Attractions for Guests of Mission Beach Vacation Rentals
The communities of Mission Beach and Mission Bay, California are situated about nine miles northwest of downtown San Diego between Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach. Vacationers who stay in a Mission Beach vacation rental can enjoy fun in the sun on the area's fabulous beaches and take advantage of the myriad attractions of the Mission Beach and San Diego area.A Mission Bay rental makes the perfect home base for enjoying SeaWorld San Diego (800-25-SHAMU) in Mission Bay. Vacationers who rent a Mission Beach California vacation rental can choose from a variety of exciting marine life shows like the Believe - Shamu Show, Dolphin Discovery, and Clyde and Seamore's Risky Rescue. Summertime visitors will be wowed by the Cirque de la Mer show, featuring acrobatics, music, and awesome special effects.
Visitors staying in a Mission Beach rental will find numerous educational and entertaining exhibits at SeaWorld, including five aquariums, dolphin and manatee exhibits, a water park, and an arcade. The Wild Arctic exhibit showcases polar bears, beluga whales, walruses, arctic foxes, and seals. At the Shark Encounter, visitors walk through a clear tunnel for a fascinating up-close look at sand tiger, bonnethead, blacktip, and whitetip sharks.
SeaWorld San Diego visitors can also enjoy thrilling rides like the Journey to Atlantis water coaster and Shipwreck Rapids raft adventure, and soar over the bay in the SeaWorld Skyride. SeaWorld San Diego is open every day of the year, but hours vary by season. Single-day admission tickets are $56 for adults and $46 for children ages 3 to 9.
One of the most popular attractions in the San Diego area is Balboa Park, America's largest urban cultural park. Balboa Park is home to beautiful gardens, the San Diego Zoo, several performing arts venues, and 13 museums.
In Balboa Park, guests of Mission Beach California rentals can explore the San Diego Natural History Museum, the Museum of Photographic Arts, the Museum of San Diego History, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center and IMAX Theater, the San Diego Automotive Museum, the San Diego Air & Space Museum, the Centro Cultural de la Raza, the San Diego Museum of Art, the Mingei International Museum of Folk Art, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum, and the San Diego Museum of Man.
Admission to Balboa Park, the outdoor gardens, and the Botanical Building is free. The admission fees for the museums and performing arts vary. Vacationers staying in San Diego vacation rentals in Mission Bay can save money by purchasing a seven-day Passport to Balboa Park that offers discounted admission to the museums. Opening hours vary by museum, and some of the museums are closed on Mondays. The Balboa Park Visitor Information Center is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily with extended hours in the summer. Call 619-239-0512 for information.
Also in Balboa Park is the world-famous San Diego Zoo. In this fabulous botanical garden-like setting, guests of rentals in Mission Beach will find more than 4,000 animals housed in natural habitat settings. Popular exhibits include the Giant Panda Research Station, the Polar Bear Plunge, the Rain Forest Aviary, and Absolutely Apes. Zoo tickets are $22.75 for adults and $15.50 for children ages 3 to 11. Deluxe tickets, which offer unlimited use of the Guided Bus Tour, Express Bus, and Skyfari Aerial Tram, cost $33 for adults and $22 for children.
San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park is an 1800-acre wildlife sanctuary situated 35 miles north of the San Diego Zoo and east of Escondido. The park is home to 3,500 animals representing 429 species. Vacationers staying in a Mission Beach CA vacation rental can observe a wide variety of African animals in exhibits such as the Lion Camp, Heart of Africa, Elephant Overlook, Kilimanjaro Safari Walk, and the African Aviary.
Other Wild Animal Park attractions for guests of Mission Beach condos include the Wgasa Bush Line Railway, which winds its way through the park's huge fields filled with herds of wild animals, and the Savanna Cool Zone. For an additional fee, visitors can soar above the park on a Balloon Safari or take a guided Photo Safari.
Admission to San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park is $28.50 for adults and $17.50 for children ages 3 to 11. Combo tickets for the Animal Park and the Zoo are available. Both the Zoo and the Wild Animal Park are open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. from mid-June to Labor Day and close at 4:00 p.m. the rest of the year.
From December through March, visitors can witness the amazing migration of thousands of California gray whales from the chilly Alaskan seas to the warm waters of Baja. Whales can be spotted from land in many areas, including the enclosed observation area at the Cabrillo National Monument on the Point Loma peninsula. A number of charter companies also offer whale watching cruises. Adventure Rib Rides offers exciting rides aboard an authentic 30' Navy SEAL R.I.B. boat ($75 for adults and $50 for children ages 5-12; 619-808-2822), while Classic Sailing Adventures offers four hour excursions aboard a quiet sailing yacht ($65 per person; 800-659-0141).
Another popular San Diego attraction is the Old Town San Diego State Historical Park, which recreates San Diego life in the Mexican and early American periods of 1821 to 1872. The complex includes five original adobes buildings, a schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop, San Diego's first newspaper office, a stable with a carriage collection, restaurants, shops, and a museum.
San Diego's wonderful climate makes it a great spot for golfing and other outdoor activities. Vacationers staying in a Mission Beach house rental can tee off at 90 courses in the San Diego region whose settings range from oceanfront and inland valleys to desert mountains.
Shoppers will delight in the wide selection of shopping in the San Diego area. Bargain hunters will enjoy the area's outlet malls, including The Shops at Las Americas in nearby San Ysidro, the Viejas Outlet Center, part of an Indian gaming complex in the hills east of San Diego, and Carlsbad Premium Outlets in north San Diego County. Guests of San Diego Mission Beach rentals will also find great shopping in the Gaslamp Quarter, a Victorian-style shopping and entertainment district.
No matter how you choose to spend your Mission Beach and San Diego vacation, you'll find plenty of attractions, recreation, and entertainment for a fabulous vacation. Reserve your Mission Beach accommodations now for the best selection!
