San Diego, California
San Diego is a coastal
Southern California city located in the southwestern corner of the
continental United States. As of 2005, the city has a population of 1,305,736 people. It is the second
largest city in California and the eighth largest in the
United States . It lies just north of the Mexican border (shares border with
Tijuana, Mexico), and is a home for
United States Navy and
Marine Corps bases, many miles of beaches, and a mild marine climate. The annual mean temperature is 64.4 degrees Fahrenheit (18°
C). San Diego's economy centers on tourism, trade, agriculture, ship-building, the military, biotechnology, computer science and electronics.
The
University of California, San Diego and nearby research institutes on Torrey Mesa provide a base for technological innovation and there are numerous high-tech and
biotech companies in the area, such as
Qualcomm,
Neurocrine, and Illumina. Major tourists attactions include the city's beaches and bays,
Balboa Park with its many museums, the
San Diego Zoo,
Sea World,
San Diego Wild Animal Park (in Escondido, north of the city) and
Old Town, the site of the original Spanish settlement.
Downtown San Diego is located on
San Diego Bay.
Coronado and
Point Loma separate the bay from the ocean. Ocean Beach is on the west side of Point Loma. Mission Beach and Pacific Beach lie between the ocean and Mission Bay, a man-made aquatic park. La Jolla, an affluent community, lies north of Pacific Beach. Mount Soledad in La Jolla offers views from northern San Diego County to Mexico.
Mountains rise to the east of the city, and beyond the mountains are desert areas. Cleveland National Forest is a half-hour drive from downtown San Diego. Numerous farms are found in the valleys northeast of the city. The city of San Diego itself has deep canyons separating its mesas, creating small pockets of natural parkland scattered throughout the city.
Military bases in or near San Diego include
U.S. Navy ports,
Marine Corps bases, and
Coast Guard stations. San Diego is the home port of the largest naval fleet in the world, including two Navy
supercarriers (the
USS Nimitz and the
USS Ronald Reagan), five
amphibious assault ships, several
Los Angeles-class submarines, and many smaller ships.
One of the Marine Corps' two
Recruit Depots is located here. San Diego is also known as the "birthplace of
naval aviation," although
Pensacola,
Florida makes a rival claim.
Four Navy vessels have been named
USS San Diego in honor of the city.
The area has long been inhabited by the
Kumeyaay people. The first European to visit the region was
Portuguese explorer
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, Cabrillo claimed the bay for Spain in 1542. The site was named San Miguel by Cabrillo. On Nov. 12, 1602, Don Sebastian de Viscaíno came ashore with his party on the day of
St. Didacus (More commonly known as San Diego) and celebrated a mass in the saint's honor. By coincidence, Viscaíno's flagship was named San Diego. He renamed the place San Diego after the 15th-century saintIn
1769, the
Presidio of San Diego (military post), which overlooks Old Town, was established almost at the same time as the
Mission San Diego de Alcala by the
Franciscan friars led by
Junípero Serra. By
1797 the mission had become the largest in California, (over 1,400 natives were associated with it), but its fortunes declined in the
1830s when it lost its township status.
With the end of the
Mexican-American War and the
gold rush of
1848, San Diego was designated the seat of the newly-established San Diego County and was incorporated as a city in
1850. In the years before
World War I, the anti-capitalist labor union
IWW had a major impact on labor struggles in San Diego. ([
1]).
Significant U.S. Naval presence began in
1907 with the establishment of the Navy Coaling Station, which gave further impetus to the development of the town. San Diego hosted two
World's Fairs, the
Panama-California Exposition in
1915 and the
California Pacific International Exposition in
1935. Many of the Spanish/Baroque-style buildings in the city's Balboa Park were built for these expositions (especially for the one in 1915). Intended to be temporary structures, most remained in continuous use until they progressively fell into disrepair. All were eventually rebuilt using castings of the original facades to faithfully retain the architectural style.
After
World War II, the military played an increasing role in the local economy. But at the end of the
Cold War the local economy experienced a downturn due to cutbacks in the local defense and aerospace industry. San Diego leaders sought to diversify the city's economy, and San Diego has since become a major center of the emerging biotech industry. It is also home to telecommunications giant
Qualcomm.
A series of scandals has rocked the city in recent years. With mounting pressure due to underfunding of pensions for city employees that began prior to his administration, Mayor Dick Murphy, in April
2005, announced his intention to resign by mid-July. A few days after his resignation two city councilmembers,
Ralph Inzunza and deputy mayor
Michael Zucchet were convicted of taking bribes in a scheme to get the city's "no touch" laws at strip clubs repealed. Both subsequently resigned. The judge set aside (overturned) the guilty verdict in the case of Michael Zucchet.
On
November 28,
2005, U.S. Congressman
Randy "Duke" Cunningham resigned over a
bribery scandal.
Cunningham represented
California's 50th congressional district, which mostly lies outside (north) of the city of San Diego proper. He is currently serving a one-hundred month sentence in prison.
Downtown San Diego has been enjoying an urban renewal since the
1980s, beginning with the opening of
Horton Plaza, the revival of the
Gaslamp Quarter, and the construction of the
San Diego Convention Center. The Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC), San Diego's downtown redevelopment agency, has transformed what was a largely abandoned downtown into a glittering showcase of waterfront
skyscrapers, live-work loft developments,
five-star hotels and a slew of
cafes,
restaurants and shops.
The North Embarcadero is slated to have parks in addition to a waterfront promenade. And Balboa Park will be linked to downtown with a view corridor. The recent boom in the construction of condos and skyscrapers has brought with it a
gentrification frenzy, and some people are concerned that speculators have played too big a role in the condo market downtown. In the meantime, the city is committed to a "smart growth" development scheme that would increase density along transit corridors in older neighborhoods (the "City of Villages" planning concept.) Some neighborhoods are resisting this planning approach. But "mixed-use" development has had its successes, especially the award-winning Uptown Shopping Center in Hillcrest.
The latest accomplishment of CCDC has been the recent inauguration of
PETCO Park. The once-industrial East Village adjacent to the new ballpark is now the new frontier in San Diego's downtown urban renewal.
 |
San Diego's skyline at night |
As of the
census of 2000, there were 1,223,400 people, 450,691 households, and 271,315 families residing in the city. The
population density was 3,771.9 people per
square mile (1,456.4/km²). There were 469,689 housing units at an average density of 1,448.1 per square mile (559.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 60.18%
White, 7.86%
African American, 0.62%
Native American, 13.65%
Asian, 0.48%
Pacific Islander, 12.39% from
other races, and 4.83% from two or more races. 25.40% of the population are
Hispanic or
Latino of any race. The city's Asian ethnicities breakdown accordingly: Filipino (6.1%), Vietnamese (2.2%), Chinese (1.9%), Other Asian (1.5%), Japanese (0.8%), Korean (0.6%), Asian Indian (0.6%).
There were 450,691 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were
married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 12.4% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,733, and the median income for a family was $53,060. Males had a median income of $36,984 versus $31,076 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $23,609. About 10.6% of families and 14.6% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 20.0% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.
Current estimates
According to estimates by the
San Diego Association of Governments, the
median household income of San Diego in
2005 was $62,085 (not adjusted for
inflation). When adjusted for inflation (
1999 dollars; comparable to
Census data above), the median household income was $50,415.
Communities and neighborhoods
Northern: Bay Ho, Bay Park,
Carmel Valley, Clairemont Mesa, Del Mar Heights,
La Jolla, La Jolla Village,
Mission Beach, North City, North Clairemont,
Pacific Beach, Torrey Pines,
University CityNortheastern: Carmel Mountain,
Miramar,
Mira Mesa,
Rancho Bernardo,
Rancho Peñasquitos, Sabre Springs,
Scripps Ranch,
Sorrento ValleyEastern: Allied Gardens, Birdland,
Del Cerro, Grantville, Kearny Mesa, Lake Murray, San Carlos, Serra Mesa,
TierrasantaWestern:
Hillcrest, La Playa, Linda Vista, Loma Portal, Midtown, Midway District, Mission Bay Park, Mission Hills,
Mission Valley, Morena,
North Park,
Ocean Beach, Old Town, Point Loma Heights, Roseville-Fleetridge, Sunset Cliffs,
University Heights, Wooded Area
Central:
Balboa Park, Banker's Hill, Barrio Logan, Core-Columbia, Cortez,
Gaslamp Quarter,
Golden Hill, Grant Hill, Harborview,
Little Italy,
Logan Heights, Marina, Memorial, Park West, Sherman Heights,
South Park, Stockton
Mid-City:
City Heights,
College Area, Darnall, El Cerrito, Gateway, Kensington,
Normal Heights, Oak Park, Rolando, Talmadge, Webster
Southeastern: Alta Vista, Bay Terrace, Broadway Heights, Chollas View, Emerald Hills, Encanto, Jamacha-Lomita, Lincoln Park, Mountain View,
Mt. Hope, Paradise Hills, Shelltown, Skyline, Southcrest, Valencia Park
Southern: Egger Highlands, Nestor, Ocean Crest, Otay Mesa, Palm City,
San Ysidro, Tijuana River Valley
Tagged one of six centers of innovation, San Diego has strengthened its economy. The unemployment rate has been low and San Diego business entrepreneurs and civic leaders are said to be building one of the great technology regions of the twenty-first century.
In
1976, Price Club, now
Costco, launched a new concept in retail distribution, the
warehouse club with its first location on Morena Boulevard.
San Diego's leaders made a commitment in the
1980s to diversify the economy and encourage the growth of high technology companies. They were motivated by the desire to move away from the boom or bust cycles that dependence on two core industries (tourism and national defense) created. No one could have predicted the success and speed with which the region would develop key technology industries. Thanks to cross fertilization of venture capital, entrepreneurs and a growing research community, San Diego's core technology sectors have become leading centers for
biotechnology,
communications and
software development.
Life sciences, computer sciences, communications
In June 2004 San Diego was ranked the No. 1 biotech cluster in the U.S. by the Milken Institute. The honor was bestowed for the region's climate of innovation and success in bringing products to market, establishing new companies, and creating jobs. Recently, Biosite Inc.'s Triage® Cardio ProfilER and Biogen IDEC's Zevalin™ have joined Agouron (now Pfizer) Pharmaceuticals' Viracept®, Ligand Pharmaceuticals' Targretin®, and Biogen IDEC's Rituxan® as successful products developed in San Diego. Corporate giants Merck, Pfizer, Dow, Novartis and others have developed key partnerships with local biotech pioneers, fostering growth while providing companies with the financial freedom to develop innovative new products.
Much of the credit for San Diego's revitalized economy goes to the
University of California, San Diego, which is world-class in its academic quality and home to many Nobel Prize winners and members of the National Academy of Sciences. UCSD shares its Torrey Pines location with the world renowned
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the
Salk Institute, the
Scripps Research Institute, and the
Burnham Research Institute.
Together with UCSD's Medical Center, these outstanding research institutions have created a critical mass of technological innovation, providing the seedbed for start-up companies in biotech, software development, wireless communications, pharmaceutical development and medical equipment manufacturing.
San Diego's biotechnology community is the third largest in the country. San Diego's communications industry is one of the fastest growing in the country and has earned San Diego the title of
wireless communications capital of the world.
San Diego is also known for developing wireless cellular technology. Qualcomm Incorporated was founded here and is headquartered here, and the company is the county's largest private-sector technology employer (excluding hospitals), with more than 6,000 employees in San Diego
.Nokia, Motorola, Ericsson, and Texas Instruments also have research and development labs in San Diego, principally focused on cloning Qualcomm's CDMA cellular technology.
The economy of San Diego is also influenced by its port, which includes the only major shipbuilding yard on the West Coast, as well as the naval base.
San Diego enjoys mild, sunny weather throughout the year. Average monthly temperatures range from about 57 Fahrenheit (14°C) in January to 72 Fahrenheit (22°C) in July, although late summer and early autumn are typically the hottest times of the year. Snow and ice do not occur in the wintertime. "May gray and June gloom", a local saying, refers to the way in which San Diego sometimes has trouble shaking off the
fog that comes in during those months. Temperatures soar to very high readings only on rare occasions, chiefly when easterly winds bring hot, dry air from the inland deserts (these winds are called "Santa Anas"). The average annual precipitation is less than 12 inches (300
mm), resulting in a borderline arid climate. Rainfall is strongly concentrated in the cooler half of the year, particularly the months December through March. The summer months are virtually rainless. Rainfall is highly variable from year to year and from month to month, and San Diego is subject to both droughts and floods. Thunderstorms and hurricanes are very rare.
Climate in the San Diego area often varies dramatically over short geographical distances, due to the city's topography (the Bay, and the numerous hills, mountains, and canyons): frequently, particularly during the "May gray / June gloom" period, a thick "marine layer"
cloud cover will keep the air cool and damp within a few miles of the coast, but will yield to bright cloudless sunshine between about 5 and 15 miles inland -- the cities of
El Cajon and
Santee, for example, rarely experience the cloud cover. This phenomenon is known as
microclimate.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | | Avg high °F (°C) | 66 (19) | 66 (19) | 66 (19) | 69 (21) | 69 (21) | 72 (22) | 76 (24) | 78 (26) | 77 (25) | 74 (23) | 70 (21) | 66 (19) | 71 (22) |
|---|
| Avg low °F (°C) | 50 (10) | 52 (11) | 54 (12) | 56 (13) | 60 (16) | 63 (17) | 66 (19) | 67 (19) | 66 (19) | 61 (16) | 54 (12) | 49 (9) | 58 (14) |
|---|
| Rainfall inches (millimeters) | 2.28 (57.9) | 2.04 (51.8) | 2.26 (57.4) | 0.75 (19.0) | 0.20 (5.1) | 0.09 (2.3) | 0.03 (0.8) | 0.09 (2.3) | 0.21 (5.3) | 0.44 (11.2) | 1.07 (27.2) | 1.31 (33.3) | 10.77 (273.6) |
|---|
Source: Weather.com[Weather.com] |
San Diego has had a declining
crime rate since the early
1990s. In
1991 the number of murders was 167, in
2005 the number of murders was only 98. San Diego is now the "sixth-safest U.S. city among those with populations of 500,000 or greater."
High schools
Colleges and universities
*
San Diego State University, SDSU (
California State University)
*
University of California, San Diego, UCSD (
University of California)
*
University of San Diego, USD (
Roman Catholic)
*
Alliant International University, AIU (Formerly United States International University-USIU)
*
NewSchool of Architecture & Design*
Point Loma Nazarene University, PLNU (
Nazarene)
*
National University*
Pacific Oaks College*
San Diego Community College District, (
San Diego City College,
San Diego Mesa College,
San Diego Miramar CollegeAccredited law schools
*
California Western School of Law -
California Western School of Law Website*
Thomas Jefferson School of Law -
Thomas Jefferson School of Law Website*
University of San Diego School of Law -
University of San Diego School of Law WebsiteSan Diego has a strong Mexican influence due to its proximity to the international border between the United States and
Mexico. In addition, San Diego has other significant immigrant communities. Older immigrant groups include those from
Sicily and
Portugal, which settled in Little Italy and Point Loma respectively. Newer immigrants have arrived from former
Soviet Republics (notably
Ukraine,
Russia and
Caucasia),
Greece, the
Philippines,
South East Asia,
China,
India, the
Pacific Islands,
Iraq,
Lebanon,
Iran,
Brazil,
Turkey, the
Horn of Africa and
South Africa. The city council banned smoking in public parks and on public beaches.
Cuisine
Owing to its privileged position on the Pacific Ocean and its warm Mediterranean-like climate, San Diego enjoys an abundance of quality produce and dining. The renowned Chino Farms in nearby Rancho Santa Fe provides fresh organic produce both to local restaurants and to restaurants in San Francisco and other cities. There is also a wine growing industry in San Pasqual Valley and Temecula.
Given its ethnic and cultural mix, it is not surprising that San Diego has a wide range of cuisines. One can find Mexican, Italian, French, Spanish, Greek, Latin, German, Indian, Central and East Asian, Middle Eastern and Pacific Islander food throughout the city. In addition, there are numerous seafood restaurants and steakhouses. The city's long history and close proximity to Mexico has endowed the area with an extensive variety of Mexican restaurants. Regional homemade specialties, border fare and haute cuisine are all readily available.
San Diego's warm, dry climate and access to the ocean have also made it a center for fishing and for the growing of fruit and vegetables. Long a center of the tuna industry, San Diego benefits from an abundant supply of seafood.
Many of the most popular restaurants can be found in the Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy, La Jolla, Hillcrest and Old Town.
Local specialties include:
* Mexican (carne asada, rolled tacos, burritos, fish tacos, enchiladas, and ceviche)
* Woodfired, California-style pizza
* Salads made from fresh, local produce (including
Caesar, Greek, Mixed, and
Caprese Salads)
* Southern Italian pastas, panini, and pizzas
* Shish kebab, shashlyk, and Gyros
* Southeast Asian specialties of all kinds.
* Locally produced, artisan bread
* Local
Wines (San Pasqual Valley, Rancho Bernardo)
* A vibrant craft brewing community featuring 22 brewpubs, microbreweries and one regional specialty brewery (Stone Brewing). San Diego brewers have become famous for pioneering several specialty beer styles, most noteably the American
Double India Pale Ale. Three San Diego County breweries are consistently rated in the Top 10 breweries in the world by RateBeer.com (
AleSmith Brewing Company, Pizza Port/Port Brewing, and
Stone Brewing Co.)
* Locally produced (from the mountains near Julian) hard and sweet apple cider
* Various fruits and vegetables (including avocados, tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, eggplant, oranges, lemons, limes, strawberries, grapefruit, grapes, apples, pomegranates, persimmons, and melons)
Several chain restaurants made their start in San Diego. These include
Jack in the Box,
Pat & Oscar's,
Souplantation (March 1978),
Rubio's (1980s), and Anthony's Fish Grotto (1950s). Rubio's fish tacos were also featured at the
1996 Republican National Convention which was held in San Diego.
Events
*
Annual Open Air Book Fair*
Comic-Con*
Holiday Bowl*
Poinsettia Bowl*
Street Scene music festival
Shopping malls
* Fashion Valley Mall, Fashion Valley
*
Westfield Shoppingtown, Mission Valley
*
Westfield Shoppingtown,
Horton Plaza* College Grove
*
Westfield Shoppingtown, University Towne Centre
* The Shops at Las Americas (also a U.S.-Mexico Port of Entry walkway and Duty-Free centre)
* The San Diego Factory Outlet
Sites of interest
San Diego is a major tourist destination, attracting visitors from all over the world. Among the many attractions are its beaches, climate, and deserts. Noted San Diego tourist attractions include:
*
Balboa Park *
Belmont Park (San Diego)Berkeley,
ferryboat
* Birch Aquarium at the
Scripps Institution of Oceanography*
Black's Beach nude beach*
Cabrillo National Monument at
Point Loma*
Chicano Park*
Downtown San Diego*
Dryden District (Proposed), North Park -- A "Living Museums" of Craftsman Era Architecture
*
Gaslamp Quarter*
Hillcrest, San Diego, California Neighborhood
*
La Casa de Estudillo *
La Jolla*
La Jolla Cove*
Legoland Carlsbad*
Little Italy (see also
Little Italy in other cities around the world including in U.S. cities)
*
MCAS Miramar Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and
Miramar Airshow*
Mission Bay Park
*
Mission Beach Roller Coaster at
Belmont Park*
Mission San Diego de Alcala *
Mount Soledad*
Old Globe Theatre*
Old Mission Dam in
Mission Trails Regional Park*
Old Town*
Pacific Beach*
Petco Park*
Point Loma*
Presidio of San Diego*
Qualcomm Stadium*
Salk Institute for Biological Studies*
San Diego Aerospace Museum*
San Diego Chinese Historical Museum*
San Diego Wild Animal Park*
San Diego Zoo*
Seaport Village*
SeaWorldStar of India,
barque sailing ship
*
Torrey Pines Golf Course*
Torrey Pines State Reserve*
University of California, San Diego*
USS Midway (CV-41),
aircraft carrier museum(* An asterisk designates
National Historic Landmarks)
San Diego is about two hours south of
Los Angeles, California and north adjacent to
Tijuana, Baja California,
Mexico.
Sports
San Diego has several sports venues. Jack Murphy Field at
Qualcomm Stadium hosts
football and
soccer games. Three Super Bowls have been held there. Baseball can be seen at
Petco Park and
Tony Gwynn Stadium.
iPayOne Center, formerly the
San Diego Sports Arena, hosts
basketball, which is also hosted at
Cox Arena at Aztec Bowl.
Jenny Craig Pavilion at the
University of San Diego hosts basketball and
volleyball games.
SDSU Aztecs (
MWC) and the
USD Toreros (
WCC) are
NCAA Division I teams. The
UCSD Tritons (
CCAA) are members of the
NCAA Division II while the
PLNU Sea Lions (
GSAC) are members of the
NAIA.
San Diego has been the home of two
NBA franchises, the first of which was called the San Diego Rockets. The Rockets represented the city of San Diego from 1967 until 1971. After the conclusion of the 1970-1971 season, they moved to Texas where they became the
Houston Rockets. Seven years later, San Diego received a relocated
NBA franchise (the Buffalo Braves), which was re-named the San Diego Clippers. The Clippers played in the San Diego Sports Arena from 1978 until 1984. Prior to the start of the 1984-1985 season, the team was moved to Los Angeles, and is now called the
Los Angeles Clippers.
Other sports franchises that represented San Diego include the
San Diego Conquistadors of the
American Basketball Association, the
San Diego Sockers (which played in various indoor and outdoor soccer leagues during their existence), the
San Diego Spirit of the
Women's United Soccer Association, the
San Diego Mariners of the
World Hockey Association, and the
San Diego Gulls who were in different hockey leagues during each of their three incarnations.
The annual
Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in the city draws 20,000 participants annually.
Media
San Diego is served by the daily newspaper,
The San Diego Union-Tribune and the alternative newsweekly, the
San Diego Reader. Another newspaper with high readership in the region is the
North County Times, which serves San Diego's
North County area.
San Diego's television stations include
XETV 6 (
FOX),
KFMB 8 (
CBS),
KGTV 10 (
ABC),
KPBS 15 (
PBS),
KBNT 17 (
Univision),
XHAS 33 (
Telemundo),
KNSD 39 (
NBC),
XHDTV 49 (
UPN),
KUSI 51 (Independent), and
KSWB 69 (
WB).
*The film still regarded by many critics as the best of all time,
Orson Welles'
Citizen Kane, was partially filmed in and around Balboa Park. Some of the buildings were undergoing renovations, and while vacant, the interiors were used to represent Kane's expansive residence. The San Diego Zoo, fully contained within the park to this day, represented Kane's private menagerie.
*San Diego is the primary setting and filming location for the
1986 movie
Top Gun about the real-life
TOPGUN program. At the time the movie was made, the TOPGUN program was based at the former Naval Air Station Miramar, which is currently the
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in San Diego. The bar featured in the movie's
piano scene, Kansas City BBQ, is on the corner of Kettner Boulevard and West Harbor Drive (near the Manchester
Grand Hyatt hotel) and contains memorabilia from the film.
*Other military films and TV series have used the San Diego Naval and Marine bases, aircraft carriers, and other facilities for their projects over the past 50 years or so.
*San Diego and
Los Angeles are part of the futuristic utopian
megacity San Angeles in the
1993 movie
Demolition Man.
*In the comic book series
Aquaman, half of San Diego was plunged into the
Pacific Ocean by an
Earthquake. A large number of survivors who were unwittingly mutated into water-breathers due to related illegal genetic experimentation have formed a community known as "
Sub Diego" in the remains of the submerged portion of the city.
*The
fictional city of
Neptune, California (as portrayed in the hit television show
Veronica Mars) is said to be a
suburb of San Diego. The entire series is filmed in San Diego. Interior shots are filmed at Stu Seagall Productions, while many exterior shots have been filmed in the San Diego suburbs of La Jolla and
Rancho Santa Fe. The real Oceanside High School is used as Neptune High School, and San Diego State University has been used as Hearst College.
*San Diego of the
1970s is the setting for the
2004 comedy film
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy starring
Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy. The Burgundy character is partially inspired by former San Diego television news personalities. The climatic final scenes take place at the San Diego Zoo.
*
Reggie Bush, former star
USC and current
New Orleans Saints running back, often etches the number "619" on top of his black under eye markings as a tribute to the area code of South San Diego county
*In
Jurassic Park II, a
T-Rex rampaged through the city. The city was used as the setting of the second half of the film, where a new theme park was to be built (inspired by the actual San Diego Wild Animal Park). Many of the II scenes were filmed in downtown, the harbor, and ports, though the street scenes were filmed in Burbank, CA.
*The season two finale of television series
Quantum Leap, "M.I.A", was based around San Diego's Naval Base.
*Writer/Director
Cameron Crowe attended
University of San Diego High School and
San Diego City College. He later went "undercover" at
Clairemont High School as a student to observe the students, who were the basis for his book and screenplay
Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The semi-autobiographical
Almost Famous, which Crowe also directed and for which won the Oscar for Original Screenplay, shows numerous shots of San Diego, where main character William Miller grew up. Many of the concert scenes were filmed at the
San Diego Sports Arena, the building used as a stand-in for other cities' venues as well.
*In a
2002 episode of
Without A Trace, several agents head to San Diego to investigate the disappearance of a businessman. Several subsequent episodes were filmed with San Diego as the named locale, or as the actual filming location standing in for another city.
*The double-Oscar winning film
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World was partially filmed using real ships and replicas in
San Diego Harbor and sailing off the coast. The film made its World Premiere party in San Diego, with the film screening on deck of one of the ships, and with the film's star Russell Crowe in attendance.
*
Season 14 (
2004) of
The Real World was set in San Diego. The residents lived in
Point Loma, and their nightlife escapades took place primarily in
Pacific Beach.
*San Diego is home to the hit
Nickelodeon series
Drake & Josh. Most of the characters in the show live there.
*San Diego is the setting for the
1980s detective series
Simon and Simon.
*Much of the movie
Bring It On was filmed in various locations in San Diego, including several high schools (
Academy of Our Lady of Peace) and San Diego State University.
*Scenes from the
Academy Award-winning movie
Traffic were filmed in San Diego. Most of the film takes place in and around San Diego and the bordering city of Tijuana, Mexico.
*
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Wrestler and former World Heavyweight Champion
Rey Mysterio represents his hometown of San Diego by calling his finishing move 619, the area code of San Diego.
Freeways & Highways
As the automobile is the primary means of transportation for the region, the greater San Diego area is served by an extensive network of freeways and highways. This includes Interstates
5, which runs north to
Orange County and south to Mexico;
8, which runs east to
Imperial County and Arizona;
15, which runs north to
Riverside County; and
805, which splits from I-5 at Sorrento Valley and rejoins it before the Mexican border. Notable state highways are the
54 in the South Bay; the
125,
94, and
67 in the East County; the
56 and
78 in the North County; the
52 (La Jolla-Santee); and the
163 (Downtown-Miramar). The
San Diego-Coronado Bridge, which spans
San Diego Bay, is signed as part of
California State Route 75.
Several regional transportation projects have been undertaken in recent years to deal with increasing congestion problems on San Diego freeways. This includes a massive expansion of Interstates 5 and 805 around "The Merge," a notorious rush-hour spot where the two freeways meet. Also, an expansion of Interstate 15 through the
North County is underway with the concept of high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) "managed lanes" in the freeway median. A tollway (
The South Bay Expressway) linking State Route 54 and
Otay Mesa, near the Mexican border, is also under construction and is expected to open in 2007.
Public mass transportation
|
Trolley near Morena Blvd. in the area of the University of San Diego |
San Diego has
trolley, bus [
2],
Coaster [
3], and
Amtrak service. They primarily serve the downtown and uptown areas. The Amtrak and Coaster trains currently only run along the coastline. A planned trolley extension along the 5 Freeway will link up to the UTC/UCSD areas. Newly expanded Trolley routes and a new underground stop at San Diego State University opened in 2005, with more Coaster train stops and services to be added in 2006 and 2007.
