| Linknet Places - December 30, 2005 | | | | Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum, San Diego |
| **Follow the Founders' Trail to relive the early history | | | | Model Railroad Museum, San Diego Museum of Art, |
| of San Diego | | | | San Diego Museum of Man, and San Diego Natural |
| The Founders' Trail consists of seven historic sites in | | | | History Museum. |
| the San Diego area where you can learn about the | | | | Visitors also can upgrade the Passport with a |
| early history of the area. | | | | one-day deluxe admission to the San Diego Zoo for a |
| The earliest inhabitants of the San Diego area were | | | | savings of about 50%. Passports are available at the |
| Native Americans. Mission Trails Regional Park includes | | | | Balboa Park Visitors Center. |
| 3000 acres of countryside preserved much as it was | | | | **Things to see and do around San Diego |
| when the Kumeyaay people hunted and harvested | | | | The California Center for the Arts 2005-2006 |
| here hundreds of years ago. | | | | Performing Arts Season presents exciting |
| The Cabrillo National Monument marks the place | | | | performances by classic celebrities, jazz legends, |
| where Juan Rodriguez stepped ashore in 1542 and | | | | opera performances and Broadway favorites. Attend |
| claimed the region for Spain. | | | | performances at either the Center Theater or the |
| It wasn't until 225 years later in 1769 that the first | | | | Concert Hall of the California Center for the Arts, |
| Franciscan missions were established in the area. | | | | Escondido. |
| Junipero Serra Museum, Mission San Diego de Alcala, | | | | Whale watching season runs from mid-December to |
| and Mission San Luis Rey all display this era in the | | | | mid-March in San Diego County. More than 15,000 |
| development of the San Diego area. | | | | California gray whales head south from Alaska to the |
| The Mexican era began in 1821 when Mexico won its | | | | warm water breeding areas of Baja California. A |
| independence from Spain. This was the beginning of | | | | glassed-in observatory at Cabrillo National Monument, |
| the era of giant ranches displayed at Rancho de los | | | | on the panoramic Point Loma peninsula, is a great |
| Pinasquitos and Rancho de Guajome. | | | | place to watch the whales. You can also examine |
| The Mexican era ended in 1848 after the two year | | | | whale exhibits, and listen to presentations featuring |
| war between Mexico and the United States and the | | | | the whales and their habitat. Whale-watching tours |
| California territory was transferred to the U.S. Revisit | | | | are available from local boating companies throughout |
| this era in local history at the visitor center at San | | | | the season. |
| Pasqual, the site of the only major battle of the war | | | | San Diego Beach Scene - Visit San Diego's beaches |
| fought in the San Diego area. | | | | for a wide range of experiences. The Continental |
| **San Diego to host World Baseball Classic Finals | | | | Shelf extends many miles offshore, protecting the |
| The first ever World Baseball Classic is set to begin | | | | area from localized North Pacific storms and swelss |
| on March 3, 2006. Sixteen countries or territories are | | | | from the Southern Ocean. The temperate climate |
| committed to the event. It begins March 3 in Japan's | | | | makes San Diego's many beaches safe and pleasant |
| Tokyo Dome and will end with an inaugural champion | | | | all year-round. Three distinct beach areas offer |
| crowned on March 20 in San Diego's PETCO Park. | | | | variety of experience and scenery. The North County |
| Those teams so far confirmed have been divided | | | | coast features sandstone bluffs and fine beaches |
| into four pools for the first round. They include: Pool | | | | from Torrey Pines to San Onofre. The Central Coast |
| A -- China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Korea; Pool B -- | | | | is marked by dramatic headlands at La Jolla and Point |
| Canada, Mexico, South Africa, U.S.; Pool C -- | | | | Loma with the impressive waterways of Mission Bay |
| Netherlands, Panama, Puerto Rico and possibly Cuba; | | | | in between. In the South Bay, the beaches of |
| Pool D -- Australia, Dominican Republic, Italy, | | | | Coronado and the Silver Strand make San Diego one |
| Venezuela. | | | | of the world's great seaports. |
| The two big "maybes" for the tournament are the | | | | The Museum of San Diego History is located in |
| team from Cuba and Alex Rogriguez. The Cuban | | | | Balboa Park. The museum presents the diverse |
| team has been told by the U.S. Treasury Department | | | | history of the region, with interpretion of San Diego's |
| that it cannot participate because of U.S. laws | | | | growth since the 1840s. Attend public lectures, |
| governing financial transactions with Cuba. Rodriguez | | | | workshops and educational programs presented in |
| has said he will likely not participate because of | | | | the museum's 100-seat Thornton Theater. |
| divided loyalties between his birthplace (Dominican | | | | The San Diego Zoo is one of the great zoos of the |
| Republic) and his adopted home (U.S.) Both issues are | | | | world. It is part of Balboa Park. Zoo features include |
| the subject of much speculation and are currently | | | | * Monkey Trails and Forest Tales, an elaborate |
| being negotiated. | | | | habitat housing more than 30 species of exotic and |
| **San Diego's Balboa Park largest U.S. urban cultural | | | | endangered birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians |
| park | | | | from Afica and Asia. |
| Balboa Park in San Diego is home to 15 major | | | | * The Giant Panda Research Station - the zoo |
| museums, several performing arts venues, 12 | | | | houses four giant pandas in an area built especially for |
| gardens, and many other cultural and recreational | | | | them. The pandas are in San Diego as the result of |
| attractions including the San Diego Zoo. Visitors can | | | | an agreement between the Zoo and the Chinese |
| access 13 of the parks attractions buy purchasing a | | | | government. |
| "Passport to Balboa Park" for just $ 30. | | | | * Absolutely Apes houses the orangutans and |
| The Passport is good for for seven days and guests | | | | siamangs who have been a major feature of the zoo |
| can visit the Museum of Photographic Arts, the | | | | for many years. The animals inhabit a naturalistic area |
| Japanese Friendship Garden, Mingei International | | | | where they can climb, swing, and live in the same |
| Museum, the Museum of San Diego History, Reuben | | | | terrain as they would in the wild. Visitors can get up |
| H. Fleet Science Center, San Diego Aerospace | | | | close and personal with the curious and playful apes |
| Museum, San Diego Art Institute: Museum of the | | | | when they choose to sit on the mulch right at the |
| Living Artist, San Diego Automotive Museum, San | | | | viewing window. |