History UsefulNotes / SanDiego

San Diego is frequently referred to as the "Birthplace of California", and for very good reason. It was the first place in all of what is now California to be settled by the Europeans. Before their arrival, the region was home to the indigenous ''Kumeyaay'' people (later called by the Spanish the ''Diegueño''), who lived there for millennia. When the Spanish arrived to the region from Mexico in 1542, they claimed it for the Spanish Empire, but it was not settled by Europeans for quite some time. In fact, it wouldn't be until 1769 that the Spanish established their first fort in the region; it was during the same year that was the founding of the famous [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_San_Diego_de_Alcal%C3%A1 Mission San Diego de Alcala]] by St. Junipero Serra, the first of the many California Missions that dot the state's coastal regions all the way until north of San Francisco. However, these events only led to the creation of small settlements & villages in the region; when Mexico declared its independence from Spain, the entirety of what is now California joined the newly-formed nation, but San Diego was still largely a small village called ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_Viejo_Plaza Pueblo de San Diego]]'' (which today is preserved as the City's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Town_San_Diego_State_Historic_Park Old Town State Historic Park]]).

Things would change gradually for the village starting in 1850: After the UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar, the entirety of California (along with other regions in what is now the southwest United States) was annexed by the United States. After gaining control of the region, the Americans saw potential in the San Diego Bay located just south of the Pueblo Village to be used as a trading port and naval base. Coupled with the arrival of investors, the bay began to see widespread development, forming what is today the city's downtown area. Over the next few decades, San Diego grew from a tiny village into a small-sized city. But probably the biggest event that had the most lasting changes for the growing city would be the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama%E2%80%93California_Exposition Panama–California Exposition]]'' in 1915. This two-year lasting World Expo celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal, which bridged the shipping gap between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; San Diego was chosen to host it as it is the southernmost city along the United States' Pacific Coast and thus the first terminus of ships arriving from the Canal to the country. The expo was really impressive for the city since it was at the time actually 10 times smaller than San Francisco,[[note]]San Francisco, it should be noted, also had their own expo celebrating the Panama Canal, which saw the opening of the city's famous Presidio[[/note]] and yet the city went out of its way to create the famous ''Balboa Park.'' Dotted with Spanish-Colonial and Mission-Revival Architecture, along with massive greenage, Balboa Park remains the cultural heart of San Diego. The expo brought about the first real exposure of the city to the American public and visiting foreigners.

Despite its well-deserved reputation as a beach town, much of San Diego is very rugged. The city is full of many hills, cliffs, valleys, and mesas that dot most of the landscape; its downtown, fittingly, is located in one of the few largely-flat areas of the region along its bay. The cities famous beaches are typically hugging along the coastal cliffs, and can be difficult to access in some locations (but WorthIt for the locals). Much like Los Angeles over a hundred miles north, San Diego is a city that was built "out" rather than "up". And because of this, the city has a very suburban feel to it in many districts (more on that later).

San Diego, nicknamed "America's Finest City", "Birthplace of California", and "City in Motion", is the second-largest city in the State of California and the eighth-largest city in the entire United States, a fact that many American and even some Californians never realize (with many believing it to be San Francisco). The city has approximately 1.4 Million residents, along with an additional two million living within San Diego County itself. It houses some of the finest universities in the Nation, several large Navy & Marine bases, a major complex of various museums in the iconic Balboa Park that rival the more-famous ones in other cities, the San Diego Zoo (widely considered one of the finest in the world), and some of the best beaches in the entire country. Despite this, San Diego is rarely, if ever, represented in media or pop-culture, and is regularly overshadowed by the other two major California Cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, despite being 75% larger than the latter. There may be the occasional nod to the city's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_Comic-Con famous annual Comic-Con]] held every summer, but other than that it's as though the city's existence is lost to the general public. But if you ask any native San Diegan, or even anyone who takes the time to visit the city, San Diego is one of the most unique, culturally diverse, and easy-going cities in the entire United States.

