Southern California
This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2011) |
Southern California | |
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![]() Southern California Images top from bottom, left to right: San Diego Skyline, Downtown Los Angeles, Village of La Jolla, Santa Monica Pier, Surfer at Black's Beach, Hollywood Sign, Disneyland, Hermosa Beach Pier | |
![]() The southern California megaregion. To the North is the northern California megaregion while to the east is the Arizona Sun Corridor. | |
Country | USA |
State | ![]() |
Largest City | Los Angeles |
Population (2010) | 22,680,010 |
Southern California (SoCal) is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego. The United States - Mexico border makes up the southern border. Southern California is a major economic center for the state of California and the nation.
Southern California's population encompasses eight metropolitan, or MSA, areas: Los Angeles County and Orange County together make up the Los Angeles metropolitan area; the Inland Empire consists of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties; the San Diego metropolitan area; the Bakersfield metropolitan area; the Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura metro area; the Santa Barbara metro area; the San Luis Obispo metropolitan area; and the El Centro area. Out of these, three are heavy populated areas; the Los Angeles area with over 12 million inhabitants, the Riverside-San Bernardino area with over 4 million inhabitants, and the San Diego area with over 3 million inhabitants. For CSA metropolitan purposes, the five counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura are all combined to make up the Los Angeles metropolitan area; with San Diego as southern California's other CSA metropolitan area. With over 22 million people, roughly 60% of California's population resides in southern California.
To the east of southern California are the Colorado Desert and the Colorado River at the border with the state of Arizona, and the Mojave Desert at the border with the state of Nevada. To the south lies the international border with Mexico, and to the west lies the Pacific Ocean. With combined surface area of 56,512 sq mi, southern California alone is bigger than England.
Significance
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Venice%2C_California_Beach.jpg/200px-Venice%2C_California_Beach.jpg)
Within southern California are two major cities, Los Angeles and San Diego, as well as three of the country's largest metropolitan areas.[1] With a population of 3,792,621, Los Angeles is the most populous city in California and the second most populous in the United States. Just to the south and with a population of 1,307,402 is San Diego, the second most populous city in the state and the eighth most populous in the nation.
Its counties of Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Riverside are in the top 15 most populous counties in the United States and all five are the top 5 most populous counties in California.[2] The region is also home to Los Angeles International Airport, the second-busiest airport in the United States by passenger volume (see World's busiest airports by passenger traffic) and the third by international passenger volume (see Busiest airports in the United States by international passenger traffic); San Diego International Airport the busiest single runway airport in the world; Van Nuys Airport, the world's busiest general aviation airport; major commercial airports at Orange County, Ontario, Burbank and Long Beach; and numerous smaller commercial and general aviation airports. Southern California is also home to the Port of Los Angeles, the United States' busiest commercial port, the adjacent Port of Long Beach, the United States' second busiest container port, and the Port of San Diego. Also of note in the region is the freeway system, which is the world's busiest. Six of the seven lines of the commuter rail system, Metrolink, run out of Downtown Los Angeles, connecting Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and San Diego counties with the other line connecting San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties directly.
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b3/Ucsbuniversitycenterandstorketower.jpg/200px-Ucsbuniversitycenterandstorketower.jpg)
The Tech Coast is a moniker that has gained use as a descriptor for the region's diversified technology and industrial base as well as its multitude of prestigious and world-renowned research universities and other public and private institutions. Amongst these include 5 University of California campuses (Irvine, Los Angeles, Riverside, Santa Barbara, and San Diego); 11 California State University campuses (Channel Islands, Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Northridge, Pomona, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Marcos, and San Luis Obispo); as well as private institutions such as the California Institute of Technology, Chapman University, Claremont Consortium of Colleges, Loma Linda University, Loyola Marymount University, Pepperdine University, University of San Diego, and the University of Southern California.
Southern California is also the entertainment (motion picture, television, and recorded music) capital of the world[citation needed] and is home to Hollywood, a district in Los Angeles and a name associated with the motion picture industry. Headquartered in southern California are The Walt Disney Company (which also owns ABC), Sony Pictures, Universal, MGM, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, and Warner Brothers.
Besides the entertainment industry, southern California is also home to a large home grown surf and skateboard culture. Companies such as Volcom, Quiksilver, O'Neill clothing division, No Fear, Sector 9,[3] RVCA, Body Glove and Surfline[4] are all headquartered in southern California. Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, professional surfers Rob Machado, Tim Curran, Bobby Martinez, Pat O'Connell, Dane Reynolds, and Chris Ward, and professional snowboarder Shaun White live in southern California. Some of the world's legendary surf spots are in southern California as well, including Trestles, Rincon, The Wedge, Huntington Beach, and Malibu, and it is second only to the island of Oahu in terms of famous surf breaks. Some of the world's biggest extreme sports events including the X Games,[5] Boost Mobile Pro,[6] and the U.S. Open of Surfing are all in southern California. Southern California is also important to the world of yachting. The annual Transpacific Yacht Race, or "Transpac", from Los Angeles to Hawaii, is one of yachting's premier events. The San Diego Yacht Club held the America's Cup, the most prestigious prize in yachting, from 1988 to 1995 and hosted three America's Cup races during that time.
Southern California is home to many sports franchises and sports networks such as Fox Sports Net. Professional teams that are located in the region include the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA, and San Diego Chargers. Southern California also is home to a number of popular NCAA sports programs, such as the UCLA Bruins, the USC Trojans, and the San Diego State Aztecs.
