This section contains all the practical information and logistical advice you need to make your travel arrangements a snap, from deciding when to go to finding the best airfare.

Visitor Information

Do your homework by contacting the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau, 2215 India St., San Diego, CA 92101 (mailing address only; tel. 619/232-3101). Ask for the San Diego Vacation Planning Kit, which includes the Visitors Planning Guide, featuring excellent maps and information on accommodations, activities, and attractions. The San Diego Travel Values insert is full of discount coupons for hotels at all price levels, restaurants, attractions, cultural and recreational activities, and tours. It's available online, too.

You can also find valuable online information in advance of your trip at the following websites: the San Diego Visitor Information Center website, for general information; La Jolla by the Sea website, for details on La Jolla's offerings; and the San Diego North Visitor Center website, for information on excursion areas in northern San Diego County, including Del Mar, Carlsbad, Escondido, Julian, and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

A couple of recommended travel blogs about San Diego are San Diego Blog and San Diego Bloggers.

If you're thinking of attending the theater while you're in town, contact the San Diego Performing Arts League (tel. 619/238-0700) for a copy of What's Playing?, which contains information on upcoming shows. Half-price day-of-show tickets are available through the League's Arts Tix program. San Diego Art + Sol (tel. 619/236-1212) is a cultural marketing campaign guided by the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau. The website lists performances and exhibits scheduled for any specific date and you may also request a free copy of the biannual magazine, which contains a 6-month calendar of events and cultural itineraries.