View Attractions Related to: Wildlife – Places to See
by TourGuideTimWildlife Art at Hidden Forest Art Gallery & Nature Center
Location: Fallbrook (53 Miles / 55 Minutes Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Cost: None, unless you want to buy a wildlife painting.
Hours: Varies
Features: Meet Famed Wildlife Artist Gamini Ratnavira, Browse through his Wildlife Paintings, and Meet his Unique & Colorful Birds.
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.
San Luis Rey River Trail
Location: Oceanside (38 Miles / 40 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Dawn to Dusk
Cost: Free, Including Bike Rentals
Features: Hike and Bike a 14.4-Mile Round-Trip Trail Along a Riverbed Starting Near the Oceanside Pier
Buena Vista Audubon Nature Center
Location: Oceanside (36 Miles / 40 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 10AM – 4PM (Opens at 1PM on Sundays and Closed on Mondays)
Cost: Free; Donations Accepted
Features: Nature Center Hosted by the Buena Vista Audobon Society on the only Freshwater Coastal Lagoon in Southern California; Mastodon Fossils
San Diego Harbor Cruises
Location: Downtown San Diego (North Embarcadero)
Harbor Tours Start: 10AM – 4:15PM (5:30 PM during Summer).
Cost: $20+ ($10+ for Kids ages 4-12 and $18+ for Seniors 55 and over)
Features: Take a cruise on San Diego Harbor, the most beautiful harbor in America. Enjoy breathtaking views of the downtown San Diego Skyline while passing by Yachts, Sailboats, Naval Warships, and Seals. Whale-watching, Brunch and Dinner Cruises, and Yacht Charters also available.
Cabrillo National Monument
Location: Point Loma (9 Miles / 20 Minutes West of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 9AM – 5PM (last entry 4:30PM)
Cost: $5 per Vehicle
Features: Best Views of Downtown San Diego, San Diego Bay, and the Pacific Ocean; Tidepools; Hiking; Lighthouse Tour; Whale Watching; Visitor Center Exhibitions and Films about Juan Cabrillo, the First European Explorer to Arrive in California.
La Jolla Shores
Location: La Jolla Shores (12 Miles / 20 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Features: Beach area offers Playground, Calm Surf, Kayaking, World-Class Ocean Swimming, Scuba Diving, Panoramic Views, Long Walks; Accessible on a Sightseeing Tour from downtown San Diego
Kayaking in La Jolla Shores
Location: La Jolla Shores (12 Miles / 20 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
When: Year-Round
Cost: Tours start at about $35; Rentals start at about $25
Features: Kayak Tours of the Ecological Reserve; Kayak Rentals; Kayak Fishing; Snorkeling
Torrey Pines State Park
Location: Torrey Pines (19 Miles/ 20 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Dawn – Dusk
Cost: $8 per Vehicle / Free if You Park on Torrey Pines Road.
Features: Beautiful Landscape of Canyons and Beach-Side Cliffs; Panoramic Ocean Views; Beach; Hiking Trails; Popular Cycling Route; Dolphins, Whales
Navy SEAL Boat Adventure Rides
Location: Harbor Island (2 Miles West of Downtown San Diego)
Schedule: Year-Round Chartered Tours
Cost: $65 – $75 for Adults ($50 – $60 for Kids)
Features: Naval Tour of San Diego Bay; Wildlife Tours to see Dolphins, Whales, and Mexico’s Coronado Islands; Custom Tours
Watch Hawks, Eagles, and Falcons in the Wild
Location: Ramona (34 Miles / 45 Minutes Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Events: Saturdays in January from 9AM – 12PM
Cost: None
Features: Guided Hawk Watch Event; 19 Raptor Species, including Golden Eagles and Prairie Falcons, make home in the Ramona Grasslands
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.
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