#365 Hotel Del Coronado
The Hotel Del Coronado has been the place to be and be seen since opening in 1888. It was the first beach resort on the west coast and was the largest hotel in the world at the time. This National Register of Historic Places property preserves stunning Victorian & Queen Anne architecture and is the second largest wooden structure in the United States.
Hollywood royalty have used this as their playground since the 1920's including Charlie Chaplin, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz and Rudolph Valentino. The Del became even more famous from the 1959 film 'Some Like It Hot' starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Enjoy exploring this stunning landmark with some of the finest sand on Earth.
#357 Museum of Man
The San Diego Museum of Man is Balboa Park's premier anthropological museum. Housed in the historic California Building, the museum originated from the 1915 Panama-California Exposition when Dr. Edgar Lee Hewett of the School of American Archaeology created the exhibits with his travels from the American Southwest to Guatemala.
After the Fair, a group of residents helped create a permanent museum to house the collections. Famous exhibits include Mayan History with original casts from Quiriguá, Footsteps Through Time which includes 65 million years of human evolution with more than 100 touchable replicas, Kumeyaay Native American history and the Ancient Egyptian Collection, one of only a few in the world.
#343 Sunrise Scenic Byway
Sunrise Scenic Byway is San Diego's most scenic drive. At 24 miles, this drive winds 6,000 feet high through Cleveland National Forest and Laguna Mountain Recreation Area with green meadows, forested peaks and stunning desert vistas that overlook Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Enjoy Fall colors, Winter snow and Spring wildflowers making it a four season destination.
#333 Sunset Cliffs Natural Park
Sunset Cliffs Natural Park is one of San Diego's hidden gems with 1.5 miles of sculpted sandstone cliffs & arches, hidden coves and endless ocean vistas. Sixty-eight acres preserve 100 bird, 20 mammal, 10 reptile and 80 native plant species. The land began forming 75 million years ago during the Cretaceous Era and preserved many fossil species now housed in the San Diego Natural History Museum. An afternoon or sunset stroll is an iconic San Diego experience.
#329 Heritage Park
Heritage County Park in Old Town was created to preserve San Diego's Victorian Architecture. Italianate, Stick-Eastlake and Queen Anne styles are all represented through six historic homes and the Temple Beth Israel Synagogue. This uncrowded park is the perfect place for an afternoon stroll. A short trail above the Christian House take you to an overlook with great views of the city.
#324 Old Town San Diego
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park preserves 29 acres of the first European settlement on the West Coast. It was the main city center and witnessed three major eras: Spanish rule from 1769-1821, Mexican Independence from 1821-1850 and later admittance to the United States from 1850-1872. Life here remained slow-paced with a population never reaching over 700. Old Town is the most visited State Park in California with 5 original adobes, museums, shops, restaurants and gardens.
#312 Stonewall Peak
Stonewall Peak in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park is one of the highest peaks in San Diego at 5,730 feet. A four mile out and back trail takes you to the summit and provides sweeping 360 degree views of the Laguna Mountains, Palomar Mountain, San Jacinto Peak, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and the Salton Sea. This moderate trail climbs 1,000 feet and begins at Paso Picacho. The final ascent includes a mild sense of acrophobia with hand rails which adds to the adventure.
#310 Borrego Springs
Borrego Springs is a beautiful desert community surrounded by Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Named after the town's most famous residents, Borrego means 'bighorn sheep' in Spanish. The town is an International Dark Sky Community, one of only a few in the country, making it the perfect place to watch the stars and a meteor shower. If winter rains allow, springtime brings the most stunning desert bloom on the continent with miles of explosive bloom.
#300 Coronado
Coronado, 'Crowned One' in Spanish, is a resort destination across the bay in San Diego. Usually referred to as an island, it is actually connected to the mainland by the isthmus, Silver Strand. The town built the iconic Hotel Del Coronado in 1888 and has been the place to be and be seen ever since.
Traveling the San Diego-Coronado Bridge is the perfect way to make a grand entrance with its sweeping views of Downtown and the bay. Beautiful Main Street is lined with galleries, shops and restaurants while the beach offers the finest in sand in California often making the top list for best beaches in the USA.
#293 Presidio Park
Presidio Park in San Diego marks the spot of the first European settlement of the Western United States. Founded in 1769, the Presidio or military fort was established here to protect the land from invasion. Abandoned in 1835, it decayed for 75 years until local civic lead George Marston purchased the land for preservation. He donated the land to the city where a Museum to honor Mission Founder Father Junípero Serra was built. The museum is open today and provides sweeping views of the city in an idyllic setting.
