Guest Blog Post by Clarissa Demmon, Group Travel Specialist

San Diego, California is one of my favorite destinations to visit in the United States and I can’t wait to go back each time I come home. It is a place where the beaches are beautiful, the city is fun and it has the perfect variety for adults and kids alike. The locals are also friendly and laid back, so anyone can fit right in! Here are some of the must-sees when visiting this wonderful city.

The family adventures are endless with places to visit such as the San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park, Sea World, and Birch Aquarium at Scripps. There is also Old Town San Diego to learn about the city’s roots plus enjoy shopping and homemade “old timey” hand-made candy. Some of the best Mexican restaurants can be found here too! Old Town is home to the Whaley House Museum as well, which is San Diego’s most haunted location and taking tours at night are the best times to go. For the history buffs out there, the USS Midway (former Navy aircraft carrier) is a great opportunity to learn about military history and take a tour around a floating city at sea. Just outside San Deigo is La Jolla, a wonderful place to walk the ocean, get a quick bite of sushi or go shopping. There must be a stop to see the sea lions as well. Take a drive across the Coronado Bridge to the island of Coronado and enjoy the sun and sand at “Hotel Del” as the locals call it. If you are lucky, you may be able to hold a live sand dollar!

Enjoy Mother Nature’s beauty at Torrey Pines State Nature Reserve which has miles of hiking in hills above the ocean plus the option to walk the beach for miles each direction to take in that ocean air. Point Loma and Cabrillo National Monument in southern San Diego is also a great place to enjoy the ocean, see the tidepools and tour the Old Point Loma Lighthouse. The ocean goes on forever and if the day is clear enough, Mexico can be seen in the distance. Take a quick half day trip up in the hills to Julian, a town famous for their homemade apple pie and antiques. They also have Orfila Winery and tasting room, for the adults. The city of Temecula is also about an hour away and is home to some of California’s most famous wineries.

San Diego has so much to offer, it’s hard to sum it up in one short piece. The best thing to do is take a trip there and have your own Californian Adventure!

San Diego is also the host to one of travel’s biggest conventions, GBTA. Feel free to follow along on our GBTA page, or on our Facebook and Twitter pages.