Spring Break: San Diego, California

San Diego is a no-brainer for a family spring fling. Among the many reasons: Surf's up! The San Diego Surfing Academy has year-round lessons for all ages. Balboa Park, with 1,000-plus acres, 15 museums, and the city's stellar zoo is a must-visit. Ride the ferry to Coronado and bike miles of paths, or glide through waterways on a real gondola. Old Town Trolley Tours offers laid-back sightseeing for families with young children; those with older kids should check out GoCar Tours' mini "talking" cars that combine vehicle and tour guide. Rent a kayak in La Jolla and explore coastal sea caves.

In the 1880s, San Diego was a magnet for Wild West gamblers, including legendary lawman Wyatt Earp, who served as proprietor of three gambling halls in the area now known as the Gaslamp Quarter. Today, this area draws legions of tourists and locals alike with 16 blocks of boutique hotels, trendy bars and clubs, designer clothes shops, and innovative eateries. The names of some of these spots, like the Stingaree nightclub, give a nod to the neighborhood’s red-light district past. And though many vacationers never venture beyond downtown, the Gaslamp Quarter, and the San Diego Zoo, those who do are amply rewarded. There are the coves and tide pools at La Jolla, the horse races at Del Mar, the whale Shamu and his pals at SeaWorld, and the boardwalks of Pacific Beach each in a neighborhood with a history all its own.

Families can "go native" by rooting for the home baseball team, the San Diego Padres, at PETCO Park, and by soaking up the SoCal beach scene. Join locals by bicycling, inline skating, jogging, and sunning on the sand along the three-mile boardwalk that connects Mission Beach and Pacific Beach. Coronado sports San Diego's widest sands plus a bike path that hugs the scenic shoreline and winds through Silver Strand State Beach. La Jolla, a posh suburb about 12 miles north of San Diego, is the place to hit the beach. Sea kayakers can paddle to La Jolla Shores to explore caves and little kids can look for minnows and crabs in La Jolla Cove's tidepools.

Animal encounters in San Diego abound. At the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park, more than 400 species roam across 1,800 acres of varied habitat. Heart of Africa's winding trails lead through 30 acres of recreated forests, savannas, and wetlands inhabited by wattled cranes, okapi, and other animals, while the Wgasa Bush Line Railway cuts through giraffe, white rhino, and ostrich territory. For the best view, however, "float" on a tethered hot-air balloon that hovers 400 feet above the grounds.

In LEGOLAND, scale models of Manhattan, Washington, D.C., and other landmarks rise up out of 20 million LEGO bricks. Unlike most parks, this one caters to young kids with a fairytale boat ride and a driving school where six-year-olds finally get to be in charge behind the wheel. The TECHNIC Coaster, for older kids, dumps riders from the ticklish but not terrifying height of 42 feet. Wild Woods Golf, the park's mini-course, features 40 LEGO creatures, some of whom clap and cheer for you as you play your round. New as of summer 2006, water-filled Pirate Shores features two rides and two play areas. Board your ship on Splash Battle to fight a water cannon skirmish with other boats and the spectators. Treasure Falls, a just-scary-enough flume ride, plunges you 12 feet. At Swabbles Deck, preschoolers prance through water jets and fountains. Soak-N-Sail has more than 60 ways to get wet, including being doused by a 300-gallon bucket of water.

Polar bears, sharks, penguins, manatees, and of course, Shamu, everybody's favorite killer whale, star at SeaWorld San Diego, a marine park combining animal attractions with thrill rides. Little kids splash and play in Shamu's Happy Harbor, while older ones get wet on Journey to Atlantis, a water coaster.

Looking for a place that will make spring break special this year? Call Rawhide Travel and Tours today 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com. We can help!

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Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona  85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
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