San Diego has the perfect climate for enjoying the outdoors. You can celebrate the beauty of San Diego with a loved one by taking a horse-drawn carriage tour of downtown San Diego.
‘Horses’ Theme
Del Mar Horse Races
Location: Del Mar (22 Miles / 20 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Schedule: Wednesdays to Sundays from July 21, 2010 to September 8, 2010. Generally runs 2PM – 6PM. Starts 4PM on Fridays.
Cost: Several options starting at $6. Parking is $8 ($10 for Friday & Saturday Concerts).
Features: One of the Top Horse Racetracks in the Country; Several Stakes Races; Place to See and Be Seen; Free Friday Concerts
Wells Fargo Stagecoach Museum
Location: Old Town (4 Miles North of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 10AM – 5PM
Cost: Free
Features: One of Only 7 Wells Fargo History Museums in the Country; Includes One of the Few Remaining Original Butterfield Stage Coaches.
SeaWorld San Diego
Location: Mission Bay (6 Miles Northwest of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Hours vary by day. Ranges from 10AM – 5PM during Winter to 9AM – 11PM during Summer.
Cost: Several options starting at $65 ($55 for Kids ages 3-9). Parking is $12.
Features: Shamu, Shows, Amusement Rides, Aquariums, Dolphins, Polar Bears, Penguins, Sesame Street Rides
Balboa Park Historic Carousel
Location: Balboa Park (3 Miles Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 11AM – 5:30PM during Summer; Otherwise 11AM – 4:30PM on Weekends & Holidays
Cost: $2
Features: Built in 1910; Award Winning Historic Carousel with Original Equipment; Still offers Brass Ring Game
San Diego County Fair
Location: Del Mar (22 Miles / 20 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Open: June 12th – July 5th, 2009 (Closed Mondays June 15th and 22nd);
Cost: $13 ($7 for Kids ages 5-12 and Seniors 62+). Parking is $10
Features: Top 10 Fair in the Country; Several Dozen Amusement Rides; Concerts with Top National Performers; Competition in a Wide Array of Activities; Carnival Games & Food; 2009 Theme is ‘Music Mania’
Mountain Horseback Riding in Julian
Location: Julian (62 Miles / 1.25 Hours Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Time: Reservations Can Be Made for Weekdays and Weekends.
Cost: Starts at $50 per Hour.
Features: Ride Horses in San Diego’s Mountains; Enjoy Mountain Views, Peaceful Meadows, Wildlife, and if you are lucky, Catch a Glimpse of the Ocean on a Clear Day.
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
Location: Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (14 Miles South of Julian and 48 Miles / 55 Minutes Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Dawn to Dusk
Cost: $6 per Vehicle; $15+ for Camp Sites
Features: Mountains, Meadows, and Woodlands Ranging from 4,000 – 6,512 Feet Above Sea Level; Mountain Top Vistas; Trails for Hiking, Biking, and Horseback Riding; Campground & RV Sites
Cleveland National Forest
Location: Cleveland National Forest (1 Hour Drive from the Coastal Areas of San Diego)
Cost: Most Visitors Will Need An Adventure Pass – $5 per Day or $30 per Year.
Features: Mountains, Meadows, Views of Ocean and Desert; Scenic Drives; Eagles; Falcons; Trails for Hiking, Biking, and Horseback Riding; Campground & RV Sites
McCain Valley Recreation
Location: Boulevard (67 Miles / 1 Hour East of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Open Year-Round
Cost: Free for Day-Use; $6 for Camp Site
Features: Less Crowded and Cooler Desert Area for Off-Road Vehicle Enthusiasts, Hikers, Horseback Riders, Birdwatchers, and Campers
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert (Visitor Center is 93 Miles/ 2 Hours from the Coastal Areas of San Diego)
Visitor Center Hours: 9AM – 5PM; Thursday through Monday From October to May; Weekends from June to September.
Cost: Free (Except for $6 per day parking at 3 Campgrounds)
Features: Sonoran Desert Meets the Peninsular Mountain Ranges Creating the Most Diverse Desert Landscape in the World and offering Hiking, Camping, Horseback Riding, Desert Wildflower Viewing, Stargazing, and Geological Exploration.
Glamis & The Imperial Sand Dunes
Location: Imperial Sand Dunes Recreational Area (150 Miles / 2.5 Hours East of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Open Year-Round (October – May are the Main Months)
Cost: $25 per Vehicle and Up. (See Fee Information Below.)
Features: World’s Most Popular Sand Dunes; Off-Roading; Hiking; Horseback Riding; Camping
Border Field State Park
Location: Imperial Beach (18 Miles / 25 Minutes South of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 9:30AM – 5PM (Occasionally Closed Due to Conditions)
Cost: $5 for Parking on Weekends
Features: Most Southwest Corner of the United States; First Boundary Marker Established at the End of the U.S. – Mexican War; Border Fence; Hiking; Horseback Riding on the Beach; Picnics.
