Things to see in San Diego

Scripps Institute of Oceanography is one of the pioneers in oceanographic studies. Visitors can get a glimpse of some of the institute's more unique projects at its Birch Aquarium. Public presentations and displays include lectures, whale-watching expeditions, tide-pooling trips for families and live cam demonstrations of the institute's current research programmes. Among its more impressive exhibits is the Kelp Forest, a giant live exhibit of one of nature's more impressive habitats. It is home to thousands of different kinds of sea life, from leopard sharks to the minuscule kelp fish that survive in camouflage along the leaves of the tall plant. A video camera provides a close-up view of many of the aquarium's inhabitants. The aquarium's Jelly Tanks are home to some of the more beautiful and exotic types of jellyfish in the world, such as moon jellies, the lion mane jellies and the purple-striped jellies.

The spot where Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo made history in 1542 by becoming the first European to set foot on what is now the West Coast of the United States. The Cabrillo National Monument tells his story with a visitor centre showing the film "In Search of Cabrillo" alongside an exhibit hall presenting Cabrillo's life and times. The park is also home to a wealth of cultural and natural resources, and offers stunning views of San Diego and the harbour.

San Diego's Old Town is where California's Spanish history first began. The area is home to the famous Presidio (Spanish for fort), situated on the grassy knolls above San Diego Bay. The Presidio commands a stunning view of the city, Old Town proper and the Californian coastline. Visitors can wander the Presidio's immaculately sculpted gardens or visit the historical museum. The Old Town State Park includes a number of residential and commercial buildings down the hill from the Presidio in the main part of Old Town. The old school house and blacksmith's building, both of which were constructed of adobe in the early 1800s, are some of Old Town's last remaining pioneer structures. Early San Diego hacienda-style homes house restaurants and shops and art galleries and folk-art stores and cafes are scattered throughout the neighbourhood.

Known for its conservation efforts, the San Diego Zoo maintains several endangered species exhibits and works with conservation groups worldwide to encourage protection of threatened wildlife. The enormous reserve has rambling scenic walkways and narrated bus tours. 'Monkey Trails' at the heart of the zoo includes Asian and African forests with more than 30 species of exotic birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. At 'Tiger River', misty trails wind amid waterfalls in a tropical forest of more than 5,000 types of exotic plants and tigers, Burmese pythons and Malaysian tapirs. The most popular exhibit is the Pacific Bell Giant Panda Research Station, where several endangered pandas have given birth. The baby pandas are a big hit and long lines often form at the enclosure. The zoo hosts several ‘after dark' events, including live music performances and up-close animal encounters.