Politics are an issue that ''really'' set San Diego apart from the other large California Cities, particularly Los Angeles and San Francisco. Both L.A. and Frisco have reputations for being very liberal, firmly Democratic Party aligned cities. But unlike those two cities, San Diego has always been a hodge-podge of both Conservative & Liberal political attitudes and Party Support. A key reason for this is because of the aforementioned diversity & variety found within the city's population. On one hand, you have many liberal enclaves who are very firmly on the left-leaning blue-side of political issues, such as the city's vibrant gay community. On the other, much of the city is populated by classic nuclear families and former military personnel who lean more towards the right-conservative red-side of issues. And even within these margins, there is ''a lot'' of variety among voters. For example, much of the city's Hispanic population will vote blue on some issues (particularly pertaining to immigration) but vote red on others (such as traditionally conservative values). As of 2023, there is a slight edge favoring the Democratic Party, but this spread is very miniscule compared to other large California Cities who are firmly Democrat; Republicans still hold a lot of sway among local politics.

Things would change gradually for the village starting in 1850: After the UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar, the entirety of California (along with other regions in what is now the southwest United States) was annexed by the United States. After gaining control of the region, the Americans saw potential in the San Diego Bay located just south of the Pueblo Village to be used as a trading port and naval base. Coupled with the arrival of investors, the bay began to see widespread development, forming what is today the city's downtown area. Over the next few decades, San Diego grew from a tiny village into a small-sized city. But probably the biggest event that had the most lasting changes for the growing city would be the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama%E2%80%93California_Exposition Panama–California Exposition]]'' in 1915. This two-year lasting World Expo celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal, which bridged the shipping gap between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; San Diego was chosen to host it as it is the southernmost city along the United States' Pacific Coast and thus the first terminus of ships arriving from the Canal to the country. The expo was really impressive for the city since it was at the time actually 10 times smaller than San Francisco,[[note]]San Francisco, it should be noted, also had their own expo celebrating the Panama Canal, which saw the opening of the city's famous Presidio[[/note]] and yet the city went out of its way to create the famous ''Balboa Park.'' Dotted with Spanish-Colonial and Mission-Revival Architecture, along with massive greenage, Balboa Park remains the cultural heart of San Diego. The expo brought about the first real exposure of the city to American public and visiting foreigners.

Things would change gradually for the village starting in 1850: After the UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar, the entirety of California (along with other regions in what is now the southwest United States) was annexed by the United States. After gaining control of the region, the Americans saw potential in the San Diego Bay located just south of the Pueblo Village to be used as a trading port and naval base. Coupled with the arrival of investors, the bay began to see widespread development, forming what is today the city's downtown area. Over the next few decades, San Diego grew from a tiny village into a small-sized city. But probably the biggest event that had the most lasting changes for the growing city would be the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama%E2%80%93California_Exposition Panama–California Exposition]]'' in 1915. This two-year lasting World Expo celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal, which bridged the shipping gap between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; San Diego was chosen to host it as it is the southernmost city along the United States' Pacific Coast and thus the first terminus of ships arriving from the Canal to the country. The expo was really impressive for the city since it was at the time actually 10 times smaller than San Francisco,[[note]]San Francisco, it should be noted, also had their own expo celebrating the Panama Canal, which saw the opening of the city's famous Presidio[[/note]] and yet the city went out of its way to create the famous ''Balboa Park.'' Dotted with Spanish-Colonial and Mission-Revival Architecture, along with massive greenage, Balboa Park remains the cultural heart of San Diego. The expo brought about the first exposure real exposure of the city to Americans and visiting foreigners.

In regards to culture, it can be hard for an outsider to pinpoint what exactly makes San Diego unique, especially since it does not have many of the iconic landmarks & locations that many associate with the State of California.[[note]] Los Angeles has Hollywood and the Film Industry, while San Francisco has the Golden Gate Bridge [[/note]] So, for the sake of convenience, keep in mind that there are two things that practically define San Diego: it's Easy-Going Nature, and its Military Presence.

Things would change gradually for the village starting in 1850: After the UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar, the entirety of California (along with other regions in what is now the southwest United States) was annexed by the United States. After gaining control of the region, the Americans saw potential in the San Diego Bay located just south of the Pueblo Village to be used as a trading port and naval base. Coupled with the arrival of investors, the bay began to see widespread development, forming what is today the city's downtown area. Over the next few decades, San Diego grew from a tiny village into a small-sized city. But probably the biggest event that had the most lasting changes for the growing city would be the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama%E2%80%93California_Exposition Panama–California Exposition]]'' in 1915. This two-year lasting World Expo celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal, which bridged the shipping gap between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; San Diego was chosen to host it as it is the southernmost city along the United States' Pacific Coast and thus the first terminus of ships arriving from the Canal to the country. The expo was really impressive for the city since it was at the time actually 10 times smaller than San Francisco,[[note]]San Francisco, it should be noted, also had their own expo celebrating the Panama Canal, which saw the opening of the city's famous Presidio[[/note]] and yet the city went out of its way to create the famous ''Balboa Park.'' Dotted with Spanish-Colonial and Mission-Revival Architecture, along with massive greenage, Balboa Park remains the cultural heart of San Diego.

