San Diego | ||
State | California | |
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Residents | 1.394.928 (2015) | |
no tourist info on Wikidata: | ||
location | ||
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San Diego is in the south of California. With around 1.4 million inhabitants, it is the second los Angeles second largest city in the state.
Districts
- north: 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 City
- Northeast: Carmel Mountain, Miramar, Mira Mesa, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Peñasquitos, Saber Springs, Scripps Ranch, Sorrento Valley
- east: Allied Gardens, Birdland, Del Cerro, Grantville, Kearny Mesa, Lake Murray, San Carlos, Serra Mesa, Tierrasanta
- west: 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
- Downtown: Balboa Park, Barrio Logan, Core-Columbia, Cortez, Gaslamp Quarter, Golden Hill, Grant Hill,, Harborview, Horton Plaza, 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
- southeast: Alta Vista, Bay Terrace, Chollas View, Emerald Hills, Encanto, Jamacha-Lomita, Lincoln Park, Mountain View, Mt. Hope, Shelltown, Skyline, Southcrest, Valencia Park
- south: Egger Highlands, Nestor, Ocean Crest, Otay Mesa, Palm City, San Ysidro, Tijuana River Valley
background
San Diego originally belongs to the settlement area of the Kumeyaay. San Diego Bay was founded in 1542 by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo discovered and for Spain claimed. The name San Diego (Spanish for the saint Didacus) received the place in 1602 from Sebastián Vizcaíno, who mapped the California coast and his flagship San Diego was called. The permanent Spanish colonization of San Diego did not begin until 1769 with the establishment of the fortress Presidio de San Diego and the Franciscan Mission San Diego de Alcalá. San Diego was the first mission in Upper California (corresponds to today's US state California) and is therefore called the "birthplace of California". It was also the first ever European settlement in what is now the western United States.
From Mexican independence in 1821 to Mexican-American War 1846–48 was part of San Diego Mexico. At the end of the war Mexico tried to keep at least San Diego, but the victorious Americans insisted on keeping the entire Bay of San Diego and the border became in Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo a Leuge (3 miles) south of the southernmost point of the bay. It is still there today.
In 1850, San Diego was one of the first places in California (next to San Francisco, Sacramento and San José and before Los Angeles) to receive city rights. Originally, the city was at the foot of the Presidio Hills, on the site of today's Old Town Park. But that was rather inconvenient, since several miles from the coast. In the second half of the 19th century, a "new town" was therefore developed directly on the coast, which corresponds to today's downtown and the Gaslamp Quarter. In the 1880s, San Diego had its first big population boom: within ten years the population increased fivefold. Around 1900 the city had 17,000 inhabitants. San Diego hosted two world exhibitions in 1915/16 and 1935/36, the Panama-California exposure and the California Pacific International Exposition, for which Balboa Park was designed. In the 1920s, San Diego grew into a big city, in the 1950s the half-million mark was cracked, and since the late 1980s San Diego has been a city of millions.
San Diego is an important base for the American Navy. From 1901 the Navy maintained a coaling plant here. In 1922, the Naval Base San Diego was founded, which is now the second largest naval base in the United States. Two aircraft carriers, 15 amphibious warships, eight cruisers, 14 destroyers, nine ships for coastal combat, three minesweepers and support ships have their home port here. 26,000 military and civilian employees work on the base.
The coasts around San Diego are one of the origins of modern surfing. The International Surfing Association is based here.
getting there
By plane
There are several airports in San Diego. By far the largest and most important is the 1 San Diego International Airport(IATA: SAN) ("Lindbergh Field"). It is around 4.5 km from the city center. Over 22 million passengers are handled here annually, making it the 26th largest airport in the United States. The main airlines represented here are Southwest, United, American and Delta Air Lines.
There are direct connections from Central Europe Lufthansa from / to Frankfurt and seasonally with Edelweiss Air from / to Zurich. Otherwise, there are connections via Chicago, Dallas or Denver. Within the USA, the most frequented connections are with San Francisco (Alaska, Southwest, United), Phoenix (American, Southwest), Denver (Frontier, Southwest, Spirit, United) and Seattle (Alaska, Delta, Southwest).
