You're watching World Travel Guide. In this episode of City Guides we
will visit the oldest city in California, San Diego!
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San Diego is the seventh largest city in America, with a population of nearly 1.3 million people.
It's the second largest city in California and San Diego county is the third largest county by
population in the United States. San Diego is located in Southern California on San Diego
Bay and near the border with Mexico. Located on the Pacific coast, San Diego is widely known as
America's Finest City. Famous for its miles and miles of white sand beaches and amazing
weather, the city offers an abundance of fun attractions for visitors of all ages.
Discovered in 1542 by European explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, San Diego was
originally named San Miguel. The bay and area of present-day San Diego was given
its current name 60 years later in 1602. European settlement in present San Diego
County first began with the founding of the first Catholic mission - Mission San
Diego de Alcala in 1769. From 1821 through 1848 this area belonged to Mexico.
As a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, San Diego County became part of the United
States, thus ending the U.S Mexican War. It was named the birthplace of California during the
time of the creation of California statehood in 1850. Original San Diego is located at the
foot of Presidio Hill in the area now known as Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.
The Gaslamp Quarter National Historic District is the hub of the city's
nightlife. It's a great place to visit if you're looking for things to do in downtown San Diego,
especially after dark. Restored late 19th and early 20th century Victorian buildings, house buzzing
entertainment venues, trendy shops, art galleries and restaurants serving every kind of food you
can imagine. This is a great place to catch some live jazz, comedy or theater performances. The
district runs for about 16 blocks, from Broadway to San Diego Bay and it's easily walkable.
San Diego sits on the water, and boat tours are a great way to do some sightseeing
and soak up some sunshine and fresh air at the same time. Hopping aboard a
San Diego Harbor Cruise also gives you a fresh perspective of this beautiful seaside city. On
this one or two hour narrated cruise, you can learn a little history, see the city skyline,
and possibly spot some seals and sea lions basking along the rocky shore.
Balboa Park is a real wonderland for tourists. This huge site encompasses historical buildings,
numerous museums, gardens and green space. The park was created for the Panama-California exhibition
of 1915 and 1916, and most of the buildings remain from that event. The predominant architecture is
Spanish style, with low-rise buildings that blend in with the natural surroundings. Among
the highlights of the park are the Botanical Gardens and Lily Pond, the Museum of Man, the
Museum of Natural History, the San Diego Museum of Art and the Famous San Diego Zoo.
Breathtaking views out over San Diego and the Pacific Ocean make Point Loma one of the
best places to visit in this beautiful city. You can start soaking up the vistas on the scenic
road up to Point Loma. On a clear day you can see all the way to Mexico, and you might even
be lucky enough to spot dolphins or whales. This is where Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo first
landed on the west coast of the United States in 1542. You can learn about the history of
his incredible discovery through a variety of displays and exhibits at the Cabrillo National
Monument. A large statue dedicated to Cabrillo gazes out over the land he discovered.
Walking along the San Diego waterfront on the Embarcadero, you will come across one
of the U.S military's largest ships. The decommissioned USS Midway is permanently
berthed at Navy Pier. The highlights of a visit to the USS Midway Museum include more
than 60 exhibits and 25 restored aircraft. More than 225 thousand military service
personnel served on the ship, and you can take a self-guided audio tour to learn all about
its history. For an additional fee, you can also try a flight simulator on board.
Year-round sunshine and miles of beautiful surf washed coastline, makes San Diego a
perfect place to visit for a beach vacation. No matter what you like to do, the city's best
beaches offer conditions for every type of activity. For basking in the sunshine
and people watching, head to Mission Beach with its buzzing beach front
boardwalk and seaview cafes. If surfing is your top priority, Del Mar is one of
the most consistent locations. Other popular surf spots include Pacific Beach, Trestles,
Swami's and Black's beach, and beginner surfers should head to Oceanside or La Jolla Shores.
America's Finest City showcases many popular attractions for the whole family to enjoy. An
important attraction of San Diego is its immediacy to Mexico. Because they
share an international border, Tijuana and San Diego are grouped together as
an international metropolitan area. Many visitors make their way south to enjoy
luxury spas, beachfront resorts, golf courses, multicultural festivals and the nightlife.
San Diego has been heavily involved in military and defense since the days of World War II, and it
currently hosts the largest naval fleet in the world. Tourism is also a major industry in the
city. Annually, the city hosts more than 30 million visitors. The city is also home to several major
producers of wireless cellular technology, such as Qualcomm and LG Electronics. Because of UCSD and
other research institutions, biotechnology and life science has made a large presence in the county.
There are more than 400 biotechnology companies in the region alone.
San Diego is renowned for its incredible climate, which is characterized as warm
dry summers and mild winters, with most of the annual precipitation falling between December
and March. The best times to visit San Diego are the months of March, April, September and
October, as they are generally warm and less crowded than summer. Tourist season is at its
peak in June, July and August. The best time for surfing in San Diego is late fall through
winter. During these months, there are larger and more consistent swells that combine with
Santa Ana winds to produce beautiful offshore waves. The piers in Ocean Beach and Pacific
Beach, as well as Silver Strand State Beach and Coronado, are some of the best spots to catch a
wave in San Diego. Waves are especially calm during the summer months.
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