Chemical Education Today
ACS National Meeting
About San Diego by Lin W. Morris photo: San Diego Conv. & Visitors Bureau
If you attended the 2001 ACS meeting in San Diego you experienced their coldest April on record. We can’t guarantee the weather this year, but even if cool and rainy, San Diego has treasures awaiting meeting attendees. Guides to the Area Whether you are exploring by horse-drawn carriage, trolley, ferry, or foot, begin at San Diego Visitor’s Bureau: 619/ 236-1212, http://www.sandiego.org. The site includes public transit options (bus routes, trains, and trolley stops); San Diego Transit: 619/233-3004, http://www.commute.com; Am Trak: 800/872-7245, http://www.amtrak.com; Coaster Commuter Rail: 800/262-7837. All are handicapped accessible. The (free) San Diego Visitor’s Pocket Guide can be ordered online or by phone. It lists almost everything (except housing) although the maps are small. The San Diego Illustrated Pocket Map, covering the entire county in lavish detail with large maps, is also available. Their Web site lists the major things to do and see in San Diego with links to hours of operation, admission fees, phone numbers, and how-to-get-there information. CityPass; 707/256-0490; http://www.citypass.com.
Seaport Village, along San Diego’s waterfront.
Area Attractions
www.sdmart.org; San Diego Museum of Man, anthropological museum founded in 1915, housed in the California Building, a 200-foot tower, the Park’s focal point: 619/239-2001, http://www.museumofman.org; San Diego Museum of Photographic Arts, founded in 1983: 619/238-7559, http:// www.mopa.org; San Diego Natural History Museum, bones, birds, and bugs: 619/232-3821, http://www.sdnhm.org. Balboa Park is also home of the Japanese Friendship Garden, the Marston House Garden, the Inez Grant Parker Rose Garden, and the Veterans War Memorial.
Central San Diego
Trolley Stops
Tour the historic Gaslamp Quarter, shop at Horton Plaza, walk along the harbor side to the Navy Pier, visit the collection of historic ships at Maritime Museum: 619/2349154, http://www.sdmaritime.org, or explore Seaport Village, the waterfront shopping/dining area: 619/235-4014, http:// www.seaportvillage.com.
The Trolley is an economical and fun way to get to most places in San Diego including: Sea World: 619/2263901, http://www.seaworld.com and San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, with minimalism and pop art: 858/ 454-3541, http://www.mcasandiego.org. Old Town State Park was first visited by the Spanish in 1542 and settled in 1769; there are original adobe dwellings, historical displays: http://www.oldtownsandiego.org.
Balboa Park Balboa Park, the largest cultural park in the U.S., covers 1200 acres and contains more than 85 cultural and recreational organizations: 619/239-0512, http://www.balboapark.org. The Park includes: San Diego Zoo, 100 acres of natural habitats and 4000+ animals that live in them: 619/718-3000, http:// www.sandiegozoo.org; Botanical Building, flowers, plants, shrubs: 619/239-0512, Fleet Science Museum, hands-on, virtual reality, and IMAX: 619/238-1233, http://www.rhfleet.org; Mingei Museum, arts of the people: 619/239-0003, http:// www.mingei.org; San Diego Aerospace Museum, 50 years of aviation history (including an Apollo Command Module): 619/234-8291, http://www.aerospacemuseum.org; San Diego Automotive Museum, a tribute to automobiles: 619/2312886, http://www.sdautomuseum.org; San Diego Model Railroad Museum, world’s largest indoor display of model railroads: 619/696-0199, http://www.sdmodelrailroadm.com; San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego’s comprehensive art museum (Spanish Baroque, Renaissance, and more than 100 works by Toulouse-Lautrec): 619/232-7931, http:// 366
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South of the Border, Coronado Island, Harbor Cruises The Trolley connects from Old Town to Tijuana, the bus will take you to Rosarito Beach and Ensenada, or walk across the bridge. Because of insurance, driving is not recommended. Visit Coronado Island via the Coronado Bay Bridge or Coronado Ferry. First stop, the Hotel del Coronado, a national historic landmark built in 1888, with a pristine beach and a world famous Sunday champagne brunch; Coronado Island Guide: 619/437-8788; http://www.coronadovisitorcenter.com. Tours and cruises include Hornblower Cruises: 619/8688700, http://www.hornblower.com and San Diego Harbor Excursions: 619/234-4111, http://www.harborexcursions.com. Enjoy San Diego! NOTE: all Web sites accessed Jan 2005.
Lin W. Morris is an assistant editor of JCE; lwmorris@ facstaff.wisc.edu.
Vol. 82 No. 3 March 2005
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www.JCE.DivCHED.org