Despite its well-deserved reputation as a beach town, much of San Diego is very rugged. The city is full of many hills, cliffs, valleys, and mesas that dot most of the landscape; its downtown, fittingly, is located in one of the few largely-flat areas of the region, along its bay. The cities famous beaches are typically hugging along the coastal cliffs, and can be difficult to access in some locations (but Worth It for the locals). Much like Los Angeles over a hundred miles north, San Diego is a city that was built "out" rather than "up". And because of this, the city has a very suburban feel to it in many districts (more on that later).

Just about every major demographic in the United States has a presence in San Diego, with people from all walks-of-life settling the city. Easily the largest single demographic (making up one third of the total population) are Hispanics, particularly those of Mexican descent. San Diego is located on the very southwest corner of the continental United States, and is literally on the border with Mexico (even sharing an international Twin-City Status with neighboring Tijuana); as such, it's no surprise that the city has a very vibrant Hispanic cultural community. Food Buffs especially love San Diego for having what is perhaps the best Mexican Food in the entire United States. San Diego also has a large Asian population (making up 16% of the total population), with the largest groups being of Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Indian decent; Balboa Park even has a Japanese Garden called "Sankei-en" that many locals say feels as though it was taken straight out of Japan since it's ''that'' vibrant. It also has a sizeable African-American Population; and of course, the city also has several of the various classic "Ethnic Enclaves" that are commonly found in other large American Cities; such as its own Little Italy, Little Saigon, Koreatown, Chinatown, Little Baghdad, several Barios,[[note]] (Spanish word for "Quarter" and/or "Neighborhood"; commonly used to refer to predominantly Hispanic Neighborhoods)[[/note]] and that's just to name a few. Also, just about every major religion has a presence in San Diego. Christianity is by far the largest faith in the region, with nearly 70% of the population being Christian (divided into roughly 32% for Protestants and for Catholics, with the remaining 6% belonging to other Christian denominations). It also has an approximately 25% of its population proclaiming themselves as irreligious/non-religious; and the remaining 5% belonging to other faiths (Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.). San Diego also has one of the largest LGBT+ Populations in the entire United States, with some estimates stating that nearly one-hundred thousand residents, or 6% of the population, identifies as LGBT.

First off, San Diego is a very Laid-Back, Easy-Going City, especially when compared to other American Cities and even Los Angeles & San Francisco. Because of how the city was built out instead of up, much of the city has a suburban feel to it. This is one thing that sets it apart from Los Angeles; L.A. at the end of the day is still very much a large, busy city and bustling metropolis, even if it was built outward. While San Diego also is a large city, it often doesn't ''feel'' like it; it always kept its small-town suburban feel to it even when its population far exceeded one million people. Because of this, San Diego has become a very popular place for suburban-seeking families to settle down and live in without being overwhelmed by the big-city life.[[note]] As an example/analogy, located immediately north of San Diego County is Orange County, a largely suburban region of Southern California; even though Orange County is generally considered to be a part of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, many locals (from both Orange County and San Diego) say that O.C. ''feels more like its a part of San Diego'' rather than a part of L.A. simply because of how much the two counties are alike and how different Los Angeles is from them.[[/note]] One thing that also contributes to San Diego's laid-back attitude is its vibrant surf-culture. With over thirty miles of beaches, San Diego is considered one of the surfing capitals of the world. Even those who don't surf still take the time to relax and have fun on the city's many beaches, which make the city a popular tourist destination. It's widely believed that this lack of a "hustle-&-bustle" feeling that is commonly associated with large cities is part of the reason San Diego is overshadowed by Los Angeles and San Francisco; San Diegans frequently like to take it easy in sharp contrast to residents of its northern sister cities. But it is this overall attitude that makes San Diego the most "Californian" city in all of California, since it really embodies many of the cultural traits people associate with the state.

