San Diego Airport

Perched in south California, close to the border with Mexico, San Diego is a legendary west coast destination which boasts beautiful beaches, a thriving cultural and entertainment scene, and acts as the getaway location for those locals wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles.

The city is served by San Diego Airport, which is located just five kilometres outside the city’s downtown and the main point for picking up rental cars to explore the area. San Diego is a harbour town and to this day has a thriving waterfront which is home to a naval port and a developed seafront boasting many shopping and entertainment choices.

The city’s famous Gaslamp Quarter can be found here, a reminder of the Victorian era with its period buildings and narrow alleyways, and the downtown area also features a wide range of museums and galleries for the culture vulture. The Air & Space Museum, Maritime Museum and Natural History Museum are among the highlights.

Tourists flock to San Diego and its environs to enjoy the great Californian weather and beautiful coastline and beaches. Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla Beach and Coronado Beach are among the finest in the world and all a short drive from San Diego city centre. Ocean Beach is perhaps the most famous of them all and still maintains its hippy, beach bum flavour today. Ocean Beach is also home to a long fishing pier, a beautiful beachfront walkway and tidal swimming pools on the south side of the pier.

Days out in the surrounding area of San Diego include some fantastic cruises from the city harbour plus famous SeaWorld California is a short drive along the coast. San Diego also offers visitors the chance to drive to Tijuana, the world’s most famous border town and the gateway to Mexico. Many tourists enjoy a trip to Tijuana to pick up shopping bargains and of course cheap tequila.

Also within a couple of hours’ drive of San Diego are Palm Springs, a desert recreational area filled with numerous beautiful golf courses; Joshua Tree National Park, full of beautiful wildlife and great rock climbing; and Mount Palomar Observatory, which boasts the 200-inch Hale Telescope.

San Diego is a fantastic gateway to the wonders of south California and represents a perfect base for enjoying the delights of the region by San Diego Airport rental car.