I’ve been to California several times now, and even lived here for six months when I was in the Marines. The only major city I haven’t visited is Sacramento, and while I’ve visited San Francisco, I don’t have much to show for it until I return. On my most recent trip I visited the southwestern part of the state and, for the first time, went to Joshua Tree National Park.
The densely populated areas of Southern California have an almost unlimited number of things to see and do, so I’ve only put some of the most famous places on my website. When I return to the state again, my priority will be to visit some of the central national parks, along with San Francisco and the redwoods up north.
Beaches and Surfing
Surfing is possible in all parts of California, but it’s especially popular in the Los Angeles and San Diego areas since the weather tends to be warmer. Above is a surfer getting ready to take on some of the West Coast’s large waves, while the other photo shows the beach area of La Jolla.
Seals at La Jolla
I visited La Jolla because of its famous seal population. These guys hang out in a protected area and are almost guaranteed to be there. Above is a coastal shot of some waves moving in during a storm, while the seals were enjoying a nap until they got pounded by the waves.
The species of seals here are harbor seals, which live throughout the Northern Hemisphere from warmer areas like Mexico all the way north to the Arctic. Millions of harbor seals live around the world, so they aren’t a threatened species and are pretty common to find.
Of course I’ve seen pelicans all over the world, but not often in such large groups as in San Diego. It seemed that every few minutes a flight of 20 pelicans or so would come soaring by.
These two guys were found right by the seal area in San Diego. I suppose they are kind of cheating since there were so many of them and they were right in the city. I’ve never seen this many before, but they were still somewhat shy around people.
Mission Beach
The main beaches in San Diego are located directly west of the city. The water in the Pacific is generally cold year-round, so even if it’s 70 degrees outside during the winter, it can still be too cold to swim comfortably without a wetsuit. Many bars and other attractions line the streets and beaches here. Above is a roller coaster and the main section of the beach.
San Diego’s Waterfront
Another coastal area of San Diego is the historic waterfront and Seaport Village. This is another area where you can enjoy nightlife, seafood restaurants, and other fun activities. There are plenty of historic ships here that you can tour, such as the submarine above and the World War II aircraft carrier.
Above is a seafood restaurant extending out over the water and a historic sailing ship that can also be toured.
Two last photos from around the waterfront and downtown: the San Diego courthouse and a man playing music at a small park. While Los Angeles has lots of amazing neighborhoods and beaches that I haven’t yet visited, I still prefer San Diego over LA.
One negative part of San Diego is the visible homelessness throughout parts of the city. This is something I’ve encountered in other parts of California as well, although the people I encountered generally minded their own business.
A Diverse City
San Diego is famous for its laid-back atmosphere. At the time of my visit, smoke shops were common throughout California, long before recreational marijuana became legal in the state.
San Diego is also an extremely diverse city. I’ve seen plenty of signs all over the US in English and Spanish, of course, but this was my first time seeing one in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Old Town San Diego
San Diego has a very large Old Town area with many historic buildings preserved. After visiting so many “old towns” in the Midwest and South, I expected this to be a small area, but instead it was packed with shops, nice restaurants, and museums, and spanned several blocks.
This area was the start of what is now San Diego back when the Spanish occupied the region. Above is a church, along with one of the shops selling souvenirs.
When visiting some Spanish missions in Texas, I thought about how much it must have sucked to have to work at a remote outpost in the middle of the desert with temperatures reaching over 100°F. The missionaries in San Diego probably had a much better life here with the nice weather and easy access to the beaches. Above are two photos from inside some of the Old Town buildings.
Mission Trails Regional Park
A good hike in San Diego is Mission Trails Regional Park within the city. The park isn’t enormous, but it’s a great place to hike without having to travel far and seemed to be popular with people trying to get a good workout by jogging the steep trails.
Within the park is Cowles Mountain, which reaches a height of nearly 1,600 feet and gives a great view of the San Diego area. Above is a photo of some of the landscape within the park, along with a green caterpillar I found while hiking.
