San Diego

Relatively free from smog and byzantine freeways, SAN DIEGO , set around a gracefully curving bay, represents the acceptable face of southern California. The second biggest city in California may be affluent and conservative, but it's also easygoing and far from smug. Although it was the site of the first mission in California, the city only really took off with the arrival of the Santa Fe Railroad in the 1880s, and in terms of trade and significance it has long been in the shadow of Los Angeles. However, during World War II the US Navy made San Diego its Pacific Command Center, and the military continues to dominate the local economy, along with tourism.

More about San Diego:

The City

San Diego

• San Diego
The City
Arrival, information and getting around
Eating
Nightlife

Explore San Diego

Anza-Borrego Desert
Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo
Downtown San Diego and Coronado
Hillcrest, Ocean Beach and Point Loma
Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach and La Jolla
Old Town San Diego and Presidio Hill
Tijuana: A taste of Mexico

California cities


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