San Diego is the southernost city in California. It is located about one hundred miles (150 km) south of Los Angeles and just 15 miles (20 km) north of the Mexican border. I visited there last month. It is a pretty city, located along the Pacific coast on a protected inland bay that provides a great harbor. It is smaller than Los Angeles with less traffic and less congestion. It does not cover a vast area like Los Angeles, and does not get the smog and air pollution that plagues the metropolis to its north.
San Diego is famous for its hospitable climate. The summers are warm but not hot. The winters are cool but not cold. The sun shines nearly every day of the year.
Its great protected harbor lies adjacent to the city. The bay is usually filled with picturesque sailboats, great ocean freighters and US Navy ships. This has been the major Pacific Ocean seaport for the US Navy since before the Second World War. The great naval base lies on the tip of the barrier island of Coronado protecting its harbor.
There are sandy beaches on the island of Coronado just ten minutes from downtown. There are more beaches to the north and to the south of the city. Some of the beaches are known for their great surfing conditions. La Jolla is an upscale suburban community situated on a pictureque bay just north of the city. It offers art galleries, boutiques, reataurants and night spots; plus a beautiful beach for swimming, surfing and snorkeling.
Downtown San Diego has a vibrant entertainment district known as the "gaslamp district". There is a sizeable array of good restaurants, night clubs, bars, bistros and dance clubs. They attract a lot of local residents, tourists and sailors from the naval base.
Tijuana Mexico is just fifteen minutes south of downtown. You can get to the border via streetcars from downtown. This famous (infamous) border town offers great shopping opportunities. Hundreds of shops offer inexpensive handmade and manufactured merchandise including Native American crafts. At night, it become one of the wildest party towns in North America. Bars featuring inexpensive beer and Tequila cater to the younger crowds since they can legally serve alcohol to 18 year olds. On the seedier side, Tijuana night clubs and strip tease bars feature nude dancing and prostition,
Whatever your taste, San Diego offers a lot to fulfill your desires. I prefer this smaller cleaner city to its massive neighbor, Los Angeles.