Spouse Program
San Diego, California

A special program of sight-seeing in and around the San Diego area is being arranged for spouses. San Diego is a beautiful city which provides many unique opportunities for visitors. The program will consist of 3½ days of activities. Fee includes transportation, lunches and admission to all scheduled activities; includes continental breakfast served each morning, the conference reception on Wednesday evening and the banquet on Friday evening.

City Tour – This narrated tour will show you the many diversified and unique areas as you journey through San Diego’s vibrant Downtown and the Gaslamp Quarter with its old-world buildings; The Embarcadero with its wonderful harbor views; Old Town, California’s birthplace; Balboa Park and its Exposition Museum buildings; La Jolla, known as the Jewel of the Pacific, with many upscale shops and eateries.  The historic landmark Hotel del Coronado along with its beautiful beach.  The only way to see the best of San Diego!

Seaport Village – In San Diego you can be assured of two things: the weather will be amazing and you'll discover lots to do at Seaport Village. Come explore 50-plus diverse shops, 17 unique eateries and outdoor entertainment and find everything under the sun.  Dine, shop, visit and relax in three sections of Seaport Village with three distinctive California styles: Old Monterey, Victorian San Francisco and traditional Mexico.

Balboa Park – Home to fifteen major museums, the nation’s largest urban cultural park is home to renowned performing arts venues, beautiful gardens and the San Diego Zoo.  The Park has an ever-changing calendar of museum exhibitions, plays, musicals, concerts and classes – all in this beautiful and ideal setting for a fun-filled day of adventure.  Explore the wonders of the world-famous San Diego Zoo with deluxe admission that includes a narrated 40-minute zoo bus tour and a ride on the Skyfari aerial tram.  Visit also the Japanese Friendship Garden, Mingei International Museum, Museum of Photographic Arts, Museum of San Diego History, and the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center and IMAX show.

San Diego Zoo – One of the most famous zoos in the world, San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park is also one of the largest and most progressive zoos in the world, with over 4,000 animals of more than 800 species.  It is also one of the few zoos in the world that houses the giant panda.  Exhibits are often designed around a particular habitat, featuring many different animals that can be found side-by-side in the wild, along with native plant life.  Exhibits range from an African rain forest (featuring gorillas) to the Arctic taiga and tundra in the summertime (featuring polar bears).  Many exhibits are “natural” with invisible wires and darkened blinds (to view birds), and pools and open-air moats (for large mammals).  Besides an extensive collection of birds, reptiles and mammals, it also maintains its grounds as an arboretum, with a rare plant collection.  As part of its gardening effort, it raises some rare animal foods.  For example, the zoo raises 40 varieties of bamboo for the pandas on long-term loan from China, and it maintains 18 varieties of eucalyptus trees to feed its koalas.

 Sea World – Home of Shamu, the famous killer whale, Sea World is a combination of theme park and giant aquarium.  Come enjoy the many shows offered, including Dolphin Discovery, Sea Lions Live, Pets Rule, Sea Lions Tonight, Cirque de la Mer, SkySplash, Riptide, Shamu Rocks and the beloved Shamu Show: Believe. In the many exhibits sharks swim above you, dolphins greet you, and Shamu himself swims right up to the glass wall of the tank to visit with you.  You can have your picture taken with the gigantic Clydesdale horses, chill out with the penguins, touch sea stars, sea urchins and bat rays, learn about rescuing manatees and feed sea lions, harbor seals, dolphins and flamingos.  The more daring visitor can ride Journey to Atlantis, Shipwreck Rapids and the Wild Arctic Ride. 

Fashion Valley Mall – This beautiful outdoor shopping center is San Diego’s finest collection of stores, home to 200 stores and restaurants.  Featured stores include Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's, Bloomingdale's, and JCPenney, as well as Tiffany & Co., M.A.C., Louis Vuitton, Tory Burch, Coach, Max Studio, Juicy Couture, BOSS Stores, James Perse, Gucci, Henry Bendel, Kate Spade, L’Occitane, Sephora, Montblanc, Rolex, Hermes, Jimmy Choo, Godiva Chocolatier, Lilly Pulitzer, Nike and more.  Restaurants include Bing Crosby's Restaurant and Piano Bar, The Cheesecake Factory, PF Chang's China Bistro, California Pizza Kitchen, Pizzeria Uno and twelve bistro cafes.  An 18-screen AMC Theatre provides entertainment when shoppers’ feet are tired.

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Spouse Program
Tentative Schedule
as of September 1, 2009

 

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

7:00 am Continental Breakfast

8:30 am Orientation and Presentation

12:00 pm Lunch at Sea Port Village

2:00 pm Visit Sea Port Village

6:00 pm Return to hotel

6:30 pm Reception

 

Thursday, May 27, 2010

7:00 am Pack Breakfast

7:20 am (sharp) Board the bus for City Tour

(Lunch will be served)

12:30 pm To San Diego Zoo

4:00 pm Return to hotel

 

Friday, May 28, 2010

7:00 am Continental Breakfast

9:00 am To Sea World

(Lunch will be served)

4:00 pm Return to hotel

6:30 pm Social Hour and Banquet

 

Saturday, May 29, 2010

7:00 am Continental Breakfast

9:00 am To Fashion Valley Mall

12:00 pm Lunch will be served

1:00 pm Return, Adjourn