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Introduction |
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Sunny and mild. That's not just the weather report: It also describes San Diego's personality. As the city's convention and visitors bureau puts it, "If San Diego were a shoe, it would be a flip-flop; if it were a car, it would be a convertible; and if it were a dog, it would be a golden retriever." This is a place where the people are friendly and the insects don't bite. To top it off, San Diego is blessed with considerable natural beauty: broad, gorgeous beaches on its west side, creviced canyons on the east and sweet-smelling tropical flowers everywhere.
It's also booming. New buildings are springing up all over. In fact, the amount of office space in San Diego has doubled in the past few years. And a trendy downtown neighborhood called the Gaslamp Quarter pulls in locals and tourists alike. North of downtown in La Jolla, prestigious science institutes with names like Salk and Scripps attract top researchers. Unfortunately, this growth brings traffic -- highway congestion here is beginning to rival Los Angeles.
The greater San Diego area is actually a series of individual towns, each with its own personality. La Jolla is San Diego's answer to Beverly Hills. Coronado, a spit of land connected to downtown by the Coronado Bay Bridge, has the palatial Hotel Del Coronado and broad avenues running past Victorian homes; it is also home to several aircraft carriers. Then there are the beaches: Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla Cove and many more.
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Climate |
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| There is abundant sunshine much of the year, though June can be gloomy. Mild summer, somewhat cooler spring. Occasional winds from the desert can heat things up, especially in early fall. The climate is generally mild along the coast, but inland temperatures can get uncomfortably warm. The temperatures in January range from 47 F/8 C at night to 63 F/17 C during the day. The warmest month is August, when the high temperatures average 74 F/21 C. Annual rainfall: 10 in/25 cm. |
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Transportation |
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| Most visitors will want their own wheels in San Diego, although you don't really need a car if you plan on staying downtown. Many major city attractions are within walking distance of downtown hotels; others are just a short bus, taxi or trolley ride away. The trolley's familiar red cars come and go through downtown along the South Bay waterfront and all the way to the Mexican border, as well as east to Little Italy, Old Town, Fashion Valley, Mission Valley, Mission San Diego and Qualcomm Stadium.
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Shopping |
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| San Diego offers shopping for everyone. Whatever your interests may be I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for. San Diego is lined with collectors shops, specialty shops, malls, plazas, boutiques, high-end shops, low-end shops and much more. So, if you're in the mood do get out and pick up a gift or something for yourself you won't find it a difficult. |
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Recreation |
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| Of all the natural attractions that San Diego offers, the beaches that line the shores of San Diego are by far the most popular. You'll most likely find them to be booming with tourists and locals, but some beaches are a little less popular and make for a romantic moonlit walk. Spend a day at the beach and just relax or catch a game of volleyball or toss the Frisbee around. There are many activities available at most of the beaches in San Diego, so you'll never get bored. See below for a list of beaches through-out the San Diego Metropolitan area. |
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Activities |
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| Because of the luxury of the ocean, watersports are definitely the most popular activities in San Diego, and there are a lot of watersports available for everyone (scuba diving, sailing, surfing, wave running, parasailing etc.). Besides watersports there are still tons to do and see. You can sign up for city tours or tours to Mexico, even tours to nearby islands. Maybe you'd like to sight see from a helicopter or take a romantic dinner cruise or how about going whale watching. Myself I like to deep sea fish, but whatever your interests may be, you'll have fun in San Diego. See below for many activities available. |
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