San Diego is a safe and beautiful city rich in culture and entertainment. Since the weather is usually warm and sunny year-round, you can enjoy many outdoor activities, including water sports, major tourist attractions, annual festivals, professional sports, community fairs and parades and events at more than 50 City parks and recreation centers. There are also plenty of indoor attractions, with an abundance of museums, art galleries, concert halls and stage and movie theaters.

Climate

• United States Weather Bureau describes San Diego's weather as the closest thing to perfect in America. Holiday Magazine described San Diego as the "only area in the United States with perfect weather." Pleasant Weather Rating Service Poll voted San Diego as the best year-round weather in the nation, and the second best in the world.

Public Safety

• San Diego is one of the safest large U.S. cities. According to the City Crime 2014 Rankings calculated by CQ Press, San Diego ranks as the fourth safest city among cities with a population of 500,000 or more.
• From 1997 to 2010, the total crime rate has decreased from 49.5 crimes per 1000 to 26.4 crimes per 1000, nearly halving the index crimes over 13 years.

Parks and Libraries

• Parks - The City has 34,260 acres of developed and undeveloped open space, including three regional parks, 190 community and neighborhood parks, seven open-space parks, 26 shoreline parks, and 25 miles of ocean and bay beaches. There are 52 recreation centers that offer a variety of programs, and the City has three municipal golf courses and 13 permanent, municipal swimming pools.
• Libraries - The City has 36 libraries. The City's 366,673-square-foot, nine-story, downtown Central Library opened in 2013. Several new branches are being built or are in the planning stages, while other libraries are being expanded.

Housing

• From coastlines to inland valleys, San Diego's unique geography provides a landscape that has something for everyone when it comes to housing. The metropolitan housing market has opportunities for households of every size and income level. San Diego offers a wide array of housing opportunities including affordable apartments, first-time-buyer condominiums, suburban single family homes, and luxury oceanfront or rural estates.

Public Health

• The healthcare system in San Diego County is among the best in the nation. There are 26 accredited hospitals with more than 6,600 beds available. Six hospitals in the region offer AMA residency programs. According to a report by Northwestern National Life, San Diego ranked in the top three cities for quality and costs of healthcare.

Sports

• With its year-round, mild weather and multitude of beaches and parks, San Diego is a sports haven. It should be no surprise that outdoor sports are extremely popular, and spectator sports are major draws. San Diego is home to teams in Major League Baseball (Padres), the American Hockey League (Gulls) and Major Arena Soccer League (Sockers). San Diego State University and the University of San Diego have several NCAA Div. I teams.
• According to a 2014 report by the League of American Bicyclists, San Diego ranks third nationwide among cities with over 1 million residents for the percent of all commuters who ride bicycles.

Major Attractions

• The San Diego region is known globally as a popular tourist destination for major attractions, including SeaWorld, San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Old Town State Park, Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Del Mar Thoroughbred Races, Legoland California and Cabrillo National Monument.

Arts and Culture

• Dozens of museums, many located in Balboa Park, abound in San Diego focusing on history, technology, culture and art.
• Annual music and stage festivals in the City include the San Diego Symphony, San Diego Opera, La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe Theatre, Mainly Mozart Festival, San Diego Music Thing, Adams Avenue Music and Arts Festival, and Adams Avenue Roots Festival.
• There are nearly 200 movie screens in the City featuring everything from blockbuster motion pictures and other current releases to foreign, independent and cult films, and major film festivals.
• For additional information, visit the City of San Diego's Commission for Arts and Culture.

Shopping

• San Diego is a shopper's paradise. There are many regional and community shopping centers and shopping districts throughout the City including more than 30 unique neighborhood business districts.