First off, San Diego is a very Laid-Back, Easy-Going City, especially when compared to other American Cities and even Los Angeles & San Francisco. Because of how the city was built out instead of up, much of the city has a suburban feel to it. This is one thing that sets it apart from Los Angeles; L.A. at the end of the day is still very much a large, busy city and bustling metropolis, even if it was built out. While San Diego also is a large city, it often doesn't ''feel'' like it; it always kept its small-town suburban feel to it even when its population far exceeded one million people. Because of this, San Diego has become a very popular place for suburban-seeking families to settle down and live in without being overwhelmed by the big-city life.[[note]] As an example/analogy, located immediately north of San Diego County is Orange County, a largely suburban region of Southern California; even though Orange County is generally considered to be a part of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, many locals (from both Orange County and San Diego) say that O.C. ''feels more like its a part of San Diego'' rather than a part of L.A. simply because of how much the two counties are alike and how different Los Angeles is from them.[[/note]] One thing that also contributes to San Diego's laid-back attitude is its vibrant surf-culture. With over thirty miles of beaches, San Diego is considered one of the surfing capitals of the world. Even those who don't surf still take the time to relax and have fun on the city's many beaches, which make the city a popular tourist destination. It's widely believed that this lack of a "hustle-&-bustle" feeling that is commonly associated with large cities is part of the reason San Diego is overshadowed by Los Angeles and San Francisco; San Diegans frequently like to take it easy in sharp contrast to residents of its northern sister cities. But it is this overall attitude that makes San Diego the most "Californian" city in all of California, since it really embodies many of the cultural traits people associate with the state.

Just about every major demographic in the United States has a presence in San Diego, with people from all walks-of-life settling the city. Easily the largest single demographic (making up one third of the total population) are Hispanics, particularly those of Mexican descent. San Diego is located on the very southwest corner of the continental United States, and is literally on the border with Mexico (even sharing an international Twin-City Status with neighboring Tijuana); as such, it's no surprise that the city has a very vibrant Hispanic cultural community. Food Buffs especially love San Diego for having what is perhaps the best Mexican Food in the entire United States. San Diego also has a large Asian population (making up 16% of the total population), with the largest groups being of Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Indian decent; Balboa Park even has a Japanese Garden called "Sankei-en" that many locals say feels as though it was taken straight out of Japan since it's ''that'' vibrant. It also has a sizeable African-American Population; and of course, the city also has several of the various classic "Ethnic Enclaves" that are commonly found in other large American Cities; such as its own Little Italy, Little Saigon, Koreatown, Chinatown, Little Baghdad, several Barios,[[note]] (Spanish word for "Quarter" and/or "Neighborhood"; commonly used to refer to predominantly Hispanic Neighborhoods)[[/note]] and that's just to name a few. Also, just about every major religion has a presence in San Diego. Christianity is by far the largest faith in the region, with nearly 70% of the population being Christian (divided into roughly 32% for Protestants and Catholics, with the remaining 6% belonging to other Christian denominations). It also has an approximately 25% of its population proclaiming themselves as irreligious/non-religious; and the remaining 5% belonging to other faiths (Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.). San Diego also has one of the largest LGBT+ Populations in the entire United States, with some estimates stating that nearly one-hundred thousand residents, or 6% of the population, identifies as LGBT.

First off, San Diego is a very Laid-Back, Easy-Going City, especially when compared to other American Cities and even Los Angeles & San Francisco. Because of how the city was built out instead of up, much of the city has a suburban feel to it. This is one thing that sets it apart from Los Angeles; L.A. at the end of the day is still very much a large, busy city and bustling metropolis, even if it was built out. While San Diego also is a large city, it often doesn't ''feel'' like it; it always kept its small-town suburban feel to it even when its population far exceeded one million people. Because of this, San Diego has become a very popular place for suburban-seeking families to settle down and live in without being overwhelmed by the big-city life.[[note]] As an example/analogy, located immediately north of San Diego County is Orange County, a largely suburban region of Southern California; even though Orange County is generally considered to be a part of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, many locals (from both Orange County and San Diego) say that O.C. ''feels more like its a part of San Diego'' rather than a part of L.A. simply because of how much the two counties are alike and how different Los Angeles is from them.[[/note]] One thing that also contributes to San Diego's laid-back attitude is its vibrant surf-culture. With over thirty miles of beaches, San Diego is considered one of the surfing capitals of the world. Even those who don't surf still take the time to relax and have fun on the city's many beaches, which make the city a popular tourist destination. It is this overall attitude that makes San Diego the most "Californian" city in all of California, since it really embodies many of the cultural traits people associate with the state.

