said to haunt the structure.

San Diego and the surrounding areas are wonderful places to visit and to learn about the diverse cultural that makes up this coastal city.