About San Diego
Named for the Spanish Catholic Saint, St. Didacus, in 1602, San Diego is a magnificent waterside city with a showcase of dazzling skyscrapers, glitzy modern loft developments, five-star hotels, and numerous exquisite cafes, restaurants, and boutiques. Scenic views lurk around every corner-hills covered in blossoming junipers, golden stalks of pampas grass and towering palm trees enamor all who visit this vibrant metropolis. San Diego is the second largest city in California and the seventh largest city in the United States with more than 1.3 million people residing within its borders totaling 4,200 square miles.
San Diego is made up of 18 enchanting neighborhoods and communities including the Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy, Coronado, La Jolla, La Mesa and Carlsbad just to name a few. While each of these neighborhoods falls under the umbrella of San Diego, each community has a unique identity, character, and geography.
The city's terrain is varied with gentle foothills to mile-high mountains and 600,000-acre Anza Borrego Desert State Park to lush wine country. Nature is San Diego's backyard—offering outdoor enthusiast the opportunity to hike, camp, fish, and explore the wildlife of the great outdoors. With a warm Mediterranean climate and more than 70 miles of Pacific coastline, San Diego also supports many water sports year-round such as surfing, boating, sailing and swimming.
Horton Plaza, a monumental architectural development built in the 1970's, is the heart of the city's lively downtown; trendy stores, modern restaurants and colorful people line the plaza's streets seven days a week. Breathtaking views of the Bay can be found by heading due west of the city to Embarcadero or jumping aboard a harbor cruise. The historic buildings of Old Town include a blacksmith shop, Seeley Stables, and the oldest schoolhouse in San Diego which all help visitors take a step back in time. The streets of the 16 ½ -block historic Gaslamp Quarter are overflowing with turn-of-the-century Victorian architecture. Seaport Village offers 14-acres of shops and restaurants to choose from. With so many options, it is easy to see why exploring San Diego is an endless adventure.
San Diego is a technology powerhouse with an economy that is largely supported by biotechnology, electronics manufacturing, defense and space manufacturing, software development, and telecommunications. It is home to one of the largest players in the telecommunications industry, Qualcomm. The environmental, transportation, and international trade industries also play a significant role in San Diego's economy. In fact, one-third of the top 20 environmental design firms in the US are located in San Diego; more than 1,000 transportation companies call San Diego home; and, there are more than 600 internationally-based companies here.
Why San Diego?
In 2006, 15.8 million people traveled to the Southwestern corner of the United States to enjoy this harborside city. With 70 miles of beaches, 92 golf courses, over 100 culturally diverse neighborhoods, 120 conference hotels, and an abundance of meeting space for groups of 10 to 30,000, San Diego is an ideal location for your next meeting or event. Traveling to and from the city is simple and convenient with an international airport located less than three miles from downtown proper.
San Diego is home to many legendary attractions like the San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo, Sea World
Sea World, Legoland California, Balboa Park
Balboa Park, the Museum of Man,
the Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum, and the Maritime Museum. The city is approximately 20-minutes driving distance from La Jolla, which has been referred to as the jewel of San Diego, due to its charming down-to-earth atmosphere that combines the excitement of Southern California with the look and feel of a Southern European resort town. The Birch Aquarium, which contains the largest oceanographic display in the United States, is also located in La Jolla.
San Diego offers delicious cuisine coupled with magnificent waterfront venues, countryside settings, mountain vistas and a dynamic downtown. The city's perfect temperature allows for many year-round outdoor dining opportunities including exclusive dinners aboard chartered yachts, picnics in the park, wine and cheese tasting on the beach, and many more. Popular regional cuisine is comprised of California, Pacific Rim, Elegant Continental, Contemporary French, and Authentic Mexican and Southwestern dishes. For a sophisticated dining experience with modern aesthetic appeal, try George's California Modern on Prospect Street in San Diego. Here, executive chef, Trey Foshee, has created a diverse menu that celebrates the fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients that characterize the San Diego restaurant scene.
The arts thrive in this culturally rich metropolis. The San Diego Opera performs regularly at Civic Center Plaza, ranked by Opera America as one of the top ten opera companies in the United States. Approximately fifteen musicals and plays are performed at the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park every year. The California Center for the Arts serves as Northeastern San Diego's premier performing arts center with a 400-seat auditorium. Little Italy is the pulse of the city's Art & Design District. Check out "Kettener Nights," a unique event that invites visitors to gallery hop and celebrate the finest in art, urban living, home furnishings and accessories that San Diego has to offer. Other exciting annual events and festivals include Comic-Con, the Del mar Fair, and the Street Scene Music Festival. Sunny and stylish San Diego is truly a city with something for everyone.
Key San Diego Metro Area Facts
Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST)
Convention Center: San Diego Convention Center
San Diego Convention Center
Airports: San Diego International Airport (SAN)
| Population | 1,233,400 | Destination Type Listings |
| Hotels | 230 | • Golf Destinations |
| Hotel Rooms | 54,000 | • Beach Destinations |
| Restaurants | 6,400 | • Smoke Free Restaurants |
San Diego Climate Information
San Diego is known for its delightfully sunny and warm weather with daily temperatures averaging around 60 °F to 70 °F. The city receives less rainfall than any other part of the west coast. In fact, it rains less than 12 inches a year, resulting in a relatively arid environment.
Due to the varied topography of the land, visitors have the unique opportunity to experience coastal, mountain, and desert climates with temperatures varying as much as 10 °F within a short drive. During the months of May and June, commonly known as "May Gray" and "June Gloom," heavy cloud cover keeps the air cool and damp on the coast, while 5 to 15 miles inland clouds dissipate yielding to sunshine and blue skies.
Low humidity is ideal for year-round sightseeing and outdoor adventure. Early spring brings an abundance of vibrant wildflowers that transform the city's mountainsides and deserts. Autumn leaves umbrella the city creating a tremendous display of fall color. The majority of the city's limited rainfall occurs during the months of January and February, but showers typically last for only a few hours or for one to two days at most. There is virtually no bad time of year to visit San Diego.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec High -°F | 88 | 90 | 93 | 98 | 96 | 101 | 95 | 98 | 111 | 107 | 97 | 88 |
| Avg High -°F | 65 | 66 | 66 | 68 | 69 | 72 | 76 | 77 | 77 | 74 | 71 | 66 |
| Avg Low -°F | 48 | 50 | 52 | 55 | 58 | 61 | 65 | 66 | 65 | 60 | 53 | 49 |
| Rec Low -°F | 29 | 36 | 39 | 44 | 48 | 51 | 55 | 58 | 51 | 43 | 38 | 34 |
| Rainfall - in. | 2.2 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.1 | -- | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 1.4 |
