San Diego > City Overview

San Diego is perhaps most revered for its halcyon firmament. The city was actually voted the only area in the United States with perfect weather conditions (Holiday Magazine). The average annual temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius), and a typical day is sunny and mild with low humidity. Last winter, for example, temperatures in San Diego were recorded at 72 degrees 86-percent of the time—that’s tough to beat. Just as attractive as the city’s weather, is its undying heritage. San Diego boasts a strong Hispanic history, dating back to the 18th century when Spanish missionaries encroached on the area converting its native inhabitants to Christianity and turning them into productive citizens of Spain. Four missions throughout the county, Presidio Park and the neighborhood of Old Town are just a few of the locales that reflect the city’s Spanish influence.   In 1867 San Francisco merchant Alonzo Horton founded San Diego’s New Town. It wasn’t long before people began to recognize the quality of real estate available in the San Diego area. With word of its growth spreading in all directions, hundreds of businesses, residences and hotels began to crop up all over the city. By 1920, Balboa Park had been established and the acclaimed Hotel Coronado was in operation. The San Diego Harbor also became one of the most prominent seaports in the country.   With a population of about 1,110, 554 (1990) people, San Diego is the second largest city in California. Residents and visitors alike enjoy the crystalline oceans and white-sand beaches, the city’s devotion to the cultural arts, as well as its close proximity to cities like Los Angeles and Tijuana. San Diego has become a Mecca for both California and Mexican cuisine, with countless restaurants scattered in every neighborhood. With such variegated ecosystems in proximity of the city, athletic and educational opportunities abound during the day. And when the sun dips behind the San Diego Harbor, there are a number of nighttime opportunities to choose from. San Diego is as diverse as it is sunny, which is why it continues to flourish as one of the countries most frequented tourist destinations.