Vibrant, cartoon-style maps that one might see on the wall of an art museum are being given away at various locations up and down Highway 101.
The hand-illustrated San Diego North Coast Discovery Map debuted June 18, and more than 160,000 free copies are being distributed at 573 locations in the region, including visitor centers, area chambers of commerce and major recreational sites.
The map offers a broad brush, panoramic view of Carlsbad, Oceanside, and Encinitas, and doubles as a souvenir with bright colors and subtle textures that capture the energy of the North County coast.
It’s also a marketing tool, according to Mike and Joyce Bertrand, who are producing the map through a franchise of Discovery Map International, a publishing company that creates tourism products, including custom-designed maps and hotel guest directories.
Joyce Bertrand said visitors and local businesses benefit from the Discovery Map.
“Our area has a lot to offer and is a great tourist destination stop,” she said. The map encourages them to “stay a bit longer in hotels, go to more restaurants, and broaden their experience in North County.”
The back of the map displays a business directory with grid points designed to give easier reference points to visitors. The directory is bordered by “Things Not to Miss” and a 2007 calendar of events.
Advertisers pay between $795 and $1,895 to be included on the map, which has a one-year run. A new map will be published every year, the Bertrands said.
Sharon Friedman, administrative secretary at the Oceanside California Welcome Center, said the map is “something people really enjoy.”
It’s also useful, she said, because it’s “hitting everything from hot air balloons and surfing to the Tri-City Medical Center and airport.”
Kurt Burkhart, director of the Carlsbad Convention and Tourism Bureau, is also a fan.
“The Bertrands hit a home-run in their first year,” Burkhart said of the map. “What a good-looking product!”
Map illustrator Margaret Plumb, who lives in Oregon, visited North County for a week before getting started on the project. She took photographs and consulted with the Bertrands to help her vision come alive.
Mike Bertrand said the result captures the appeal of the North County coast.
“We were visitors before we became residents back in 1989, and it’s as true now as it was then … ,” he said. “This is a beautiful and family-friendly place to visit.”
Future editions of the Discover Map in San Diego’s North County are expected to showcase Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar and Leucadia. Next year, the Bertrands said, they plan on having 200,000 maps printed.