San Diego

Population: 1.1 million; metro 2.5 million

Elevation: 13 ft

Considered the birthplace of California, San Diego was first discovered in 1542 by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who landed at Point Loma and claimed what is now California for the Spanish Crown. The first settlement came more than two centuries later in 1769, when Gaspar de Portola and a group of Spanish settlers founded a military outpost on what is now Presidio Hill.

Accompanying Portola was Franciscan friar Junipero Serra, who founded Mission San Diego de Alcala, the first in a chain of missions established along California's coast. In 1774 Serra moved the mission a few miles up the San Diego River to better soil and a more abundant water supply. The sites of the original mission and the fort can still be seen in Old Town San Diego.

After California achieved statehood in 1850, San Diego grew slowly, deferring to the northern coastal cities, Los Angeles and San Francisco. It maintained a fairly insular existence until the late 1800s, when San Francisco merchant Alonzo E Horton decided to move the nucleus of the town closer to its harbor. Horton bought 960 acres of waterfront land and developed it into New Town, which is now part of downtown San Diego.

During the early 1900s San Diego made a concerted effort to attract people, industry and shipping and railroad commerce, but Los Angeles remained the leader. World War II had a major impact on the city: the United States, forced to move its Pacific naval headquarters from Honolulu, chose San Diego as the new command center. this relocation produced an increase in industry and brought thousands of military personnel, many of whom stayed after the war.

San Diego is home of the largest naval air station on the West Coast. San Diego Bay, headquarters for many Pacific operations by the US Navy, also harbors a large tuna fleet. The federal government and the aerospace industry rank high in economic importance, followed closely by tourism and agriculture.

Mission Bay, northwest of downtown, has two islands and many coves and inlets. This once shallow wasteland is today a 4,600 acre aquatic park.

Sea World, on Mission Bay's south shore, is a 150 acre marine zoological park with shows, aquariums, marine-life exhibits, rides, a marina and a research facility. Daily 9am-11pm in summer, 9am-dusk rest of the year ph: 619/226-3901 or 714/939-6212