Fast Facts

Area Codes -- San Diego's main area code is 619, used primarily by downtown, uptown, Mission Valley, Point Loma, Coronado, La Mesa, El Cajon, and Chula Vista. The area code 858 is used for northern and coastal areas, including Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, and Rancho Bernardo. Use 760 to reach the remainder of San Diego County, including Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Escondido, Ramona, Julian, and Anza-Borrego.

Babysitters -- Marion's Childcare (tel. 888/891-5029; www.hotelchildcare.com) has bonded babysitters available to come to your hotel room; rates start at $16 per hour with a 3-hour minimum. Panda Services (tel. 858/292-5503; www.sandiegobabysitters.com) is also available.

Business Hours -- Banks are open weekdays from 9am to 4pm or later, and sometimes Saturday morning. Stores in shopping malls tend to stay open until about 9pm weekdays and until 6pm weekends, and are open on secondary holidays.

Camera Repair -- Simple repairs and photographic supplies are available at George's Camera & Video in North Park at 3827 30th St. (tel. 619/297-3544), Point Loma Camera Store, 1310 Rosecrans St. (tel. 619/224-2719), and Nelson Photo with two locations -- Little Italy,1909 India St., at Fir Street (tel. 619/234-6621), and La Jolla, 7720 Fay Ave. (tel. 858/729-6565).

Currency -- The most common U.S. bills are the $1 (a "buck"), $5, $10, and $20 denominations. There are also $2 bills (seldom encountered), $50 bills, and $100 bills (the last two are usually not welcome as payment for small purchases). Coins come in seven denominations: 1¢ (1 cent, or a penny); 5¢ (5 cents, or a nickel); 10¢ (10 cents, or a dime); 25¢ (25 cents, or a quarter); 50¢ (50 cents, or a half-dollar); the gold-colored Sacagawea and presidential portrait coins, worth $1; and the rare silver dollar.

Customs -- What You Can Bring Into San Diego: Every visitor older than 21 years of age may bring in, free of duty, the following: (1) 1 liter of wine or hard liquor; (2) 200 cigarettes, 100 cigars (but not from Cuba), or 3 pounds of smoking tobacco; and (3) $100 worth of gifts. These exemptions are offered to travelers who spend at least 72 hours in the United States and who have not claimed them within the preceding 6 months. It is altogether forbidden to bring into the country foodstuffs (particularly fruit, cooked meats, and canned goods) and plants (vegetables, seeds, tropical plants, and the like). Foreign tourists may carry in or out up to $10,000 in U.S. or foreign currency with no formalities; larger sums must be declared to U.S. Customs on entering or leaving, which includes filing form CM 4790. For details regarding U.S. Customs and Border Protection, consult your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, or U.S. Customs (tel. 202/927-1770; www.customs.ustreas.gov).

What You Can Take Home from San Diego: Canadian Citizens: For a clear summary of Canadian rules, write for the booklet I Declare, issued by the Canada Border Services Agency (tel. 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/rc4044).

U.K. Citizens: For information, contact HM Customs & Excise at tel. 0845/010-9000 (020/8929-0152 from outside the U.K.), or consult their website at www.hmce.gov.uk.

Australian Citizens: A helpful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices is Know Before You Go. For more information, call the Australian Customs Service at tel. 1300/363-263 or log on to www.customs.gov.au.

New Zealand Citizens: Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand consulates and Customs offices: New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no. 4. For more information, contact New Zealand Customs, The Customhouse, 17-21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington (tel. 04/473-6099 or 0800/428-786; www.customs.govt.nz).

Dentists -- For dental referrals, contact the San Diego County Dental Society at tel. 800/201-0244, or call tel. 800/DENTIST.

Doctors -- Hotel Docs (tel. 800/468-3537) is a 24-hour network of physicians, dentists, and chiropractors. They accept credit cards, and their services are covered by most insurance policies. In a life-threatening situation, dial tel. 911.

Drugstores -- Long's, Rite-Aid, and CVS sell pharmaceuticals and nonprescription products. Look in the phone book to find the one nearest you. If you need a pharmacy after normal business hours, the following branches are open 24 hours: CVS, 8831 Villa La Jolla Dr., La Jolla (tel. 858/457-4390), and 313 E. Washington St., Hillcrest (tel. 619/291-7170); and Rite-Aid, 535 Robinson Ave., Hillcrest (tel. 619/291-3703). Local hospitals also sell prescription drugs.

