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.
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.

CURRENCY Currency: $ (US Dollars) Closest ATM machines to the school: 5 THINGS TO SEE Gaslamp Quarter Old Town Birch Aquarium La Jolla Cove USS Midway 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 2 January 16 January 20 February 28 May 4 July 3 September 8 October 12 November 22 November 23 November

5 THINGS TO DO Go surfing Museums in Balboa Park Visit Universal Studios Relax in Mission Bay Park Hike Mt. Laguna

TELEPHONE COUNTRY CODE +1 TIME ZONE/ SEASONS GMT -8

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

TAP WATER - DRINKABLE! Tap water is safe unless theres a sign to the contrary. ELECTRICITY 110 V; 60Hz - 2 flat-pin plug or third round pin are used. DRIVING AGE The minimum driving age is 16 years but most rental companies require that you be at least 26 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!

MAPS (TUBE MAPS / BUS ROUTES) Bus routes Bus and Trolley routes

USEFUL LINKS La Jolla Events Sports & Leisure Beaches in San Diego Weather in San Diego

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 schools 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.

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