Bus route 992 runs every 15 minutes from the airport to the city center (Downtown), the journey takes about 20 minutes.
The 2 Cross Border Xpress(IATA: TJX) (CBX) terminal on the US-Mexico border provides direct access from the US side to the 3 Tijuana Airport(IATA: TIJ) in Mexico. There are predominantly connections within Mexico, for example with Mexico City, Jalisco or Sinaloa.
At the 4 Brown Field Municipal Airport(IATA: SDM) if the regular air traffic is stopped, it is only used for alternative purposes. The 5 Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport(IATA: MYF) is only intended for private flights.
By train
San Diego is about that Pacific Surfliner of Amtrak connected to rail traffic. The Surfliner runs several times a day between San Luis Obispo on California's Central Coast and San Diego, across Santa Barbara and los Angeles. The route between San Diego and Los Angeles is served approx. 12 times in each direction from Monday to Friday, the journey time is just under three hours. Only two trains per day travel the entire route from San Luis Obispo and are en route for around nine hours; the Santa Barbara connection runs five times a day and takes around six hours.
The Pacific Surfliner stops at two train stations in San Diego: the 6 Old Town Transit Center in the northwest of the city and the 7 Santa Fe Depot in the city center (Downtown). There is a transition to the regional train at both Coaster and to the green line of the San Diego Trolley.
The regional train Coaster connects San Diego with the northern suburbs of Encinitas, Carlsbad and Oceanside.
By bus
Greyhound Lines offer long-distance bus connections between San Diego and the San Ysidro border crossing several times a day /Tijuana (25 minutes; from $ 8), los Angeles (2: 20-3 hours; from $ 11), Yuma (4:40 hours; from $ 32) and Phoenix (a good 8 hours; from $ 43) on; once a day with San Bernardino (2½ hours; from $ 20).
- 8 San Diego Bus Station, 1313 National Ave. Tel.: (619) 515-1100. 100 meters from the 12th & Imperial Transit Center, which has connections to the San Diego Trolley (all three lines) and several city bus routes.
In the street
Despite its location on the Pacific Ocean and the border with Mexico, San Diego is easily accessible by car.
Interstate 5 begins on the Mexican border south of San Diego and runs right through the middle of the city from where it comes over los Angeles north to after Seattle and Vancouver leads.
Interstate 15 begins in the north of the city and runs east past the Los Angeles metropolitan area Las Vegas and Salt Lake City all the way to Canada.
Interstate 8 begins in the northwest and runs east where it is between Phoenix and Tucson hits Interstate 10.
In addition, some state routes that have been upgraded to freeway access to San Diego.
By boat
At the 9 B Street Pier International Cruise Ship Terminal annually put more than 180 cruise ships on their way to Hawaii or along the American west coast.
mobility
San Diego has a well-developed public transport system by US standards. He is from San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS or Metro) operated. This includes the San Diego trolley, a light rail network with three lines (blue, green, orange) and a total distance of 86 kilometers. The trolley travels partly on its own track bed, partly on the road, so it is a hybrid of S-Bahn and tram.
In addition, there is the “silver line” with historic trams from the 1940s, which run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, weekends and public holidays on a 4 km long ring through the city center (Downtown Loop). There are also 93 bus routes. Three of them are so-called SuperLoop- or. MTS Rapid-Lines that progress a little faster due to their own lanes and preferred traffic light switching.
All trolley and several bus lines meet on 10 12th & Imperial Transit Center near the Petco Park ballpark. The headquarters of the MTS is also located there. A single trip on trolley or Rapid lines costs $ 2.50, with regular bus lines it costs $ 2.25. Seniors over 60 and people with disabilities each pay half. A day pass for all MTS transport in the city is available for $ 5, two days for $ 9, three days for $ 12, four days for $ 15, and 14 days for $ 43. Separate tariffs apply to trips to the suburbs outside the urban area.
