Why Do People Choose to Live in San Diego? by Stephanie Foster

San Diego is one of the largest cities in the nation. What is it about this city that attracts people so?

It certainly isn't the housing prices. Housing costs are significantly higher in San Diego than in many metropolitan areas. It's not the most expensive place to live but not for the broke of wallet.

It's not the traffic, a popular complaint among San Diegans. Once again, traffic in San Diego isn't as bad as in many other cities but sometimes it's pretty horrendous.

So what is it?

Weather pretty much has to top that list, especially in the more coastal regions. That's assuming you prefer warm weather to cold. Sunny and 72 doesn't exactly describe it, but San Diego winters tend to be short. Hail and heavy rain are about as bad as the cold weather get, and neither is all that common.

In coastal regions even the summer isn't too hot for most people's comfort. Inland it can easily break 100 degrees but in coastal areas things are much cooler. Still very warm but far from intolerable.

All that glorious weather means there's plenty to do in San Diego. Walking, hiking, surfing, skating, riding bikes, sports... all the classic warm weather outdoor activities. And if you need your snow in winter, mountains with good ski slopes are only a couple hours' drive away.

You also get some activities you can't do in many cities. Whale watching is at its best in late December through early March. The best viewing is from a boat, but sometimes one can be spotted from land. And then there's the San Diego Zoo, which is just spectacular, far beyond the zoos available in most cities.

There's a nice selection of amusement parks, either within the county or just a couple hours away. Sea World and Legoland are the big ones in San Diego County, but you can drive in just a few hours to the Los Angeles area to get to Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain and Universal Studios.

Balboa Park is a true delight, and it can take months to explore properly with the extensive museums, grassy areas and hiking trails. It's 1200 acres of beauty.

There's far more to recommend San Diego as a home or just a place to visit. Great shopping, dining and plenty of fun to be had whether you have a family or are going it on your own.

Author Resource: Stephanie Foster runs http://www.gettoknowsandiego.com/ where she explores some of the many attractions of San Diego. Visit her site to learn more about home buying in San Diego.

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