San Diego has many walkable neighborhoods, from the historic downtown area, to Hillcrest and nearby Balboa Park, to the Embarcadero, to Mission Bay Park. You get there by car, bus, or trolley, and your feet do the rest.

By Car

We complain of increasing traffic, but San Diego is still easy to navigate by car. Most downtown streets run one-way, in a grid pattern. However, outside downtown, canyons and bays often make streets indirect. Finding a parking space can be tricky in the Gaslamp, Old Town, Mission Beach, and La Jolla, but parking lots are often centrally located. Rush hour on the freeways is generally concentrated from 7 to 9am and 4:30 to 6:30pm. Be aware that San Diego's gas prices are often the highest in the country.

Rentals--I'd love to tell you that public transportation is a good way to get around, as in New York City or San Francisco, but the distances between attractions and indirect bus routings usually make it inefficient. Those staying for a short time downtown will find plenty to see and do within close reach (including Balboa Park and Old Town), but otherwise, if you don't drive to San Diego with your own car, you'll want to rent one. You can reach virtually all sights of interest using public transportation, but having your own wheels is a big advantage.

All the major car-rental firms have an office at the airport and several in larger hotels. Some of the national companies include Alamo (tel. 800/462-5266; www.alamo.com), Avis (tel. 800/230-4898; www.avis.com), Budget (tel. 800/527-0700; www.budget.com), Dollar (tel. 800/800-3665; www.dollar.com), Enterprise (tel. 800/736-8222; www.enterprise.com), Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131; www.hertz.com), National (tel. 800/227-7368; www.nationalcar.com), and Thrifty (tel. 800/847-4389; www.thrifty.com). Avis and several other companies will allow their cars into Mexico as far as Ensenada, but other rental outfits won't allow you to drive south of the border.

Saving Money on a Rental Car--Car-rental rates vary even more than airline fares. Prices depend on the size of the car, where and when you pick it up and drop it off, the length of the rental period, where and how far you drive it, whether you buy insurance, and a host of other factors. A few key questions could save you hundreds of dollars:

Are weekend rates lower than weekday rates? Ask if the rate is the same for pickup Friday morning, for instance, as it is for Thursday night.

Does the agency assess a drop-off charge if you don't return the car to the same location where you picked it up?

Are special promotional rates available? If you see an advertised price in your local newspaper, be sure to ask for that specific rate; otherwise you may be charged the standard cost.

Are discounts available for members of AARP, AAA, frequent-flyer programs, or trade unions?

How much tax will be added to the rental bill? Local tax? State use tax?

How much does the rental company charge to refill your gas tank if you return with the tank less than full? Though most rental companies claim these prices are competitive, fuel is almost always cheaper in town.

Parking--Metered parking spaces are found in downtown, Hillcrest, and the beach communities, but demand outpaces supply. Posted signs indicate operating hours--generally from 8am to 6pm, even on Saturdays. Be prepared with several dollars in quarters--some meters take no other coin, and 25¢ usually buys only 15 minutes, even on a 2-hour meter. Most unmetered areas have signs restricting street parking to 1 or 2 hours; count on vigilant chalking and ticketing during the regulated hours. Three-hour meters line Harbor Drive opposite the ticket offices for harbor tours; even on weekends, you have to feed them. If you can't find a metered space, there are plenty of hourly lots downtown. Parking in Mission Valley is usually within large parking structures and free, though congested on weekends and particularly leading up to Christmas.

The first pitch has yet to be thrown, but I predict downtown parking will be tougher on evenings when Padres games are scheduled with the opening of Petco Park in April 2004.

Driving Rules--San Diegans are relatively respectful drivers, although admittedly we often speed and sometimes we lose patience with those who don't know their way around. California has a seat-belt law for both drivers and passengers, so buckle up before you venture out. You may turn right at a red light after stopping unless a sign says otherwise. Likewise, you can turn left on a red light from a one-way street onto another one-way street after coming to a full stop. Keep in mind when driving in San Diego that pedestrians have the right of way at all times, not just in cross walks, so stop for pedestrians who have stepped off the curb. Penalties in California for drunk driving are among the toughest in the country. Speed limits on freeways, particularly Highway 8 through Mission Valley, are aggressively enforced after dark, partly as a pretext for nabbing drivers who might have imbibed.

By Public Transportation

Money-Saving Bus & Trolley Passes--The Day Tripper pass allows unlimited rides on MTS (bus) and trolley routes. Passes are good for 1, 2, 3, and 4 consecutive days, and cost $5, $9, $12, and $15, respectively. Day Trippers are for sale at the Transit Store and all trolley station automatic ticket vending machines; call tel. 619/685-4900 for more information.

