Featured Tour: 4th of July Excursion to Coronado Island |
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Tuesday, July 4, 8 am–2 pm 
 $41 per person
Bus leaves Convention Center at 8 am
Bus leaves Coronado destination at 2 pm
Coronado began in 1886, the dream of Elisha Babcock, who vowed to create a resort that was to be the "finest watering spot on the Pacific Coast." Along with its fabled Hotel del Coronado, the town became one of the great playgrounds of the world, drawing Presidents and princes, moguls and movie stars to its shores.
Coronado's past, full of fabulous homes and famous memories, is still very much a part of San Diego's life today. On the Fourth of July, Coronado celebrates its history and love for the good old USA with a hometown parade. Come along with us to celebrate the Annual Independence Day Parade with more than 150 bands, floats, and groups. This popular event draws thousands of local residents and visitors from all over the county.
During the parade, stroll over to Spreckels Park, the central gathering place for Coronado residents, to enjoy "Art in the Park." While visiting you will see an outdoor art gallery come to life with more than 50 artists displaying and selling their art.
NECC 2006 attendees will be assured a hassle-free day by choosing to join us! Trying to catch a taxi over to Coronado Island could prove to be difficult at best. During the parade, motorized access to and from Coronado Island will be shut off. Catching a taxi back will be nearly impossible with a waiting time close to 2 hours.
We've arranged transportation from the Convention Center across the bay. Reserve your seat now! You will be guaranteed a ride to and from with no hassle; this could very well be the only way to experience the 4th of July on Coronado Island! A staffed local expert will be on board to answer your questions, ensuring you a great day at Coronado Island on one of its busiest and most celebrated days of the year.
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Featured Tour: ISTE Regatta and Sailing Cup Challenge |
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Saturday, July 8, 1–5 pm
 $250 per person
Bus departs individual participants' hotels: 1 pm
Bus departs marina upon conclusion of Regatta to return participants to hotels: 5 pm
The perfect way to enjoy San Diego Bay is racing for the finish line on a 26'–38' sailboat!
San Diego Bay is one of the finest natural harbors on the Pacific Coast of North America. It is a bustling commercial port for shipping and fishing, home to the U.S. Naval First Fleet, a protected home for thousands of luxurious private sailboats and yachts, and a magnificent backdrop to "America's Finest City."
NECC 2006 is offering what may very well be a once in a lifetime opportunity! Today's personalized sailing challenge has a pre-designated racecourse and race committee boat to ensure that all teams compete safely and fairly. Guests will board the sailboats at the marina or hotel dock.
Skippers address the pre-assigned regatta teams and crew assignments are made. When the starting horn blows . . . it's a race to the finish line! A colorful flag denotes each team and boat as they sail through the course and around the bay. Sailing is a wonderful way to cruise the calm waters of San Diego and racing makes the day even more exciting!
To ensure the success and safety of your sailing day, US Coast Guard–certified captains will be aboard all boats as well as the race committee boat. For your added enjoyment, all boats will be stocked with bottled water, sodas, chips, pretzels, and cookies, as well as a gourmet boxed lunch for each participant!
All insurance, taxes, and gratuities are included . . . as is an official ISTE Regatta 2006 sailing jacket!
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Jewels By The Sea |
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Tuesday, July 4, 10:30 am–3:30 pm
Wednesday, July 5, 10:30 am–3:30 pm
 $64 per adult
$60 per child (ages 4–17)
Children aged 3 years and under are free of charge at the Birch Aquarium. All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
La Jolla is a must-see when visiting San Diego, as well as being one of the most exquisite areas in the country to live. The first approach to this seaside community can feel like entering paradise as La Jolla Cove's sun-dappled water comes into view.
The first stop is the Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, this beautiful facility presents undersea creatures in realistic habitats, and allows guests to experience the frontiers of marine science through interactive museum exhibits featuring the latest research at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Guests will enjoy exploring the special boutiques, galleries and designer studios, viewing the coastline, or beachcombing on their own at the famous La Jolla Cove. All of these are set against a stunning backdrop that is often compared to the French Riviera for its aesthetic appeal.
Tour includes:
- Admission to Birch Aquarium at Scripps in La Jolla
- Free time at the Aquarium (approximately 45 minutes)
- Free time in La Jolla, approximately 3 hours
- Shopping map/brochure
- Classic boxed sandwich lunch; select one at time of registration:
- Turkey and Havarti: turkey breast, havarti cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise on a sourdough roll
- Roast Beef: tender roast beef, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and horseradish mayonnaise on sliced sourdough bread
- California Vegetarian: havarti cheese, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, cucumber, sprouts, avocado, roasted red pepper on multigrain bread
Boxed lunches served with potato chips and a cookie, bottled water or soft drink.
