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San Diego Travel Guide and Activities

San Diego, with its wonderful Californian climate, relaxed outdoor way of life and great scenery offers students a unique opportunity for learning. Picture-postcard houses, golden beaches, secluded coves and rugged landscape the Californian way of life has to be experienced to be believed.

5 things to see

  • Gaslamp Quarter
  • Old Town
  • Birch Aquarium
  • La Jolla Cove
  • USS Midway

5 things to do

  • Go surfing
  • Museums in Balboa Park
  • Visit Pacific Beach
  • Ride the rollercoaster at Mission Beach
  • Visit San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld
Monthly Activities

Climate

San Diego has a temperate which is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. San Diego is usually mild and mostly dry with plenty of sunshine throughout the year; 264 sunshine days annually.

Money

Currency: $ (US Dollars)
Closest ATM machines to the school:

  1. Prospect Market (convenience store to the left of the school)
  2. Union Bank (2 blocks from the school by the #30 bus stop)
  3. Chase Bank (2 blocks from the school by the #30 bus stop)

Public holidays falling on a weekday

01 January, 02 January, 19 January, 16 February,
31 March , 25 May, 03 July , 07 September, 12 October , 11 November , 26 November, 27 November , 25 December

Telephone Country Code

+1

Electricity

110 V; 60Hz - 2 flat-pin plug or third round pin are used.

Tap water

Tap water is safe unless there’s a sign to the contrary.

Medical

If you are not at school and are in an emergency you can call 911 for ambulance, fire department or police department from any telephone or call the school’s emergency number 1-858-449-3758.

What to do if you get sick

  1. Call the doctor to make an appointment. It is rare, in the United States, to be able to see a doctor without an appointment. If you feel that you must see a doctor immediately, you can go to an emergency room. However, depending on the seriousness of the illness or injury, you may have to wait in line for many hours at the emergency room.
  2. If you want to consult a doctor when you are in the U.S., first of all please call the toll-free phone number on your insurance card in order to obtain a recommendation for a doctor nearby. Please show the doctor your insurance confirmation card.
  3. If the doctor has any questions about your insurance protection, ask him or her to call the insurance company directly. Some doctors and hospitals insist on the patient paying the invoice at the time of service. If this is the case for you, please send the original invoice together with the completed claim form to the addresses on the claim form.
  4. If you need immediate emergency care, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency facility.

 

Transport

Local Bus Transportation

San Diego Transit provides bus service to most areas. You can purchase a $5 day pass on your first bus. You can keep this pass for the remainder of the day, or you can pay the $2.25 or $2.50 one-way fare. Please note that you must have the exact fare; the driver can not give you change. Bus maps are available on the buses, at school, on-line, and at The Transit Store, (102 Broadway at 1st Avenue; take the #30 bus, get off at Broadway and Front and walk one block east.)

Rent-a-Car

Southern California is a car-oriented and car-dependent society. Therefore, you may want to consider renting a car during your visit. You can rent a car for a day, a weekend, or by the week or month. There are several requirements if you wish to rent a car. You must have a valid driver’s license (from your home country is OK; you do not have to have an international) and you must have a major credit card or leave a cash deposit.

Taxis

Call 1-619-234-6161 (Yellow Cab) or 1-619-223-5555 (Orange Cab) if you need a taxi. Most places in La Jolla and San Diego do not have “taxi stands” or areas where you can get a cab on the street.

Public Transport Info

Visa

For Visa information please read Applying for a Visa in USA

Cost of Living

Big Mac $3.75
Sandwich $6
Can of Coke $1
Coffee in a café $2.50
1 litre of milk $1.75
2 litres of water $1.50
A loaf of bread $2.20
Two course meal in average restaurant $25
Cost of sim card $29
Cinema $12

Other Useful Information

Driving Age

The minimum driving age is 16 years but most rental companies require that you be at least 25 years old, have an international driving license, a second form of identity and a major credit card.

Alcohol Age

Legal age for purchasing or consuming alcohol in the US is 21 and many places will ask for identification.

Smoking laws

Smoking is prohibited in all public buildings (including restaurants, bars and casinos) and enclosed spaces throughout California. It is illegal to smoke within 20 feet of doorways or windows of government buildings. It is even illegal to smoke on certain beaches and parks (e.g. Balboa Park) in Southern California - so watch for signs!

Insurance

All EC students must be covered by health insurance for the entire length of their stay in the U.S.

Useful Links