Page 82 - 2022-2023 Travel Guide to California

SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Warm sunshine, theme parks, museums and miles of sand and sea
B Y M A R I B E T H M E L L I N
TOP CITIES
San Diego, Coronado, Chula Vista, La Jolla, Del Mar,
Encinitas, Solana Beach, Carlsbad, Oceanside,
Escondido, El Cajon, Julian, Borrego Springs
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY
San Diego International Airport (SAN), also known as
Lindbergh Field, is conveniently located on the edge
of downtown
TOURISM WEBSITES
sandiego.org lajollabythesea.com
coronadovisitorcenter.com visitdelmarvillage.com
visitcarlsbad.com visitoceanside.org
visitjulian.com visitescondido.com
borregospringschamber.com sandiegowildlifealliance.org
POPULATION
3.3 million
California has no shortage of beach towns, but San Diego is its only “beach
city,” where the state’s second-largest population enjoys 70 miles of scenic
coastline and 70-degree temperatures. Outdoor fun and family-oriented
attractions are the main lures, but San Diego takes the “city” part seriously, too.
Artistic and intellectual pursuits enjoy deep support here. Writers, artists, musi-
cians and scientists find inspiration while surfing at La Jolla Shores or jogging
in Mission Bay Park. The Tony Award-winning Old Globe and La Jolla Playhouse
send plays to Broadway frequently. Scientific landmarks including the Salk Insti-
tute for Biological Studies and Scripps Institution of Oceanography are magnets
for some of the world’s brightest minds.
Downtown’s diversions alone could easily fill a week. New, exciting restau-
rants, clubs and shops pop up in trendy neighborhoods, creating a constant
buzz. The Embarcadero tracing San Diego Bay’s edge offers access to the USS
Midway aircraft carrier; the Maritime Museum with its landmark Star of India
and newer San Salvador, a replica of Spanish explorers’ ships; the expansive
Waterfront Park; and the San Diego Convention Center.
Cruise ships berth at the foot of Broadway and passengers into San Diego
International Airport fly over high-rise towers to land just northwest of down-
town. Hotels of every description and hip-quotient are scattered throughout the
city’s core, making it a desirable place to stay.
SAN
DIEGO
COUNTY
A Bridge to Coronado
The swooping San Diego-Coronado Bridge connects downtown to Coronado, a
genteel city with an active Navy base and one of the world’s loveliest beaches.
Its “island” actually is a peninsula tethered to the mainland by the Silver Strand,
80 2022-23 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA