As the weather improves, the number of outdoor festivals only increases. Those who are staying in America’s Finest City at any point in May will be able to find an appealing cultural event.

For instance, if visitors to San Diego have a sweet tooth, then they will want to make their way to the San Diego Botanic Gardens on May 12. Here, travelers will find the city’s Chocolate Festival, an event people of all ages can enjoy.

During the festival, attendees can sample chocolates, view educational demonstrations or drench a strawberry in the event’s chocolate fountain. If anybody has brought their mom along on their trip to San Diego, then a visit to this sweet festival is the perfect gift, as it takes place one day before Mother’s Day.

Travelers who want to lose any weight gained at the Chocolate Festival before they return home can always do some dancing at the Zydeco & Blues Festival, which will run from May 11-13 at Spanish Landing Park.

This spirited event brings a little taste of Louisiana to the West Coast, as talented musicians pack four stages over the course of three days. Among the performers scheduled to entertain are Chubby Carrier, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, and the Bill Magee Blues Band. If attendees have never been the best dancers, there is plenty of time to pick up a few moves so they can groove to those Cajun sounds. During the festival, non-stop dance workshops will provide lessons in everything from swing and salsa to line dances and Texas slides.

Whether or not travelers are of Italian heritage, they are sure to have a good time at the Sicilian Italian Festival, which will be held on May 20 in Little Italy. Individuals may be staying in San Diego, but they will feel as though they have been transported to The Boot when they take in the sights and smells of this cultural celebration. Music, wine and, of course, delicious Italian cuisine, await visitors to this event.

Photo Credit: Leandro’s World Tour on Flickr

 Salsa dancing is known for its fast beat music and intense routines with its incredible hip movements. Whether you’re coming solo or with a partner, you can’t miss any of these Salsa nights. So put on your dancing shoes and get ready to move nonstop!

Sunday
Ocean House Restaurant (Carlsbad) +18
Hours: 8:30pm to 1:00am
Salsa Lesson: 8:30 to 9:30pm
No Cover before 8:00pm
Cover: $10
http://oceanhousecarlsbad.com/specials/

Tio Leo’s Lounge (San Diego)
Hours: 7:30pm to close
Salsa lesson: 7:30 to 8:30pm
Open dancing 8:30 pm to close
Cover: $5
http://tioleos.com/live-music

Monday
Prospect bar & Lounge 21+
Hours: 9:45 pm to close
Salsa Lesson:  9:00pm
No cover before 9:00 pm
http://www.prospectbar.com/specials.html

Tuesday
The Keating Hotel (Downtown San Diego) +21
Salsa & Bachata lesson: 8:30pm
Hours: 8:30 pm to 1:00 am
No cover before 8:30 pm
Cover: $10

Wednesday
La Jolla Marriot +21
Hours: 8:30 pm to 1:00 am
Salsa lesson:  8:30pm
No cover before 8:00 pm
Cover: $10

Thursday
The Keating Hotel (Downtown San Diego) +21
Latin Thursdays – Salsa Dancing
Hours: 10:00 pm to 1:30 am
Cover: $10

Friday
La Jolla Marriot +21
Hours: 8:30 pm to 1:30 am
Salsa lesson:  8:30pm
No cover before 8:00 pm
Cover: $10

Blue Agave Night Club (San Diego) +21
Tropical Nights with live bands
Hours: 8:30 pm to 4:00 am
No cover before 10:00 pm
Cover: $10

Citrus Restaurant (San Diego) +21
Hours: 8:00 to 1:30 am
Salsa Lesson: 8:30 pm
Cover: $10

Saturday
La Jolla Marriot +21
Hours: 8:30 pm to 1:30 am
Salsa lesson:  8:30pm
No cover before 8:00 pm
Cover: $10

Caribe Club Night +21 (South San Diego)
Tropical Saturday Nights: Merengue, Salsa and Bachata Dancing
Hours: 8:00pm – 2:00 am
Cover: $10

Citrus Restaurant (San Diego) +21
Hours: 8:00 to 1:30 am
Salsa Lesson:  8:30 pm
Cover: $10

For instance, music lovers who are staying in San Diego vacation rentals this April can spend two days enjoying local and national bands at the Adams Avenue Roots and Folk Festival. This event, which will run from April 21-22, promises fun for the entire family.

Travelers who attend either day of the festival will have a chance to add a folk soundtrack to their vacation, as approximately 170 musical acts are scheduled to play at the event. These performers will pack two miles of Adams Avenue and perform everything from folk and roots music to Cajun and rockabilly tunes.

However, those staying at vacation rentals in the local area can find more than just music at the festival, as several artists, crafters and other vendors will be on hand at the open-air market to sell their wares. Meanwhile, the kids may not be the biggest folk fans, but they are sure to enjoy the event’s carnival rides.

