San Diego
United States · Country profile
San Diego is the sunny, laid-back coastal metropolis of the far south of California, the city of the eternal mild breezes that spreads its beach towns, its canyons, its missions and its military harbours across the broad bay where the Pacific rolls against the border of Mexico. The birthplace of the California of the Spanish missions and the historic first port of the region, it grew from the old settlement at the site of the mission into the enormous, healthy, navy-anchored metropolis of the present, whose bay shelters the great fleet, whose Balboa Park holds some of the finest museums of the west and whose beaches, from the surf of the Ocean Beach to the lagoons of the north, run the easygoing life of the town. The old town, the park, the harbour and the aircraft carrier, the zoo and the museums, and the coastal and the desert excursions of the region anchor the essential visits, while the whole sunny metropolis moves to the relaxed, sporty rhythm of the southern California coast. Sunny, friendly and profoundly liveable, San Diego is the golden gateway of the American west.
About San Diego
San Diego is a city in United States. The city's documented population is around 1,380,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the US Dollar (USD) and English is spoken; the dialling code is +1. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: San Diego International Airport.
The Park of the Balboa and the Museums of the Esplanade
San Diego is a beachfront, park-filled metropolis where the essential circuit moves between the enormous Bay of the harbour with its ships and its waterfront, the Balboa Park of the museums and the historic old town, with the beach communities of the coast running the leisure of the days. The zoo of the park, the museum district with its Spanish-style palaces, the maritime museum of the harbour and the aircraft carrier museum of the navy anchor the classic visits, while the old town of the mission era, the Gaslamp district of the downtown and the Sunset Cliffs beach circles frame the historic and the social life. The beaches, the desert and the mountains of the region, the border town of the south and the wildlife lagoons of the coast fill the day trips beyond the city.
The Carrier of the Midway and the Fleet of the Bay
The climate of the city is the famously mild Mediterranean of the southern California coast, with the warm, dry summers, the cool, low winters and the generous sun of the year tempered by the sea breeze, while the heat builds rapidly in the inland valleys of the region. The dollar is the currency and the English the language, with the Spanish of the border var country deeply present across the city. The park, the bay and the old town make the core circuit, and a car opens the beaches, the desert and the border of the region. Light layers for the changeable coastal weather and comfortable walking shoes complete the simple preparation for the sunny metropolis.
The Cliffs of the Sunset and the Lagoons of the North
The great park of the city, the Balboa Park with its hundred-armed Spanish-revival palaces, its gardens and its enormous zoo, is the cultural heart of San Diego, its museums of the art, the science, the history and the folk life crowding the esplanades of the park, and the pandas and the koalas of the famous zoo giving the animal showcase of the town. The old town of the city, the historic quarter of the mission-era adobe houses, the cantinas and the craft shops of the settlement that the state preserves as its state historic park, marks the Spanish and the Mexican foundation of the whole of the Californian coast, and the harbour of the city, with its immense naval fleet, its aircraft carrier museum and its maritime vessels of the sailing era, anchors the seafaring heart of the town. The beaches of the coast, from the surf waves of the Ocean Beach to the calm lagoons of the north with their grunion runs and their birds, and the crossing of the border to the Mexican town of the south, complete the essential, sunny, endlessly pleasant circuit of the golden city of the southwest.
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- Country
- United States
- Population
- 1,380,000
- Coordinates
- 32.7338, -117.1933
- Capital
- Washington, D.C.
- Region
- North America
- Currency
- US Dollar (USD)
- Languages
- English
- Calling code
- +1
- Country code
- US
Entry requirements for United States
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting United States for tourism.
Getting to San Diego
Airports we list for San Diego:
Other airports in the area:
- Los Angeles International AirportLAX≈ 175 km from San Diego
- Harry Reid International AirportLAS≈ 417 km from San Diego
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International AirportPHX≈ 489 km from San Diego
- San Francisco International AirportSFO≈ 719 km from San Diego
- Denver International AirportDEN≈ 1,371 km from San Diego
Cities in United States
Other cities we cover in United States:
Frequently asked questions
Is San Diego the capital of United States?
No — the capital of United States is Washington, D.C..
What currency do I need in San Diego?
The local currency is the US Dollar (USD). Languages spoken in United States include English.
What is the dialling code for United States?
The international dialling code for United States is +1.
Which airport should I fly into for San Diego?
San Diego International Airport (SAN) is the airport we list for San Diego.
How far is San Diego from the nearest airport?
San Diego is about 175 km from Los Angeles International Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit United States?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Argentina (visa required), Japan (e-visa), Morocco (visa required), Singapore (e-visa) and South Korea (e-visa). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of San Diego? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.