The bustle comes less these days from the activities of fishing folk than from the throngs of tourists, but this waterfront walkway along San Diego Bay remains the nautical soul of the city. There are several seafood restaurants, as well as sea vessels of every variety -- cruise ships, ferries, tour boats, and naval destroyers.

On the north end of the Embarcadero, at Ash Street, you'll find the Maritime Museum. South of it, the B Street Pier is used by ships from major cruise lines -- San Diego has become a major cruise-ship port, both a port of call and a departure point. The cavernous pier building has a cruise-information center as well as a small bar (nice for cooling off on a hot day) and gift shop. The occasional sight of several massive vessels lined up side-by-side is unforgettable, but note that security is tight on embarcation days, and only passengers with tickets are allowed in the cruise terminal on such occasions.

Day-trippers getting ready to set sail gather at the Broadway Pier, also known as the excursion pier. Tickets for the harbor tours and whale-watching trips are sold here. The terminal for the Coronado Ferry lies just beyond the Broadway pier.

The next few waterfront blocks to the south are under the control of the U.S. Navy, and here, at the Navy pier, is the decommissioned USS Midway, now the home of the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum. Tuna Harbor, at the foot of G Street, was once the hub of one of San Diego's earliest and most successful industries, commercial tuna fishing. The industry has moved far away to the Western Pacific, so these days there are more pleasure boats than tuna boats tied up at the G Street Pier, but the United States Tuna Foundation still has offices here. The pleasant Tuna Harbor Park offers a great view of boating on the bay and across to any aircraft carriers docked at the North Island naval base.

The next bit of seafront greenery is a few blocks south at Embarcadero Marina Park North, an 8-acre extension into the harbor from the center of Seaport Village. It's usually full of kite fliers, in-line skaters, and picnickers. Seasonal celebrations are held here and at the similar Embarcadero Marina Park South.

The San Diego Convention Center, on Harbor Drive between 1st and 5th avenues, is a waterfront landmark designed by Canadian architect Arthur Erickson. The backdrop of blue sky and sea complements the building's nautical lines. The center often holds trade shows that are open to the public, and tours of the building are available.