Interesting Facts

More than 1.2 million people make their homes inside the city limits of San Diego, making it the second largest city in California. The greater metro area has nearly 3 million residents. Thanks to geography, the urban sprawl has been confined to smaller pockets in canyons and on mesas, so much of the city still retains a small-community vibe.
San Diego has 15 sister cities, among them Warsaw, Poland; Edinburgh, Scotland; Yokohama, Japan; Cavite City, Philippines; Tema, Ghana; Perth, Australia; and Campinas, Brazil.
Visit San Diego between December and March and take the opportunity to catch a glimpse of one of the sea's most majestic mammals. As many as 200 whales pass the coast each day on their way to or from Mexico. But don't forget your camera and binoculars; you don't want to miss the chance to share this experience with others.
San Diego has been home to its fair share of well-known entertainers. Actresses Annette Bening and Kathy Najimy and filmmaker Cameron Crowe grew up here; actress Cameron Diaz, entertainer RuPaul, and actor Ted Danson were born here. Frank Zappa spent much of his youth in San Diego, and nearby La Jolla was the birthplace of actor Gregory Peck and actress Danica McKellar.
Take time to smell the roses and all of the other flowers that San Diego offers. The dry climate is the perfect condition for growing pampas grass, wild daisies and jasmine. In December, red and white poinsettias bloom naturally for the Christmas season. In the spring enjoy the scents drifting from the numerous citrus trees.
In sporting news ... Record-setting Padres hitter Tony Gwynn is currently the head baseball coach at San Diego State University. Pro skater Tony Hawk and pro surfer Rob Machado also hail from San Diego, so the surfer/skateboarder culture is well represented here as well.
Many of the Spanish Revival buildings in Balboa Park were originally designed and constructed for the city's two word's fairs, the Panama-California Exposition in 1915, and the California Pacific International Exposition in 1935.
California's only recorded hurricane hit the San Diego coast in October, 1858.
Many of the Spanish Revival buildings in Balboa Park were originally designed and constructed for the city's two word's fairs, the Panama-California Exposition in 1915, and the California Pacific International Exposition in 1935.
The city's most famous attraction is probably its zoo. In the 100-acre zoo, nearly 4000 animals roam in spaces that closely resemble their own habitats. Be sure to try for a peek at one of the zoo's extremely popular giant pandas, Hua Mei, Bai Yun or Gao Gao. But don't get your hopes up too high � they like to sleep in the day and are sometimes not on display.