Fodors - Fodors San Diego

Although most visitors know little about San Diego beyond its fun-in-the-sun reputation, locals are talking about much more than the surf forecast and their tan lines. Like much of the country, the recent years saw financial woes taking their toll on local infrastructure and services, while residents struggled with plummeting home values and rising unemployment. But San Diegans arent known as a dour bunch, and theyve managed to keep the forecast sunny. The buzz around San Diegos science and biotech industry continues to grow, and several large companies, including Qualcomm, PETCO, and Bridgepoint Education, continue to call San Diego home base. San Diego has been busy shedding its image as LAs less sophisticated neighbor, and coming into an urban identity of its own. Across the region, residents are embracing new trends in the local art, shopping, dining, and cultural scenes.

... is eating well. Once considered somewhat of a culinary wasteland, the San Diego dining scene is enjoying a renaissance. All over town, new and exciting restaurants are popping up, celebrating both the local bounty and the regions diversity. Healthy and fresh California Modern cuisine remains a feature on many menus, while neighboring Baja Mexico has given rise to the new trend of BajaMed, a fusion of Mexican and Mediterranean styles. San Diegos sizable Asian population has introduced everything from dim sum carts to Mongolian hot pot, while local sushi chefs take advantage of San Diegos reputation for some of the finest sea urchin in the world. The locavore trend has become somewhat of an obsession for San Diegans, and many restaurants are happy to highlight how and where they source their ingredients.

... is toasting the town. San Diego continues to gain recognition as one of the most exciting beer towns in the nation. Craft brewers creating a buzz include AleSmith, Ballast Point, and Lost Abbey, just to name a few, and Stone Brewing Company, creator of the notorious Arrogant Bastard Ale, has several locations. All this enthusiasm for San Diegos suds has given rise to a beer tourism industry, from bus tours of local brewers, to large beer-themed events such as the popular San Diego Beer Week. Theres even an app to help you find the perfect pint: inspired by the local brewing scene, a San Diego couple created the TapHunter website and mobile application that helps beer lovers find whats on tap, and where.

... is building for the future, and conserving its past. A drive around San Diego reveals a huge range of architecture, from hip to historic to downright hideous. Urban planning from half a century ago, such as the decision to run Interstate 5 right through Little Italy and Downtown, is hard to undo but other efforts to conserve the citys architectural integrity have been more successful. Downtowns Gaslamp Quarter is the most famous conservation area, but the residential neighborhoods of Uptown, Kensington, and South Park delight early-20th-century architecture buffs with streets full of historically designated homes. New projects making waves in San Diego today include the revitalization of the Embarcadero, and the highly contentious Plaza de Panama Project to reroute vehicular traffic and create underground parking in Balboa Park. The latter is currently mired in public battles and lawsuits pitting one of the citys leading conservation groups, Save Our Heritage Organization, against one of the citys leading philanthropists, Qualcomm co-founder Irwin Jacobs, who is bankrolling the project. The legal battles may be resolved and construction may get underway during the lifetime of this book, but the project will likely remain a sensitive issue for years to come.

... is getting outside. San Diegos near-perfect climate and gorgeous natural landscape make it hard to find an excuse not to get outside and exercise. In fact, San Diego is home to one of the most active populations in the country. Year-round opportunities to surf, sail, bike, or hike offer something for everyone. On weekends and throughout the summer, beaches and parks teem with locals enjoying the great weather and fresh air. Gas barbecues, bouncy houses, and huge shade tents take the concept of the picnic to a whole new level. So when visitors hailing from harsher climates wonder if San Diegans appreciate how good they have it, the answer is a resounding yes.

Downtown. Downtown used to be a real downer, a mix of bland office towers and seedy sidewalks afster sundown. Preservationists and entrepreneurs saved the day, starting with Horton Plaza, a six-block shopping and dining complex. Now, the streets are lined with nightclubs, boutiques, and restaurants, from the glam Gaslamp Quarter (a former red-light district) to the edgier East Village (where Padres fans get their baseball fix at PETCO Park). Also nearby are Seaport Village, the Embarcadero, and Little Italy.

Balboa Park. In the center of the city, this 1,200-acre patch of greenery is home to world-class museums and performing arts, stunning Spanish colonial revival architecture, and the famed San Diego Zoo. Paths wind around gardens, fountains, and groves of shady trees. Its a sort of Central Park of the westa leafy getaway for locals, and a must for tourists. Bankers Hill, just west of the park, is a gentrifying neighborhood with hip dining options.

Old Town. Before there was a sprawling city, there was an Old Town, where youll find remnants of San Diegosand Californiasfirst permanent European settlement. The former pueblo is now a pedestrian-friendly state historic park, with original and reconstructed buildings and sites, along with a tourist bazaar of souvenir shops, art galleries, and Mexican eateries with margaritas and mariachi aplenty.