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| Balboa Park Experience—CANCELLED |
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 $69 per person
Scenic Balboa Park is America's largest municipal park. Nestled above the downtown area and housing museums from two major world expositions, Balboa Park has given San Diego the largest collection of museums outside our nation's capital. In addition to the fine museums, renowned theaters, Spanish architecture, sculptured fountains, street jugglers, mimes and musicians, there are splendid gardens and excellent restaurants to delight your senses. Guests will enjoy the park and museums on their own.
Tour includes:
The Passport to Balboa Park, a coupon booklet that gains you admission to 4 museums of your choice in Balboa Park and is valid for an entire week. The participating museums are:
- Japanese Friendship Garden—Features a koi pond and Japanese art exhibits (CLOSED ON MONDAYS)
- Mingei International Museum—Changing exhibitions of arts of people from all cultures, which include ceramics, textiles, toys, and other objects of daily use. (CLOSED ON MONDAYS)
- Museum of Photographic Arts— Dedicated to human expression as seen through photography, film, and video.
- Museum of San Diego History—San Diego History from 1850 to the present comes alive with authentic displays of historical sights and sounds. Traveling exhibits and extensive collections of photos, costumes, and artifacts. (CLOSED ON MONDAYS)
- Reuben H. Fleet Science Center—There is no theater/planetarium exactly like it. The theater is the most advanced media center in the world and truly an eye-opening, mind-expanding experience. The Science Center exhibit hall contains displays, devices and exhibits which require visitor interaction to illustrate principles of science
- San Diego Aerospace Museum—Outstanding collection of historic U.S. and foreign aircraft, aircraft equipment, space vehicles and other aerial exhibits.
- SDAI – Museum of the Living Artist— Inside this historic-style building are exhibitions of the contemporary arts of San Diego. The combination of classic architecture and modern art allows the institute to bridge the gap between past and present in Balboa Park. (CLOSED ON MONDAYS)
- San Diego Automotive Museum—Chronicles the history of personal transportation in the internal combustion engine era and highlights America's love affair with automobiles.
- San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum—One-of-a-kind, all-sports museum honoring San Diego athletes who have achieved national and world recognition in sports.
- San Diego Model Railroad Museum—The museum maintains an extensive collection of locomotives, freight, and passenger cars. (CLOSED ON MONDAYS)
- San Diego Museum of Art—Internationally recognized, major U.S. art museum featuring a gathering of great art from all periods, as well as changing exhibitions. (CLOSED ON MONDAYS)
- San Diego Museum of Man—Presents exciting exhibits and events highlighting man's physical and cultural development, with emphasis on the people of the Western Americas and ancient Egypt.
- San Diego Natural History Museum—Authentic exhibits and exciting expeditions offering exceptional opportunity to view nature of today and of the prehistoric past.
Each passport contains admission tickets to the various museums listed above. As guests enter the museum, these vouchers/admissions will be torn out of the booklet.
Museums are open daily from 10 am to 4:00 or 4:30 pm. The passport can be used for one week from date of tour, for those guests who wish to go back and use admissions to museums they weren't able to visit. The Balboa Park Passport is not meant to be transferable between guests.
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VIP Zoo Tour |
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Tuesday, July 4, 12:30–5 pm
Thursday, July 6, 12:30–5 pm
 $86 per adult
$70 per child (ages 4–11)
Children 3 and under are free of charge and required to sit on parent's lap. All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
There's some "Beastly Wonders" going on at the world-famous San Diego Zoo and you can be a part of it! Enjoy a private Behind-the-Scenes tour, an extraordinary way to see the Zoo! Following the Behind-the-Scenes tour, guests can explore and visit new and innovative exhibits. Recent additions and renovations to the Zoo include: the Giant Panda Research Station, Gorilla Tropics, Hippo Beach, Polar Bear Plunge, Scripps Aviary, Tiger River, and Sun Bear Forest.
Tour includes:
- Private Behind-the-Scenes tour (approximately (1.5) hours)*
- Visit to (1) specialty area of the Zoo with Behind-the-Scenes Zoo guide
- Admission to all shows and exhibits
- 35-minute guided bus tour
- Express bus
- Skyfari aerial tram
- Free time at the Zoo for all animal shows and exhibits (approximately 1.5 hours)
- Snack
*NOTE: Due to heightened awareness and restrictions concerning Hoof and Mouth disease, any guests who have been outside the US up to one week prior to the program are not permitted in a Behind-the-Scenes area.
