LOCAL WALLY'S
TOP 10 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD
VACATION IN SAN DIEGO

AAAAGGGHHHH! I'M SO STRESSED MY HEAD IS GOING TO BLOW!

If that's you, you need Local Wally! Put down the gun and pick up a margarita and let me take you on a little tour of my hometown. You heard me - put down the gun! Planning a vacation doesn't have to be hard, and picking San Diego just makes sense if you're looking for a place that has a bit of everything, from jumping off cliffs in a hangglider to watching the sunset over the ocean. It's a real paradise here, with nearly constant sunshine and a laid back feel that is a San Diego exclusive.

Only in San Diego

YOU GOT CHOICES, SO WHY VACATION IN SAN DIEGO? Hey, you work hard, right? Haven't you put up with your idiot boss all year? You deserve a killer vacation, and Wally is going to make sure you get one. Unlike other vacation hotspots, San Diego is the town with multiple personality syndrome. What do I mean? Well, I'll name a few other big vacation options and you say the first thing that comes into your mind. I'll even help you with a few mental images. Paris........ (mental image: French people laughing at you when you ask for a "Crosainwich") Las Vegas...........(mental image: Losing your kid's college fund on a slot machine) Florida.............(mental image: Sharks circling your boogie board)

Now compare that to San Diego. Whether you are in the mood for romance or have already done that and now have a bunch of rug rats to drag along, San Diego is your place! Where else can you do a honeymoon, fly with the birds in a hot air balloon, surf the wild waves of the Pacific, kayak into secret sea caves in La Jolla, be one of the animals at the world famous San Diego Zoo, get splashed by a killer whale, go sailing, hike the coast, ride a roller coaster, learn to surf, swim with sharks, dive in a sunken ship, bike the boardwalk, get a suntan, get sunburned, see some incredible museums.... all in one day? Whether you are an extreme activity sort, or lay on the beach mellow, San Diego is for you.

Still not convinced? Then read on and see for yourself why San Diego will be your best vacation ever!

Planning Your Trip
Why San Diego?

1. Big Attractions!
Some cities have a zoo, but they're puny when compared to San Diego's zoo. Don't believe me? Does your zoo have an aquarium big enough for hippos? Does your zoo have baby Pandas? Is your zoo so big that you can spend an entire day there and still not see it all? Say it - "Wow Wally, you are right again!" And like they say on TV, "that's not all"! We also have SeaWorld if you want to see people stick their heads into a whale's mouth (not recommended in non-theme park environment) and Legoland if you can't resist seeing a weird idea turned into a theme park. (I mean, whoever thought Legos could be a full blown theme park??) We also have the Wild Animal Park if you cannot get enough. That makes FOUR major theme parks. And Disneyland is only an hour and a half away - it's almost San Diego!

2. Bitchin' Beaches! You'd have to go to Hawaii to find more sand and better weather than San Diego. We have big sandy beaches, little private beaches, beaches to check out the hardbodies, beaches to let it all hang out, even beaches for dogs! Put on that thong bikini and pick up the plastic pail and shovel and go hit the sand. (Last comment for the ladies only. Men, wear a thong and go to jail).

3. More Mexican Food Than Mexico!
You want real authentic Mexican food? Drop the Chalupa and head over to one of our many great Mexican restaurants throughout the city. If your idea of Mexican food is Taco Bell, you are in for a treat. San Diego has everything from little taco shops like Robertos, to old authentic Mexican restaurants like Fidels in Solana Beach. Looking for great carnitas (shredded pork you stuff into a fresh tortilla)? The famous Old Town Mexican Cafe has some of the best this side of Mexico. Grab some rolled tacos with fresh guacamole, add a perfect margarita on the rocks, and man, that's living the good life on vacation!

4. See the Fish, Eat the Fish!
After going to SeaWorld or the Scripps Birch Aquarium in La Jolla to see the beautiful fish, maybe it's time you ate a few of them. If you're hungry for seafood, you've come to the right place. San Diego has great seafood restaurants and is home to Rubio's Fish Tacos, a "must try it to believe it" original. Rubios invented it (well, actually stole it, but they were the first to steal it so that's good for something). We also have lots of fresh fish and seafood. Like sushi? This is your town!

5. Big Ol' Balboa Park! More museums than you will have time for. If you like art, if you like architecture, if you like plants, if you like science, if you like Japanese koi fish, if you like old autos, if you like electric trains, if you like photography, if you like sports, if you like history, if you like live theatre (that's right, at the famous Old Globe theater), or if you just like to people watch, this is the place! Balboa Park is one of the most wonderful and beautiful parks in the entire United States. It's almost a vacation in itself. And it's only one part of San Diego.

6. Eye Popping Beauty of La Jolla and Quaint Coronado!
Who can resist the beauty of La Jolla? Whether you've come to La Jolla to gawk at the seals on the beach or to oogle the beautiful bodies of the rich and famous, La Jolla is everything you've ever thought it would be. As if La Jolla wasn't enough, San Diego boasts a second "must see it to believe it" beach town with Coronado Island. Take the ferry across the bay to this Cape Cod inspired community, rent a bike and drop in at the Hotel Del Coronado. You will even hear Grandma say "holy crap!" when you pull up to this baby! It's that beautiful.

7. Extreme Activities! Ever wanted to jump off a cliff in a hangglider? Or take a hot air balloon ride over Del Mar? How about some kayaking into the caves along the cliffs in La Jolla? Snorkle? Scuba? Surf? Jet Ski, or sail in the bay? You can do all of this and more in San Diego. From hiking the ocean bluffs in Torrey Pines to riding the waves in Cardiff by the Sea, San Diego offers tremendous opportunities for those wishing to get just a little crazy on their vacation.

A winter storm hovers over Horton Plaza

8. Shopping San Diego Style! Every town has a shopping mall, but only San Diego has Horton Plaza, a colorful and architecturally whacky mall in the downtown area. Sure, it's got the same sort of shops that you might have back home - Nordy's, Victoria's Secret, Gap - but somehow the way it's all put together makes it so different, so unique, that you have to check it out. For even more unique shopping, head over to La Jolla for art and boutiques, Solana Beach's Cedro's Design District for eclectic and weird, or south of the border for Mexico bargains. Travel up the coast to Encinitas, a cool beach town with an upscale little downtown area, or head over to Carlsbad where there's a factory outlet mall - with an ocean view!

9. Mexico! Long time Local Wally fans will ask "Has Wally gone loco??? He doesn't recommend Mexico!" But that's not true. While I tell all visitors to avoid going to Tijuana (depressing), an hour south is Puerto Nuevo, a little fishing village where you can get lobsters and margaritas (tasty)! You got to check this place out if you have enough nerve to drive to Mexico (recommend you let your friend drive his rental car). Lots of fun, lots of junk to buy that you will never use (sombrero comes to mind), but an unfogettable experience.

10. Fantastic Resorts! You ever paid to go to a really cool place where the resort sounded so good on the internet and ended up in a HoJo with, well, Ho's and their Joe's? Man, you hang with Wally and you can spend a week in a great resort! We're talking beach front, bay view, city lights... the works! You won't be disappointed if you sleep where Wally would, and Local Wally will guide you to the best. San Diego has more than its fair share of fantastic resorts and excellent hotels. You like the good life? You found it.

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