25 Reasons We Love San Diego

1. Starry nightcaps
Downtown, and specifically in the popular Gaslamp Quarter, there are a handful of fantastic rooftop bars where you can kick back with a cocktail in the open air. J6 Bar, which attracts people who fancy themselves trendsetters, is the sleek fourth-floor lounge and pool area of the Hotel Solamar (616 J St., 619/531-8744, jsixsandiego.com); Altitude Skybar, 22 floors up atop the Marriott, brings in a mixed crowd of tourists and locals (660 K St., 619/446-6086, altitudeskybar.com).

2. The wild life
The San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park, a half hour north in Escondido, sprawls over 1,800 acres, giving rhinos, elephants, and other creatures huge areas to graze. For an up close encounter, sign up in advance for a Photo Caravan tour ($90) and ride in a canopy-covered truck onto the plains, where giraffes have been known to go nose-to-nose with guests. The main San Diego Zoo is equally world famous, with polar bears, pandas, gorillas, hippos, and tigers. After a few hours at either zoo, plop down at one of the 25¢ foot-massage chairs. Note: Before buying tickets to the zoos or SeaWorld, ask about passes that cover admission to several attractions. The Zoo/Passport to Balboa Park Combo, valid for a week, includes 13 museums and the main zoo; adults pay $59. Another pass covers both zoos and SeaWorld ($107). Most can be bought on the spot, but you'll skip lines by purchasing in advance online. 619/231-1515, sandiegozoo.org.

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park (Dave Lauridsen) [enlarge photo] INTERACTIVE MAP! Explore these San Diego locations • Launch the map

3. The guy to follow
For a hike that's both rewarding and easy, make your way to Torrey Pines State Reserve. The Guy Fleming Trail, named for a longtime nature guide and activist, is a six-tenths-of-a-mile loop that skirts along sheer cliffs overlooking the ocean. At the north end of the trail, a bench offers a view that on clear days extends as far as Santa Catalina island. Tip: An hour before sunset, the admission price is cut in half. 12600 N. Torrey Pines Rd., 858/755-2063, parks.ca.gov, $8.

4. Best Mexican outside Mexico
Considering its proximity to the border--a $2.50, 45-minute trolley ride from downtown--there's little surprise that San Diego has excellent Mexican food. In Old Town, where every restaurant rolls out tortillas by hand, the staff of Casa Guadalajara dress in colorful touristy getups, but the food is so good that locals pack the bar for free appetizers during happy hour and stick around for dinner in the courtyard (4105 Taylor St., 619/295-5111, casaguadalajara.com). Next to each other in a quiet stretch of Solana Beach, two family-run competitors are both worth the hour-long weekend waits: Tony's Jacal, where the bar is decorated with horse-racing memorabilia in tribute to nearby Del Mar racetrack (621 Valley Ave., 858/755-2274, tonysjacal.com), and Fidel's, a labyrinthine building with cozy wooden booths (607 Valley Ave., 858/755-5292).

5. The fan factory
Opened in 2004, the Petco Park baseball stadium has brought in record attendance and served as the cornerstone for the revitalization of downtown. The Padres' ballpark is a home run for many reasons, including decorative waterfalls, lots of bougainvillea, and menus with tacos from local favorite Rubio's. Two spots for spectators make the place really special: the Western Metal Supply building, a factory that was slated for demolition before architects incorporated it into the design (one corner serves as the left-field foul pole), is now suites that are usually snagged by corporations, so it helps to have an in; and Park at the Park, where for $5 fans can watch from a Wiffle ball field and picnic area. 619/795-5000, padres.mlb.com.

6. The sealed-off beach
In 1931, a new concrete barrier in La Jolla created a wave-free area for kids. These days, Children's Pool is the exclusive domain of seals. Humans, while discouraged from swimming, can picnic in the adjacent park. Also, two beaches--both known as Dog Beach--allow dogs to play off-leash. One is in Ocean Beach (dogbeachsandiego.org); the other, in Del Mar, allows dogs to roam leash-free from October to May.