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Ocean Kayaking Adventure |
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Wednesday, July 5, 9:30 am–1:30 pm
Friday, July 7, 9:30 am–1:30 pm
 $108 per person
Children 6 years and under are not permitted to kayak. An adult must accompany children ages 7 to 18 years.
Kayak touring is one of the fastest growing sports today. Evolving from ancient Eskimo design, modern kayaks have changed very little. State-of-the-art materials allow us to paddle light, beautiful kayaks silently and comfortably through many conditions and any waterway. Kayaking can open the natural wonders of our environment for you.
Guests have the opportunity to explore the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean in kayaks, and will be given a short kayak lesson by a certified guide (1 per 10 participants). Guides will provide guests with a detailed instruction on the beach areas that are safe to kayak in and around beautiful, protected La Jolla Cove, which is part of San Diego's famous underwater marine park. This is an amazing opportunity that can only be done in a kayak. Introductory kayak lesson, guided tour, kayak, paddle, life vest, back rest, and snack are included.
NOTE: Guests must be able to swim in order to participate in this tour. Weight capacity: 350 lbs for single kayaks; 450 lbs for double kayaks.
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Old Town—Where San Diego Began |
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Wednesday, July 5, 9:30 am–2 pm
CANCELLED—Thursday, July 6, 9:30 am–2 pm
 $56.00 per person
Historic Old Town . . . where San Diego began. Take a step back into San Diego's lively history for a look at the beginning of America's Finest City. Guests will see the first permanent settlement in California, now a beautiful collection of unique shops, heritage museums, and colorful restaurants.
Guests will have free time to explore Old Town on their own, where they will experience early Americana with its distinctive "West Coast Style" Spanish flavor. Guests will also enjoy a deliciously authentic luncheon at Casa Guadalajara, a true Mexican Fiesta.
Tour includes:
- Free time in Old Town (approximately 2 hours)
- Shopping guide & map of Old Town
- Lunch at Casa Guadalajara Restaurant in Old Town, to include:
- Chips and Salsa
- One entrée, chosen onsite:
- Tostada de Jalisco: a crispy flour tortilla topped with seasoned shredded beef, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, and guacamole
- Chicken & Cheese Quesadilla served with guacamole and sour cream, Mexican rice, beans
- Dos Tacos: two crispy chicken- or beef-filled tacos served with Mexican rice, beans
- Dessert
- Churros
- Soft Drinks
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Make a Splash on the Amphibious Tour
—CANCELLED |
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 $68.00 per adult
$51.00 per child (ages 4–12)
Children 3 years and under are free of charge. All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian
It's a boat! It's a bus! It's San Diego's original amphibious Sea and Land Adventure! Your 90-minute, fully narrated SEAL tour begins in Seaport Village. Wind your way through picturesque San Diego streets before splashing down for a cruise through the waters of Mission Bay. Experience the history and ecological wonders of San Diego in the comfort and security of our virtually unsinkable Hydra-Terras. You may even meet an endangered species or two! Your adventure then continues by land to another splashdown in San Diego Bay where you will experience, firsthand, the rich maritime and military history of San Diego as you cruise past Navy ships, tugboats, and fishing vessels through the waters that are the playground of the California sea lion.
NOTE: A lightweight jacket is recommended.
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| Maritime Museums—CANCELLED |
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 $89 per adult
$76 per child (ages 7–17)
Children aged 6 years and under are free of charge. All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Guests will enjoy a one-hour harbor excursion along San Diego Bay, considered one of the finest natural harbors on the Pacific Coast. It's a bustling commercial port for shipping and fishing, home to the U.S. Naval First Fleet, and protected home for thousands of luxurious private sailboats and yachts.
Following the harbor cruise, guests will experience a tour of the USS Midway, the newest addition to San Diego's naval history. Having the distinction of being the first carrier to be named after a WWII battle, the USS Midway was launched in 1945 and had a long and prestigious career in the US Navy, being reconfigured from a straight deck carrier to an angled deck carrier in 1955. In her 47-year history, the Midway participated in actions from the Korean War, Vietnam, to Operation Desert Storm. She was decommissioned for the last time at North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego in 1992. Learn today what the Midway Magic is all about.
