Health & Insurance

Staying Healthy

Contact the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT; tel. 716/754-4883 or 416/652-0137 in Canada; www.iamat.org) for tips on travel and health concerns in the countries you're visiting, and for lists of local, English-speaking doctors. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (tel. 800/311-3435; www.cdc.gov) provides up-to-date information on health hazards by region or country and offers tips on food safety. The website www.tripprep.com, sponsored by a consortium of travel medicine practitioners, Travel Health Online, may also offer helpful advice on traveling abroad. You can find listings of reliable clinics overseas at the International Society of Travel Medicine (www.istm.org).

What to Do If You Get Sick Away from Home -- San Diego has several good hospitals with emergency rooms. Near downtown San Diego, UCSD Medical Center-Hillcrest, 200 W. Arbor Dr. (tel. 619/543-6222), has the most convenient emergency room. In La Jolla, UCSD Thornton Hospital, 9300 Campus Point Dr. (tel. 858/657-7000), has a good emergency room, and you'll find another in Coronado, at Sharp Coronado Hospital, 250 Prospect Place (tel. 619/522-3600), opposite the Marriott Resort.

If you suffer from a chronic illness, consult your doctor before your departure. Pack prescription medications in your carry-on luggage, and carry them in their original containers, with pharmacy labels -- otherwise they won't make it through airport security. Visitors from outside the U.S. should carry generic names of prescription drugs. Medications are readily available throughout San Diego at various chain drugstores such as Long's, Rite-Aid, and CVS, which sell pharmaceuticals and nonprescription products. Some branches are open 24 hours. Local hospitals also sell prescription drugs.

For U.S. travelers, most reliable healthcare plans provide coverage if you get sick away from home. Foreign visitors may have to pay all medical costs upfront and be reimbursed later.

Staying Safe

Fortunately, San Diego is a relatively safe destination, by big-city standards. Of the 10 largest cities in the United States, it historically has had the lowest incidence of violent crime, per capita. Still, it never hurts to take some precautions.

Virtually all areas of the city are safe during the day. In Balboa Park, caution is advised in areas not frequented by regular foot traffic (particularly off the walkways on the Sixth Ave. side of the park). Transients are common in San Diego -- especially downtown, in Hillcrest, and in the beach area. They are rarely a problem, but can be unpredictable when under the influence. Downtown areas to the east of PETCO Park are sparsely populated after dusk, and poorly lit.

Parts of the city that are usually safe on foot at night include the Gaslamp Quarter, Hillcrest, Old Town, Mission Valley, La Jolla, and Coronado.

Avoid carrying valuables with you on the street, and keep expensive cameras or electronic equipment bagged or covered when not in use. If you're using a map, try to consult it inconspicuously -- or better yet, study it before you leave your room. Hold on to your pocketbook, and place your billfold in an inside pocket. In theaters, restaurants, and other public places, keep your possessions in sight.

Always lock your room door -- don't assume that once you're inside the hotel, you are automatically safe and no longer need to be aware of your surroundings. Hotels are open to the public, and security may not be able to screen everyone who enters.

Driving Safety -- Driving safety is important too, and carjacking is not unprecedented. Question your rental agency about personal safety and ask for a traveler-safety brochure when you pick up your car. Obtain written directions -- or a map with the route clearly marked -- from the agency, showing how to get to your destination. San Diego's airport area, where most car rental firms are based, is generally safe.

If you drive off a highway and end up in a dodgy-looking neighborhood, leave the area as quickly as possible. If you have an accident, even on the highway, stay in your car with the doors locked until you assess the situation or until the police arrive. If you're bumped from behind on the street or are involved in a minor accident with no injuries, and the situation appears to be suspicious, motion to the other driver to follow you. Never get out of your car in such situations. Go to the nearest police precinct, well-lit service station, or 24-hour store.

Whenever possible, always park in well-lit and well-traveled areas. Always keep your car doors locked, whether the vehicle is attended or unattended. Never leave packages or valuables in sight. If someone attempts to rob you or steal your car, don't try to resist the thief/carjacker. Report the incident to the police department immediately by calling tel. 911.

Tijuana Safety Alert -- Although Tijuana has the reputation for being a carefree party playground, now more than ever it's important to use common sense while visiting. In April 2008, the U.S. State Department heightened its Travel Advisory after a series of shoot-outs between drug cartels and the federal police, sent in by President Felipe Calderón to eradicate the dealers, shook up this already rough-and-tumble city. While most of the people targeted in the attacks were involved in law enforcement or the drug trade, the violence has come close to innocent bystanders in some instances. One shootout caused a kindergarten to be shut down and another caused a high-speed chase that ended with a truck crashing into the airport before dawn. The State Department reports that in 2007, dozens of U.S. citizens were kidnapped or killed in crimes apparently unrelated to drugs. Despite these shake-ups, however, life goes on in Tijuana as in any other large metropolitan city. (I was in town on a rainy day in February when dozens of families braved the cold weather to bring puffy jacket-wearing children to watch a Teletubbies-like live show at the Central Cultural Tijuana -- in welcome contrast to recent reports of violence.) Locals are still very proud of their city's culture and welcome visitors with open arms. They also advise you, however, to say no to illegal drugs of any kind.