When one thinks of California, the metropolitan centers that immediately spring to mind are that pair of cities that so effectively illustrate the differences between Northern and Southern California: Los Angeles and San Francisco. The former a vast, sun-bleached monument to unchecked urban expansion, the latter a foggy, compact bastion of social progress. But there is more to California than these two extremes. Among those many cities that must seemingly always sit in the shadows of the two titans, sitting also along a stretch of coastline overlooking the incomparable Pacific Ocean, is San Diego.

Named for a Franciscan friar canonized for his miraculous healing, the city is the second largest in its state after Los Angeles and enjoys a similar climate dominated by warmth and sun for most of the year. And as a destination for the out-of-towner, the weather is only the tip of the locally unheard-of iceberg.

San Diego finds itself naturally riven into segments by canyons and hills, with pockets of urban splendor broken up by natural formations, woodland and hills. This segmentation results in the city’s having a wide diversity of neighborhoods, areas, and regions each with its own attractions. The following is but a tiny slice of the great variety to be found there.

If you enjoy getting a feel for a city’s architecture to begin your sojourn, one notable place to stop is the Gaslamp Quarter, a downtown district home to dozens of buildings dating from the Victorian era with whom the district’s namesake is so iconically associated. The density of historic edifices in the Gaslamp Quarter is remarkable and very pleasing to the eye as well as the historically curious mind.

For those who enjoy perusing a city’s cultural riches, the Balboa Park area is an ideal destination. The splendor of this park stretches on in a wide variety of beautiful fauna framed in Spanish Revival architecture. The park hosts a wide variety of museums, such as the San Diego Museum of Art, the San Diego Museum of Man, and the Natural History Museum. For theatergoers, Balboa Park also features The Old Globe Theater, a replica of Shakespeare’s immortal Globe where the groundling in us all can see a number of productions over the course of the year.

Of course, one cannot talk about San Diego without mentioning its beaches. Notable destinations to enjoy the sea are the Mission Beach and Pacific Beach areas, although the coastline stretches along much of the city. The two mentioned are both known for their wide, beautiful beaches where countless people go to swim, surf, and bask. There is also considerable nightlife along these coastal areas, with many bars and clubs to flock to and frolic away the night hours after the beaches go dark.

There are many special events to be found in the city, such as the famous San Diego Comic Con, and to enumerate them would be a lengthy and exhausting process. Go and see for yourself why this city is adored by so many. Go and take a look. LA and SF won’t miss you, or you them.

For more information on San Diego Vacations, visit http://vacationssandiego.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/a-pacific-gem-1020193.html

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