Although this year has been unseasonably warm, we know that days in January and February in North Carolina typically bring cold, gray, dreary days, and usually an ice storm or two. If you begin to feel the need for some winter relief, we have just the place for you… San Diego, California.

San Diego’s mild climate makes it an ideal year-round destination. Most days are sunny and the average temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Winter temperatures rarely fall below 40 degrees. San Diego is 120 miles south of Los Angeles and 20 miles north of Tijuana, Mexico. It has over 70 miles of beachfront and has long been considered America’s premier sportsman’s location. You can go from sea level to 6,500 feet elevation within the county. San Diego is rightly considered America’s Mediterranean paradise.
           
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed in 1542 in what is now San Diego and claimed the spot for Spain. Father Sera built the first of the 21 missions built by Spain in 1769, eventually extending to Northern California. The area has been ruled by Spain, Mexico and since 1846, the U.S. The county boasts the largest concentration of Native American tribes (18 total) of any county in the United States.
           
Unlike other California’s cities, the San Diego transportation system is superb. Start with the fact that Lindbergh Field, San Diego International Airport, is just a hop, skip, and a jump from downtown. The airport is well laid out and easy to enter and depart. Car rentals are a breeze and it is a five-minute drive to downtown – and a pretty drive it is with the Bay visible on your right. The freeways and streets are all well marked so driving is not stressful. I can’t guarantee you won’t have some congestion – it is California after all.
           
San Diego County is rich with rooming accommodations to suit any wallet. You can find a room to fit your budget or splurge at a super-luxurious health spa. I have stayed at a few of the nicer hotels near the downtown Convention Center but my favorite is the W Hotel. Located at 421 West B Street downtown, the hotel is furnished top to bottom with modern Scandinavian furniture and modern art adorning the walls. Everything in the guest rooms -- from the lighting to the bed coverings -- is unique and colorful. It will immediately remind you that you left the winter behind you. Try the outdoor rooftop lounge and warm yourself by the built-in fireplace. The rooms are moderately priced but, as with many hotels, the deluxe rooms and suites are expensive. The best rates are available prior to March.
           
Whether you seek a view of the ocean, the mountains or the desert, there is a luxury accommodation for you. You can pick from Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa, Four Seasons Resort Aviara, Rancho Valencia resort, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, La Costa Resort & Spa, Rancho Bernardo Inn, historic Hotel del Coronado or the Grand del Mar Resort & Spa to name some of the more prominent locations.

Things to Do
The list of things to do here is so lengthy that it is hard to know where to begin. I will start with the two sports I love the most, tennis and golf.
           
Barbara and I have made it a habit to take our tennis racquets with us wherever we travel. We have a running contest to determine the most beautiful, scenic court on which we have played. Entrants so far are Hawaii, Rome, St. Croix and Lake Tahoe. And now, San Diego enters the list with The Coronado Hotel. The courts overlook the Pacific Ocean and in the background the Hotel - with its gleaming white façade and red tile roof - make for a great visual experience. Our other San Diego tennis experience was at the Tennis Center at Balboa Park. This is a public facility although managed like a private club. After paying a modest fee we were on the courts. The friendliness and camaraderie was delightful.
           
Even if you are not a tennis player, Balboa Park is a must-see. In one stop you can visit the world’s most famous zoo and attend any one of the museums that are encompassed on the property.  Balboa Park is often referred to as the “Smithsonian of the West” for its concentration of cultural institutions. The Park’s 1,200 acres house 15 museums (to name a few: San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Air & Space Museum and San Diego Museum of History, which is now hosting the “Dead Sea Scrolls” exhibit), eight gardens, the San Diego Zoo, art galleries and performing arts venues like the Globe Theatre.
           
The Zoo’s 100-acre tropical garden houses 4,00 animals of 800 rare and exotic species including giant pandas. Joan B. Kroc’s (of MacDonald’s fame) Monkey Trails and Forest Tales showcase African and Asian forest teeming with some of the world’s most threatened species. The Zoo also operates the Wild Animal Park 30 miles north of downtown where animals roan free over 1,800 acres.
           
Wherever you are on the golf scale, from experienced to hacker, from clueless to knowledgeable, a visit and a round of golf at Torrey Pines is a must in my book. It is truly one of the world’s most beautiful courses (think Pebble Beach) and will host the 2008 U.S. Open in June. It is only the second municipal course ever to host the U.S. Open (after Bethpage Black on Long Island.) I was lucky enough to play the south course and it is hard to concentrate on your golf shot because the views are spectacular. Call this a good walk NOT spoiled. Who cares what your score is!
           
Other sports fans can find sailing (a cruise around Coronado Island is breathtaking), surfing, windsurfing, paragliding, professional football and baseball. Outdoor enthusiasts have miles of trails and terrain to hike, bike or rock climb. Kayakers seek out secluded coves and shoreline and many scuba divers can also experience the Pacific. January through March brings the whale-watching season as the California gray whales migrate south from the Arctic.
           
Shopping enthusiasts will also be pleasantly surprised with over 100 unique neighborhoods to visit and browse. It is very easy to let the hours slip away while you are exploring the area’s unique retail districts. For starters begin in the GasLamp Quarter and then move to the eclectic Hillcrest and up-and-coming Little Italy areas. For the luxury locales visit La Jolla and Del Mar. Don’t forget the proximity to Mexico that may also be a nice day excursion.
           
At the end of your busy sightseeing day you can relax and enjoy a great meal by simply visiting the GasLamp Quarter. The 16 1/2 block area around Fourth and Fifth Avenues downtown is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is home to more than 100 of the city’s finest restaurants, night-clubs and retail stores. Enjoy a great meal and kick-up your heels afterward.

            San Diego is one of our most popular destinations. You can get anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant…oops I meant to say …in San Diego. To ensure you are able to accomplish all your planned activities, as well as a few surprise attractions you may not have considered, contact the San Diego Convention Bureau at 619.232.3101, orwww.sandiego.org