For many visitors to the city, the main San Diego attractions that make it such a fantastic holiday destination are the sandy beaches, and the weather. With balmy temperatures throughout the year, and mile after mile of golden sand facing the Pacific Ocean, San Diego is the quintessential Southern California resort town.

The real measure of how successful a holiday resort is comes with how much it can offer on days when you don’t want to spend your time on the beach, and San Diego attractions have plenty for you to do when you want a bit of fun during the daytime, or evening.

The shopping in the centre of San Diego might not be the first thing you associate with the city, but most of the major chains have outlets in the city, including most major designer labels. The prices are around the same as what you would pay anywhere else, for most goods. One area of shopping where San Diego really stands out is in the number of art galleries in the city. You will be able to pick up a really pleasant picture as a souvenir for around $50, although some of the more popular local artists’ work sells for a lot more.

One of the most popular of all the San Diego attractions for visitors is the amusement park on the sea front. With plenty of rides crammed into a relatively small area, along with an old fashioned midway area, the fun goes on from mid morning until late in the evening, and the area is always popular.

Although the beaches immediately within the city itself are excellent, they can sometimes feel a little crowded, especially on the weekend, so a great idea is to take your car and drive a few miles up the coast. When you get outside the city limits, the beaches are much quieter, and it is possible to imagine that you are completely alone. Be aware though, that on secluded beaches there are no lifeguards, so pay attention to the bathing flags, as the currents in the sea are sometimes unpredictable.