Getting to know San Diego

Welcome to San Diego!

San Diego is located on the southern west coast of the United States, in the state of California, approximately 190 kilometers south of Los Angeles, and bordering the Mexican border. San Diego is a very technologically advanced tourist destination and is considered the city with the highest quality of life in the United States. It is also a mecca for surfers (and non-surfers), a place where legendary movies have been filmed and where the largest naval base in the world is located. In short, the place you want to live in when you visit.

My husband and I first visited San Diego when we organized a trip to California in 2012. Many times, San Diego is not a destination that is considered when visiting California as it is geographically located further south of Los Angeles, with the focus being on visiting Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas within the state of Nevada. However, we decided to visit and this changed our lives since I am currently living in San Diego.

This city has a special beauty, numerous and different tourist attractions, a great gastronomic offer, spectacular beaches and unforgettable sunsets. When you tour San Diego you feel the essence of what California is all about. That is why it is called America’s finest City or the most exquisite city in America.

Are you thinking of visiting San Diego? In that case, read this article because I offer you a Top 10 with the main attractions that, according to my experience living in this city, you must visit during your stay in San Diego. I am sure you will end up falling in love with this city. Here is the most interesting!

Learn about the origins of the city of San Diego through a stroll through Old Town

San Diego’s Old Town Historic Park is known as «the birthplace of California.» Created in 1769, this historic district preserves and replicates life from the Mexican and early American period. In the 1860s, urban development and the central core moved to the coast, but Old Town remains an important center for cultural and social celebrations and is one of the most visited places by tourists.

Inside Old Town you can soak up the Mexican culture, eating authentic Mexican food in one of the many restaurants in this area and enjoy live music with mariachis and adaptations of Mexican and Spanish songs at different times of the day (mainly on weekends). When you visit this area, you are taken back to the late 18th century by the architecture of its buildings, with Victorian houses, restaurants and hotels of the time and the recreation of the different buildings such as the postal service, Sheriff’s office or cigar sales. This area also has a lot of traditional gift stores, many of them linked to Mexican culture.

Financial District and Gaslamp Quarter within Downtown San Diego

Downtown San Diego rises from the shores of the Pacific Ocean. The financial district has beautiful old buildings, but to feel the soul of San Diego, head to the Gaslamp Quarter, named after the gas lamps that were used in the city and can be seen near the illuminated portico entrance to this street. This historic neighborhood has numerous streets made up of Victorian buildings. All the street names imitate the streets of New York, but the main street is 5th Street, a street full of restaurants and pubs with a lot of movement, where every night is full of people going to the theater or students and visitors who come to this area. Near Gaslamp Quarter you will find the Los Padres baseball stadium. As a curiosity, this stadium opened its doors in 2004 and cost more than 450 million dollars, so don’t miss a game if you have the chance!

Within Downtown I recommend you to go to Little Italy, a very vibrant area with many restaurants, most of them Italian. Also, San Diego is the cradle of craft beer with more than 150 breweries, so you can try some of them when you are visiting this area of San Diego.

Navy pier and maritime museum

The area of San Diego Bay or the Navy is a very nice area of San Diego that is located a few meters from the Gaslamp Quarter. It is a strolling area by the sea where you can contemplate the port of San Diego, enjoy the recreational areas and visit some of its restaurants.

Right next to the Marina is the Midway area. As mentioned in the introduction, San Diego has the largest naval fleet in the world, with the aircraft carrier USS Midway converted into a museum. The USS Midway is the longest serving aircraft carrier of the 20th century, being occupied by more than 4,500 Marines at any one time. Next to the carrier is the most famous statue of San Diego («Save the Kiss») and represents the photograph that appeared in the New York Times on the day of the surrender of Japan on August 14, 1945 indicating the end of the war, where a sailor kisses a nurse who was found at random in the streets of New York. A few meters away you can also visit Star of India, a fishing boat considered the oldest active in the world and resembles a pirate ship. In addition, this area is characterized by the fish market or Fish Market held on Saturday mornings where you can buy fresh or cooked fish of high quality.

