San Diego

United States of America

United States

English

Estados Unidos

Spanish

Region:

North America

Area:

9 525 067 km²

Ranked 4 out of 195

Population:

331 500 000

Ranked 3 out of 235

Urbanization:

83 %

Ranked 36 out of 194

Capital:

Washington D.C.

Population: 6 385 000

Largest City:

New York City

Population: 21 140 000

Major Cities:

New York City
Los Angeles
Chicago
Dallas
Houston

Economy & Development:

Human Development Index:

Very High

Ranked 17 out of 189

Inequality-Adjusted HDI:

Very High

Ranked 28 out of 189

GDP (PPP) Per Capita:

Very High

Ranked 15 out of 225

Democracy & Freedom:

Democracy Index:

Flawed Democracy

Ranked 25 out of 167

Freedom House:

Free

83 points out of 100 possible

Press Freedom:

Satisfactory

Ranked 42 out of 180

Economic Freedom:

Most Free

Ranked 5 out of 162

National Identity:

Independence Since:

1776

Independence From:

United Kingdom

National Day:

4th of July

What Is Celebrated On The National Day:

The signing of the Declaration of Independence on the 4th of July 1776 where it was declared that the Thirteen Colonies were no longer a subject under the Monarch of Britain (United Kingdom).

Facts & Codes:

Driving Side:

Right

Time Zone:

Several

Country Calling Code:

+ 1

Country Code:

ISO 3166

US State

California

English

Region:

Western United States

Area:

423 970 km²

Ranked 3 out of 51

Population:

39 538 000

Ranked 1 out of 51

Population Share:

12 %

Of National Population

Capital:

Sacramento

Population: 2 397 000

Largest City:

Los Angeles

Population: 13 200 000

Major Cities:

Los Angeles
San Francisco
San Diego
Sacramento
Fresno

Information:

GDP Per Capita::

$85 460

Higher than national average

Climate:

Mediterranean Climate

Dry Summer Temperate Climate (Cs)

Time Zone:

UTC -8 (PST)

Summer: -

US State Information:

Statehood Since:

1850

Nickname:

"The Golden State"

Abbreviation:

English:

San Diego

Spanish:

San Diego

Chinese:

聖地牙哥

Shèngdìyàgē

Filipino:

San Diego

Swedish:

San Diego

Flag of San Diego

Seal of San Diego

Meaning of the Name:

Named after "Saint Didacus" (Didacus of Alcalá).

Former Names:

Nicknames:

"America's Finest City"

Demonym(s):

San Diegan

Coronado Island

Skyline Views

Gaslamp Quarter

Old Town District

USS Midway

Aircraft Carrier Museum

Currency:

US Dollar

Code:

USD

Subunit:

Cent

Symbol:

Cash Or Credit:

Cash is still common in the US, but in recent years cards have become the dominant form of payment and, nowadays, you can survive a trip to the US with only a minor amount of cash in smaller denominations for tips. In 2022 was the first time I was able to go an entire trip to the US without spending a single paper bill.

Good To Know:

Everyone is expecting tips for everything in the United States. It can be a good idea to have some one-dollar bills available, but nowadays it's often possible to give tips on card transactions as well. Only a few years ago that was not the case and even if you paid by card you had to give tip, which was expected, in cash.

Local Language:

English

Language Family:

Germanic (Indo-European)

Writing System:

Latin Alphabet

What About English?

Other Common Languages:

Spanish is widely spoken due to the proximity to the Mexican border and the large share of Hispanics in the city.

5th Avenue

Pedestrianized

Yes

Built

District

Gaslamp Quarter

It's not the largest street, it's not the main thoroughfare for car traffic - but it's the street where the highest concentration of restaurants and foot traffic can be found. 5th Avenue will take you through the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter. As of June 2020, parts of the street is also pedestrianized and closed for cars which in the future should further enhance its position as the place to be in Downtown San Diego. The street stretches further than 2 km (3 mi). But after crossing San Diego Freeway in the North, it is no longer a commerce street but rather an ordinary residential street. It is the southernmost 7-8 blocks that are considered to be the Main Street of San Diego.

The Gaslamp Quarter is the central area of San Diego. This is where you should aim to be near when looking for hotels. However, it's very expensive to stay in this area so you might have to look for surrounding areas. Just make sure you stay within walking distance of the Gaslamp Quarter as Downtown San Diego isn't really car-friendly. I stayed at Holiday Inn Express in Cortez Hill, north of Downtown. It's definitely within walking distance, but I wouldn't walk between Downtown and there after dark.

It can actually be tricky to find fast food chains in the Downtown area. If you decide to stay there you will have a much larger supply of local restaurants than the chains. If you stay somewhere else it will be like the rest of Southern California and you will find fast food chains at every corner.

In-N-Out

Origin:

Founded:

1948

Type of Food:

Hamburgers

Did I Try:

Yes

My Score:

5 / 5

About:

In-N-Out is the most iconic of all chains from California! No trip to California is complete without a stop at one of their restaurants! The menu is short and simple (with a not-so-secret additional menu). The prices are lower than average and it's one of few chains where you can still eat a full meal for around $10. Despite that, they are still able to pay their workers decent salaries.

Comment:

The most famous and, arguably, the best of the local fast food chains in California. It's a must to give it a try at least once, but will likely be more than that.

Del Taco

Origin:

Founded:

1964

Type of Food:

TexMex

Did I Try:

Yes

My Score:

4 / 5

About:

Del Taco is similar to Taco Bell but found mostly throughout the Southwestern United States. Their menus are often served with fries, which is unusual in the United States but similar to how Taco Bell for example does it Internationally.

Comment:

Unfortunately, they closed their store in Downtown San Francisco almost ten years ago. You can still found them in the outskirts of the city. I like this chain. It's pretty much the same quality as Taco Bell and has a similar menu. Their sauces are hotter than the ones found in Taco Bell, which is a positive thing.

No Images Available

San Diego is often overlooked when people travel to California, at least from Europe. It's often Los Angeles and San Francisco that is the destination for such trips. If you've never been to Los Angeles I think you should focus only on that city. If you've already been to Los Angeles and visiting again, you should look into the possibility to take a few days in San Diego.

Do I Recommend You To Visit?

Yes. San Diego is worth a visit.

Will I Come Back Again?

It's a city worth coming back to, there is a lot you can't do in just a day or two. But it's not high on the bucket list.

Weather During My Stay:

Partly sunny, and even a little bit of rain.

Best:

A fairly walkable Downtown, especially the Gaslight Quarter.

Not As Good:

Some areas of the city can be a little rough. It also lacks specific sights and monuments. San Diego does have sights and is worth seeing, but it does not have a world-class sight that will make people travel across oceans to see it.