Photo Credit: Catdirtrecords on Flickr

For a memorable vacation experience, travelers need only look to the Skysurfer Balloon Company, the oldest hot air balloon business in Southern California. When individuals sign up for a ride with Skysurfer, they are ensured a calm and peaceful voyage.

Before travelers hop into their balloon’s European-style gondola, they are briefed on what they can expect during their trip. After the balloon has risen high off the ground, passengers share a beverage while floating over scenic Southern California.

Everybody is guaranteed a great view, as the comfortable and secure gondolas are never crowded. Skysurfer customers can choose from two hot air balloon experiences, each lasting approximately three hours. One takes off from Temecula just after sunrise, or just before sunset in Del Mar.

If travelers return to their condo rentals feeling as though they would like to relive their hot air balloon experience, they can always go back and sign up for the flight option they have yet to try.

Photo Credit: Eric Lim Photography on Flickr

On a visit to this attraction, travelers of all ages can take advantage of educational hands-on activities that are so much fun they will forgot they are even learning. Overall, there are more than 100 interactive science exhibits spread out across this facility’s five galleries.

For instance, small children will have the time of their life exploring Kid City. In this exhibit, which is designed for those under the age of 5, children can turn cranks to learn about physics at the Ball Wall. Meanwhile, the Little Learner’s Lab lets kids enhance their reading, math and science skills through engaging computer games.

At the Look! Touch! Listen! Exhibit, visitors of all ages will get a kick out of sticking their hand inside a mini tornado. Those who purchase tickets to one of the shows at the science center’s IMAX Dome Theater have a chance to explore the world beyond their timeshare rentals and experience life under the sea or in the rainforests of Borneo.

The whales’ migration, which also happens to be the longest of any mammal in the world, begins each October in the eastern Pacific. The majestic creatures depart from the frigid waters of the Bering Sea for the warmer conditions present in the lagoons of Mexico’s Baja peninsula.

Visitors to San Diego are fortunate, as their vacation rentals are within driving distance of the city’s Birch Aquarium, from which they can embark on a whale watching adventure. As the mammals’ migration only lasts for a short period of time, people’s chances to witness this natural event will end on April 15.

Until then, avid whale watchers can board a boat, either at 9:45 a.m. or 1:30 p.m., for a guided journey to the mammals’ breeding grounds in Baja California. If they are lucky, they will see many of the approximately 20,000 gray whales that have made the trek south.

While out at sea, passengers may spot more than gray whales, including seals, sea lions and dolphins.

Photo Credit: Mikebaird on Flickr

The event reaches all the way from Beech Street to the Northern end of Fir Street in downtown San Diego. City residents and visitors can mingle with the artists of their favorite masterpieces and learn about what inspired them to create their works of art. The weekend-long festival also features San Diego’s top musical performers, dancers, food vendors, interactive activities for children and more.

To keep energetic kids entertained, the celebration of art also includes Kids Walk, a child-geared version of the festival that offers fun and creative hands-on projects for kids of all ages to enjoy. Last year, 20 organizations contributed to the captivating kids’ festival and are sure to join again in the 2012 excitement. If you’re thinking about booking San Diego timeshare rentals in the spring, consider becoming a part of the culture of the city at this acclaimed and artful celebration.

Rock the Casbah
The famed nightclub, The Casbah, has been open since 1989. In its beginning years, it hosted bands such as Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and the Lemonheads to a crowd of 75 people. In 1994, the club moved down the road in order to accommodate about three times the size of its original crowd. Vacationers who book timeshare rentals in San Diego can see bands like Weezer, Vampire Weekend and The Arcade Fire tear up the stage at the popular California venue.

Top of the Hyatt
The swanky hotel cocktail lounge invites guests to steal a view of San Diego’s seaside from a 40-story vantage point with its floor-to-ceiling windows. The ideal choice for a romantic date, guests can watch the sunset while sipping on cocktails and enjoying casual conversation.

The Field
An Irish restaurant cannot get much more authentic than San Diego’s The Field. The owners shipped the boisterous pub piece by piece from Ireland and relocated it in the Historic Gaslamp Quarter. Those who book vacation rentals nearby can choose a traditional beverage from one of the city’s largest selections of single malt and blended whiskey.

Visit San Diego for a great vacation with activities for everyone.

The Karl Strauss Brewing Company’s private beers have been named the city’s best for six years in a row. Brewing over 30 different varieties, including six core, a host of specialty, and some seasonal beers, founders Chris Cramer and Matt Rattner have come a long way since the 1980s. When they opened their doors in 1989, they were welcoming San Diego to its first brewpub in over 50 years.

From ales to porters, lagers to IPAs, the Karl Strauss Brewers have made loads of eclectic beers popular over the years. For March vacation renters, the special release will be their Scotch Ale, while those who choose a vacation rental in April can try a taste of the funky Conquistador Doppelbock.

Book a San Diego condo rental at the Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara, the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort or the Sofia Hotel to find the Karl Strauss Brewery a leisurely walk away.