101 Reasons San Diego is the City of Life
San Diego arguably has the best quality of “life” of any city in the world. The city’s stunning visual beauty, geographic location, and extraordinary year-round weather have spawned a one-of-a-kind atmosphere of unlimited possibilities and opportunities.
Let’s take a look at what makes San Diego such an incredible City of Life:
RECREATION/ENTERTAINMENT | SPORTING ACTIVITIES | ARTS & CULTURE | BUSINESS, MILITARY, SCIENCE & EDUCATION | MEXICO
RECREATION/ENTERTAINMENT
70 miles of spectacular beaches
Numerous bays, harbors and tidelands
Sailing and boating on San Diego Bay, Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean
Whale Watching
Swimming and snorkeling in La Jolla Cove
Deep sea ocean fishing
Fishing in lakes and streams
Water-skiing in San Diego Bay, Mission Bay and on multiple nearby lakes
Numerous Indian Reservations and Gaming Casinos
Cabrillo Monument – birthplace of modern California
San Diego Mission settled by Spanish missionaries
Old Town
World-class bird watching
Golfing, hiking and swimming at Torrey Pines State Park
Hiking in Mission Trails Park
Yachtfest – The annual west coast premier yacht show
Thunderboat Racing on Mission Bay
Festival of Sail of historic tall ships in San Diego Harbor
The Star of India ship in San Diego Harbor
USS Midway Museum aircraft carrier in San Diego Harbor
Vibrant nightlife in the downtown Gaslamp Quarter
MCAS Miramar Air Show featuring the U.S. Navy Blue Angels
San Diego Zoo
San Diego Wild Animal Park
Sea World
Legoland
Disneyland (a mere one hour away)
Horton Plaza
Shopping in the stylish Cedros Design District of Solana Beach
Temecula vineyards and wine tasting
San Diego County Fair at the Del Mar Fairgrounds
Del Mar Horse Racing
Hot Air Ballooning over Del Mar and Rancho Santa Fe
The historic Del Coronado Hotel on Coronado
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Driving and hiking through the rising mountains of Cleveland National Forest
Playing in the snow on Mount Cuyamaca and Mount Laguna
Mount Palomar and Mount Laguna Observatories
Eating apple pie in the historic mining town of Julian
Relaxation and golf in nearby Palm Springs, Palm Desert and Borrego Springs
Dune bugging, motorcycle riding, and hiking in vast deserts to the east
Glamis Sand Dunes to the east
Skiing in Big Bear to the north (or world-class skiing a one hour flight away)
Snorkeling on Catalina Island to the northwest
Big wave surfing at Cortez Banks off the coast
Historic Highway 101 – the original artery that winds along the California coast
SPORTING ACTIVITIES
Sports Illustrated declared San Diego to be “Sportstown, USA”
San Diego Hall of Champions
San Diego Padres professional baseball
San Diego Chargers professional football
Olympic Training Village
Surfing
Sailing
Boating
Swimming
Diving
Water-skiing and jet skiing
Golfing – over 90 golf courses including the spectacular Torrey Pines which hosted the 2008 U.S. Open
Tennis
Biking
Skateboarding
Motorcycle off-road riding
Running
Hiking
Hang Gliding over Torrey Pines State Park and beaches
ARTS & CULTURE
Balboa Park
San Diego Museum of Art
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego – La Jolla & Downtown
Timken Museum of Art
Mingei International Museum
San Diego Natural History Museum
San Diego Museum of Man
Museum of Photographic Arts
Maritime Museum of San Diego
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
San Diego Air & Space Museum
San Diego Automotive Museum
The New Children’s Museum
San Diego Film Festival
San Diego Opera
San Diego Symphony
Old Globe Theater
La Jolla Playhouse at UCSD
Street Scene Music Festival
Fashion Week San Diego – featuring designers from Southern California and Mexico
Old Town Art Festival
Little Italy Art Walk
Christian Youth Theater (CYT)
A diverse community where English and Spanish are both widely used
Public Art that engages our citizens
BUSINESS, MILITARY, SCIENCE & EDUCATION
San Diego’s rising metropolitan skyline
San Diego – a global leader in the “Life Sciences”
Torrey Mesa (a.k.a. Life Sciences Mesa)
University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
San Diego State University (SDSU)
University of San Diego (USD)
Salk Institute
Scripps Institute
Sanford / Burnham Institute
J. Craig Venter Institute
Major U.S. Naval base with multiple aircraft carriers
US Naval Air Station
Marine Corp Recruiting Depot (MCRD) and Miramar Air Station
Camp Pendleton (Marine Corp) to the north
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial
Qualcomm – leader in wireless technology
Ecke Poinsettia farms in Encinitas
San Diego Convention Center
MEXICO
Tijuana / San Diego is one of the largest population concentrations on the west coast
The Tijuana / San Diego border crossing is the busiest border crossing in the world
Tijuana – birthplace of the Caesar Salad
Bullfighting and Mariachis in Tijuana and Ensenada
Rosarito Beach
Eating lobster in beautiful Puerto Nuevo
The spectacular Guadalupe Valley vineyards
Ensenada
Hussong’s Cantina in Ensenada
San Felipe to the southeast
Mike’s Sky Ranch for off-road motorcycle riders
Tecate Beer factory
Guadalupe Islands – mating grounds of the Great White Shark