San Diego - "America's Finest City"
San Diego, clean, crisp, polished, has a perfect temperature, a dramatic
coast, stunning scenery, interesting places to see, activities to please
everyone, but above all, it has “good vibrations”- the Beach Boy mellow life
blending seamlessly with the chic and upscale.
It’s city, mesa, country and desert; crashing surf, stretches of beach and
fruitful fields. With cliffs leading to the sea, year-round average temperature
of 65°, Spanish- influenced architecture, and flowers, hanging, terraced and
tiered, it has the feel of a Mediterranean coastal town. Trendy yet not flashy,
it is a place where military order coexists with surfer lifestyle; where
historic roots underlay transitory fads.
People like to live here, so much so that, like the rest of coastal
California, it is densely populated. However, with a landscape of cliffs rising
up from the vast Pacific, a large, open bay and an expansive coastline, it does
not have the feel of urban sprawl. Neatly tucked between Freeway 5 and the San
Diego Harbor, downtown San Diego does not overwhelm. Similarly, communities in
the larger San Diego County, nestled up on hills, down in valleys, in small
coves and hugging the coastline, break up its population mass.
The first Europeans to discover the protective bay were Spanish explorers
venturing up the coast in 1542. They claimed the region for Spain in 1769,
establishing in establishing the first mission and first presidio, or fort, on
the west coast what is now Old Town. In the early 1800s, Mexican families
settled in the area; Americans joined them in 1848 following the ceding of
California to the U.S. The Old Town ambience today reflects both influences.
As the Spanish explorers had before them, the U.S. Navy found San Diego Bay
ideally suited for its fleet, establishing in 1919 what has become the homeport
of the Pacific Fleet. A source of pride to San Diegans, the naval presence lends
a distinct character to the area. Multifaceted fleet support, including repair
and training, is its mission, and San Diego Bay is busy with naval activity.
Huge aircraft are a sight to see; elite Navy SEALS dart around in small training
craft; submarines line up at Point Loma; welders’ sparks fly off destroyers
docked in the shipyard; Top Guns come in for landings in Coronado.
As “America’s Finest City,” San Diego has a lot to live up to and it
does not disappoint.
Take a San Diego tour first to get your bearings. Then, walk along the Embarcadero,
pausing to admire the Star of India or to climb through the USS Midway. Find a souvenir, fly a kite or grab a bite to eat in Seaport Village. Experience 19th century San Diego in the historic adobe and wood
buildings of Old Town where you’ll also find chalupas and tacos
prepared the authentic Mexican way. Spend a day at the San Diego Zoo but be sure to spend an evening of fine dining or dance the night
away in the trendy Gaslamp Quarter.
About the Author: Experience 19th century San Diego in the historic adobe and wood
buildings of Old Town where you’ll also find chalupas and tacos
prepared the authentic Mexican way.
B. Hayo
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