San Diego Zoo
More than 4,000 creatures reside at this celebrated and influential zoo, operated by the Zoological Society of San Diego. The Society was founded in 1916 with a handful of animals originally brought here for the Panama-California International Exposition (many of the buildings you see in surrounding Balboa Park were built for that fair). Legend has it that the zoo's founder, Dr. Harry Wegeforth, a local physician and lifelong animal lover, once braved the fury of an injured tiger to toss medicine into its roaring mouth.In the early days of the zoo, "Dr. Harry" traveled around the world and bartered native Southwestern animals such as rattlesnakes and sea lions for more exotic species. The loan of two giant pandas from the People's Republic of China in 1996 was a twist on the long-standing tradition: Instead of exchanging exotic species, the San Diego Zoo agreed to pay $1 million annually for the pandas, to aid conservation efforts in China. The 100-acre zoo is also an accredited botanical garden, lavished with more than 700,000 plants. Dr. Harry brought home plants from every location where animals were acquired, ensuring what would become the zoo's naturalistic and mature environment. The species of flora from a variety of climate zones are said to be worth more than the animal collection, and in many cases (such as the eucalyptus for the koalas) the plants also serve as the primary diet of the animals.The cuddly pandas may be the most popular attraction, but the zoo has many other rare and wondrous species: Buerger's tree kangaroos of New Guinea, long-billed kiwis from New Zealand, wild Przewalski horses from Mongolia, lowland gorillas from Africa, and giant tortoises from the Galapagos. The Zoological Society is involved with animal preservation efforts around the world and has engineered many "firsts" in breeding: It was here that the Anegada iguana was successfully bred in captivity for the first time, and where a home for a captive-breeding group of the recently discovered Visayan warty pigs was created.Of course, the zoo's traditional beasties -- lions, elephants, giraffes, tigers, and bears -- prowl around as well, and a diverse collection of tropical birds is experienced via sprawling walk-through aviaries with 50-foot trees. The zoo was a forerunner in creating bar-less, moated enclosures that allow animals to roam in sophisticated environments resembling their natural habitats. The newest is Absolutely Apes, a habitat that opened in 2003 to showcase orangutans and siamangs of Indonesia; it marked the first time these primates of a single ecosystem share an enclosure at the zoo. Nearby is Gorilla Tropics, where two troops of Western lowland gorillas roam an 8,000-square-foot habitat. A $28 million "heart of the zoo" project in this area, designed not only to enrich primate and other quarters but to improve human traffic flow in the most congested part of the zoo is due to be completed mid-2005.Despite the hype, I find the Panda Discovery Center to not be worth the hassle when a long line is in place (lines are shortest first thing in the morning or toward the end of the day). More noteworthy is Ituri Forest, which simulates a central African rainforest with forest buffaloes, otters, okapis, and hippos, which are superbly viewed underwater from a glassed-in enclosure; the Polar Bear Plunge, where you'll find a 2.2-acre summer tundra habitat inhabited by Siberian reindeer, yellow-throated martens, and diving ducks, along with the playful titular heroes. The Children's Zoo features a nursery with baby animals and a petting area where kids can cuddle up to sheep, goats, and the like. There's also a sea lion show at the 3,000-seat amphitheater (this is easy to skip if you're headed to SeaWorld). If you come in spring, be sure to walk the Horn & Hoof Mesa, a less-crowded part of the park where unusual plants are often in flower.My favorite way to experience the zoo is to spend the day on foot navigating the lush canyons and dry mesas that bisect the facility. But if a lot of walking -- some of it on steep hills, some of it quite exposed to afternoon sun -- isn't your passion, the zoo offers a 40-minute guided bus tour that provides a narrated overview and covers about 70% of the facility. It costs $10 for adults, $5.50 for children 3 to 11, and is included in the "Best Value" admission package. You get only brief glimpses of the enclosures, and animals won't always be visible, so you'll be enticed to revisit some of the areas (note that lines for the bus tour can top 1 hr. at midday). Included in the bus ticket is access to the non-narrated Express Bus, which allows you to get on and off at one of five different stops along the same route. You can also get an aerial perspective from the Skyfari, which costs $2.50 per person each way. The ride lasts about 5 minutes -- but it's better for a bird's-eye view than it is for spotting creatures. Ideally, take the Skyfari to the far side of the park and wend your way back on foot.In addition to several fast-food options, the zoo has Albert's, a beautiful oasis at the lip of a canyon and named after the zoo's most famous ape. It's located behind Gorilla Tropics. Although the food and service is not flawless, Albert's is a lovely place in which to break up the middle of the day (when the animals are laziest) -- entrees, sandwiches, and salads run $12-$18 and there's a full bar.

Japanese Friendship Garden
Of the 11 1/2 acres designated for the garden, only 1 acre -- a beautiful, peaceful one -- has been developed. The garden's Information Center shows a model of the future installation, San-Kei-En (Three-Scenery Garden). A self-guided tour is available at the main gate. From the gate, a crooked path (to confound evil spirits, who move only in a straight line) threads its way to the information center in a Zen-style house; here you can view the most ancient kind of garden, the sekitei, made only of sand and stone. Refreshments are served on a Japanese-style deck to the left of the entrance. Japanese holidays are celebrated here, and the public is invited.

Mingei International Museum
This captivating museum (pronounced "min-gay," meaning "art of the people" in Japanese), offers changing exhibitions generally describable as folk art. The rotating exhibits -- usually four at a time -- feature artists from countries across the globe; displays include textiles, costumes, jewelry, toys, pottery, paintings, and sculpture. The permanent collection includes whimsical contemporary sculptures by the late French artist Niki de Saint Phalle, who made San Diego her home in 1993. Martha Longenecker, a potter and professor emeritus of art at San Diego State University, founded the museum in 1977. It is one of only two major museums in the United States devoted to folk crafts on a worldwide scale (the other is in Santa Fe, New Mexico) and well worth a look. Allow half an hour to an hour to view the exhibits. A large new Escondido branch has additional exhibits.

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Nearby Airport: * San Diego International Airport (Lindbergh Field) - 1 Mile * Montgomery Field - 7 Miles * Brown Field Municipal Airport - 20 Miles Nearby Cities: * Hillcrest - 3 Miles * North Park - 5 Miles * Mission Valley - 5 Miles * Pt. Loma - 5 Miles * Coronado - 8 Miles * Pacific Beach - 9 Miles * National City - 10 Miles * Lemon Grove - 10 Miles * La Jolla - 12 Miles * Mira Mesa - 15 Miles * ...

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The Holiday Inn Express San Diego is ideally located off the 15 freeway in Mira Mesa. The Hotel is centrally located to Miramar, Scripps Ranch, Sorrento Mesa and Poway business parks including Miramar Air Station. There are a variety of restaurants and several shopping centers withing walking distance from the Hotel. We are minutes away from San Diego's best attractions; Sea World, The San Diego Zoo, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla, The Wild Animal Park, Legoland, Balboa Park, ...