San Diego characterises a typical Southern Californian beach
city: with year-round sunshine and surf; a superb coastline with
miles of sandy-white beaches; easygoing inhabitants, and a wide
variety of world-class family attractions that draws tourists,
long-time vacationers and would-be residents to 'America's finest
city'.Although California's second biggest city with an
ever-increasing population of more than a million, San Diego prides
itself on its conservative small-town ambience, with very little of
the pollution, highway congestion and raciness of Los Angeles. In
1769 a Spanish missionary by the name of Father Junipero Serra
established a Catholic mission and fortified settlement in what was
later to become San Diego; it was the first permanent European
settlement on the West Coast of the United States. It remained a
village backwater until, with the bombing of Pearl Harbour during
World War II, the US Naval Fleet Headquarters was relocated to San
Diego Bay and the booming of wartime activity transformed it into a
thriving city.The city is a vibrant collection of colourful neighbourhoods and
communities. It has award-winning restaurants, trendy shopping
districts, attractions such as the world-renowned San Diego Zoo and
SeaWorld, and a dynamic downtown district that includes the city's
historic Gaslamp Quarter. There are numerous indications of its
Mexican and Spanish heritage: in the architecture, the typical
Mexican cuisine, and the strong links with the town of Tijuana just
across the Mexican border.San Diego is also rich in art and culture and the city boasts
the largest urban cultural park in the US, with beautiful gardens
and Spanish architecture featuring 15 museums, art galleries and
theatres to be found in Balboa Park. More than 70 miles (113km) of
beaches around the city offer superb surfing and beach activities
and provide the perfect introduction to this accessible and
laid-back city.
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