By Bus--San Diego has an adequate bus system that will get you to where you're going--eventually. Most drivers are friendly and helpful. The system encompasses more than 100 routes in the greater San Diego area. Bus stops are marked by rectangular blue signs every other block or so on local routes, farther apart on express routes. More than 20 bus routes pass through the downtown area. Most bus fares are $2.25; a few express routes are $2.50. Buses accept dollar bills, but the driver can't give change. You can request a free transfer as long as you continue on a bus with an equal or lower fare (if it's higher, you pay the difference). Transfers must be used within 90 minutes, and you can return to where you started.

The Transit Store, 102 Broadway, at First Avenue (tel. 619/234-1060), dispenses passes, tokens, timetables, maps, brochures, and lost-and-found information. It issues ID cards for seniors 60 and older, and for travelers with disabilities, all of whom pay $1 per ride. Request a copy of the useful brochure Way to Go to See the Sights, which details the city's most popular tourist attractions and the buses that will take you to them. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. There is also a small kiosk staffed during the day located at the northwest corner of Fifth Avenue and University Avenue in Hillcrest--they have maps and schedules and can sell bus and trolley passes. If you know your route and just need schedule information--or automated answers to FAQs--call Info Express (tel. 619/685-4900) from any touch-tone phone, 24 hours a day.

Some of the most popular tourist attractions served by bus and rail routes are Balboa Park (Rte. 1, 3, 7, 7A, 7B, and 25); the San Diego Zoo (Rte. 7, 7A, and 7B); the Convention Center and Gaslamp Quarter (San Diego Trolley's Orange Line); Coronado (Rte. 901); Horton Plaza (most downtown bus routes and the San Diego Trolley's Blue and Orange Lines); Old Town (San Diego Trolley's Blue Line); Cabrillo National Monument (Rte. 26 from Old Town Transit Center); Seaport Village (Rte. 7 and the San Diego Trolley's Orange Line); SeaWorld (Rte. 9 from the Old Town Transit Center); Qualcomm Stadium (San Diego Trolley's Blue Line); and, Tijuana (San Diego Trolley's Blue Line to San Ysidro).

The Coronado Shuttle, bus Route 904, runs between the Marriott Coronado Island Resort and the Old Ferry Landing, and then continues along Orange Avenue to the Hotel del Coronado, Glorietta Bay, Loews, and back again. It costs $1 per person. Route 901 goes all the way to Coronado from San Diego and costs $2 for adults. Call tel. 619/233-3004 for more information about this and other bus routes. You can also view timetables, maps, and fares online--and learn how the public transit system accommodates travelers with disabilities--at www.sdcommute.com.

When planning your route, note that schedules vary and most buses do not run all night. Some stop at 6pm, while other lines continue to 9pm, midnight, and 2am--ask your bus driver for more specific information. On Saturdays some routes run all night.

By Trolley--Although the system is too limited for most San Diegans to utilize for work commutes, the San Diego Trolley is great for visitors, particularly if you're staying downtown or plan to visit Tijuana. There are two routes which intersect downtown: The Blue Line travels from the Mexican border north through downtown, Old Town, and then east through Mission Valley to Qualcomm Stadium; the Orange Line runs from downtown east through Lemon Grove and El Cajon to the city of Santee. In the central business district, both lines run along C Street (1 block north of Broadway). Trolleys also circle around downtown's Bayside (parallel to Harbor Dr.), with stops serving the Gaslamp Quarter, the Convention Center, Seaport Village, and the Santa Fe Depot. The trip to the border takes 40 minutes from downtown. For a route map, see the inside back cover of this guide.

Trolleys operate on a self-service fare-collection system; riders buy tickets from machines in stations before boarding. The machines list fares for each destination ($1.25-$3) and dispense change. Tickets are valid for 2 hours from the time of purchase, in any direction. Fare inspectors board trains at random to check tickets. A round-trip ticket is double the price, but is valid all day between the origination and destination points.

Both lines run every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes at night; during peak weekday rush hours the Blue Line runs every 10 minutes. Trolleys stop at each station for only 30 seconds. To open the door for boarding, push the lighted green button; to open the door to exit the trolley, push the lighted white button.

For recorded transit information, call tel. 619/685-4900. To speak with a customer service representative, call tel. 619/233-3004 (TTY/TDD 619/234-5005) daily from 5:30am to 8:30pm. For wheelchair lift info call tel. 619/595-4960. The trolley generally operates daily from 5am to about 12 midnight; the Blue Line runs 24 hours Saturday night/Sunday morning.

