San Diego one of Californias most exciting cities to visit for work or leisure. Sun-soaked and culturally rich, visitors never run out of interesting activities in this Southern California city. An astonishingly large city at 372.40 sq mi, renting a van in San Diego is the best way for groups to see all the noteworthy sights and activities that this vibrant city has to offer.

From mouth-watering Mexican cuisine to food trucks and fresh seafood, San Diego is well-known as a culinary hub; you will never run out of delicious food to sample. With stunning beaches that belong on postcards and gloriously warm water, San Diego is a haven for beach lovers, from relaxed sunbathers to hardcore surfers. San Diego is also the home to several world-famous attractions that every tourist must see, such as SeaWorld or the massive San Diego Zoo. When you rent a van in San Diego, the city is yours to explore!

General Travel Tips

One of the big draws of San Diego is its beautiful, sunny weather all year long. While visitors can expect beach-going weather for much of their visit, it should be noted that sudden changes in weather are not uncommon due to the Santa Ana winds. These warm desert winds are most commonly felt in San Diego in September through February. The Santa Ana winds bring dry weather with them, lowering humidity and sometimes blowing as powerfully as 100 miles per hour in the mountains!

Choosing accommodations can present an interesting challenge. While it is appealing to be in the center of the action, choosing a highly-traveled area means dealing with large amounts of traffic at any hour of the day. For large groups, renting a van in San Diego is one of the most efficient ways to carpool through this traffic while sticking together.

Sights to See and Things to Do

Alcazar Garden

Modeled after the gardens of Alcazar Castle in Seville, Spain, The Alcazar Garden in San Diego is a stunning formal garden that is worth seeing for anyone visiting San Diego. Known for ornate fountains, boxwood hedge borders and Moorish-style tiles of yellow, blue and green this garden is a work of art. It is also known for its beautiful nature. This garden is home to over 7,000 annual plants, making for a vibrant display of color and life year round.

The San Diego Zoo

San Diego is home to California's largest and best-known zoo. The San Diego Zoo contains over 3,700 animals of more than 650 species. This zoo is known for more than just its large size and huge variety of animals and attractions. The San Diego Zoo was one of the first zoos to create cageless enclosures for animals. This concept, now adopted by many other zoos, creates exhibits that mimic the natural environment that each animal is from, which makes for happy animals and beautiful exhibits.

The San Diego Zoo is also unique for its Division of Conservation and Research for Endangered Species. Developed in 1975, this portion of the zoo, once referred to as Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species has been the helpful home of many rare endangered animals. Today, it is excitingly known for being one of the only zoos in the world that houses and successfully breeds the beloved giant panda.

Balboa Park

A major highlight for lovers of outdoor activities in San Diego is Balboa Park, a 1,200-acre park and cultural center in the city. It holds wide open spaces for picnics, playing games or just relaxing in the grass. It also has botanical gardens, bike and walking paths, and native plants for a true taste of unique Southern California nature.

Balboa Park is more than just a beautiful place to soak up the San Diego sun; it is the cultural heart of the city. The park is home to 16 different museums, a handful of beautiful gardens, several theaters, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

If you rent a van in San Diego, a spectacular day can be had just driving around this large urban park, visiting tourist attractions like Alcazar Garden, SeaWorld, the zoo, and museums. Balboa Park is

Surfs Up At San Diegos Beaches

San Diego is very well-known for its vast variety of gorgeous beaches. San Diego is a sprawling metropolis that stretches over miles and miles of California Coast. Even with a van rental in San Diego,it would be nearly impossible to visit every stunning, white-sand beach that this city has to offer. There are noteworthy beaches in every major district of the city. Below are just a few suggestions.

Although it is impossible to choose just one, La Jolla Cove arguably one of the most picturesque beaches in the San Diego area. A small and pristine beach surrounded by rocky cliffs, La Jolla Cove is also recognized as part of a marine reserve. The cove is home to a diverse array of fascinating wildlife, making it a fantastic destination for snorkelers and divers. The swell here is often large and strong, making it an exciting beach for swimmers and surfers.

Tourmaline Surfing Park is a popular beach and surfing spot in the Pacific Beach District of San Diego. Situated the deep Tourmaline Canyon and surrounded by jagged cliffs, this beach provides exciting adventures on foot as well as in the sea.

