Page 72 - 2025-2026 Travel Guide to California

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), formerly known
as Lindbergh Field, is conveniently located on the edge
of downtown
TOURISM WEBSITES
sandiego.org lajolla.com
coronadovisitorcenter.com visitdelmarvillage.com
visitcarlsbad.com visitoceanside.org
visitjulian.com visitescondido.com
borregospringschamber.com
POPULATION
3,300,000
SAN
DIEGO
COUNTY
70 2025-26 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA
SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Beautiful beaches, sunshine and more
B Y M A R I B E T H M E L L I N
California has no shortage of beach towns, but San Diego is where the state’s
second-largest city by population enjoys 70 miles of scenic coastline
and an average annual high temperature of 70 degrees. 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, musicians 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 Institute 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.
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 loveliest beaches. Its “island”
actually is a peninsula tethered to the mainland by the Silver Strand, a narrow