!! Demographics, Culture, and Politics

First off, San Diego is a very Laid-Back, Easy-Going City, especially when compared to other American Cities and even Los Angeles & San Francisco. Because of how the city was built out instead of up, much of the city has a suburban feel to it. This is one thing that sets it apart from Los Angeles; L.A. at the end of the day is still very much a large, busy city and bustling metropolis, even if it was built out. While San Diego also is a large city, it often doesn't ''feel'' like it; it always kept its small-town suburban feel to it even when its population far exceeded one million people. Because of this, San Diego has become a very popular place for suburban-seeking families to settle down and live in without being overwhelmed by the big-city life.[[note]] As an example/analogy, located immediately north of San Diego County is Orange County, a largely suburban region of Southern California; even though Orange County is generally considered to be a part of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, many locals (from both Orange County and San Diego) say that O.C. ''feels more like its a part of San Diego'' rather than a part of L.A. simply because of how much the two counties are alike and how different Los Angeles is from them.[[/note]] One thing that also contributes to San Diego's laid-back attitude is its vibrant surf-culture. With over thirty miles of beaches, San Diego is considered one of the surfing capitals of the world. Even those who don't surf still take the time to relax and have fun on the city's many beaches, which make the city a popular tourist destination.

Politics are an issue that ''really'' set San Diego apart from the other large California Cities, particularly Los Angeles and San Francisco. Both L.A. and Frisco have reputations for being very liberal, firmly Democratic Party aligned cities. But unlike those two cities, San Diego has always been a hodge-podge of both Conservative & Liberal political attitudes and Party Support. A key reason for this is because of the aforementioned diversity & variety found within the city's population. On one hand, you have many liberal enclaves who are very firmly on the Left-Leaning Blue-side of political issues, such as the city's vibrant Gay Community. On the other, much of the city is populated by classic nuclear families and former military personnel who lean more towards the Conservative Red-Side of issues. And even within these margins, there is ''a lot'' of variety among voters. For example, much of the city's Hispanic population will vote blue on some issues (particularly pertaining to immigration) but vote red on others (such as traditionally conservative values). As of now, there is a slight edge favoring the Democratic Party, but this spread is very miniscule compared to other large California Cities who are firmly Democrat; Republicans still hold sway among local politics.

Just about every major demographic in the United States has a presence in San Diego, with people from all walks-of-life settling the city. Probably the largest single demographic (making up one third of the total population) are Hispanics, particularly those of Mexican descent. San Diego is located on the very southwest corner of the continental United States, and is literally on the border with Mexico (even sharing an international Twin-City Status with neighboring Tijuana); as such, it's no surprise that the city has a very vibrant Hispanic cultural community. Food Buffs especially love San Diego for having what is perhaps the best Mexican Food in the entire United States. San Diego also has a large Asian population (making up 16% of the total population), with the largest groups being of Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Indian decent; Balboa Park even has a Japanese Garden called "Sankei-en" that many locals say feels as though it was taken straight out of Japan since it's ''that'' vibrant. It also has a sizeable African-American Population; and of course, the city also has several of the various classic "Ethnic Enclaves" that are commonly found in other large American Cities; such as its own Little Italy, Little Saigon, Koreatown, Chinatown, Little Baghdad, several Barios,[[note]] (Spanish word for "Quarter" and/or "Neighborhood"; commonly used to refer to predominantly Hispanic Neighborhoods)[[/note]] and that's just to name a few. Also, just about every major religion has a presence in San Diego. Christianity is by far the largest faith in the region, with nearly 70% of the population being Christian (divided into roughly 32% for Protestants and Catholics, with the remaining 6% belonging to other Christian denominations). It also has an approximately 25% of its population proclaiming themselves as irreligious/non-religious; and the remaining 5% belonging to other faiths (Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.). San Diego also has one of the largest LGBT+ Populations in the entire United States, with some estimates stating that nearly one-hundred thousand residents, or 6% of the population, identifies as LGBT.

