For grown-up fun, cruise downtown to the Gaslamp. Four historic blocks of Fifth Avenue are the main drag, but there are bar and restaurant selections on Fourth and Sixth avenues, too. Listen to live music at Croce’s (802 Fifth Avenue, 619-233-4355), run by the widow of folk music legend Jim Croce. Smoke a cigar on the rooftop deck at Stingaree (454 Sixth Avenue), a brand-new, three-level club/restaurant that’s getting buzz as the next big thing. Or take in Altitude (660 K Street, 619-446-6088), a 20th-floor rooftop bar atop the Gaslamp Marriott Hotel, with sight lines right down into Petco Park.

La Jolla Cliffs

If you go for the Gaslamp at night, choose La Jolla when the sun is out. There aremore than 1,400 businesses in this seaside setting. Sure, there’s nightlife, but it’s subdued. The old-school Whaling Bar & Grill inside La Valencia Hotel (1132 Prospect Street, 619-454-0771) is as hopping a spot as you’ll find.

Shopping options abound on La Jolla’s Prospect and Girard Streets. Don’t bother hunting bargains--these are pricey boutiques and department stores. Parking is also at a premium. It can be tough to find a spot for your rental amid the rows of BMWs and Lexuses lining the streets.

One of the region’s best golf courses is nearby. Tee times at the municipal Torrey Pines Golf Courses (11480 North Torrey Pines Road, 800-985-4653) are widely sought. The PGA Tour annually holds its Buick Invitational here, and the 2008 U.S. Open will be played at Torrey Pines. Other very fine public courses include Barona Creek (1000 Wildcat Canyon Road, 619-443-2300) and Aviara (7447 Batiquitos Drive, 760-603-6800).

Before you depart La Jolla--with your credit card still smoking--reconnect with nature at the Children’s Pool. This watery outcropping down at La Jolla Cove is a misnomer. The beach has been taken over by wild seals, even when there aren’t any children to be seen. At least a dozen seals are always on hand for pictures or simple viewing pleasure.

If culture trumps nature in your book, then the museums of Balboa Park (1549 El Prado, 619-239-0512) are a must-see. Balboa Park is home to the zoo and 15 museums, including exhibitions of photographs, modern history, aviation and automobiles. There’s also a Reuben H. Fleet Science Center and an IMAX movie theater.

The San Diego Zoo (2920 Zoo Drive, 619-234-3153) is iconic. For years, Joan Embrey took wild creatures from the zoo onto the national stage that was the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Today, the zoo is as big a treasure as ever. The panda exhibit is a primary draw--presently, there are two adults and two cubs.

The zoo has a sister facility called the Wild Animal Park (15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, 760-747-8702). Since it’s more expansive, the best way to enjoy views into the park’s African animal habitats is via a Wgasa Bush Line railway tour. San Diego is also home to SeaWorld (500 Sea World Drive, 800-25-SHAMU)-and yes, Shamu is as sharp as ever. If you have smaller kids in tow, yet another amusement park option you might consider is Legoland (One Legoland Drive, 760-918-5346).

If blackjack and slots are your thing, look for the nine Indian gaming casinos in proximity to downtown San Diego (most within a 45-minute drive). The most popular are Barona Valley Ranch (888-7-BARONA), Viejas (800-847-6537) and Sycuan (619-445-2613).