Electricity -- Like Canada, the United States uses 110-120 volts AC (60 cycles), compared to 220-240 volts AC (50 cycles) in most of Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Downward converters that change 220-240 volts to 110-120 volts are difficult to find in the United States, so bring one with you.

Embassies & Consulates -- All embassies are in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C. Some consulates are in major U.S. cities, and most nations have a mission to the United Nations in New York City. If your country isn't listed below, call for directory information in Washington, D.C. (tel. 202/555-1212) or log on to www.embassy.org/embassies.

The embassy of Australia is at 1601 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (tel. 202/797-3000; www.austemb.org). There are consulates in New York, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

The embassy of Canada is at 501 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001 (tel. 202/682-1740; www.canadianembassy.org). Other Canadian consulates are in Buffalo (New York), Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle.

The embassy of Ireland is at 2234 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/462-3939; www.irelandemb.org). Irish consulates are in Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and other cities. See website for complete listing.

The embassy of New Zealand is at 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/328-4800; www.nzemb.org). New Zealand consulates are in Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Seattle.

The embassy of the United Kingdom is at 3100 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/588-7800; www.britainusa.com). Other British consulates are in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.

Emergencies -- Call tel. 911 for fire, police, and ambulance. The main police station is at 1401 Broadway, at 14th Street (tel. 619/531-2000, or TTY/TDD 619/531-2065).

If you encounter serious problems, contact the San Diego chapter of Traveler's Aid International at tel. 619/295-8393, or log on to www.travelersaid.org to help direct you to a local branch. This nationwide, nonprofit, social-service organization geared to helping travelers in difficult straits offers services that might include reuniting families separated while traveling, providing food and/or shelter to people stranded without cash, or even emotional counseling. If you're in trouble, seek them out.

Eyeglass Repair -- Optometric Expressions, 55 Horton Plaza (tel. 619/544-9000), is at street level near the Westin Hotel, downtown. They can fill eyeglass prescriptions, repair glasses, and replace contact lenses. The major shopping centers in Mission Valley also have eyeglass stores that can fill prescriptions and handle most repairs.

Gasoline (Petrol) -- Petrol is known as gasoline (or simply "gas") in the United States, and petrol stations are known as both gas stations and service stations. Gasoline costs about half as much here as it does in Europe (about $3.10 per gal. at press time), and taxes are already included in the printed price. One U.S. gallon equals 3.8 liters or .85 imperial gallons. Most gas stations accept credit cards.

Hospitals -- Near downtown San Diego, UCSD Medical Center-Hillcrest, 200 W. Arbor Dr. (tel. 619/543-6400), has the most convenient emergency room. In La Jolla, UCSD Thornton Hospital, 9300 Campus Point Dr. (tel. 858/657-7600), has a good emergency room, and you'll find another in Coronado, at Coronado Hospital, 250 Prospect Place, opposite the Marriott Resort (tel. 619/435-6251).

Hot Lines -- Alcoholics Anonymous tel. 619/265-8762; Debtors Anonymous tel. 619/525-3065; HIV Hot Line tel. 619/236-2352; Mental Health referral and Suicide Crisis Line tel. 800/479-3339; Traveler's Aid Society tel. 619/295-8393.

Holidays -- Banks, government offices, post offices, and many stores, restaurants, and museums are closed on the following legal national holidays: January 1 (New Year's Day), the third Monday in January (Martin Luther King, Jr., Day), the third Monday in February (Presidents' Day), the last Monday in May (Memorial Day), July 4 (Independence Day), the first Monday in September (Labor Day), the second Monday in October (Columbus Day), November 11 (Veterans Day/Armistice Day), the fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving Day), and December 25 (Christmas). The Tuesday after the first Monday in November is Election Day, a federal government holiday in presidential-election years (held every 4 years, including 2008).

Liquor Laws -- The legal age for purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages in California is 21. Proof of age is a necessity -- it's often requested at bars, nightclubs, and restaurants, even from those well into their 30s, so always bring ID when you go out. Beer, wine, and hard liquor are sold daily from 6am to 2am and are available in grocery stores.