Just about every major demographic in the United States has a presence in San Diego, with people from all walks-of-life settling the city. Probably the largest single demographic (making up one third of the total population) are Hispanics, particularly those of Mexican descent. San Diego is located on the very southwest corner of the continental United States, and is literally on the border with Mexico (even sharing an international Twin-City Status with neighboring Tijuana); as such, it's no surprise that the city has a very vibrant Hispanic cultural community. Food Buffs especially love San Diego for having what is perhaps the best Mexican Food in the entire United States. San Diego also has a large Asian population (making up 16% of the total population), with the largest groups being of Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Indian decent; Balboa Park even has a Japanese Garden called "Sankei-en" that many locals say feels as though it was taken straight out of Japan since it's ''that'' vibrant. And, of course, the city also has several of the various classic "Ethnic Enclaves" that are commonly found in other large American Cities; such as its own Little Italy, Little Saigon, Koreatown, Chinatown, Little Baghdad, several Barios,[[note]] (Spanish word for "Quarter" and/or "Neighborhood"; commonly used to refer to predominantly Hispanic Neighborhoods)[[/note]] and that's just to name a few. Also, just about every major religion has a presence in San Diego. Christianity is by far the largest faith in the region, with nearly 70% of the population being Christian (divided into roughly 32% for Protestants and Catholics, with the remaining 6% belonging to other Christian denominations). It also has an approximately 25% of its population proclaiming themselves as irreligious/non-religious; and the remaining 5% belonging to other faiths (Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.). San Diego also has one of the largest LGBT+ Populations in the entire United States, with some estimates stating that nearly one-hundred thousand residents, or 6% of the population, identifies as LGBT.

I'm gonna go out jackin' it in... '''[[TitleDrop San Diego]]"'''!''

First off, San Diego is a very Laid-Back, Easy-Going City, especially when compared to other American Cities and even Los Angeles & San Francisco. Because of how the city was built out instead of up, much of the city has a suburban feel to it. This is one thing that sets it apart from Los Angeles; L.A. at the end of the day is still very much a large, busy city and bustling metropolis, even if it was built out. While San Diego also is a large city, it often doesn't ''feel'' like it; it always kept its small-town suburban feel to it even when its population far exceeded one million people. Because of this, San Diego has become a very popular place for suburban-seeking families to settle down and live in without being overwhelmed by the big-city life. As an example/analogy, located immediately north of San Diego County is Orange County, a largely suburban region of Southern California; even though Orange County is generally considered to be a part of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, many locals (from both Orange County and San Diego) say that O.C. ''feels more like its a part of San Diego'' rather than a part of L.A. simply because of how much the two counties are alike and how different Los Angeles is from them. One thing that also contributes to San Diego's laid-back attitude is its vibrant surf-culture. With over thirty miles of beaches, San Diego is considered one of the surfing capitals of the world. Even those who don't surf still take the time to relax and have fun on the city's many beaches, which make the city a popular tourist destination.

!! Demographics and Culture

In regards to culture, it can be hard for an outsider to pinpoint what exactly makes San Diego unique.

Just about every major demographic in the United States has a presence in San Diego, with people from all walks-of-life settling the city. Probably the largest single demographic (making up one third of the total population) are Hispanics, particularly those of Mexican descent. San Diego is located on the very southwest corner of the continental United States, and is literally on the border with Mexico (even sharing an international Twin-City Status with neighboring Tijuana); as such, it's no surprise that the city has a very vibrant Hispanic cultural community. Food Buffs especially love San Diego for having what is perhaps the best Mexican Food in the entire United States. San Diego also has a large Asian population (making up 16% of the total population), with the largest groups being of Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Indian decent; Balboa Park even has a Japanese Garden called "Sankei-en" that many locals say feels as though it was taken straight out of Japan since it's ''that'' vibrant. And, of course, the city also has several of the various classic "Ethnic Enclaves" that are commonly found in other large American Cities; such as its own Little Italy, Little Saigon, Koreatown, Chinatown

