The San Diego County is located in the south-western corner of California, and is thereby also the south-western corner of the United States. The city of San Diego is the second largest in California, only Los Angeles has a bigger population.
While staying in San Diego you have great opportunities to check out a lot of the other attractions that the Golden State of California has to offer. Most transportation in California is done by car, and almost every major freeway in the county crosses San Diego, as well as several highways and major arterial roads. One of the easiest ways of getting around in California is by renting a car. If you prefer not to drive yourself, there are plenty of agencies organising bus trips all over the state. If you favour flying, San Diego has one international airport, the Lindbergh International Airport, and two smaller airports named Brown Field and Montgomery Field Municipal Airport.
Most of Southern California is within easy reach for you when you are staying in San Diego, excellent for a daytrip or a small get away during a weekend. For example, San Diego is just a two and a half hour drive south of Los Angeles. It is also possible to travel by boat from San Diego to Los Angeles, an unforgettable trip over the turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean. Los Angeles has several smaller non-industrial harbours along its western coastline, suitable for sailboats and yachts. Some of the most frequented are Redondo Beach, Marina-Del-Rey and Manhattan Beach. Movie lovers shouldn't miss out on the opportunity to visit Universal Studios in Hollywood while in California. Be a part of the audience on some of America's most popular shows or dare to ride the world's first blockbuster roller coaster: Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride.
Southern California is usually referred to as “SoCal”, and is not a formal district with exact boundaries. To your west you will have the Pacific Ocean with all its possibilities for swimming, water sports, boating, fishing and so on. To the South you have the Mexican border and exotic border cities like the infamous Tijuana. The dominant areas in Southern California are Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange County. If you wish to experience a different culture, cross the border over to Mexico and have a glass of tequila, worm included of course. California also has its very own Little Saigon in Orange County, with the world's largest concentration of Vietnamese people outside Vietnam. Fabulous restaurants and outstanding shopping for every one interested in Asian food.
If you are found of surfing, a trip to Huntington Beach in Orange County is almost mandatory once you have tried all the surfing beaches in San Diego. Huntington Beach is nicknamed “Surf City U.S.A” and certainly lives up to its name. It hosts a number of famous surfing competitions every year, days and days of fun for competing participants and spectators alike. Orange County is also the home of many independent and curious museums and attractions, such as the Motts Miniatures Museum, the Movieland Wax Museum, Knott's Berry Farm, the Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament, an International Printing Museum and Ripley's "Belive it or Not!" Museum.