Coronado

A short distance from Navy pier and USS Midway, you can board a ferry and leave the hustle and bustle of Downtown behind. Coronado Island is within walking distance and is a very quiet area. Another option to get to Coronado is to cross the spectacular bridge that separates it from Downtown with more than 3.5 kilometers and a height of 61 meters to allow large ships to pass. The island of Coronado is half naval and the other half populated by citizens. In Coronado you can enjoy the wide beaches and the quiet atmosphere that surrounds this island.

Within this island is the distinctive Hotel del Coronado, one of San Diego’s most iconic and beautiful Victorian-designed buildings. This hotel, which opened its doors in 1888, is considered one of the largest buildings made of wood, one of the first beach resorts in California and the first with electricity. All the presidents of the United States have stayed in this hotel and mythical movies such as «With Skirts and Madness» have been filmed there. Do not forget to go inside the hotel to see its spectacular chandelier, elevator and gift store to see vintage photographs.

Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo

A few miles inland from Downtown is the largest urban park in the United States with more than 485 hectares, a place where nature, culture and impressive architecture come together. Balboa Park has more than a dozen museums with varied collections such as automobiles, aviation, art and natural history. One of the most interesting museums is the Air and Space Museum, very fun especially if you are traveling with children. Inside the park there are almost twenty different gardens to explore, including a reproduction of the gardens of the Alcazar of Seville.

Balboa Park is connected to the San Diego Zoo, one of the largest zoos in the world and one of the few places outside of China where you can see a real giant panda bear, a symbol of the city. This zoo also houses the largest population of koalas in the world outside Australia. To move inside the zoo you can use the different shuttles or internal buses and the cable car.

Point Loma

Across the harbor entrance is Point Loma, the first place where the explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo set foot in 1542. Loma means hill and the views that can be seen from here are incredible, contemplating San Diego, its naval base and some of its fighter planes moving through the sky. If the weather is good, you can see as far as Mexico. Inside this viewpoint you can see the Cabrillo statue and the Point Loma lighthouse. Also, if you have time, very close by is the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, a federal military cemetery in the city of San Diego. Passing to this viewpoint costs 10 dollars per car, but if you travel by bus the entrance is free.

To the north, there are the spectacular neighborhoods of the Point Loma cliff called Sunset Cliffs, a very spectacular place to see the sunset, but with beaches of very difficult accessibility. Near this area is Ocean Beach, a beach area with a bohemian and hippy atmosphere. Finally, you can visit Shelter Island, an area with beautiful views of the harbor and Downtown San Diego. In general, the Point Loma area is where you can taste the best fish in town.

Mission Beach and Pacific Beach

San Diego’s beaches are one of the city’s main attractions. Each coastal location is unique, with a distinctive and distinct atmosphere. Mission Beach is a quiet, carefree beach area where you can enjoy the historic Belmont Park, a small amusement park with the Giant Dipper roller coaster that has been in operation for almost 100 years, making children and adults happy. Very close to Mission Beach is Mission Bay and Mission Recreational Park, the largest artificial bay in the United States with 1,600 hectares, where you can practice different water sports. On the other hand, the neighboring Pacific Beach has a very lively atmosphere, with a large number of restaurants and pubs, very frequented by young people. A good way to explore these coastal areas is to rent a bicycle and ride along the promenade.

La Jolla

Following the coast is La Jolla, personally one of my favorite places in San Diego. This area is surrounded by the sea and has many small pristine beaches. La Jolla is the most exclusive area of San Diego, where you can see incredible mansions and the most luxurious cars in the world…… The real California dream!

La Jolla Village is the Dowtown of La Jolla and where you can walk through its picturesque streets and enjoy the wonderful views from some of its restaurants. You can also visit the Jolla Cove and spend a different kind of time watching the seals and sea lions. In addition, in the part of La Jolla Alta you can access a viewpoint called Mount Soledad where you can see beautiful views both in the tour and in the viewpoint of La Jolla Shores.