Next, guests can walk over to the Maritime Museums, which enjoy a worldwide reputation for excellence in restoring, maintaining, and operating historic vessels. The Maritime Museum of San Diego features one of the finest collections of historic ships in the world, including the world's oldest active ship, the Star of India; the 1898 steam ferry Berkeley; the 1904 steam yacht Medea; the 1914 harbor Pilot boat, and the Californian, a replica of a mid 19th-century revenue cutter.
Tour includes:
- Harbor cruise on San Diego Bay, 1 hour
- Admission to the USS Midway, brochure full of fun facts, free time to explore
- Admission to the Maritime Museums for guests to explore on own, including the Star of India, the Berkeley, and if in dock, California and Medea
- Snack
NOTE: Guests are advised to wear comfortable walking shoes and comfortable clothes. The USS Midway is a WWII-era warship. Every effort is being made to make it as accessible for the handicapped as possible. However, the access from Navy Pier to the hangar deck presently includes approximately two flights of stairs.
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Wild Animal Park "Photo Caravan"
—CANCELLED |
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 $174 per adult
$162 per child (ages 8–17)
Children must be at least 8 years of age with valid identification in order to participate in this activity. A parent or guardian must accompany children.
Here's your chance for an African Safari . . . in San Diego!
The San Diego Wild Animal Park is an 1,800-acre wildlife preserve located in the San Pasqual Valley. A photo caravan allows guests the opportunity to go nose to nose with a rhinoceros, look a sky-high giraffe in the eye and, on rare occasions, even see the birth of an animal ... and capture it all on film.
Open-air trucks take guests inside the Wild Animal Park's preserve for breathtaking close-ups of gazelles, impalas, Cape buffalos, zebras, gnus, oryxes and ostriches. A special Wild Animal Park guide will accompany each photo caravan to narrate, identify wildlife, and point out natural behaviors and interesting animal habitats.
After the one hour and 45 minute tour, guests have free time to explore the park on their own.
NOTE: The commercial use of photographs, video, and film you may take during your visit to the Wild Animal Park is strictly prohibited without the full written consent of the Zoological Society of San Diego.
Due to heightened awareness and restrictions concerning Hoof and Mouth Disease, any guests who have been outside the United States up to one week prior to the program are not permitted on the photo caravan tour.
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| Zoo To Blue . . . Bike Cruise—CANCELLED |
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 $134 per person
Minimum age of participants is 12 years, with a minimum height requirement of 4'10".
What a way to enjoy the day—biking from the world-famous San Diego Zoo to beautiful Mission Bay! Looping through beautiful Balboa Park and across Cabrillo Bridge, bikers then head out over rolling hills to the exclusive enclaves of Banker's Hill, Mission Hills, and Presidio Park. Then, it's a quick downhill run from the park to historic Old Town for a short break to allow riders time for photos. The tour resumes with a short dash to Mission Bay and its superb bike trail, concluding at the Mission Bay Visitor's Center.
Tour includes:
- 15–20-mile bike tour
- Current model, state-of-the-art 21- & 24-speed Trek mountain bikes in a wide variety of sizes and configurations to suit the guests' needs
- A helmet (required) for each guest
- Narration by experienced tour guides
- Personal water bottle(s) for each rider
- Healthy refreshments
- Free time in Old Town for a break and photos
Tour provider recommends guests wear comfortable lightweight clothes, athletic shoes with socks, sunscreen, sunglasses, and bring along a camera.
NOTE: Each participant will be required to wear a safety helmet throughout the bike tour.
Cyclists form a single line lead by a tour coordinator and followed by a full support chase vehicle escort(s) carrying back-up bicycles, abundant water and refreshments, first-aid supplies, radio communications, and cellular phone capabilities. Chase vehicle and guides are in constant radio contact to insure guest safety, comfort, and enjoyment.
Guests of all ages and abilities will enjoy this bike tour. Physical fitness need not be taken into consideration as the ride is all downhill and on flat surfaces. Each guest can take the ride at their own pace. There will be one tour guide per eight guests, and a chase vehicle follows the group.
Alcoholic beverages cannot be consumed during this tour.
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 See also Extras home page.
Mark your calendar today!
July 5–7, 2006
Those who've attended NECC in the past will notice a change from our usual program:
- The main conference days will be Wednesday–Friday.
- Workshops will be held Wednesday–Friday, both days and evenings. A limited number of workshops may be held preconference.
- The Opening Reception is on the 4th of July! It'll be held at the San Diego Convention Center, a perfect location for viewing numerous fireworks displays over the water — be sure to bring the whole family!
Please keep this schedule in mind as you make your travel and hotel arrangements!
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