Tourist Attractions
San Diego is a popular destination for tourists. The attractions include:
Historic neighborhoods
- 1 San Diego Old Town. The best way to get there is by train, which as such is a rarity in the USA. You can take the Green Line to the Old Town stop. A nice collection of old houses from the time of the first settlement of San Diego awaits you there. Old forms of handicraft come to life again in the houses. In a historic candy shop you can see how candies were made in the past. A postal museum takes you back to the time of stagecoaches in the “wild west”. For a half-day excursion, one can therefore only recommend Old Town (even after a jetlag).
- 2 Gaslamp Quarter (or Gaslamp District) (green line: Gaslamp Quarter; orange or blue line: Civic Center). Listed city district, which was essentially built in the second half of the 19th century. The buildings are typically Victorian in style. Known at the time as “Stingaree”, it was the dingy-looking entertainment district of the city, with a multitude of saloons, gambling dens and brothels. After a period of this decline and decay, it was revitalized as a nightlife district, albeit less wicked, in the 1980s and 1990s, with a high concentration of restaurants, shops and nightclubs. It's also home to the Street Scene music festival, Mardi Gras (carnival) and St. Patrick's Day parades.
Churches
- 1 Mission San Diego de Alcalá, 10818 San Diego Mission Rd (green line: Mission San Diego). First Franciscan mission station of the Spaniards in Upper California. It was founded in 1769. The current church at this point dates from the 19th century.
Parks
- 2 Balboa Park (Bus 7 or 215: Park Bl & Zoo Pl). Largest public park in the city. The park was designed on the occasion of the Panama – California Exposition in 1915. It houses a large number of museums and cultural institutions, which are housed in historic buildings in the Spanish colonial style.
- 3 San Diego Zoo, 2920 Zoo Dr. (Bus 7 or 215: Park Bl & Zoo Pl). One of the largest and most famous zoological gardens in the USA with 650 different animal species. The San Diego Zoo was one of the first to replace indoor cages with large, open-air facilities modeled on the animals' natural habitats.
- 4 Mission Bay (Accessible by bus routes 8 and 9 from Old Town Station). Man-made lagoon. Around them extends over 17 km² Mission Bay Park, the largest man-made water park in the United States. It consists of about half each of water and land (artificial islands and peninsulas). You can go sailing, wakeboarding or jet skiing on the water. Camping, cycling, jogging, skateboarding or inline skating and sunbathing on the surrounding land.
- 5 Presidio Park, 2811 Jackson St (600 m northwest of Old Town Park; green line: Old Town Transit Center; Bus 88: Taylor St & Presidio Dr). Historical park on the site of the former Presidio de San Diego, the first Spanish fort in Upper California. That’s in the park Junípero Serra Museum, whose exhibition is dedicated to the founding phase of San Diego. It was built in 1925 in the Spanish colonial style, some mistakenly mistake it for the historic Presidio.
Museums
- 6 USS Midway Museum. Aircraft carrier converted into a museum that was in service from 1945 to 1992 (including during the Vietnam War).
Streets and squares
- 7 Horton Plaza. Park-like designed square in the city center (Downtown). Here is the Broadway Fountain, inaugurated in 1910, which is modeled on the ancient Lysicrates monument in Athens.
various
- 8 Point Loma (12 km west; Accessible by bus 84 from the Old Town Transit Center). Peninsula jutting out into the ocean that forms a natural protective wall around San Diego Bay. Rocky coastal landscape (Sunset Cliffs Natural Park), Fort Rosecrans military cemetery, old lighthouse from 1855.
Suburbs
The city limits of San Diego are - partly for historical reasons - quite frayed. While there are exclaves of the urban area that are 30 or even 50 km away from the city center, there are officially independent cities with Coronado, National City and Chula Vista, which are much closer to downtown San Diego and have effectively merged with the city without that there would be a discernible separation. The following therefore lists settlements within a 30 km radius, regardless of whether they are districts of San Diego or independent communities. Places further outside can be found under #Trips.
- 3 Coronado - Seaside resort on the peninsula in front of San Diego Bay, known for its posh 9 Hotel del Coronado, a Victorian beach hotel founded in 1888, in the 1958 Some like it hot filmed with Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. Reachable with the passenger ferry Coronado – Convention Center or via the Coronado Bridge (bus line 901 takes 20 minutes from downtown)
- 4 La Jolla - Villa suburb (20 km north of downtown, 9 km from Mission Bay) with famous beaches (e.g. Black's Beach), one of the origins of the "surf culture" of the 1960s, headquarters of the University of California, San Diego , and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, exclusive stores for wealthy residents.
