View Attractions Related to: Scenic Views
by TourGuideTimSan Diego Botanic Garden
Location: Encinitas (26 Miles / 30 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 9AM – 5PM (8PM on Summer Thursdays)
Cost: $12 ($8 for Seniors, Students, & Military and $6 for Kids 3 – 12)
Features: Most Diverse Plant Collection in the World; Meandering Trails; Ocean Views; Children’s Garden; Special Events
Panoramic Views from Mount Helix Lookout
Location: La Mesa (16 Miles / 20 Minutes East of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Sunrise to Sunset
Cost: Free
Features: Magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean to the West and Peninsular Mountain Ranges to the East.
Lake Henshaw Scenic Overlook
Location: Santa Ysabel (75 Miles / 1.25 Hours Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Hours: Always Open
Cost: Free
Features: One of the top Birding Spots in San Diego overlooking the local mountains, grasslands, and Lake Henshaw.
Historic Mountain Town of Julian
Location: Julian (62 Miles / 1.25 Hours Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Features: Historic Town in the San Diego Mountains with Hiking, Wine Tasting, Gold Mines, Stargazing, Shops, Famous Apple Pie, and Surrounded by Forests
Lake Cuyamaca – Mountain Lake
Location: Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (9 Miles South of Julian and 53 Miles / 1 Hour Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 6AM – Sunset
Cost: $6 Minimum for each Car. (See Fee information below.)
Features: 4,600 Feet Above Sea Level; Surrounded by a National Forest; Fishing; Boating; Bird Watching; Hiking Trail; Tent & RV Camp Sites
Palomar Observatory
Location: Palomar Mountain (78 Miles / 1 Hour and 45 Minutes Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Generally open 9AM – 4PM (Closed on December 24th and 25th)
Cost: None
Features: Home to One of the World’s Most Powerful Telescopes; Took Clearest Pictures Ever of Outer Space in 2007; Images Used in Google Sky; One of America’s Finest Scientific Achievements.
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
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
Carrizo Badlands
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert (102 Miles / 2 Hours East of Downtown San Diego)
Best Time to Visit: September – May
Cost: None
Features: Fossils over a Million Years Old; Caves; Hiking; Scenic Vistas
(read insider details…)
Borrego Badlands & Fonts Point
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert (100 Miles / 2.25 Hours East of San Diego Coastal Areas)
Best Time to Visit: September – May
Cost: None
Features: Spectacular Scenic Vistas; Hiking
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.
Taking Pictures in San Diego / Photography Help
Features: Get your cameras ready for taking lots of pictures in San Diego County. Learn what to expect, where to look for great photo opportunities, and where to go to address any camera problems you may have while visiting San Diego.
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