Ballooning & Scenic Flights

A peaceful dawn or dusk balloon ride reveals sweeping vistas of the Southern California coast, wine country, rambling estates, and golf courses. For a champagne-fueled glimpse of the county at sunrise or sunset, followed by an hors d'oeuvres party, contact Skysurfer Balloon Company (tel. 800/660-6809 or 858/481-6800). The rate for a 40- to 60-minute flight is $195 per person; sunrise flights leave from Temecula (70 min. north of downtown) and sunset flights are from Del Mar (25 min. from downtown). Or call California Dreamin' (tel. 800/373-3359 or 951/699-0601). They charge $128 per person weekday, $148 weekend (children 5-12 $128) for a 1-hour sunrise breakfast flight in Temecula, or $168 for sunset flights in Del Mar that last up to 1 hour ($188 on Sat); both include champagne and a personalized flight photo. California Dreamin' also offers a biplane adventure over Temecula's wine country starting at $248 for two people. You may also be interested in the Temecula Balloon & Wine Festival held in early June; call tel. 951/676-6713 or visit their website for information.

In San Diego's North County, Biplane, Air Combat & Warbird Adventures (tel. 800/759-5667) offers a variety of experiences, from serene sunset flights to mock dogfights.

Bird-Watching

The birding scene is huge: More than 480 species have been observed in San Diego County, more than in any other county in the United States. The area is a haven along the Pacific Flyway -- the migratory route along the Pacific Coast -- and the diverse range of ecosystems also helps to lure a wide range of winged creatures. It's possible for birders to enjoy four distinct bird habitats in a single day.

Among the best places for bird-watching is the Chula Vista Nature Center at Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge (tel. 619/409-5900), where you may spot rare residents like the light-footed clapper rail and the western snowy plover, as well as predatory species like the American peregrine falcon and northern harrier. In addition, the nature center has aquariums for turtles, sharks and rays, aviaries featuring raptors and shorebirds, and a garden featuring native plants. Also worth visiting along the coast is the 25-acre Kendall-Frost Marsh on the east side of Crown Point, in Mission Bay, which draws skimmers, shorebirds, brants, and, in winter, the large-billed savannah sparrow; and the Torrey Pines State Reserve, north of La Jolla, a protected habitat for swifts, thrashers, woodpeckers, and wren tits. Inland, Mission Trails Regional Park is a 5,800-acre urban park that is visited by orange-crowned warblers, swallows, raptors, and numerous riparian species; and the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park makes an excellent day trip from San Diego -- 268 species of birds have been recorded here.

Birders coming to the area should obtain a copy of the free brochure Birding Hot Spots of San Diego, available at the Port Administration Building, 3165 Pacific Hwy., and at the San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, San Diego Natural History Museum, and Birch Aquarium. It's also posted online at the Port of San Diego website. The San Diego Audubon Society is another source of birding information (tel. 619/682-7200).

Biking

San Diego is on the verge of becoming the nation's preeminent bicycling destination, with millions of dollars earmarked for bicycle paths throughout the city and county, including one that will parallel the rail line as far as Oceanside. But San Diego is already cyclist friendly, and was even named "one of the top 10 cities in the U.S. to bicycle" by Bicycling magazine. Many major thoroughfares offer bike lanes; but downtown is definitely a challenge. To obtain a detailed map by mail of San Diego County's bike lanes and routes, call Ride Link Bicycle Information (tel. 800/266-6883). You might also want to talk to the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition (tel. 858/487-6063). Bicycle helmets are legally required for those under 18.

The paths around Mission Bay, in particular, are great for leisurely rides. The oceanfront boardwalk between Pacific Beach and Mission Beach can get very crowded, especially on weekends (but that's half the fun). Coronado has a 16-mile round-trip bike trail that starts at the Ferry Landing Marketplace and follows a well-marked route around Coronado to Imperial Beach, along the Silver Strand. The road out to Point Loma (Catalina Dr.) offers moderate hills and wonderful scenery. Traveling old State Route 101 (aka the Pacific Coast Hwy.) from La Jolla north to Oceanside offers terrific coastal views, along with plenty of places to refuel with coffee, a snack, or a swim. The 13-mile climb up steep switchbacks to the summit of 6,140-foot Mt. Palomar is perhaps the county's most invigorating challenge, and offers its most gleeful descent.

Cycling San Diego by Nelson Copp and Jerry Schad (Sunbelt Publications) is a good resource for bicyclists and is available at most local bike shops.