- 5 Miramar (14 miles north of downtown) - Former headquarters of the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School ("Top Gun"), known from the movie Top gun (1986) with Tom Cruise and the series JAG (1995-2005). There is a park around Lake Miramar and an eight-kilometer walk.
activities
- 1 Sea World (SeaWorld San Diego). Tel.: 1 619 222 4732. Marine life theme park with aquariums and Ozeaneum. The highlights are the orca, dolphin and sea lion shows.
- 2 San Diego Padres, 100 Park Blvd. (Trolley (all lines): 12th & Imperial Transit Center). National League Baseball Team. The home stadium is the Petco Park with a good 42,000 seats.
- San Diego Fleet. After the most famous sports team in town, the San Diego Chargers, moved to Los Angeles, a new professional football team was formed for the 2019 season. It plays in the Alliance of American Football (AAF), a league that competes with the established NFL. The home ground is the SDCCU Stadium.
- The college sports teams at San Diego State University (SDSU) are called "Aztecs" and play in the Mountain West Conference of NCAA Division I.
- San Diego State Aztecs Football. Home games at the SDCCU Stadium.
- San Diego State Aztecs Men's Basketball. Home games in the Viejas Arena.
- 3 SDCCU Stadium, 9449 Friars Rd (green line: SDCCU Stadium). In addition to football games by the San Diego Fleet and the Aztecs, there are also major pop and rock concerts here.
- 4 Viejas Arena, 5500 Canyon Crest Dr. (green line: SDSU Transit Center). Multipurpose hall on the San Diego State University campus. Mainly used for basketball games, but also concerts, meetings and lectures.
shop
The large shopping center is located in the south of San Diego, right on the border with Mexico 1 Las Americas Premium Outlets with numerous discounted branded fashion. The outlet can be reached via I-5 South (last exit in the USA).
kitchen
In San Diego there are a large number of branches of various chains, such as Jack in the Box, Wendy's, Mac Donalds, Hooters, etc. If you are looking for "typical American cuisine", Phils BBQ has a restaurant under San Diego's Top 10 Restaurants was rated. If you would like to visit a 50s restaurant, you can do so in the Corvette Diner.
A lavish breakfast in a restaurant or a larger coffee house, with pancakes and scrambled eggs, is no problem in San Diego. Due to its proximity to the Mexican border, there are many restaurants that serve Mexican dishes such as tacos and burritos. The California burrito, which became famous in San Diego, should be mentioned explicitly, which includes french fries in addition to the classic Mexican ingredients.
You can also find Asian cuisine such as Vietnamese and Japanese and tea houses in San Diego. There is usually a larger selection of beers in pubs and restaurants.
nightlife
At the east end of Downtown (south of Broadway between 4th and 6th Avenues) is this 1 Gaslamp Quarter . Architectural heritage can be found here since the 1880s. The Gaslampviertel consists of painstakingly restored brick buildings. Here in the quarter you can find what your heart desires: numerous bars, clubs, cafes and restaurants.
accommodation
- SpringHill Suites San Diego Rancho Bernardo / Scripps Poway, 12032 Scripps Highlands Drive. Tel.: 1 858 635-5723, Fax: 1 858 635-5725.
Cheap
- Motel 6 San Diego - Hotel Circle, 2424 Hotel Circle North. Tel.: 1 619 296-1612, Fax: 1 619 543-9305.
- Motel 6 San Diego Airport / Harbor, 2353 Pacific Highway. Tel.: 1 619 232-8931, Fax: 1 619 237-0776.
medium
- Best Western Bayside Inn, 555 W Ash Street. Tel.: 1 619 233-7500, 1 800 341-1818 (Toll-free), Fax: 1 619 239-8060.
- Best Western Cabrillo Garden Inn, 840 A Street. Tel.: 1 619 234-8477, 1 866 363-8388 (Toll-free), Fax: 1 619 615-0422.
