Explore San Diego
In addition to year-round sunshine and near-perfect weather, San Diego is home to 70+ miles of sparkling coastline, a vibrant downtown and an endless assortment of unique neighborhoods to explore.
Your Home Base: San Diego Convention Center
![]() | Known for incredible panoramic views of San Diego Bay, the San Diego Convention Center is in a vibrant downtown setting just 10 minutes from the airport. You will be within easy walking distance of an array of restaurants, retail stores and world-class entertainment. Nearby is the historic Gaslamp Quarter, Seaport Village, Horton Plaza, the USS Midway Museum and Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres. And when something is not close by, getting around town is easy with the San Diego Trolley, the city's light-rail public transit system that conveniently connects downtown to other parts of the city. |
Gaslamp Quarter
![]() | Located just about a half mile from the San Diego Convention Center is the Gaslamp District, the heart and soul of downtown San Diego. With a plethora of restaurants to pick from, from quick bites to fine dining, there are endless ways to satisfy your taste no matter what you are looking for.
After your meal, you can choose from a wide variety of entertainment options, including bars, clubs, cigar lounges, comedy shows, live music performances, and even rooftop escapes to avoid the crowded and busy streets. This is a one stop shop where everything is within a five minute walking distance and will surely make your night unforgettable. |
USS Midway Museum
![]() | The USS Midway was the longest-serving aircraft carrier in the 20th century. Named after the climactic Battle of Midway of June 1942, Midway was built in only 17 months, but missed World War II by one week when commissioned on September 10, 1945. Midway was the first in a three-ship class of large carriers that featured an armored flight deck and a powerful air group of 120 planes. On April 11, 1992 the Midway was decommissioned in San Diego and remained in storage in Bremerton, Washington until 2003 when it was donated to the 501(c)3 nonprofit San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum organization. It opened as the USS Midway Museum in June 2004 and is located about a mile from the Convention Center. |
San Diego Zoo
![]() | The San Diego Zoo, located about 2 miles from the Convention Center in Balboa Park, is home to more than 4,000 animals of more than 650 species and subspecies on 100 acres. The San Diego Zoo was a pioneer in the concept of open-air, cageless exhibits that recreate natural animal habitats. |
Balboa Park
![]() | Balboa Park began as 1400 acres of land set aside in 1868 by San Diego civic leaders. Known then as “City Park”, the scrub-filled mesa that overlooked present-day Downtown San Diego sat without formal landscaping or development for more than 20 years. Today the Park’s total land parcel has been reduced to 1,200 acres. |