Welcome to San Diego California's Lodging Guide!

San Diego is the sixth-largest city in the United States and the second-largest city in California. Yet, San Diego remained virtually uninhabited for nearly 170 years after the first Europeans discovered the area. Before Europeans arrived, San Diego belonged to various American Indian tribes, including the San Dieguito and the Kumeyaay. In the 16th century, the first European, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo arrived at San Diego Harbor. Carbrillo wasn't seeking to colonize the area, but was searching for a passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Competition with Russia forced Spain to colonize San Diego in the mid 1700s. The Mexican American War brought San Diego under U.S. control in 1847, but the population declined after the war. The 1849 California Gold Rush attracted more people to San Diego, but the gold rush didn't sustain the city's economy. The area's economy and population waxed and waned for the next century until the Spanish-American War -- when the U.S. military built bases in the area. San Diego's main source of income was the defense and tourism industries until the 1940s; however, the economy declined again during the 1960s. The building of the University of California at San Diego, coupled with the defense and tourism industries helped recharge the city's coffers and image. In 2003, the city hosted Super Bowl XXXVII. Visitors can get a glimpse of this ever-changing city while staying there.

Visiting San Diego

One of the most famous landmarks in San Diego is the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Dr. Harry Wegeforth founded the zoo in 1916. Dr. Wegeforth started the zoo's animal collection with animals from the Panama-California Exposition. Today, the zoo has more than 4,000 animals that represent 800 species and more than 6,500 plant species. The San Diego Zoo sits on 100 acres in Balboa Park.