San Diego county is 4000 square miles big and there is A LOT to do here. It sprawls from the Ocean to the Mountains to the Desert. So here are just a few thoughts

As we are not sure where the meeting is going to be held I will use the offices as a starting point.

Carlsbad is aprox 35 miles from San Diego`s Lindberg field. Our airport is located three miles from downtown and aprox 200 yards from San Diego Bay.

In the city of San Diego (two miles from the airport is one of the largest urban parks in the country. The famous San Diego Zoo is located in this park and is a must see for first timers. In addition there are 13 museums the best of which are the aerospace museum, automotive museum and Hall of Champions

in addition to the other 10 building where they put stuff on the walls, (I guess you can tell which way I lean culturally.

Aprox 1 mile from the airport is the Midway a

decomissioned aircraft carrier which is now a museum and a great see with many static displays of various aircraft. Nightlife in San Diego really begins at the Gaslamp Quarter aprox 16 blocks of nightclubs, restaurants and specialty stores. For the young in heart and age there is always Pacific Beach aprox 6 miles north of downtown. Right next to the airport is the Marine Corp Recruit Depot (SD has the largest concentration of Marine & Navy bases in the US). If it is Friday make sure make it over to MCRD and watch the Marines graduate the recruits it is a tear jerking sight of pride.

Across the Bay from the airport is Coronado home to the small city of Coronado and North Island Naval Air Station where two of our active duty nuclear aircraft carriers are homeported. In addition you have to check out the Hotel Del Coronado. An resort built in 1887 in eleven month by unskilled Chinese laborers that is still one of the greatest examples of craftsmanship in the country. The Navy Seals also train in Coronado and you can go down to the beach and sometimes see them in action.

Mexico is 15 miles from downtown San Diego but I do not recommend visiting Tijuana. Suggest you go south of there to see ole Mexico.

Up the coast from downtown toward Carlsbad one can see some great views along the 70 miles of shoreline in our county. Some of the towns still look like they were in the 50`s. I suggest driving along old highway 101 which runs along the ocean. Visit LaJolla (bring some of your ptsc profits if you do because you will need the money) and then just past LaJolla there is Torrey Pines a great muni gold course (2008 us open will be played here) but for those of you who like to hike just north of the golf course is the Torrey Pines Preserve with some great trials over looking the Oceans and San Diego`s only swim suit option

beach (!). Make sure you drive up to Mount Soledad located in La Jolla and on a clear day you can see just about everywhere including Miramar Air Station which is where Top Gun was shot.

Just north of the city of SD is Del Mar where the famour Del Mar Fairgrounds and track are located. In DelMar you can go on unbelievable hot air balloon rides that give vistas of the ocean and mountains. Or you can go to our local mountains aprox 1.5 hours to the east of downtown and visit the historic mining town of Julian. Get some great apple pies and see the sun rise over the desert before heading to the Ocean to see it set.

If you are bringing the young ones make sure you take them not only to the zoo but also to the only LegoLand amusement park in the country and this is located in Carlsbad. Also in the North County is the Wild Animal park, 2000 acres of open air animals run by the same folks that run the zoo. Or if you like wine just over our northern border is Temecula where you can really enjoy some great wines and visit the wineries where they are grown.

Wow I could go on and on next installment will be about the great restaurants we have in the county