South Bay, San Diego County, California, USA

South Bay encompasses the cities of Chula Vista, National City and Imperial Beach

South Bay offers some of San Diego’s finest beaches and marinas.

The city of Imperial Beach, located where Coronado meets the mainland, hosts an annual sandcastle competition that is one of the nation’s largest. The population of Imperial Beach is ca. 28.ooo (est. 2021).

The city is the southernmost city in San Diego County, California, and 14.1 miles (22.7 km) south of downtown San Diego.  It is just 5 miles (8 km) northwest of the Mexican border and Tijuana, Mexico.

National City is home to Naval Station San Diego, also known as 32nd Street Naval Base, which is the homeport of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. San Diego is proud to be recognized as the largest military complex in the world.

Web: Naval Base San Diego (navy.mil)

Chula Vista is the second largest city in San Diego County with ca. 280.ooo people (2021); its harbor contains two marinas, shops, restaurants, an RV park, public art and walkways for strolling and jogging along the water.
Chula Vista also offers a variety of popular attractions including a number of championships- caliber golf courses that are open to the public. Open seasonally, the 32 –acre Knott’s Soak City U.S.A. is a water wonderland for children of all ages.

The Arco Olympic Training Center offers tours daily throughout the year.

The Chula Vista Nature Center on the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge is an interactive museum and one of the best birding sites in San Diego.

Web: Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, a California National Wildlife Refuge located near Bonita, Chula Vista and Coronado (stateparks.com)

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