There is so much to do at ISTE that many teachers won’t venture beyond the convention center grounds for 3 full days. For those of you who are interested in learning a little about the city of San Diego, here are some tips from an ex-local:

Sun-worshippers will find no shortage of incredible beaches to choose from: Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach – each offers its own vibe. Each of these beaches have fire-pits and you can see the 9:50pm Sea World fireworks display from the beach.

In-n-Out is a California tradition, there are two locations fairly close to the Convention Center. The menu is super-limited, but if you know the insider language you can take advantage of a number of secret items. For adventurous eaters, San Diego has a growing food truck scene.

Traveling with family? If you are considering any indoor activity at all, The New Children’s Museum is a must-see. Educators will appreciate the guided activities – separate lesson plans broken up by age range. Sunday will be the final day of Princess Phoebe’s Birthday Present, playing at the Balboa Park Puppet Theater.

As far as animals on display for human amusement, the San Diego Zoo is one of the most spacious, respectful places you could hope for. If you have a car, consider the Wild Animal Park for an amazing safari experience. To see animals actually in the wild, consider heading to La Jolla to visit the seals at The Casa Beach.

Do vacations bring out the consumer in you? Beautiful weather means beautiful outdoor shopping spaces – check out Horton Plaza to make your credit card company happy.