Things would change gradually for the village starting in 1850: After the UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar, the entirety of California (along with other regions in what is now the southwest United States) was annexed by the United States. After gaining control of the region, the Americans saw potential in the San Diego Bay located just south of the Pueblo Village to be used as a trading port and naval base. Coupled with the arrival of investors, the bay began to see widespread development, forming what is today the city's downtown area. Over the next few decades, San Diego grew from a tiny village into a small-sized city. But probably the biggest event that had the most lasting changes for the growing city would be the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama%E2%80%93California_Exposition Panama–California Exposition]]'' in 1915. This two-year lasting World Expo celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal, which bridged the shipping gap between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; San Diego was chosen to host it as it is the southernmost city along the United States' Pacific Coast and thus the first terminus of ships arriving from the Canal to the country. The expo was really impressive for the city since it was at the time actually 10 times smaller than San Francisco,[[note]]San Francisco, it should be noted, also had their own expo celebrating the Panama Canal, which saw the opening of the city's famous Presidio[[/note]] and yet the city went out of its way to create the famous ''Balboa Park''. Dotted with Spanish-Colonial and Mission-Revival Architecture, along with massive greenage, Balboa Park remains the cultural heart of San Diego.

Like the rest of the California Coast, San Diego has a largely Mediterranean semi-arid Climate. It has Hot Summers and pretty Mild Winters, so much so that many locals even claim that the city only has ''three'' seasons instead of four: Spring, Summer, and Fall, but no winter.[[note]] Ok, there ''is'' a winter, but it never snows and is hardly any different from Spring or Fall [[/note]] Interestingly, because of the marine layer on the coast, San Diego (along with much of Southern California) has a reputation for being very cloudy & gray during the May & June months of the year (which the locals fittingly call "May Gray" and "June Gloom").

Like the rest of the California Coast, San Diego has a largely Mediterranean semi-arid Climate. It has Hot Summers and pretty Mild Winters, so much so that many locals even claim that the city only has ''three'' seasons instead of four: Spring, Summer, and Fall, but no winter.[[note]] Ok, there ''is'' a winter, but it never snows and is hardly any different from Spring or Fall [[/note]]. Interestingly, because of the marine layer on the coast, San Diego (along with much of Southern California) has a reputation for being very cloudy & gray during the May & June months of the year (which the locals fittingly call "May Gray" and "June Gloom").

San Diego, nicknamed "America's Finest City", "Birthplace of California", and "City in Motion", is the second-largest city in the State of California and the eighth-largest city in the entire United States, a fact that many American and even some Californians never realize (with many believing it to be San Francisco). The city has approximately 1.4 Million residents, along with an additional two million living within San Diego County itself. It houses some of the finest Universities in the Nation, several large Navy & Marine Bases, a major complex of various museums in the iconic Balboa Park that rival the more-famous ones in other cities, the San Diego Zoo, widely considered to be the greatest zoo in the United States and one of the finest zoos in world, and some of the best beaches in the entire country. Despite this, San Diego is rarely, if ever, represented in media or pop-culture, and is regularly overshadowed by the other two major California Cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, despite being 75% larger than the latter. There may be the occasional nod to the city's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_Comic-Con famous annual Comic-Con]] held every summer, but other than that it's as though the city's existence is lost to the general public. But if you ask any native San Diegan, or even anyone who takes the time to visit the city, San Diego is one of the most unique, culturally diverse, and easy-going cities in the entire United States.

San Diego is frequently referred to as the "Birthplace of California", and for very good reason. It was the first place in all of what is now California to be settled by the Europeans. Before their arrival, the region was home to the indigenous ''Kumeyaay'' people (later called by the Spanish the ''Diegueño''), who lived there for millennia. When the Spanish arrived to the region from Mexico in 1542, they claimed it for the Spanish Empire, but it was not settled by Europeans for quite some time. In fact, it wouldn't be until 1769 that the Spanish established their first fort in the region; it was during the same year that was the founding of the famous [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_San_Diego_de_Alcal%C3%A1 Mission San Diego de Alcala]] by St. Junipero Serra, the first of the many California Missions that dot the state's coastal regions all the way until north of San Francisco. However, these events only led to the creation of small settlements & villages in the region; when Mexico Declared its Independence from Spain, the entirety of what is now California joined the Newly-Formed Nation, but San Diego was still largely a small village called ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_Viejo_Plaza Pueblo de San Diego]]'' (which today is preserved as the City's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Town_San_Diego_State_Historic_Park Old Town State Historic Park]]).

