The San Diego Zoo is the largest in the world and is claimed to be "world famous." There are many exhibits, shows and even a "rare" collection of plants. To experience a birds-eye view of the park, be sure to take a ride on the gondola, or even for a land view, take a guided tour on one of the buses that move through about 75% of the park. Don't forget to visit the Giant Panda exhibit because it's said to be the largest outside of China.

Also operated by the same owners of the San Diego Zoo is the San Diego Wild Animal Park, about 30 miles away from the zoo. Housed in this park are over 400 species of about 3,000 animals. The animals are native to many parts of the world, including Africa, Asia and Australia. It is said to be one of the "largest" attractions in all of California for tourism. Some of the more popular "enclosures" hold animals such as Grevy's zebras, Przewalski's wild horses and kiangs. The park is also home to a botanical garden, which has many attraction with in itself.

On land, golf is a popular sport. There are over 90 courses, public and private, to choose from. San Diego has actually been named "One of the Top 50 Golf Destinations in the World" by Golf Digest.