Within the La Jolla area is the University of California San Diego (UCSD) and the Scripps Institute, some of the world’s leading research centers. Within this area, you can also feel the passion that San Diegans have for the ocean, research and protection of the sea with a visit to the Birch Aquarium. For those who love hiking, in this area you can also visit Torrey Pines State Reserve, an area with lots of vegetation, cliffs and beautiful views, with the famous Torrey Pines Golf nearby.

Route from Del Mar to Oceanside

If you want to continue touring the Californian coast, don’t forget to take a drive along the entire coast following Highway 101 from Torrey Pines, visiting the coastal towns of Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbard and Oceanside. On this tour you will enjoy the different coastal environments of California and its fantastic beaches.

Legoland and Seaworld

San Diego is also an exciting destination if you are traveling with children, as it has numerous tourist attractions. One of them is Legoland, where children between the ages of 2 and 12 can let their imagination run wild and enjoy more than 60 attractions. Another important tourist attraction is Seaworld, which has been active since 1964 educating and raising awareness about the love of marine animals to visitors from all over the world through its animals and shows.

San Diego is, in short, a destination to tour, savor and soak up its history, culture, different environments and breathtaking views. Enjoy this unique experience that will surely mark you and encourage you to return!

Universities in San Diego- San Diego State University

San Diego not only boasts wonderful weather and beaches, but it is also home to some of the most prestigious universities in the United States. The higher education opportunities available are as varied as the diverse culture that characterizes San Diego. Below is a list of the main characteristics that define each of the described centers of higher education, some requirements to get into the universities, scholarships and rankings. Let’s start analyzing the amount of academic opportunities in San Diego!
What is the difference between «university», «college» and «community college»?
In the United States, the terms college and university are sometimes used interchangeably to refer to higher education. However, there are differences between these two types of institutions. A college is an institution of higher education generally devoted almost exclusively to undergraduate or graduate study. Students, after completing a series of credits, receive their B.A. degree. (Bachelor of Arts) or a B.S. (Bachelor of Science). These degrees usually last 4 years. Sometimes each of the schools or faculties of a university is also referred to as a college.
The term University encompasses a broader concept and includes the different colleges. It is defined as a higher educational institution where undergraduate studies (B.A. and B.S.), master’s degrees, doctoral programs, as well as professional studies are offered. Colleges can be public or private. On the other hand, a community college is considered a higher education institution where students obtain professional certificates or diplomas after obtaining a series of credits. Upon completion of their studies, students earn an Associate’s Degree (A.S.). These degrees usually last 2 years.

San Diego County has 14 universities and colleges, as well as 8 community colleges. Founded in 1897 as a training college for elementary school teachers, San Diego State University (SDSU) is the oldest and largest higher education institution in the surrounding area. It is the third largest university in the state of California.

Starting out with just seven faculty and 91 students meeting above a downtown drugstore, it is now a public research university that has around 7,700 faculty and staff and more than 35,000 students.

In its early days, the curriculum was limited to the study of English, history and mathematics. The modern SDSU now offers a vast range of subjects, comprising 91 undergraduate courses, 78 masters’ programmes and 22 doctoral degrees.

The university has a broad international outlook. Over 2,000 of its students annually take advantage of the 400 or so programs it offers in 67 countries worldwide. Additionally, SDSU welcomes more than 2,300 international students each year to its institution from a large variety of countries including China, Saudi Arabia and many European countries.

SDSU is a State Grant University and has been classified as a “research high” university by the Carnegie Foundation. It particularly prides itself on the programs it offers in business, engineering, public health and education, among others.

Since 2000 it has received more than $1 billion in grants and from other contracts, to be used for research and programme administration. It spends roughly $120 million a year on research.

Many of the university’s buildings are listed on the national register of historic places, including the central Hepner Hall, which can also be found on the university’s emblem and seal.

The university is also home to the Malcolm A. Love library, which comprises more than two million books, around 140,000 e-books, a modern media centre and 24/7 study rooms. It also acts as both a state and federal depository library.

SDSU has an alumni network more than 280,000 strong. Some notable people that went to the university include American actors Gregory Peck and Raquel Welch, and the CEO of Costco, Jim Sinegal.