7. The whole enchilada
Salazar's is an old-school gem with orange cushions, statues of mustachioed men in sombreros, and a jukebox loaded with country and mariachi. Most servers and patrons will be speaking Spanish. Combo platters, under $10, are a mix of chiles rellenos, tamales, enchiladas, rice, beans, and soup. 1502 Market St., 619/238-9674.

8. Good enough for 11 presidents
Despite hosting European royalty and 11 U.S. presidents since its 1888 opening, the Hotel del Coronado and its trademark red-shingled turrets are best known as the backdrop for Billy Wilder's hilarious film Some Like It Hot, starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and Marilyn Monroe. With rates rarely dropping below $300, staying over might be a stretch, but anyone can explore the grand old property. In the lower level of the Victorian Building, there are exhibits on the construction of the buildings, on films that were shot there, and about the ghost of Kate Morgan, who supposedly haunts the property. Stores, ice-cream parlors, restaurants, coffee shops, and snack bars are plentiful, but be warned: A hot dog costs $8.50. 1500 Orange Ave., 800/468-3533, hoteldel.com.

9. Reuse, recycle, resell
It seems like every neighborhood in San Diego County has a secondhand store--or an entire block of them, as in Ocean Beach. Options there include the 18,000-square-foot Newport Avenue Antique Center, which hosts dozens of vendors under the same roof, and the pickings are varied enough to keep amateurs and serious collectors alike interested (4864 Newport Ave., 619/222-8686). Castoffs tend to come from the immediate surroundings, meaning that Ocean Beach, a funky neighborhood favored by artists, bikers, and hippies, is big on eclectic, vintage items, while ritzy areas like La Jolla and Del Mar are where to go for fur coats, fancy jewelry, and designer clothing. Kobey's Swap Meet, on the other hand, is an assortment of people trying to empty their attics (3350 Sports Arena Blvd., 619/523-2700, kobeyswap.com, Fri.-Sun., entry $1).

10. Icarus who?
On a bluff overlooking the Pacific, Torrey Pines Gliderport is one of the world's premier locations for hang gliding and paragliding. Novices are welcomed; 90 percent of them opt for a tandem paraglide, a ride with an instructor who does all the work. The Gliderport is particularly proud of its wide spectrum of clients: Instructors teach in nine languages, taking into the air kids as young as 5 and seniors well into their 90s, as well as hundreds of paraplegics each year. "Way up in the sky, the views go on forever, and the sound of the wind is the only thing you hear," says flight director David Jebb. "Everyone comes back from the ride elated." Sitting back and watching people defy gravity in such a gorgeous setting can easily fill an afternoon. 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Dr., 858/452-9858, flytorrey.com, tandem paraglide $150.

11. Two-minute thrills
The Giant Dipper, a rickety wooden roller coaster built in 1925, zips down hills and around turns, giving riders blurry views of water on both sides (the Pacific Ocean on one side, Mission Bay on the other). It's just one of the arcades, carousels, and other old-time carnival rides that make up Belmont Park in Mission Beach. 3190 Mission Blvd., 858/488-1549, giantdipper.com, Giant Dipper $6.

12. Zen and the art of koi ponds
People have been coming to California to find themselves for decades. Back in the day, some of the Beatles meditated at the Self-Realization Fellowship, studying the teachings of founder Paramahansa Yogananda. (The name of Swami's Beach, the popular surf spot down the hill, is an unofficial homage.) People still use the grounds for retreats, and the koi ponds and ocean views of its Meditation Gardens remain free to the public (215 K St., Encinitas, 760/753-1811, yogananda-srf.org). For mellowing out closer to downtown, try the ponds, paths, and teahouse at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park (2215 Pan American Rd. E., 619/232-2721, niwa.org, $3).