Southern California way of life in San Diego
Many would even say San Diego is the most beautiful city in the US. Located close to the Mexican border, smaller than Los Angeles, with a better climate than San Francisco. With endless sandy beaches stretching from Mexican Tijuana all the way to Los Angeles.
Mexican Influence
Many streets and quarters bear Spanish names, but aside from the Old Town, there is no visible Mexican influence. Nowadays, in this primarily tourist district, all of the buildings have been refurbished into galleries, stores, cafe bars and restaurants, mostly with Mexican cuisine. This part of the city is a must-see for any visitor coming to the south for the first time. Although it is fun in the evening, nothing much goes on there during the day.
Gaslamp Quarter
San Diego has many other points of interest to offer. The Gaslamp Quarter is another attractive district. Not just for nightlife, but also to go shopping or visit cinemas and theatres.
Once a desolate and empty downtown, located between the 4th and 6th Avenue at the very heart of the city, it has been successfully renovated and revived. Now boasts a large shopping mall, a multitude of small restaurants with live music, and the indispensable Hard Rock Cafe.
Founded by Spanish missionaries
The city lies on the smooth sandy beaches of the Pacific. Geostrategically, it is very important for the navy. So it’s no wonder that it is precisely here that one of the biggest naval bases is located. The city was founded by Spanish missionaries back in the time when the entire territory was under Mexican rule, before the founding of the USA.
The summers are not too hot, with an average temperature of 22°C. The winters are mild, with temperatures rarely going below 14°C, and the best time to visit is in the fall. Most people take a day trip across the border (no visa necessary) to Tijuana to send postcards, but this place has little to do with the real Mexico so it’s a waste of time. The lines on the border to enter the US can be miles long due to strict control.
Beaches and attractions
The most popular beaches are Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, and La Jolla Shores. A great place is the trendy town of La Jolla, where everyone who’s anyone in Southern California has their multi-million dollar mansions.
Mission Beach is a long sandy beach like the ones you would see in movies. You can see all kinds of people there playing all kinds of sports. From bodybuilding on the beach to phenomenal players of the street basket. The coastline is studded with cafe bars, restaurants, and hotels.
The greatest all-day attractions are the SeaWorld amusement park, San Diego Zoo as one of the best in the world, and the Wild Animal Park, a real game reserve. For me, this city is special because I have been visiting it since the early 1980s, and have witnessed the growth and development of the city and its surroundings.
Californian spirit
It is precisely the smaller towns surrounding it that makeup that Californian spirit of life on the beach. After work, their residents go to the beach. Although the ocean is cold and not very inviting for swimming like the Adriatic, people jump on the waves, surf, and kids play in the shallow waters.
San Diego is one of the most pleasant cities on the continent to live in, and thus a good choice to serve as a base in California. It deserves at least a week’s stay.
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