By Taxi--Half a dozen taxi companies serve the area. Rates are based on mileage, and can add up quickly in sprawling San Diego--a trip from downtown to La Jolla for example will cost $30 to $35. Other than in the Gaslamp Quarter after dark, taxis don't cruise the streets as they do in other cities, so you have to call ahead for quick pickup. If you are at a hotel or restaurant, the front-desk attendant or concierge will call one for you. Among the local companies are Orange Cab (tel. 619/291-3333), San Diego Cab (tel. 619/226-TAXI), and Yellow Cab (tel. 619/234-6161). The Coronado Cab Company (tel. 935/435-6211) serves Coronado. In La Jolla, use La Jolla Cab (tel. 858/453-4222).

By Train--San Diego's express rail commuter service, the Coaster, travels between the downtown Santa Fe Depot station and the Oceanside Transit Center, with stops at Old Town, Sorrento Valley, Solana Beach, Encinitas, and Carlsbad. Fares range from $3.50 to $4.75 each way, depending on how far you go, and can be paid by credit card at vending machines at each station. Eligible seniors and riders with disabilities pay half price. The scenic trip between downtown San Diego and Oceanside takes just under an hour. Trains run Monday through Friday about once an hour, with four trains each direction on Saturday; call tel. 800/COASTER for the current schedule, or log onto www.sdcommute.com.

Amtrak (tel. 800/USA-RAIL; www.amtrakwest.com) trains run between San Diego and downtown Los Angeles, about 11 times daily each way. Trains to Los Angeles depart from the Santa Fe Depot and stop at Solana Beach, Oceanside, San Juan Capistrano, and Anaheim (Disneyland). The travel time from San Diego to Los Angeles is about 2 hours, 45 minutes (for comparison, driving time can be as little as 2 hr., or as much as 4 hr. during rush hour). A one-way ticket to Los Angeles is $24 ($48 round-trip), or $36 each way in business class. One-way to Solana Beach is $7, to Oceanside $9.50, to San Juan Capistrano $12, and to Anaheim $17.

By Water

By Ferry--There's regularly scheduled ferry service between San Diego and Coronado (tel. 619/234-4111 for information). Ferries leave from the Broadway Pier (1050 N. Harbor Dr., at the intersection of Broadway) on the hour from 9am to 9pm Sunday through Thursday, and until 10pm Friday and Saturday. They return from the Old Ferry Landing in Coronado to the Broadway Pier every hour on the half-hour from 9:30am to 9:30pm Sunday through Thursday and until 10:30pm Friday and Saturday. The ride takes 15 minutes. The fare is $2 each way (50¢ extra if you bring your bike). Buy tickets at the Harbor Excursion kiosk on Broadway Pier or at the Old Ferry Landing in Coronado.

By Water Taxi--Water taxis (tel. 619/235-TAXI) will pick you up from any dock around San Diego Bay, and operate daily between noon and 10pm, with extended hours in summer. If you're staying in a downtown hotel, this is a great way to reach the beach fronting the Hotel del Coronado. Boats are sometimes available spur of the moment, but reservations are advised. Fares are just $5 per person to most locations.

By Bicycle

San Diego is ideal for exploration by bicycle, and many roads have designated bike lanes. Bikes are available for rent in most areas.

The San Diego Ridelink publishes a comprehensive map of the county detailing bike paths (separate rights-of-way for bicyclists), bike lanes (alongside motor vehicle ways), and bike routes (shared ways designated only by bike-symbol signs). The San Diego Region Bike Map is available at visitor centers; to receive a copy in advance, call tel. 619/231-BIKE.

If you want to take your two-wheeler on a city bus, look for bike-route signs at the bus stop. The signs mean that the buses that stop here have bike racks. Let the driver know you want to stow your bike on the front of the bus, then board and pay the regular fare. With this service, you can bus the bike to an area you'd like to explore, do your biking there, then return by bus. Not all routes are served by buses with bike racks; call tel. 619/233-3004 for information.

The San Diego Trolley has a Bike-N-Ride program that lets you bring your bike on the trolley for free. Bikers must board at the back of each trolley car, where the bike-storage area is located; cars carry two bikes except during weekday rush hours, when the limit is one bike per car. Several trolley stops connect with routes for buses with bike racks. For more information, call the Transit Information Line (tel. 619/233-3004).

Bikes are permitted on the ferry connecting San Diego and Coronado, which has 15 miles of dedicated bike paths.