Rentals, Organized Bike Tours & Other Two-Wheel Adventures -- Downtown, call Bike Tours San Diego, 509 Fifth Ave. (tel. 619/238-2444), which offers delivery ($5) as far north as Del Mar. Rates for a city/hybrid bike start at $22 for a day, and include helmet, lock, maps, and roadside assistance. Other downtown shops include San Diego Bike Shop, 619 C St. (tel. 619/237-1245), and across the street Pennyfarthing's Bicycle Store, 630 C St. (tel. 619/233-7696); hourly rates about $5, $25 for a 24-hour rental, or $150 for a full week.

In Mission Bay, there's Mission Beach Surf & Skate, 704 Ventura Place, off Mission Boulevard at Ocean Front Walk (tel. 858/488-5050), for one-speed beach cruisers; Cheap Rentals, 3685 and 3221 Mission Blvd. (tel. 858/488-9070), for mountain bikes and more; and Hilton San Diego Resort, 1775 E. Mission Bay Dr. (tel. 619/276-4010), for multispeed bikes. In La Jolla, try California Bicycle, 7462 La Jolla Blvd. (tel. 858/454-0316), for front-suspension mountain bikes. In Coronado, check out Bikes and Beyond, 1201 First St. at the Ferry Landing Marketplace (tel. 619/435-7180), for beach cruisers and mountain bikes; they also offer surrey and skate rentals. Expect to pay $7 and up per hour for bicycles, $30 for 24 hours.

Hike Bike Kayak San Diego (tel. 866/425-2925) has a variety of bike tours, including a plunge down La Jolla's Mount Soledad. Adventurous cyclists might also like to participate in the Rosarito-Ensenada 50-Mile Fun Bicycle Ride, held every April and September just across the border in Mexico. This event attracts more than 8,000 riders of all ages and abilities. It starts at the Rosarito Beach Hotel and finishes in Ensenada and rides along paved highway. For information, contact Bicycling West, Inc. (tel. 858/483-8777).

Hang Gliding & Paragliding

The windy cliffs at the Torrey Pines Gliderport, 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Dr., La Jolla (tel. 877/359-8326 or 858/452-9858), create one of the country's top spots for hang gliding and paragliding, sports that aren't for the timid, yet deliver a bigger thrill than your average roller coaster. The difference between the two nonmotorized sports? Hang gliders are suspended from a fixed wing, while paragliders hang from a parachute. In both instances, watching the pilots control these delicate crafts for hours along the brink of the precipice is awesome. A 20- to 30-minute tandem flight with a qualified instructor costs $150 for paragliding and $175 for hang gliding. Even if you don't muster the courage to try a tandem flight, sitting at the cafe here and watching the graceful acrobatics is stirring.

If you already have experience, you can rent or buy equipment from the shop at the Gliderport -- note that the conditions here are considered "P3" -- or take lessons from the crew of able instructors. A 3- to 5-day beginning paragliding package is $895; advanced hang-gliding lessons run $195 per day and must be scheduled ahead of time. Winds in December and January are slightest (that is, least conducive for the activities here), while March through June is best. The Gliderport is open daily from 9am to sunset.

Jogging

An invigorating route downtown is along the wide sidewalks of the Embarcadero, stretching around the bay. A locals' favorite place to jog is the sidewalk that follows the east side of Mission Bay. Start at the Visitor Information Center and head south past the Hilton to Fiesta Island. A good spot for a short run is La Jolla Shores Beach, where there's hard-packed sand even when it isn't low tide. The beach at Coronado is also a good place for jogging, as is the shore at Pacific Beach and Mission Beach.

Safety note: When jogging alone, avoid secluded areas of Balboa Park, even during daylight hours.

Scuba Diving & Snorkeling

San Diego's underwater scene ranges from the magnificent giant kelp forests of Point Loma to the nautical graveyard off Mission Beach called Wreck Alley. There's an aquatic Ecological Reserve off the La Jolla Cove; fishing and boating activity has been banned in the 533-acre reserve since 1929, but diving and snorkeling is welcome, and it's a reliable place to spot garibaldi, California's state fish, as well as the rare giant black sea bass. Shore diving here, or at nearby La Jolla Shores is common, and there are dive shops to help you get set up. But boat dives are the rule. Check out the Islas los Coronados, a trio of uninhabited islets off Mexico (a 90-min. boat ride from San Diego), where seals, sea lions, eels, and more cavort against a landscape of boulders (watch for swift currents). There's also the Yukon, a 366-foot Canadian destroyer that was intentionally sunk in 2000. It's part of Wreck Alley, an artificial reef less than 1 mile out from Mission Beach that includes several other vessels and the remains of a research platform toppled by a storm in 1988. Water visibility in San Diego is best in the fall; it's cold year-round.