Do not carry open containers of alcohol in your car or any public area that isn't zoned for alcohol consumption -- the police can fine you on the spot. Alcohol in a can, not a bottle, is allowed at most, but not all, San Diego beaches from noon to 8pm, on the sand only -- check signs at beach entrances for exact rules. Nothing will ruin your trip faster than getting a citation for DUI ("driving under the influence"), so don't even think about driving while intoxicated.

Legal Aid -- If you are "pulled over" for a minor infraction (such as speeding), never attempt to pay the fine directly to a police officer; this could be construed as attempted bribery, a much more serious crime. Pay fines by mail, or directly into the hands of the clerk of the court. If accused of a more serious offense, say and do nothing before consulting a lawyer. Here the burden is on the state to prove a person's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and everyone has the right to remain silent, whether he or she is suspected of a crime or actually arrested. Once arrested, a person can make one telephone call to a party of his or her choice. International visitors should call your embassy or consulate.

Mail -- At press time, domestic postage rates were 24¢ for a postcard and 41¢ for a letter. For international mail, a first-class letter of up to 1 ounce costs 90¢ (69¢ to Canada and Mexico); and a first-class postcard costs 90¢ (69¢ to Canada and Mexico). For more information go to www.usps.com and click on "Calculate Postage."

If you aren't sure what your address will be in the United States, mail can be sent to you, in your name, c/o General Delivery at the main post office of the city or region where you expect to be. (Call tel. 800/275-8777 for information on the nearest post office.) The addressee must pick up mail in person and must produce proof of identity (driver's license, passport, and so forth). Most post offices will hold your mail for up to 1 month and are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, and Saturday from 9am to 3pm.

Always include zip codes when mailing items in the U.S. If you don't know your zip code, visit www.usps.com/zip4.

Newspapers & Magazines -- The San Diego Union-Tribune is published daily, and its entertainment section, "Night & Day," is in the Thursday edition. The free San Diego Weekly Reader is published Thursdays and is available at many shops, restaurants, theaters, and public hot spots; it's the best source for up-to-the-week club and show listings (a visitor-friendly version called the Weekly is available in tourist areas). The free alternative weekly San Diego CityBeat is distributed on Wednesdays. It also has listings and can get you up to speed on local issues and local music. San Diego magazine has covered all aspects of the city since 1948, and is plumped with social news and dining listings. San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles magazine highlights interior design, and also includes articles about Southern California gardening and the local restaurant scene. Both magazines are published monthly and sold at newsstands. The Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and USA Today are widely available.

Passports -- For Residents of Australia: You can pick up an application from your local post office or any branch of Passports Australia, but you must schedule an interview at the passport office to present your application materials. Call the Australian Passport Information Service at tel. 131-232, or visit the government website at www.passports.gov.au.

For Residents of Canada: Passport applications are available at travel agencies throughout Canada or from the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca). Note: Canadian children who travel must have their own passport. However, if you hold a valid Canadian passport issued before December 11, 2001, that bears the name of your child, the passport remains valid for you and your child until it expires.

For Residents of Ireland: You can apply for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; www.irlgov.ie/iveagh). Those under age 18 and over 65 must apply for a €12 3-year passport. You can also apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (tel. 021/272-525), or at most main post offices.

For Residents of New Zealand: You can pick up a passport application at any New Zealand Passports Office or download it from their website. Contact the Passports Office at tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand or 04/474-8100 or log on to www.passports.govt.nz.

For Residents of the United Kingdom: To pick up an application for a standard 10-year passport (5-year passport for children under 16), visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency or contact the United Kingdom Passport Service at tel. 0870/521-0410 or search its website at www.ukpa.gov.uk.

Police -- The downtown police station is at 1401 Broadway (tel. 619/531-2000). Call tel. 911 in an emergency.

Post Office -- San Diego's main post office is located in the boondocks, but the former main office, located just west of Old Town at 2535 Midway Dr., is a good alternative; it's open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm, and Saturdays from 8am to 4pm. Post offices are downtown, at 815 E St. and at 51 Horton Plaza, next to the Westin Hotel. There is a post office in the Mission Valley Shopping Center, next to Macy's. These branch offices are generally open Monday through Friday during regular business hours, plus Saturday morning; for specific branch information, call tel. 800/275-8777 or log on to www.usps.com.

