By Car in San Diego

By Car

When traveling in the San Diego area, it pays to consider the big picture to avoid getting lost. Water lies to the west of the city. To the east and north, mountains separate the urban areas from the desert. Interstate 5, which stretches from Canada to the Mexican border, bisects San Diego. Interstate 8 provides access from Yuma, Arizona, and points east. Drivers coming from Nevada and the mountain regions beyond can reach San Diego on I-15. During rush hour there are jams on I-5 and on I-15 between I-805 and Escondido.

Parking

Balboa Park and Mission Bay have huge free parking lots and it's rare not to find a space, though it may seem as if you've parked miles from your destination. The once-plentiful lots downtown have disappeared as a result of the opening of Petco Park in 2004 and the construction of hotels surrounding the ball field. On game day, expect to pay $17 or more for a short walk to the stadium, less for a longer one. Other downtown lots cost $5-$35 per day. The Web site of the Gaslamp Quarter Association maps currently open lots and shares parking secrets (www.gaslamp.org). Old Town has large lots surrounding the Transit Center. Parking is more of a problem in La Jolla and Coronado, where you generally need to rely on hard-to-find street spots or expensive by-the-hour parking lots.

Parking at meters costs $2 an hour; enforcement is 8 AM-6 PM except Sunday. Be extra careful around rush hour, when certain street-parking areas become tow-away zones. In the evenings and during events it can be difficult to locate parking spaces downtown. Parking violations in congested areas can cost you $25 or more. Car renters are liable for any parking tickets and towing charges they incur.

Road Conditions

Highways are generally in good condition in the San Diego area. Traffic is particularly heavy on I-5, I-8, I-805, and I-15 during morning and afternoon rush hours, 6-8:30 AM and 3:30-6 PM. Before venturing into the mountains, check on road conditions; mountain driving can be dangerous. Listen to radio traffic reports for information on the length of lines waiting to cross the border into Mexico.

Maps

AAA San Diego (2440 Hotel Circle N. 619/233-1000. www.aaa.com).

Rules of the Road

Speed limits are 35 mph on city streets and 65 mph on freeways, unless otherwise indicated. Speed may be checked by radar or aircraft. Unless otherwise indicated, right turns are permitted at red lights, after you've come to a full stop. In San Diego, be alert for one-way streets, "no left turn" intersections, and blocks closed to car traffic. Driving with a blood-alcohol level higher than 0.08 will result in arrest and seizure of your driver's license. The law is strictly enforced, and fines are severe.

Seat belts are required at all times and tickets are given for failing to comply. California law requires that children ride in the back seat of the car strapped into safety or booster seats until they are at least six years old or weigh 60 pounds.

Many California freeways have High Occupancy Vehicle lanes, usually restricted to vehicles carrying two or more persons.