San Diego

San Diego enjoys some of the finest weather in the United States, and its easygoing coastal lifestyle makes the most of it. Miles of beaches stretch along the coast, from the surf breaks and sea lions of La Jolla to the wide sands fronting the landmark hotel on Coronado. It is a relaxed, family-friendly city where the outdoors comes first.

There is more here than the shoreline. Balboa Park packs together gardens, museums, and the famous zoo in a Spanish-Revival setting, the revived Gaslamp Quarter drives the downtown dining and nightlife, and the city's proximity to the border gives it a strong Mexican influence and outstanding tacos. The beach towns each have their own laid-back character, and Baja California lies just to the south.

The weather is famously mild and sunny year-round, rarely too hot or too cold. Coastal clouds can gather in late spring and early summer, a local pattern known as May Gray and June Gloom, with the warmest, clearest conditions usually arriving in late summer and early fall.