Last fall, a good friend and I decided we wanted to go to Greece. But rather than opt for Santorini or Mykonos, we decided to spend a week in Crete.
12.02.2024 - 22:43 / nationalgeographic.com / Art
San Diego may be known for its 70 miles of golden coastline, but California’s second largest city after Los Angeles isn’t just about sand and surf (though that doesn’t hurt). Throughout town, visitors find local treasures, such as rare plants, multicultural celebrations, and a vibrant arts scene. To maximize your time, we consulted San Diegans ranging from a chef to a nature expert and a scientist for their favorite spots. Here’s what to see and do.
San Diego’s 150-year-old cultural crown jewel is home to 18 museums, hiking trails, and an array of gardens and open spaces, plus the San Diego Zoo. To escape the crowds, head to Palm Canyon (cross the wooden footbridge by the Alcazar Gardens and down the stairs), where a short loop trail leads to towering Mexican fan palms. A handful of the 450 palms have been here since 1912. The canyon’s upper trail connects to the Kate O. Sessions Cactus Garden, with views of the Cabrillo Bridge and parts of downtown San Diego’s skyline. In the spring, the garden blooms with Matilija poppies, a white-and-yellow flower native to California and northern Mexico that resembles a sunny-side-up egg.
The site of the first European settlement in California, Old Town is a colorful enclave of 19th-century adobe buildings, historic parks, and Mexican restaurants. Built in 1857, the Whaley House Museum is the two-story Greek Revival home of businessman Thomas Whaley, which previously housed the city’s first theater, a courthouse, and a general store at different times through the city’s history. Daytime tours are self-guided; guided evening tours play up the house’s reputation as haunted. While you’re in the neighborhood, stop by Bazaar Del Mundo, a hub of shops showcasing artwork, jewelry, and gifts from Mexico.
Located in the Barrio Logan neighborhood, Chicano Park, a National Historic Landmark, is home to more than 80 outdoor murals painted onto concrete pylons beneath a freeway. Dating to the 1970s and ’80s, the artworks depict various aspects of Mexican and Mexican American culture. Nearby, Logan Avenue is populated by indie boutiques, such as cute-as-a-button gift shop Simón Limón. Grab a pint of horchata ale at Border X Brewing, the first Latino-owned brewery in San Diego, or stop by ¡Salud! for tacos. A short walk north of Chicano Park, Las Cuatros Milpas has been serving comfort fare tortillas, tamales, and rice and beans for 91 years.
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve draws nature lovers to its numerous hiking trails, sandstone cliffs, and scenic beach—but the celebrities are clearly the Torrey pines. “Outside of the reserve, these extremely rare, wind-twisted trees are only found in Del Mar and on Santa Rosa Island off of Santa Barbara,” says Jim Varnell, a longtime
Last fall, a good friend and I decided we wanted to go to Greece. But rather than opt for Santorini or Mykonos, we decided to spend a week in Crete.
Though her work on Saturday Night Live keeps her tethered to New York City, comedian Chloe Fineman can most often be found criss-crossing the country to film in Los Angeles or back to the Bay Area, where she grew up. Recently, for her campaign with Nütrl Vodka Seltzer, she got to see a new place: Mexico City. “First of all, my brain still can’t understand how it’s a three-hour flight from LA [and five hours from New York], so I could meet all my friends in the middle,” she says. “And it was the most beautiful city. We saw luchadores wrestling, and the food was unbelievable. Some of the best meals in my life were in Mexico City!”
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) took an important step forward in having giant pandas return to the San Diego Zoo by signing a cooperative agreement with China Wildlife Conservation Association and filing a permit application with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. SDZWA has a nearly 30-year conservation partnership with research collaborators in China focused on protecting and recovering giant pandas. These collaborative efforts have had a significant impact—including, increased scientific understanding of giant panda biology, care and wellness, and what pandas need to thrive in a changing climate—contributing directly to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List downgrading the giant panda from Endangered to Vulnerable in 2021. But there is still much more work to do to secure their safe future.
With an average of 266 sunny days every year, 17 miles of world-class beaches, and adventures on tap year-round, San Diego is an ideal place for families to explore. Here are our top multi-generational picks in California’s second largest city.
San Antonio, Texas, is known for its tasty food, dynamic cultural heritage, and rich history. It was the site of the infamous 1836 battle for Texas’ independence from Mexico at The Alamo, now a preserved historic site and museum — and for the San Antonio Riverwalk, which overflows with delicious restaurants, fun shops, and opportunities to explore on foot. Here’s where to stay and spend the night on a trip to this southern city in the Lone Star State.
Sunsets, sandy beaches, and sunshine collide in glamorous Santa Barbara. With the Santa Ynez Mountains looming in the background and pretty Spanish downtown streets to explore, this central California resort suits outdoor enthusiasts as well as city slickers and foodies. All you need is a place to get your beauty sleep. Here’s our selection of the coolest Airbnb Santa Barbara homes and beach house rentals.
Alaska Airlines is making it easier to see April’s epic solar eclipse with a series of flights heading to destinations along the path of totality — and they're selling out. The specific routes, which fly to places like Mazatlán, Mexico, Texas, and Ohio, have seen a threefold increase in demand compared to previous years, Alaska Airlines shared with Travel + Leisure. And that increased demand has led to increasingly sold-out flights.
While North America is home to its fair share of fascinating animals—the grizzly bear, American bison and American alligator, to name a few—this sprawling nation is no slouch when it comes to plantlife, either. Across the colder reaches of the continent, the icy grip of winter is beginning to thaw, ushering in a new round of colorful flowers for tourists to admire. From native superblooms to carefully-manicured lavender gardens, the following regions offer a spectacular array of flora that are perfect for a memorable spring vacation.
The hotel company that developed the retro-chic TWA Hotel at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport has bought London’s iconic BT Tower, one of London’s most conspicuous buildings, from British Telecoms Group for $347 million.
A man boarded a plane without a ticket at the UK's second-busiest airport, a second such incident in under two months at London airports.
With notoriously lousy traffic and next-to-impossible parking, driving is most definitely not the best way to get around San Francisco. Fortunately, there are plenty of other excellent ways to traverse the city.
The mild-weathered City by the Bay is a compact place, ranked number seven in the US for parks, with tasty food for even the most finicky eaters and with a commitment to accessibility.