- Best Western Hacienda Suites-Old Town, 4041 Harney Street. Tel.: 1 619 298-4707, 1 800 888-1991 (Toll-free), Fax: 1 619 298-4771.
- Best Western Inn, Miramar / San Diego, 9310 Kearny Mesa Road. Tel.: 1 858 578-6600, 1 800 827-2635 (Toll-free), Fax: 1 858 536-1368.
- Best Western Island Palms Hotel & Marina, 2051 Shelter Island Drive. Tel.: 1 619 222-0561, 1 877 484-3725 (Toll-free), Fax: 1 619 222-9760.
- Best Western Lamplighter Inn & Suites, 6474 El Cajon Boulevard. Tel.: 1 619 582-3088, 1 800 545-0778 (Toll-free), Fax: 1 619 582-6873.
- 2 Best Western Mission Bay, 2575 Clairemont Drive. Tel.: 1 619 275-5700, 1 800 457-8080 (Toll-free), Fax: 1 619 275-5064.
- Best Western Seven Seas, 411 Hotel Circle S.. Tel.: 1 619 291-1300, 1 800 328-1618 (Toll-free), Fax: 1 619 291-6933.
Upscale
- Courtyard San Diego Downtown, 530 Broadway Street. Tel.: 1 619 446-3000, 1 800 321-2211 (Toll-free), Fax: 1 619 446-3010.
- Courtyard San Diego Old Town, 2435 Jefferson Street. Tel.: 1 619 260-8500, 1 800 255-3544 (Toll-free), Fax: 1 619 297-2078.
- Courtyard San Diego Rancho Bernardo, 11611 Bernardo Plaza Court. Tel.: 1 858 613-2000, Fax: 1 858 613-2010.
- Courtyard San Diego Sorrento Mesa / La Jolla, 9650 Scranton Road. Tel.: 1 858 558-9600, Fax: 1 858 558-4539.
- Residence Inn San Diego Mission Valley / SeaWorld Area, 1865 Hotel Circle South. Tel.: 1 619 881-3600, Fax: 1 619 582-7510.
- Residence Inn San Diego Rancho Bernardo / Carmel Mountain Ranch, 11002 Rancho Carmel Drive. Tel.: 1 858 673-1900, 1 858 673-1900 (Toll-free), Fax: 1 858 673-1913.
- Residence Inn San Diego Scripps Poway Parkway, 12011 Scripps Highland Dr. Tel.: 1 858 635-5724, Fax: 1 858 635-5726.
- Residence Inn San Diego Sorrento Mesa / Sorrento Valley, 5995 Pacific Mesa Court. Tel.: 1 858 552-9100, Fax: 1 858 552-9199.
- San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina, 333 West Harbor Drive. Tel.: 1 619 234-1500, Fax: 1 619 234-8678.
- San Diego Marriott Mission Valley, 8757 Rio San Diego Drive. Tel.: 1 619 692-3800, 1 800 842-5329 (Toll-free), Fax: 1 619 692-0769.
Learn
The city has numerous universities. The two most important are UCSD (University of California San Diego) and SDSU (San Diego State University).
security
health
Practical advice
trips
- 10 San Diego Zoo Safari Park, 15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd, Escondido, CA 92027 (50 km north of San Diego).
The following places are located in the vicinity:
- Tijuana (30 km south, immediately behind the Mexican border) - popular destination for cheap shopping, prostitution, gambling, drinking alcohol for under-21-year-olds
- Del Mar (35 km north) - lake and lido, formerly a meeting place for Hollywood stars, the skate park was a legendary place of skater culture, this is where Tony Hawk began his career; in the summer venue of the San Diego County Fair (largest festival in the region)
- Carlsbad (55 km north; just under 1 hour by regional train Coaster) - one of the richest cities in California; numerous golf courses, flower garden The Flower Fields
- Oceanside (60 km north; 1 hour by train) - large city by the sea; Spanish Mission, Pier, Rosicrucian Society Center, California Surf Museum
literature
Web links
- https://www.sandiego.gov/ (en) - San Diego Official Website