San Diego, California
Why are so many people moving to San Diego? Located just 17 miles from the border between the United States and Mexico, the city has long been known as a meeting place between cultures. The town has always welcomed people from all walks of life, and despite its wealth, it offers housing ranging from small condominiums to suburban single-family houses to luxury oceanfront mansions.
Because it has a strong economy, many are relocating to San Diego to find work. What else keeps San Diego moving companies so busy? The city is a beautiful place to live. In fact, the U.S. Weather Bureau and Holiday magazine agree that San Diego’s weather is the nearest thing to perfect that the U.S. has to offer. The climate is similar to the climate around the Mediterranean Sea with warm dry summers and mild winters.
Economy:
San Diego’s location on the Pacific Rim of California and close to the Mexican border makes it ideal for international trade. Its generous harbor also makes it an excellent location for naval and air defense bases, which means that its top employers include the United States Armed Forces and various manufacturers of defensive tools.
But a city as large as San Diego (the seventh largest city in the United States) doesn’t just rely on its geography to keep its economy strong. The city also focuses on “industry clusters” upon which it is building its future economy. The clusters include biotechnology, electronics manufacturing, financial and business services, software and telecommunications.
History:
Historians estimate that people have dwelled in San Diego since as far back as 20,000 years ago. The most recent native people to live in the area were the Shoshoneans. The first European to visit the San Diego harbor was Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo who sailed from Mexico in 1542. Cabrillo named the area San Miguel and claimed it for the king of Spain. He was followed by Sebastian Vizcaíno in 1602 in a ship named “San Diego.” He named the bay after San Diego de Alcalá, a Spanish Catholic saint. During Vizcaíno’s visit, Fray Antonio de la Ascensión conducted the first religious service in San Diego. In 1769, Mission San Diego de Alcala was established on what is now Presidio Hill; the mission was relocated to its present site six miles away in 1774.
In 1826, Jedediah Smith established an overland route from the eastern United States to San Diego. He was the first U.S. citizen to relocate cross-country to the city. Twenty years later, the contact between U.S. and Mexican citizens culminated in the Mexican-American War, which reached San Diego in December of 1846. The war resulted in the Mexican Cession in which Mexico relinquished control of much of what is now the western United States. San Diego also saw a significant influx of Asians including the famous Ah Quin who arrived in 1875 and soon became the unofficial mayor of Chinatown. This put the finishing touch on the diversity of San Diego, which has adopted traditions from Native Americans, United States easterners, Mexicans, Asians and Spaniards.
Tourism:
Many people are moving to San Diego after vacationing there and experiencing its beautiful green spaces. If you look at San Diego on a map, its most striking features are the large parks maintained by the city. On its eastern side stretches the Mission Trails Regional Park, one of the largest urban parks in the United States. It has over 5,900 acres of open space that encapsulates two lakes.
To the west of San Diego lies the Pacific Ocean, visitors can enjoy Mission Bay Park. This is a large aquatic park with 4,235 acres that is half water. At Mission Bay and other public beaches, visitors can swim, surf, fly kites or just have a bonfire.
Other major attractions in San Diego include Legoland California, the San Diego Zoo, Sea World at San Diego, the Old Town State Park, the San Diego Wild Animal Park, the Birch Aquarium and the Cabrillo National Monument.
Colleges/Universities:
• California State University—San Marcos
• California Western School of Law
• San Diego Christian College
• Point Loma Nazarene University
• San Diego State University
• University of California—San Diego
• University of San Diego
• Thomas Jefferson School of Law
Interesting Facts:
• San Diego’s professional football team is known as the San Diego Chargers who play at Qualcomm Stadium.
• The City of San Diego is also the county seat of San Diego County.
• In 2009, Forbes mgazine named San Diego the 50-wealthiest city in the U.S.
Helpful Links:
• City of San Diego
• San Diego Real Estate
• San Diego Dental Offices
• San Diego Moving Guide