The Mission Bay section of San Diego is a treasure-trove of beautiful beaches. Stretching along 27 miles of shoreline, Mission Bay contains 19 miles of countless beaches, with eight officially designated swimming spots. The beaches along Mission Bay are very popular for surfers and sunbathers due to warm water, calm surf, and fine sand.

Ocean Beach lies at the estuary of the San Diego River to the North and the Pacific Ocean to the west, so there is no shortage of water surrounding the beachy district near downtown San Diego. This dog-friendly beach also features a fishing pier and a boardwalk.

Named for the striking cliffs surrounding the beaches, Sunset Cliffs has many lovely swimming areas, warm water, and white sand. Located in a residential neighborhood of San Diegos Point Loma Community, this is a favorite beach among locals and travelers alike.

Rent a van in San Diego and visit each of the citys unique district, and you will be able to visit a beautiful beach in each one.

SeaWorld San Diego

San Diegos SeaWorld is one of the most popular animal theme parks in the world. With a focus on sea creatures, SeaWorld has an oceanarium, outdoor aquarium, and marine mammal park. It is well-known for hosting animal shows, such as dolphins and killer whales performing tricks with trainers, and a sea lion exhibit.

SeaWorld is filled with attractions and has something for everyone. The park has 26 animal habitats, 10 rides, and 20 shows. However, entertainment is not the parks only goal. SeaWorld proudly operates an animal rescue and rehabilitation program for marine animals. This program seeks and rescues sick or injured animals of all kinds, including manatees, dolphins whales, seals and more, giving them a safe haven to heal. Since its creation, the rescue and rehabilitation program, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has rescued or helped more than 26,000 animals.

San Diegos SeaWorld opened over 50 years ago and the parks popularity encouraged the opening of several other locations. Today there are SeaWorld amusement parks in Orlando, Florida, San Antonio, Texas, and even in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

Dining

Just 20 miles from the Mexican border, it is no surprise that San Diego is home to some of the most mouth-watering Latin and Mexican cuisine in the whole country. San Diego is known for both traditional and California-style Mexican food. Authentic Sonoran food focuses on simple classics that are as delicious as they are timeless, such as mole, rice and beans, carne asada, tacos and enchiladas. Authentic cuisine like this can be found in countless hole-in-the-wall taquerias, always served in generous portions at amazingly affordable prices.

California-Mexican fusion style food is a popular San Diego creation that cant be missed during a visit to this Southern California city. This unique fusion cuisine is best known for beastly burritos such as the enormous Super Burritos with all the fixings, or delicious California burritos, filled with Mexican-style meats and condiments with fried potatoes and doused completely in delicious enchilada or chile sauces-- there is no chance of eating these burritos without the help of a fork and knife.

While Mexican food is certainly what most people think of first when thinking of the San Diego culinary scene, it is far from the only choice for visitors. Being located right on the coast of the Pacific Ocean means San Diego is a hot spot for incredibly fresh and high-quality seafood. From flavorful fish tacos from one of the hundreds of popular food trucks around the city to fine dining with ocean views, San Diego offers seafood of all kinds, for any occasion or price range.

San Diego is known for its booming culinary scene and is not limited to local foods such as seafood and Mexican cuisine alone. This culturally diverse city boasts an amazing variety of worldwide specialties from South American dishes, fine French cuisine, Mediterranean specialties, a variety of different Eastern dishes such as Indian, sushi, and fantastic Chinese food, and so much more. Nearly any kind of cuisine you can think of can be found in San Diego. When you rent a van in San Diego, it could easily become a food tour of the cuisines throughout the city!

Explore San Diego

From stunning beaches to amazing food to world-famous attractions, it is no surprise that San Diego is a wildly popular travel destination. This sunny metropolis is known for being widely spread out, so a van rental in san diego is an ideal mode of transportation to ensure that you can make your way to all of the attractions. Large groups traveling together make it especially advantageous to rent a van in San Diego. If youd like to learn more about our San Diego vacation tips or to make a reservation, contact us today by calling 877-826-4680, or visit the reservations page on our website.