San Diego: America’s Finest City

The USA is home to some of the most splendid cities on Earth. From east to west there are the likes of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles - all world renowned cities attracting millions of visitors each year. Moreover, each of these cities is famous for at least one thing, whether it's skyscrapers, movies, gambling, beaches, music or any combination of these.

Indeed, America perhaps has more than its fair share of splendid cities, and one of these perhaps doesn't receive the acclaim it deserves.

Situated on the southernmost point of California on the Pacific coast is San Diego, America's seventh largest city by population and one that is certainly worth a visit. Like other US cities, San Diego has its own unique offerings and curious facts, making it a remarkably understated city with plenty to offer.

Firstly, there's the weather. San Diego is often considered to have the best climate in the whole of the USA, with warm dry summers and mild winters - in short, the city rarely gets exceedingly hot or cold. It's a very pleasant place to be all year round.

With 70 miles of beaches, San Diego is a great place to relax in the sunshine, but this city isn't all about sun, sand and sea. Without the throngs of tourists that plague many other parts of the country, San Diego is a great place to sample one of America's true great Hispanic cities. Indeed, the Mexico border is only about seventeen miles from the centre of San Diego hence it's possible to sample a little bit of authentic Mexican culture in a short day trip to Tijuana.

San Diego was the first place to be settled by Europeans on the western coast of the country and today it is California's second largest city - but it has a very homely, small town atmosphere and it feels a lot more laid-back than the neighbouring (relatively speaking...) cities of LA and San Francisco. Importantly, the city has a very young and dynamic population, with a median age of 32 and two-thirds of San Diego is under the age of 35.

Furthermore, a third of the city's workforce is degree-educated and it has an employment rate of 96%, making it a very attractive destination for those thinking of setting up home here - indeed, it's easy to see why San Diego has been nicknamed 'America's finest city'.

Of course, most visitors won't be looking to reside here permanently, meaning that hotels in San Diego are always in great demand - and luckily, there is plenty of choice, from budget beachside bungalows and hostels, to large city centre palaces.

San Diego is also home to one of the world's biggest and most impressive zoos, with more than 4000 animals covering almost a thousand species. San Diego Zoo is truly an amazing place to visit and makes any journey to this fantastic city one to truly remember.