Departures getaway San Diego


With a breathtaking range of attractions on offer, it's no wonder San Diego is known as America's Finest City, says Alex Coxon


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here’s more than one reason that San Diego has earned the moniker of ‘America’s finest city’. It isn’t just the


climate, which, averaging 70.5F and boasting 263 days of sunshine annually, makes it a great year-round destination. Nor is it simply the Pacific backdrop: the 70 miles of coastline peppered with white-sand beaches. What also makes California’s second biggest city so special is the sheer volume of attractions it packs into 372sq miles. SeaWorld, Legoland and Sea Life all have a presence here, with the city’s zoo and safari


112 | asta.org


park also proving perfect excursions during a getaway with the kids. For couples embarking on a long weekend, the options are endless — ranging from romantic gondola rides in the Coronado Cays to sunset strolls in La Jolla. And it’s a similar story for sports enthusiasts, whether their tastes veer towards baseball or paddleboarding. San Diego’s ever-increasing range of accommodation is another draw. Tere are nearly 500 hotels to choose from, with recent additions including the Gaslamp Quarter’s


boutique hotel, Pendry San Diego. Upcoming product for the city that hosts this summer’s ASTA Global Convention, meanwhile, includes Carté Hotel & Suites in Little Italy, an InterContinental in Embarcadero, and a castle-themed hotel at Legoland — all slated to open next year. Little wonder, then, that visitor numbers


keep on rising. Welcoming 12.9 million domestic day visitors in 2016 — up 2.3% on the previous year — and witnessing overall visitor numbers increase 1.9% to a record 34.9 million, America’s finest city is on a roll.


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