The military's impact on San Diego is legendary. Yet, few people know that the plan for turning the city from a sleepy resort town into a community on the cutting edge of the American defense effort was the result of a vision brought to fruition by a number of events. A local historian will give a presentation on the military's influence in transforming San Diego into a city with the largest Navy and Marine Corps complex in the Unites States. The presentation will conclude with a Q & A period.
Transport to San Diego Bay. You will enjoy a two-hour San Diego harbor cruise which leaves from the waterfront near the San Diego cruise ship terminal.
This narrated harbor tour shows how closely the city is tied to its maritime heritage. The tour covers Harbor and Shelter Islands, Point Loma, Cabrillo National Monument, North Island Naval Air Station, the Submarine Base, as well as the Coronado Bridge, and much more.
It's a great way to rest your feet and get some great city views with ships docked beneath San Diego's modern skyline, or watch sea lions lounging on a buoy.
Take warm clothing along on your harbor cruise. It's always colder on the water, and even when the weather is warm, fog comes in quickly and the temperature drops with it. Don't forget sunscreen, too. Lunch: LunchAfternoon: Transport to Little Italy. You will experience San Diego's rich Genoese and Sicilian history on an exclusive guided walking tour through the Little Italy district.
A stable ethnic business and residential community since the 1920's, Little Italy today represents Downtown San Diego's oldest continuous neighborhood business district. At one time, more than 6,000 Italian families lived in Little Italy and toiled to build San Diego into the center of the world tuna industry.
This guided tour will enable you to experience the history, cuisine and culture of one of California's most hip and historic neighborhoods.
Wine tasting and antipasto at an Italian restaurant in the Little Italy district.
Coach returns to the hotel. Dinner: Dinner in the hotel.Evening: Free evening. Lodging: Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Mission ValleyMeals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Transport to Chicano Park.
Narrated Tour of Chicano Park.
Steeped in a rich history and vibrant culture, the residents of the barrio take great pride in who they are and what they have accomplished. This pride has manifested itself in a series of murals painted in the center of Chicano Park, reflecting this ethos and serving as a reminder to new inhabitants and visitors alike. The murals are a tribute to the struggles of a people seeking to make this country their home while never forgetting their roots. Transport to Coronado.Lunch: Lunch on your own at the Coronado Ferry Landing.Afternoon: Transport to Hotel del Coronado.
The Hotel del Coronado is one of the most recognizable features of San Diego. Its superb waterfront location, irrefutable charm and storied history, makes it a must see for all visitors to Southern California.
Beginning construction in 1887, the hotel was completed in only eleven months at a cost of one million dollars. Labor was provided largely by Chinese immigrants from San Francisco and Oakland. The hotel was built as a premier resort for the wealthy and has quite a famous guest list, including Thomas Edison, L. Frank Baum, Charlie Chaplin, Babe Ruth and Charles Lindbergh and Edward VIII who met his future wife, Coronado resident Wallis Simpson, during his stay.
The Del, as it is affectionately known, is one of the oldest and largest all-wooden buildings in California and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977.
Transport to hotel.
Alex and Pam McGeary, a husband and wife team of sustainable vintners from Warner Springs Ranch, will discuss the science of growing the grapes and producing wines in a completely sustainable way. They will bring samples of their Shadow Mountain Winery vintages for tastings.Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.Evening: Free evening.Lodging: Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Mission ValleyMeals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Transportation to San Diego Zoo.
The world-famous San Diego Zoo, in Balboa Park, is one of the largest, most progressive zoos in the world with over 4,000 animals of more than 800 species. It is privately operated by the nonprofit Zoological Society of San Diego on 100 acres of parkland leased from the City of San Diego, and ownership of all animals, equipment and other assets rests with the City of San Diego.
Exhibits are often designed around a particular habitat. The same exhibit features many different animals that can be found side-by-side in the wild, along with their native horticulture. Exhibits range from an African rain forest (featuring gorillas) to the Arctic taiga and tundra in the summertime (featuring polar bears). Some of the largest free-flight aviaries in existence are here. Many exhibits are "natural" with invisible wires and darkened blinds (to view birds), and pools and open-air moats (for large mammals). Lunch: Lunch on your own in Balboa ParkAfternoon: Continue your day at the Zoo, where the cool, sunny maritime climate is well suited to many plants and animals. Besides an extensive collection of birds, reptiles and mammals, it also maintains its grounds as an arboretum, with a rare plant collection. As part of its gardening effort, it raises some rare animal foods. For example, the Zoo raises 40 varieties of bamboo for the pandas on long-term loan from China, and it maintains 18 varieties of eucalyptus trees to feed its koalas. It is extremely active in conservation and species-preservation efforts. Its Center for the Reproduction of Endangered Species (CRES) raises and releases California Condors, Pandas, Tigers, African Black Rhinos and a large number of other endangered species. It employs numerous professional geneticists, cytologists and veterinarians and maintains a cryopreservation facility for rare sperm and eggs.
Or, you may choose to visit museums in the park on your own. Dinner: Dinner in the hotel.Evening: Free evening on your own.Lodging: Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Mission ValleyMeals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Torrrey Pines State Natural Reserve is located within San Diego city limits and yet remains one of the wildest stretches of land on our Southern California coast! 2000 acres of land are as they were before San Diego was developed with the chaparral plant community, the rare and elegant Torrey pine trees, miles of unspoiled beaches, and a lagoon that is vital to migrating seabirds. One can imagine what California must have looked like to the early settlers, or to the Spanish explorers, or even to the first California residents here, the Kumeyaay people. There are 8 miles of trails, a visitor center, and guided nature walks are offered.
Torrey Pines is visited by travelers from all over the world and by local residents who come daily to rest at the stunning overlooks, walk a peaceful trail, or exercise in a clean, beautiful environment. Special care has been taken to preserve this coastal treasure and keep it pristine for generations to come. PLEASE NOTE: Should rain be a factor, the trails may be unavailable for use. Should this be the case, a different activity may be substituted.
Coach provides a brief tour of the Village of La Jolla and then off to lunch in the area. Lunch: Lunch in La Jolla.Afternoon: The mission of the Birch Aquarium at Scripps is to provide ocean science education, to interpret Scripps research, and to promote ocean conservation. The Aquarium provides ocean science education through creative exhibits, programs, and activities designed to help people use critical thinking, and to make science relevant to their daily lives. Docents interpret Scripps Institution of Oceanography research, emphasizing the interdisciplinary nature of the science used to study Earth, and inspiring public support of scientific endeavors. The institution promotes conservation through education and research, believing that with increased understanding of the ocean, people will respect and protect the marine environment.
Coach returns to the hotel. Dinner: Dinner in a banquet room assigned by the hotel.Evening: The Department of Music and Dance at San Diego State University will provide an accomplished performer/performers to enhance the evening with musical selections.Lodging: Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Mission ValleyMeals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner