Beaches, great weather, diverse culture and food: San Diego has it all! The city offers year-round warm weather and amazing landscapes.
It is a fascinating location where visitors can experience the beach, desert and mountains all in one day. Places to visit and explore are endless. There are a variety of foods to try without ever having to leave the city, offering authentic cuisine from all over the world. You can indulge in Mexican, Korean, Filipino, Italian and Japanese food and so much more.
San Diego also offers plenty of beaches to visit, including Mission Bea
ch, Pacific Beach, Coronado, Tourmaline, La Jolla Shores and Ocean Beach. The city provides various activities, ensuring there’s always something new for people of all ages to discover and enjoy, from surfing at Tourmaline, shopping and eating delicious poke, to watching sea lions at La Jolla Shores, riding roller coasters at Mission Beach, visiting nearby coffee shops, or enjoying an ice cream cone in PB. With so much to do at eac
h beach, you can never grow tired of San Diego.
Additionally, San Diego hosts the annual Sun & Sea Festival, a sandcastle competition in Imperial Beach, which will be held this year on Aug. 17. This event showcases gigantic sandcastles built by artists for locals and tourists alike to enjoy.
“I would say each of the beaches in San Diego are unique and has its own personality; no beach is the same. I can think of Pacific Beach and Solana Beach,” said LeeAnn Chu, a San Diego local. “Pacific Beach has a really great nightlife, there are lots of bars for those who love to drink and clothing stores for people who enjoy shopping, like myself. Solana Beach is more family-friendly and offers very nice hiking trails.”
The most appealing aspect is that the city offers year-round warm weather and amazing landscapes. San Diego only has 42 days of rainfall each year, while the rest of the country can expect about 100 days of rainfall. You can expect the temperature to average around 60 to 70 degrees, and the city rarely reaches below 40 degrees or rises above 100 degrees.
Brandon Lee, a student who originally moved from Rancho Cucamonga to San Diego, said: “I love San Diego’s weather. It never gets too hot. I also love that there’s always things to do and see here. There’s beaches, hiking, nightlife and life feels so exciting here.”
Another aspect that makes San Diego so special is its melting pot of culture. It is a city where you can meet many great people from diverse backgrounds. In this multicultural city, you will see a significant influence from Mexican heritage. You can visit one of the oldest towns, considered to be the birthplace of California: Old Town. There you can find the original architecture and experience the past. Old Town is also known for its variety of food, such as Baja-style seafood and Oaxacan-inspired dishes. However, delicious Mexican food is all over San Diego, making it easy for everyone to enjoy.
“There are also historical landmarks like Balboa Park and Old Town offering rustic glimpses to SoCal’s rich history,” Chu said. Also, there are farmers markets almost everywhere. The produce is locally grown and they provide a place where San Diegans or tourists can support small, local businesses.”
Downtown, there is Little Italy, a neighborhood whose streets are filled with restaurants with authentic Italian Food. You can find boutiques where they sell hand-made items. Every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., several blocks of Little Italy are closed for the farmers market. Not only can you find fresh produce, but vendors also sell gourmet goods, ready-made foods and fresh flowers.
Jelena Lumba, a recent transplant from Qatar said: “Between San Diego and Qatar, I prefer to live in San Diego more because of its nice, sunny weather and great amount of beaches. I also like that they are well-known for their fish tacos, which are delicious. On the other hand, the weather in Qatar is mostly dry because of its subtropical, desert climate. I also think their food is also good but not impressive for their expensive price.”
Another facet that makes this city so fun is the Convoy District. Just like Mexican heritage, there is a large influence of Asian culture in San Diego. There are many different types of Asian cuisine that you can find in this area, and everything is walkable. You’ll find Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai and more.
One popular go-to spot for locals is Korean barbecue such as Kogi Korean BBQ or Prime Grill Korean BBQ and Restaurant. They are fun places to hang out with friends while you cook your own food.
There is also another version of KFC (Korean Fried Chicken). It is double-fried to get extra crispy, and it comes with a variety of sauces such as soy sauce, honey garlic and hot spicy. These can be found at popular fried chicken chains like bb.q Chicken, Bonchon and Pelicana. For dessert lovers, you can enjoy crepes, milk teas, souffle cakes, rolled ice cream, shaved ice and so much more at places like SomiSomi, Cake de Partie, Tous Les Jour and Happy Lemon. After a night of eating so much food, you can walk right over to Jin Karaoke to sing your favorite songs, or visit O Billiard Cafe if pool is more your style.
San Diego truly has it all. It’s an expensive place to live, but it offers so much to its residents and visitors. The city provides incredible food and experiences without the loud bustling noise of bigger cities. It is a place for everyone, with so much to explore, settle down and feel at home.