The San Diego Oceans Foundation (tel. 619/523-1903) is a local nonprofit organization devoted to the stewardship of local marine waters. The website features good information about the local diving scene), will set you up with scuba and snorkeling equipment. Other good outfits are Ocean Enterprises (tel. 858/565-6054), Lois Ann Dive Charters (tel. 800/201-4381), Scuba San Diego (tel. 800/586-3483 or 619/260-1880), and OEX Dive & Kayak Centers, which has three locations -- La Jolla (tel. 858/454-6195), Mission Bay (tel. 619/224-6195), and Point Loma (tel. 619/758-9531).

Skating

Gliding around San Diego, especially the Mission Bay area, on inline skates is the quintessential Southern California experience. In Pacific Beach, rent a pair of regular or inline skates from Resort Watersports (tel. 858/488-2582), based at the Catamaran Resort, 3981 Mission Blvd.; or Play It Again Sports, 1401 Garnet Ave. (tel. 858/490-0222). In Coronado, go to Bikes and Beyond, 1201 First St. at the Ferry Landing (tel. 619/435-7180).

If you'd rather ice skate, try Ice Town at University Towne Center, La Jolla Village Drive at Genesee Avenue (tel. 858/452-9110). During the winter holidays, outdoor skating rinks open at the Hotel del Coronado and downtown at Horton Square (tel. 858/966-5887).

Surfing

With its miles of beaches, San Diego is a popular surf destination. Some of the best spots include Windansea, La Jolla Shores, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, Ocean Beach, and Imperial Beach. In North County, you might consider Carlsbad State Beach and Oceanside. The best waves are in late summer and early fall; but winter storms bring big surf, too. Even in summer, many locals use a wetsuit. For surf reports, check out the Surfing San Diego website or the Surfline website.

Boards are available for rent at stands at many popular beaches. Many local surf shops also rent equipment; they include La Jolla Surf Systems, 2132 Avenida de la Playa, La Jolla Shores (tel. 858/456-2777), and Emerald City-The Boarding Source, 1118 Orange Ave., Coronado (tel. 619/435-6677).

For surfing lessons, with all equipment provided, check with Kahuna Bob's Surf School (tel. 800/524-8627 or 760/721-7700), based in Encinitas; San Diego Surfing Academy (tel. 800/447-7873 or 760/230-1474), which offers lessons at South Carlsbad State Beach; and Surf Diva (tel. 858/454-8273), a surfing school for women and girls, based in La Jolla. Surf Diva has become so popular it now does private lessons for guys, too.

Swimming

Most San Diego hotels have pools, and there are plenty of other swimming options for visitors. The centrally located Mission Valley YMCA, 5505 Friars Rd. (tel. 619/298-3576), has two pools available daily (and nightly), including a new outdoor facility -- call for schedule information. The nonmember fee is $5 for adults ($10 for lap lanes), $1.50 for seniors and children under 12. In Balboa Park, you can swim in the Kearns Memorial Swimming Pool, 2229 Morley Field Dr. (tel. 619/692-4920). The fee for using the public pool is $5 for adults, $1.50 for seniors and children 15 and under; call for seasonal hours and laps-only restrictions. In Mission Beach, you'll find the fabulous indoor pool, The Plunge, 3115 Oceanfront Walk (tel. 858/228-9300), part of Belmont Park since 1925. The huge pool, recently renovated, has 10 lap lanes and a viewing area inside, plus a full gym facility. Call for hours and prices.

In La Jolla, you can swim at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, 4126 Executive Dr. (tel. 858/457-3030). The ozone-filter (no chlorine) pool is open to the public Monday through Thursday from 6am to 7:30pm, Friday from 6am to 5pm, Saturday from 11am to 5pm, and Sunday from 8:30am to 5pm. Admission is $10.

Tennis

There are 1,200 public and private tennis courts in San Diego. Public courts include the La Jolla Tennis Club, 7632 Draper, at Prospect Street (tel. 858/454-4434), which is $5 for adults and free for those 18 and under; it's open daily from dawn until the lights go off around 9pm. The Balboa Tennis Club, 2221 Morley Field Dr., in Balboa Park (tel. 619/295-9278), has more than 2 dozen courts, including a stadium court. Day passes are $5 adults, $3 seniors 65 and above, $2 for 17 and under; reservations are for members only. The courts are open weekdays from 8am to 8pm, weekends from 8am to 6pm; for lessons, call tel. 619/291-5248. The ultramodern Barnes Tennis Center, 4490 W. Point Loma Blvd., near Ocean Beach and SeaWorld (tel. 619/221-9000), has 20 lighted hard courts and 4 clay courts; they're open Monday through Friday from 8am to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am to 7:30pm. Court rental is $6 to $8.50 for all day usage ($4 light fee may apply for night play). Those under 18 play free.