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