Restrooms -- Horton Plaza and Seaport Village downtown, Balboa Park, Old Town State Historic Park in Old Town, and the Ferry Landing Marketplace in Coronado all have well-marked public restrooms. In general, you won't have a problem finding one. (All restaurants, including fast-food outlets, are required to have one.) Restrooms are usually clean and accessible.

Smoking -- Smoking is prohibited in nearly all indoor public places, including theaters, hotel lobbies, and enclosed shopping malls. In 1998, California enacted legislation prohibiting smoking in all restaurants and bars, except those with outdoor seating. San Diego has also banned smoking from all city beaches and parks, which includes Mission Bay Park and Balboa Park. Be forewarned: Fines start at $250.

Taxes -- Sales tax in restaurants and shops is 7.75%. Hotel tax is 10.5%.

Time -- The continental United States is divided into four time zones: Eastern Standard Time (EST), Central Standard Time (CST), Mountain Standard Time (MST), and Pacific Standard Time (PST). Alaska and Hawaii have their own zones. For example, when it's 9am in San Diego (PST), it's 7am in Honolulu (HST), 10am in Denver (MST), 11am in Chicago (CST), noon in New York City (EST), 5pm in London (GMT), and 2am the next day in Sydney.

San Diego, like the rest of the West Coast, is in the Pacific Standard Time zone, which is 8 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. To check the time, call tel. 619/853-1212.

Daylight saving time takes effect at 2am the second Sunday in March until 2am the first Sunday in November, except in Arizona, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Daylight saving moves the clock 1 hour ahead of standard time.

Tipping -- Tips are a very important part of certain workers' income, and gratuities are the standard way of showing appreciation for services provided. (Tipping is certainly not compulsory if the service is poor.) In hotels, tip bellhops at least $1 per bag ($2-$3 if you have a lot of luggage) and tip the chamber staff $1 to $2 per day (more if you've left a disaster area to clean up). Tip the doorman or concierge only if he or she has provided you with some specific service (for example, calling a cab for you or obtaining difficult-to-get theater tickets). Tip the valet-parking attendant $1 every time you get your car.

In restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, tip service staff 15% to 20% of the check, tip bartenders 10% to 15%, tip checkroom attendants $1 per garment, and tip valet-parking attendants $1 per vehicle.

As for other service personnel, tip cab drivers 15% of the fare; tip skycaps at airports $1 to $2 per bag ($2-$3 if you have a lot of luggage); and tip hairdressers and barbers 15% to 20%.

Transit Information -- Call tel. 619/233-3004 (TTY/TDD 619/234-5005). If you know your bus route and just need schedule information, call tel. 619/685-4900.

Useful Telephone Numbers -- For the latest San Diego arts and entertainment information, call tel. 619/238-0700. For half-price day-of-performance tickets, call tel. 619/497-5000. For a beach and surf report, call tel. 619/221-8824.

Visas -- For information about U.S. Visas, go to http://travel.state.gov and click on "Visas," or go to one of the following websites:

Australian citizens can obtain up-to-date visa information from the U.S. Embassy Canberra, Moonah Place, Yarralumla, ACT 2600 (tel. 02/6214-5600) or by checking the U.S. Diplomatic Mission's website at http://usembassy-australia.state.gov/consular.

British subjects can obtain up-to-date visa information by calling the U.S. Embassy Visa Information Line (tel. 0891/200-290) or by visiting the "Visas to the U.S." section of the American Embassy London's website at www.usembassy.org.uk.

Irish citizens can obtain up-to-date visa information through the Embassy of the USA Dublin, 42 Elgin Rd., Dublin 4, Ireland (tel. 353/1-668-8777), or check the "Consular Services" section of the website at http://dublin.usembassy.gov.

Citizens of New Zealand can obtain up-to-date visa information by contacting the U.S. Embassy New Zealand, 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington (tel. 644/472-2068), or get the information directly from the "For New Zealanders" section of the website at http://usembassy.org.nz.

Weather -- Call tel. 619/289-1212.