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The Pearl Hotel
San Diego, United States
With its sunny countenance and village-like appeal, San Diego is constantly reinventing itself through a bubbling art scene and evolving food culture. From the sandy sidewalks of La Jolla to the Old Town stalls serving up tostadas and tacos, here’s our guide to the best of the southern Californian border town’s sun-soaked streets.
07 March, 2022
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There's something about border towns: they hold a different kind of energy - kinetic and free-flowing. San Diego is pumped full of it, the endless movement in the "City in Motion" adding a diversity of culture you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the US.
Sun-dappled beaches and sandy-haired surfers take centre stage in California's most southern city, but beyond the wave-pounded coastlines of La Jolla and the scenic Embarcadero, San Diego nurtures numerous neighbourhoods bristling with world-class dining opportunities, an exciting brew culture and a dynamic, inclusive art scene.
It's a big city, with communities spilling out along the coast, looping from the beachy enclaves of La Jolla and Mission Beach down and around San Ysidro's border edge. It feels like a collection of villages, each individual in its personality. Head to Old Town's state park for regular exhibitions celebrating Kumeyaay Nation culture, stroll Little Italy to browse buzzing farmers' markets, explore the electric streets of the historic Mexican-American district, Barrio Logan, the nightlife hub that is the Gaslamp Quarter and breeze your way to the city's LGBTQ+ mecca in Hillcrest for mom-and-pop Vietnamese joints squeezed between thrift stores and brunch spots. There's a strong Japanese culture at play here, too, which makes itself visible through the many sake, sushi and ramen joints. And that's not even mentioning the city's sandy extremes and polished suburbs.
Need a breather? At San Diego's heart sits the cultural hub of Balboa Park - a vast green space dotted with museums, Spanish-style architecture and San Diego Zoo. The fun of San Diego is it's endless diversity - you'll need more than a few days blocked out on your road-trip itinerary to unravel it and, even then, this sunny border town might surprise you. Set the sat nav due south - a world of wonders awaits.
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San Diego, United States
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