Things for the village would change gradually starting in 1850: After the UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar, the entirety of California (along with other regions in what is now the South-West United States) was annexed by the United States. After gaining control of the region, the Americans saw potential in the San Diego Bay located just south of the Pueblo Village to be used as a trading port and naval base. Coupled with the arrival of investors, the bay began to see widespread development, and forms what is today the city's downtown area. Over the next few decades, San Diego would grow from a tiny village into a small-sized city. But probably the biggest event that would have the most lasting changes for the growing city would be the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama%E2%80%93California_Exposition Panama–California Exposition]]'' in 1915. This two-year lasting World Expo celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal, and thus bridged the shipping gap between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; San Diego was chosen to host it as it is the southernmost city along the United States' Pacific Coast and thus the first terminus of ships arriving from the Canal to the country. The expo was really impressive for the city since it was at the time actually 10 times smaller than San Francisco, [[note]] San Francisco, it should be noted, also had their own expo celebrating the Panama Canal, which saw the opening of the city's famous Presidio [[/note]] and yet the city went out of its way to create the famous ''Balboa Park''. Dotted with Spanish-Colonial and Mission-Revival Architecture, along with massive greenage, Balboa Park remains the cultural heart of San Diego.

San Diego is frequently referred to as the "Birthplace of California", and for very good reason. It was the first place in all of what is now California to be settled by the Europeans. Before their arrival, the region was home to the indigenous ''Kumeyaay'' people (later called by the Spanish the ''Diegueño''), who lived there for millennia. When the Spanish arrived to the region from Mexico in 1542, they claimed it for the Spanish Empire, but it was not settled by Europeans for quite some time. In fact, it wouldn't be until 1769 that the Spanish established their first fort in the region; it was during the same year that was the founding of the famous [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_San_Diego_de_Alcal%C3%A1 Mission San Diego de Alcala]] by St. Junipero Serra, the first of the many California Missions that dot the state's coastal regions all the way until north of San Francisco. However, these events only led to the creation of small settlements & villages in the region; when Mexico Declared its Independence from Spain, the entirety of what is now California joined the Newly-Formed Nation, but San Diego was still largely a small village called ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_Viejo_Plaza Pueblo de San Diego]]'' (which today is preserved as the City's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Town_San_Diego_State_Historic_Park Old Town State Historic Park]]).\\
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San Diego is frequently referred to as the "Birthplace of California", and for very good reason. It was the first place in all of what is now California to be settled by the Europeans. Before their arrival, the region was home to the indigenous ''Kumeyaay'' people (later called by the Spanish the ''Diegueño''), who lived there for millennia. When the Spanish arrived to the region from Mexico in 1542, they claimed it for the Spanish Empire, but it was not settled by Europeans for quite some time. In fact, it wouldn't be until 1769 that the Spanish established their first fort in the region; it was during the same year that was the founding of the famous [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_San_Diego_de_Alcal%C3%A1 Mission San Diego de Alcala]] by St. Junipero Serra, the first of the many California Missions that dot the state's coastal regions all the way until north of San Francisco. However, these events only led to the creation of small settlements & villages in the region; when Mexico Declared its Independence from Spain, the entirety of what is now California joined the Newly-Formed Nation, but San Diego was still largely a small village called ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_Viejo_Plaza Pueblo de San Diego]]'' (which today is preserved as the City's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Town_San_Diego_State_Historic_Park Old Town State Historic Park]]).

San Diego, nicknamed "America's Finest City", "Birthplace of California", and "City in Motion", is the second-largest city in the State of California and the eighth-largest city in the entire United States, a fact that many American and even some Californians never realize (with many believing it to be San Francisco). The city has approximately 1.4 Million residents, along with an additional two million living within San Diego County itself. It houses some of the finest Universities in the Nation, several large Navy & Marine Bases, a major complex of various museums in the iconic Balboa Park that rival the more-famous ones in other cities, the San Diego Zoo, widely considered to be the greatest zoo in the United States and one of the finest zoos in world, and some of the best beaches in the entire country. Despite this, San Diego is rarely, if ever, represented in media or pop-culture, and is regularly overshadowed by the other two major California Cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, despite being 75% larger than the latter.

I'm gonna go out jackin' it in... '''[[TitleDrop San Diego]]'''!''
-->-- '''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''', ''"[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VPxmXPFOvY San Diego]]"''