Situated on the southern coast of California, San Diego has something for everyone. At 372.40 square miles and sharing California’s border with Mexico, San Diego is the economic hub of the region and the center of the San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan area.
The Lay of the Land
Gorgeous San Diego boasts some impressive landscapes. Everything from beaches and scenic coastlines to mountains and rivers can be found within or just outside city limits. San Diego is largely made up of mesas and canyons, giving it a hilly geography. These land features create the natural boundaries for many neighborhoods in the area.
The climate has been rated one of the top 10 best climates by the Farmer’s Almanac, and the mild summers alone earned San Diego a place in the Weather Channel’s top 2 rated summer climates. Most precipitation falls between December and March, with totals typically averaging 9-13 inches annually. Since record keeping began over 130 years ago, snow has fallen only five times within city limits. Coupled with an average 201 days above 70 degrees (per year!), San Diego makes for an ideal climate year round.
Ever Growing
Since joining the Union in 1850, San Diego has gone through multiple periods of rapid expansion and remains steady throughout the area. Money Magazine has rated San Diego the 5th best place to live in the USA.
Neighborhoods
San Diego offers all types of housing in its many neighborhoods—from single-family homes to luxury apartments. The city is comprised of numerous communities that each offers a unique vibe and surroundings. These include:
Carmel Valley—a newer community that has everything families are looking for.
College Area—a residential area that plays host to San Diego State University.
Coronado—a great getaway for the family or a romantic weekend.
Gaslamp Quarter—the finest of downtown San Diego.
Hillcrest—a welcoming community that has a lively feel and vibrant nightlife.
La Jolla—home to the University of California at San Diego and world class beaches.
Mission Valley—located in the center of the city, great for entertainment and shopping.
Navajo—known for it’s outdoor appeals such as the San Diego River and Lake Murray.
Ocean Beach—a historic beach front community with a small town charm.
Rancho Bernardo—a modern, developed community in northern San Diego.
San Pasqual Valley—known for its agricultural value, crops include citrus fruits and avocados, as well as grapes for the San Pasqual Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area).
Torrey Pines—abundant natural beauty abounds, 42% of this community is open space and community parks. The Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve provides an area to truly experience wild California.
For a complete list of San Diego’s communities, visit: http://www.sandiego.gov/planning/community/profiles
Education—K-12
San Diego is served mainly by the San Diego Unified School District, which is acknowledged as one of the finest urban school districts in the nation. It also boasts the second highest graduation rate for large districts throughout the entire state of California.
A few areas of town attend Poway Unified School District, San Dieguito High School District and Sweetwater Union High School District. There are numerous private schools throughout the area with various affiliations, as well as several magnet schools. For a full list of schools, visit each district’s website.
San Diego Unified School District
http://www.sandi.net
Poway Unified School District
http://www.powayusd.com
San Dieguito High School District
http://www.sduhsd.net
Sweetwater Union High School District
http://www.sweetwaterschools.org
Colleges and Universities
San Diego has earned the title of 9th most educated city in the United States, which is largely due to its exceptional institutions of higher learning. With multiple community college campuses, 2 accredited universities and a host of private and specialty schools, San Diego is a major contributor to advancing education.
San Diego Community College District
City College
http://www.sdccd.edu
Mesa College
Miramar College
San Diego State University
http://www.sdsu.edu
University of California San Diego
http://ucsd.edu
The San Diego Community College District has three branches throughout the city and provides excellent opportunities for certifications and associates degrees needed to start a career path. Additionally, it is a good option for those who wish to transfer credits to a four-year institution.
The SDCCD also offers a unique non-credit “Continuing Education” program for adults who wish to refresh their skills. For more information, visit the website at http://www.sdce.edu.
San Diego State University is a successful research university that offers 189 bachelor’s degrees, 91 master’s degrees and 25 different types of doctoral awards. It is the largest university in San Diego and the 3rd largest in the State of California.
University of California—San Diego is a branch of the main UC campus, located in La Jolla. It is recognized as one of the top 15 research universities worldwide and is home to the famed Scripps Institute of Oceanography. They are a leader in global research initiatives such as global warming, cancer and genome mapping.
Libraries
The San Diego Public Library System has 36 locations throughout the area including a brand new 9-story central facility. With over 3.8 million books and 1.6 million government documents to discover, there’s little room for boredom. Best of all, a library card is absolutely free!
For more information, visit:
http://www.sandiego.gov/public-library or contact the central campus at (619) 236-5800.
Various other libraries exist and are run by other agencies, such as the Malcolm A. Love Library at SDSU and the Geisel Library at UCSD.
Getting Around
While most residents travel via their own automobiles, there are plenty of options for you to take advantage of.
Airport
San Diego International Airport.
Train Systems
San Diego Trolley Light Rail System—has plans for expansion by 2018.
Sprinter Light Rail—serves northern San Diego.
Coaster Commuter Rail
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner—both of these run along the coast and connect San Diego with Los Angeles, Orange County, and other cities.
Bus Systems
San Diego Metro Transit System
Biking
Rated as the best city for cycling in the United States with a population over one million.
Medical Centers
San Diego has over 30 hospitals and medical denters, with several nationally recognized and top ranked programs.
Scripps Mercy Hospital
UC San Diego Medical Center
Rady’s Children’s Hospital
Bob Wilson Naval Hospital
Economy
San Diego’s largest areas of employment are military and defense, tourism, international trade and research and manufacturing. There are several military bases in the area and San Diego is considered the “Birthplace of Naval Aviation.” It also claims a natural deep-water port and is home to the only major submarine and shipbuilding yard on the west coast. Several major national defense contractors are based here as well.
Tourism is, of course, a large sector of the economy. The climate, beaches, historical richness and many attractions are what bring people from all over the world to San Diego.
Several major technology companies are based out of the area and provide hundreds of jobs to San Diegans. From pharmaceutical research companies to Nokia and LG electronics, there is a great diversity in San Diego’s technology sector.
Entertainment
The options are endless when it comes to finding something to do in San Diego. There is, quite literally, something for everyone.
For the outdoorsman, there are beaches, mountains, sailing, snorkeling, even whale watching! San Diego is also excellent for bird watchers, as it boasts the highest number of individual bird species anywhere in the country. There are excellent trails for hiking and biking in San Diego’s parks, which were rated 9th best in the nation.
If nature isn’t quite your cup of tea, then visit Balboa Park—home to 18 different museums. Perhaps, catch a show at the Old Globe Theater or visit the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. Football fans can catch a game to watch to San Diego Chargers, or if baseball is your sport, the Padres are your team. There are over 50 community recreation centers throughout the city with access to 13 pools.
Restaurants in San Diego serve food from every corner of the globe. Some local specialties include Mexican, southeast Asian fare, all kinds of seafood caught right off the coast and, of course, California-style woodfired pizza.
For family fun, San Diego offers a multitude of attractions such as:
Legoland
The Birch Aquarium at Scripps
The world renowned San Diego Zoo
Seaworld
San Diego is extremely pet friendly and many restaurants will even let you bring your pet onto the patio. For information regarding where you can bring your pet, visit: http://www.sandiegopet.com