Post By: Trini Nguyen, Peer Mentor 2022
San Diego visitors have a wide array of choices to make. The historic city is a two-hour drive from Orange County; you can take a car to get there, or you can take the Amtrak! There is an Amtrak station located here in Irvine; take it south and get off at the numerous San Diego stations. There, you can see many beaches, parks, go shopping, and try different eateries, and experience San Diego nightlife.
One of the most famous zoos is the San Diego Zoo. It has about 4,000 animals and the space ranges are wider than 100 acres! The zoo opens at 9 am, so you’ll have enough time to explore the entire park. The zoo is right next to Balboa Park, which is the largest cultural park in America and has several museums, performing arts venues, and the most beautiful gardens.
There are many beautiful beaches to visit in San Diego. Some of them belong to La Jolla, where UC San Diego is located. At La Jolla, you can visit the seal colony at Scripps Park, visit the Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, or hike at Torrey Pines State Park. If you’re uncomfortable with nudity, however, then avoid Blacks Beach, which is a nude beach!
If you like to experience lively nightlife, then be sure to visit the Gaslamp Quarter, which is San Diego’s downtown district. It is home to art galleries, boutiques, coffeehouses, neighborhood bars, nightclubs, and of course, restaurants. The dining ranges from family-style restaurants and upscale steakhouses to Italian cuisine, tapas bars, and Asian eateries. Gaslamp also has movie theaters and is home to Petco Park, which is where the baseball team, Padres play.
San Diego has so much to offer and experience. It’s definitely worth a trip when you are ready to take a break from your graduate studies!