Tours Allow You to Sample San Diego's Highlights

Sea World: This daylong tour lets you visit Baby Shamu, the killer whale; feed seals, dolphins, penguins, and sea lions; count the teeth on a shark; touch sea stars, sea urchins, and other California coastal water inhabitants; and visit a haunted lighthouse. The park even has a“ Journey to Atlantis” water coaster.

La Jolla/Stephen Birch Aquarium: Spend a half day at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. There you'll find the “Secrets of the Seahorse” exhibit, the Hall of Fishes, an outdoor shark tank, and tidepool touch tank and watch jellies and cuttlefish float by. A new Scripps exhibit, “Feeling the Heat: the Climate Challenge,” opens May 19. It describes the potential impacts of global warming. You'll also have time to visit La Jolla's art galleries, shops, and boutiques.

San Diego Zoo: Other creature features await you at this world-famous zoo—you can gaze at koala bears gripping eucalyptus branches, visit the Giant Panda Research Station, and stroll through a tropical rain-forest. You can also watch cheetahs—the world's fastest land mammal—race after mechanical rabbits and see other African wildlife. Plan time to visit the zoo's five baby lions and a baby elephant at the Wild Animal Park and learn about endangered species at the Conservation and Research for Endangered Species Center.

San Diego City Tour: Those who want an in-depth look at some of San Diego's impressive urban sights should sign up for this three-hour tour starting at the first Upper-California Mission in Old Town, marking San Diego's beginnings more than 200 years ago. Other stops include Balboa Park, the city's cultural center; the Gaslamp Quarter; and Cabrillo National Monument, which offers a panoramic view of the city, the harbor, Mexico, and the sea.

San Diego Harbor Cruise: Put on your sea legs and enjoy a leisurely cruise of San Diego harbor and the islands.

San Diego Dinner Cruise: This tour lets you combine dinner and dancing while viewing the harbor sights into the evening.

Coronado Island Walking Tour: Get some exercise by doing a walkabout on Coronado Island. The tour includes a visit to the mansion of sugar king John Spreckles and lunch at the famed Del Coronado Beach Hotel and Resort, which has played host to royalty, presidents, and celebrities for a century.

Mexico's Northern Coast: Cross the border into Mexico and tour Baja's northern cliff-laden and surf-splashed coastline to Rosarita Beach, and then have a Puerto Nuevo–style lunch at Calafia, which has beautiful views of the coastline.

Wine Country: This seven-hour trip covers three wineries, and along the way you'll learn about the “method Champagnoise,” the making of the world's best champagne.

Tijuana Shopping: Serious shoppers will want to head to Mexico for displays of gold and silver jewelry, perfume, leathers, blankets, and an array of other unique native arts and crafts.