Disney Magic - December 3, 2023

Famed as a year-round vacation resort, San Diego also carries huge economic clout as California's second largest city. With magnificent beaches and two world-class zoos, the city enjoys a dazzling Mediterranean climate and a rich multicultural heritage. The surrounding county embraces forested mountains, vast desert lands, and miles of sunny beaches. It just doesn't seem fair to the rest of us.

Sail past Los Arcos, the soaring rock archway at the extreme southern tip of Baja California that guards Cabo's perfect harbor. This idyllic bay once sheltered treasure ships from the Orient, and pirate brigs bent on those treasures. Now Cabo caters to an international vacation set, and has a strong artistic tradition famous for its black-coral jewelry.

Hollywood discovered this little fishing village back in the 1960's, and since then luxury resorts and bougainvillea-covered villas have flourished in the delightful seaside climate. Yet hints of past tranquility remain: cobbled courtyards where the locals hold their markets, and superb sport-fishing just offshore.

Spend an unforgettable day cruising the Panama Canal, a fifty-one-mile waterway through the rainforest that is one of the world's engineering masterpieces. The ship glides down the canal with inches to spare, through locks that raise and lower it like a toy. Along the way it crosses enormous Gatun Lake, and the amazing Gaillard Cut, blasted out of a solid mountainside.

Once the port where the wealth of the New World flowed back to the Old, Cartagena also served as a notorious base for privateers and pirates. Today, you can stroll the tree-lined Spanish colonial artistry of old in the streets and see the works of the Gold Museum. The port is also a great place to find bargains on emeralds.

George Town is the capital of the Cayman Islands, and is situated directly on Grand Cayman. Once a center of turtle fishing, the area is now a popular tourist destination. Snorkeling and diving are especially popular, and the opportunity to swim with and feed the giant, graceful stingrays should not be missed. Don't worry--it is said that no one has ever been stung.

Sitting just off the gorgeous Yucatan coast, Cozumel revels in its mythic white-sand beaches and world-class coral reefs. Yet Cozumel is also the last stronghold of the Mayas, who settled the island in 300 A.D. Residents still speak Maya, and sometimes wear traditional Mayan clothing. Nearby stand the great pyramids and temples of their ancestors.

Galveston, Texas offers everything from entertainment to shopping, to over 32 miles of Gulf Coast beaches. Galveston's festivals, special events and attractions are enjoyable for islanders and tourists alike. Arts and entertainment is as much a part of the area's history as its Victorian architecture, and Galveston sparkles at night, from theater, music and dance, to reggae, rock and country.