San Diego Comic-Con is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment held annually in San Diego, California, since 1970.
Originally showcasing primarily comic books and science fiction /fantasy related film, television, and similar popular arts, the convention has since included a larger range of pop culture and entertainment elements across virtually all genres, including horror, Western animation, anime, manga, toys, collectible card games, video games, webcomics, and fantasy novels.
According to Forbes, the convention is the “largest convention of its kind in the world;” Publishers Weekly wrote “Comic-Con International: San Diego is the largest show in North America;”
+ More information > Wikipedia • Wikivoyage
+ TOURIST INFORMATION > USA > California > San Diego
Like most comic book conventions, Comic-Con features a large floorspace for exhibitors. These include media companies such as movie studios and TV networks, as well as comic-book dealers and collectibles merchants. And like most comics conventions, Comic-Con includes an autograph area, as well as the Artists’ Alley where comics artists can sign autographs and sell or do free sketches. Despite the name, artists’ alleys can include writers and even models.
The neighboring Hilton Bayfront (map) is also used, with its main ballroom (Indigo) seating up to 2,600. The other neighboring hotel, the Marriott Marquis & Marina (map), also hosts a lot of Comic-Con activity. Among other things, the hotel serves as the anime headquarters and is where the nighttime films are shown.
San Diego
Situated on the Southern California seacoast, San Diego is the second largest city in the state, and has long attracted travelers for its ideal climate, miles of beaches, and location on the Mexican border right across from Tijuana (map).
The San Diego metropolitan area is large and sprawling. Car travel is the most efficient way of navigating the city and county. If you want to “see it all”, rent a car. For less ambitious itineraries, public transportation may be used with enough planning and time allotted for travel.
Balboa Park (map) is home to an expansive campus of intriguing museums, flowering gardens and beautiful arboretums set amidst neo-classical Spanish architecture, making it a must-visit for any trip to San Diego.
Amidst Downtown San Diego’s restaurants and nightlife is the historical district of Gaslamp Quarter (map), home to plenty of Victorian-era buildings that have been re-adapted to other uses.
Old Town (map) is the city’s main historical district, with preserved buildings and icons of the Spanish heritage of San Diego and the Old West, from 19th-century cannons to the haunted Whaley House. Shopping and restaurants dot the area and living history performances regularly take place.
SDMTS.com – public transportation of San Diego.
+ Getting Here (comic-con.org)
ROADTRIPPERS | #1 road trip planning platform.
BUS > GoToBus.com is the leading go-to website for booking inter-city bus ticket online. Intercity bus travel is widespread, but not available everywhere. Greyhound Bus Lines • Bolt Bus • Megabus • Chinatown buses. (*Long-distance bus travel in the United States)
RAIL > AMTRAK | eTicketing | Interactive Map. Some of the most scenic routes include the California Zephyr that runs between *Emeryville (map) in the San Francisco Bay Area of California to Chicago and the Empire Builder that goes from Chicago to Seattle or Portland. (*Rail travel in the United States)
AIRPORTS > San Diego International Airport + BUS Comic-Con. Flight Delay Information — Air Traffic Control System Command Center.
WATERWAYS > Washington State Ferries. Bluewater Ferry Inc. America has the largest system of inland waterways of any country in the world. It is entirely possible to navigate around within the United States by boat. The New York State Canal System • The St. Lawrence Seaway • *The Mississippi River.