Introduction
America's self-styled 'finest city', San Diego is wonderfully laid back, blessed with brilliant year-round weather, beautiful beaches, and plenty of family-friendly attractions. Its coastline dazzles with gorgeous sandy bays and surf spots, and its village-style neighbourhoods are a delight to explore.
San Diego beaches
Located just a short hop from California's southern border with Mexico, San Diego's 70 miles of beaches, rocky cliffs, coves and seaside resorts provide plenty of opportunities for leisure activities. Mission Bay is a great base for first time visitors, perfect for walking, biking and rollerblading. Mission Beach and Pacific Beach are also not to be missed.
San Diego neighbourhoods
La Jolla is an elegant coastal neighbourhood of elegant homes, stylish boutiques and enticing cafés, as well as a colony of sea lions that grace the rocks around La Jolla Cove, while Coronado Island is home to 'California's best beach' and retains a distinctly village feel since being developed in the late 19th century as 'the largest seaside resort in the world'. Elsewhere, San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter provides one of the most exciting downtown areas in the US, with more than 100 restaurants, and 40 clubs and bars, including the Altitude Sky Lounge above Petco Park baseball stadium.
Attractions for all ages
Families will want to take a citywide trolley tour to uncover the major landmarks, discover the renowned San Diego Zoo, take the kids to Legoland, and tour culture-filled Balboa Park, home to the city's Botanical Gardens and 25 different museums, including the Science Centre and Natural History Museum. San Diego is also a city made for outdoor activities, from surfing, sailing and sea kayaking to hiking and golf; there's more than 92 courses dotted throughout the surrounding coast and countryside.