The bus is available along almost all major routes within the city proper, although buses tend to be concentrated downtown and around various transit centers. Typical wait times vary from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the location and route. Trollies arrive every 5 to 15 minutes (depending on time of day), with lines extending from Old Town all the way south to the US-Mexico border in San Ysidro, and west-east from Old Town, traversing Mission Valley all the way to neighboring
El Cajon and
Santee. Ferries are also available every half hour crossing San Diego Bay to
Coronado.
Cycling
San Diego's roadway system provides an extensive network of routes for travel by bicycle. The dry and mild climate of San Diego makes cycling a convenient and pleasant year-round option although the city's hilly terrain and canyons somewhat restrict practical use -- a vast majority of cycling related activities are recreational.
Because of these factors and the great distances brought about by the city's growth during the era of California
car culture, while recreational cycling is enjoyable, cycling for utilitarian purposes in San Diego is generally limited. Older and denser neighborhoods around the downtown core tend to be friendlier to
utility cycling. This is partly because of the grid street patterns now absent in newer developments farther from the urban core, where suburban style arterial roads are much more common.
The city has several
segregated bike paths, particularly in newer developments although the majority of road facilities specifically for bicycles are painted on regular roadways.
Many San Diego cyclists belong to the
San Diego County Bicycle Coalition which upholds the rights and interests of cyclists throughout the county.
Air
San Diego International Airport, also known as Lindbergh International Airport or Lindbergh Field, is the primary commercial airport serving San Diego. It is the busiest single-runway airport in the nation, serving over 17 million passengers every year, and is located on San Diego Bay just a mile or two from downtown. It has scheduled services all over the USA, Mexico, Hawaii, and Canada and serves as a focus city for Southwest Airlines. Other airports include Brown Field Airport (Brown Field) and Montgomery Field Municipal Airport (Montgomery Field).
Sea
The Port of San Diego manages the maritime operations of San Diego harbor and the airport. Each year, more and more cruise lines (Carnival, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Crystal, etc.) arrive and depart at San Diego's cruise ship terminal at the foot of Broadway downtown. Cruises go to Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska and the Caribbean via the
Panama Canal. San Diego's port also manages a significant cargo operation which includes imports from South America, vehicle imports from Germany, Japan and Mexico, and other trade operations.
San Diego is home to General Dynamics' National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO), the largest shipyard on the
West Coast of the United States. It is capable of building and repairing large ocean-going vessels. The yard constructs commercial cargo ships and auxiliary vessels for the U.S. Navy and Military Sealift Command, which it has served since 1960.
*
Naval Air Station North Island*
Naval Amphibious Base Coronado (Both NAS North Island and NAB Coronado are consolidated into one base known as Naval Base Coronado)
*
Naval Station San Diego (Naval Station also has the nickname of 32nd Street Naval Station , due in part to its location at 32nd Street and Harbor Drive in San Diego)
*
Naval Base Point Loma - Submariners
*
US Marine Corps Recruit Depot*
US Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar MCAS Miramar*
US Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton*
SPAWAR (Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command)
*
Fort Rosecrans Military ReservationSan Diego has fifteen
sister cities, as designated by
Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):
*
Alcalá de Henares (
Spain)
*
Campinas (
Brazil)
*
Cavite City (
Philippines)
*
Edinburgh (
Scotland,
United Kingdom)
*
Jalalabad (
Afghanistan)
*
Jeonju (
South Korea)
*
León (
Mexico)
*
Perth (
Australia)
*
Taichung City (
Taiwan)
*
Tema (
Ghana)
*
Tijuana (
Mexico)
*
Vladivostok (
Russia).
*
Warsaw (
Poland)
*
Yantai (
China)
*
Yokohama (
Japan)
List of notable San Diegans#
| County of San Diego#
| Infoplease - Top 50 Cities in the U.S. by Population#
| CityTown Info- San Diego#
| City of San Diego City of Villages Program General Outline#
| Awards won by the developers of the Uptown District in Hillcrest.
*
City of San Diego Official Website*
San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, includes Hotels and Visitor Information
*
San Diego Regional Economic Development - non-profit coorporation that receives funding from local governments to develop local economic and business growth
*
Port of San Diego*
San Diego International Airport*
Census Bureau Fact Sheet*
NO*
San Diego Public Library Website*
San Diego History, San Diego Historical Society
*
San Diego Region Commuter Club - car pool and information
