From the air, Southern California provides some of the most majestic natural beauty in the United States. There are long white beaches, rugged snow-capped mountains and colourful deserts - and from the air, these sights become absolutely breathtaking.

The area is dominated all year by the Pacific high pressure zone, making the weather the best in mainland USA. While news reports may tell of flooding, thunderstorms, hurricanes and snowstorms in other areas, in San Diego the weather remains predictably warm and dry. Having such great weather year-round makes for great flying and sight-seeing.

Balboa Park

In the heart of San Diego is beautiful Balboa Park. Within its 1,200 lushacres are museums, art galleries, performers, the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater, the SimonEdison Centre for the Performing Arts (Old Globe Theatre, Cassius Carter Centre Stage, andthe Lowell Davies Festival Theatre), Starlight Bowl, sports facilities, one of the world'slargest zoos, the historic Spreckels Organ Pavilion and plenty of green grass andtrees.The Balboa Park Tram provides convenient access to the park, originating at theInspiration Point Parking Lot with eleven intermediate stops through the central core ofthe park. The free tram operates seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during theautumn and winter months, and 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during the spring and summer months.

San Diego Zoo

The world famous San Diego Zoo is the area's most famous visitor attraction. This 100-acre tropical garden zoo has 3,900 animals of 800 species including a pair of giant pandas currently on loan from China. In addition to spectacular bioclimatic exhibits such as the Polar Bear Plunge, Hippo Beach, Gorilla Tropics, Sun Bear Forest, and Tiger River, the San Diego Zoo features popular attractions like a three-mile guided bus tour, a children's petting zoo and baby animal nursery.

San Diego Wild Animal Park

Located 30 miles north of downtown, the San Diego Wild Animal Park is a2,150-acre preserve where wild animals roam free over vast expanses as they would in theirnative habitats of Africa and Asia. Visitors can best see the park's 3,000 animals bytaking the guide-narrated monorail tour after seeing the sights at Nairobi Village. The1.75-mile Kilimanjaro Hiking Trail takes visitors through a variety of lush botanicalgardens and past the homes of gorillas, elephants, cheetahs, lions, and many otherspecies. At the park's newest exhibit, the "Heart of Africa," guests are able tostroll among various animals, Monkeys, flamingos, cheetahs, and giraffes roam in aseemingly open safari setting.

Seaworld

Located on Mission Bay, this 150-acre park features five major shows anddozens of fascinating exhibits containing marine life from around the globe, including thepopular Penguin Encounter and the Shark Encounter. "Wild Arctic," Sea World'snewest exhibit, will feature a motion-simulator flight to the Arctic region, wherevisitors experience up-close encounters with real-life polar bears, beluga whales,walruses, and harbor seals. At Shamu Stadium "Shamu: World Focus" takes guestsaround the globe in search of a deeper understanding of killer whales and Sea World's rolein preserving these magnificent animals. "Shamu Backstage" allows guests to seeand interact with the killer whales. In other areas of the park, visitors can also petdolphins, touch and feed bat rays, pick up starfish for closer inspection, view thelargest waterfowl collection in the U.S., or take in a panorama of San Diego from SeaWorld's Skytower.

Mission Bay

This 4,600-acre aquatic playground is the largestfacility of its kind in the world devoted to boating, fishing, skiing, swimming, boardsailing, and public recreation. For swimmers and sunbathers there are 27 miles ofsun-bleached beaches with six designated swimming areas. There is an abundance of grassyrecreation and picnic areas ideal for family sports, kite flying or just plain relaxing.Cycling and jogging are very popular on the paths winding around this aquatic park.

San Diego Bay

This is one of the most beautiful harbors in theworld, bustling with activity. It serves as the home port for navy ships, a largesportfishing fleet, thousands of pleasure craft and an increasing number of commercial andcruise ships. One of the best ways to see the harbor activity is from the water. Close-upviews are provided daily by scheduled tours on San Diego Harbour Excursions and InvaderCruises vessels. Next to the Broadway pier is the Maritime Museum, which includes astately century-old windjammer, the Star of India, the steam ferry Berkeley,and the 1904 steam yacht Medea.

Seaport Village

This waterfront dining and shopping complex depicts the harbourside as it was a centuryago, located on 14 acres along the Embarcadero, Seaport Village is composed of 76 shops,boutiques, and galleries where visitors can browse to their hearts delight and choose froma whole world of culinary wonders in 11 eateries and four major restaurants.

Gaslamp Quarter

Gaslamp Quarter, a 16 1/2-block historic downtown district, recreates the spirit ofVictorian times through the restoration of old buildings that now feature antiques,crafts, arts, restaurants, shops, offices, and business establishments, all in theauthentic tradition of that era. Walking tours offer historical perspective and an updatedlook at the dynamic new developments in the Gaslamp Quarter.

Old Town

The first European settlement in California, Old Town is where San Diegobegan. Old adobes and other historic structures blend with fine restaurants, shoppingcomplexes, and fascinating shops to capture Old Town's rich heritage, while creating apopular attraction for visitors. Just up the hill from Old Town is beautiful Presidio Parkand the Serra Museum.

San Diego County

San Diego County is so huge, you'll never see it all. From its 70 miles ofshimmering coastline to the verdant Cleveland National Forest to the vast Anza-BorregoDesert, even those who live here don't see everything. But if time permits, here are someof the highlights you won't want to miss.

The sophisticated side of San Diego is readily apparent in the wide variety of culturalactivities offered. San Diego boasts nationally known performers and exhibits, as well asexperimental art and community theater.

Just across the bay from downtown San Diego, via the majestic San Diego-Coronado BayBridge or San Diego-Coronado Bay Ferry, is Coronado, the "Crown City," site ofthe famous Hotel del Coronado.

San Diego's South Bay offers visitors public beaches, many marinas, shops, restaurants,and accommodations. Heading south to the Mexican border, visitors pass through the SouthBay cities of National City, Chula Vista (home of the ARCO Olympic Training Center), andImperial Beach.

La Jolla

Fifteen minutes north of downtown is La Jolla, the jewel of San Diego, renowned for itsresort shops, beautiful beaches, and spectacular hillside homes, as well as the acclaimedTony Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse. Just north of La Jolla are Torrey Pines State Parkand Del Mar, noted as a horse racing fan's paradise since Bing Crosby founded the seasideDel Mar Thoroughbred Club in 1937.

Farther up the coast, acres and acres of flower fields in season radiate with colour.North County's rolling hills also offer ballooning adventures, wineries to explore,botanical gardens, and, for the sports-minded, plenty of golf courses, freshwater lakes,and camping areas.

To the northeast, one of America's largest telescopes, in the Mt. Palomar Observatory,can be found high atop Mt. Palomar via the "Highway to the Stars."

Just 60 miles east of metro San Diego is the charming mining town of Julian, whereSouthern California's gold strike was made in 1870.