Southern California is culturally diverse, and well known worldwide. Many tourists frequent South Coast for its popular beaches, and the eastern desert for its dramatic open spaces.
Northern boundary of southern California
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Southern_California.png/310px-Southern_California.png)
"Southern California" is not a formal geographic designation and definitions of what constitutes Southern California vary. Geographically, California's north-south midway point lies at exactly 37° 9' 58.23" latitude, around 11 miles below San Jose;[citation needed] however this does not coincide with popular use of the term. When the state is divided into two areas (northern and southern California) the term "southern California" usually refers to the ten southern-most counties of the state. This definition coincides neatly with the county lines at 35° 47′ 28″ north latitude, which form the northern borders of San Luis Obispo, Kern, and San Bernardino counties. Another definition for southern California uses Point Conception and the Tehachapi Mountains as the northern boundary.
Though there is no official definition for the northern boundary of southern California, such a division has existed from the time when Mexico ruled California and political disputes raged between the Californios of Monterey in the upper part and Los Angeles and the lower part of Alta California. Following the acquisition of California by the United States, the division continued as part of the attempt by several pro-slavery politicians to arrange the division of Alta California at 36 degrees, 30 minutes, the line of the Missouri Compromise. Instead, the passing of the Compromise of 1850 enabled California to be admitted to the Union as a free state, preventing southern California from becoming its own separate slave state.
Subsequently, Californios (dissatisfied with inequitable taxes and land laws) and pro-slavery Southerners in the lightly populated "Cow Counties" of southern California attempted three times in the 1850s to achieve a separate statehood or territorial status separate from Northern California. The last attempt, the Pico Act of 1859, was passed by the California State Legislature, and signed by the State governor John B. Weller. It was approved overwhelmingly by nearly 75% of voters in the proposed Territory of Colorado. This territory was to include all the counties up to the then much larger Tulare County (that included what is now Kings County and most of Kern, and part of Inyo Counties) and San Luis Obispo County. The proposal was sent to Washington, D.C. with a strong advocate in Senator Milton Latham. However the secession crisis following the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 led to the proposal never coming to a vote.[7][8]
In 1900, the Los Angeles Times defined southern California as including "the seven counties of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura and Santa Barbara." In 1999, the Times added a newer county—Imperial—to that list.[9]
The state is most commonly divided and promoted by its regional tourism groups as consisting of northern, central, and southern California regions. The two AAA Auto Clubs of the state, the California State Automobile Association and the Automobile Club of Southern California, choose to simplify matters by dividing the state along the lines where their jurisdictions for membership apply, as either northern or southern California, in contrast to the three-region point of view. Another influence is the geographical phrase "South of the Tehachapis", which would split the southern region off at the crest of that transverse range, but in that definition, the desert portions of north Los Angeles County and eastern Kern and San Bernardino Counties would be included in the southern California region, due to their remoteness from the central valley, and interior desert landscape.
County Ref. |
Population |
Land mi² |
Land km² |
Pop. /mi² |
Pop. /km² |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles County[10] | 9,862,049 | 4,060.87 | 10,517.61 | 2,428.56 | 937.67 |
San Diego County[11] | 3,095,313 | 4,199.89 | 10,877.67 | 714.56 | 275.89 |
Orange County[12] | 3,010,759 | 789.40 | 2,044.54 | 3,813.98 | 1,472.59 |
Riverside County[13] | 2,100,516 | 7,207.37 | 18,667.00 | 291.44 | 112.53 |
San Bernardino County[14] | 2,015,355 | 20,052.50 | 51,935.74 | 100.50 | 38.80 |
Kern County[15] | 800,458 | 8,140.96 | 21,084.99 | 98.32 | 37.96 |
Ventura County[16] | 797,740 | 1,845.30 | 4,779.31 | 432.31 | 166.92 |
Santa Barbara County[17] | 405,396 | 2,737.01 | 7,088.82 | 148.12 | 57.19 |
San Luis Obispo County[18] | 265,297 | 3,304.32 | 8,558.15 | 80.29 | 31.00 |
Imperial County[19] | 163,972 | 4,174.73 | 10,812.50 | 39.28 | 15.17 |
Southern California | 22,422,614 | 56,512.35 | 146,366.31 | 396.77 | 153.19 |
California | 36,756,666 | 155,959.34 | 403,932.84 | 235.68 | 91.00 |
Urban landscape
This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2011) |
Southern California consists of a heavily developed urban environment, home to some of the largest urban areas in the state, along with vast areas that have been left undeveloped. It is the second-largest urbanized region in the United States, second only to the Washington/Philadelphia/New York/Boston Northeastern Megalopolis. Whereas these cities are dense, with major downtown populations and significant rail and transit systems, much of southern California is famous for its large, spread-out, suburban communities and use of automobiles and highways. The dominant areas are Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and Riverside-San Bernardino, each of which is the center of its respective metropolitan area, composed of numerous smaller cities and communities. The urban area is also host to an international metropolitan region in the form of San Diego–Tijuana, created by the urban area spilling over into Baja California.
Traveling south on Interstate 5, the main gap to continued urbanization is Camp Pendleton. The communities along Interstate 15 and Interstate 215 are so inter-related that Temecula and Murrieta have as much connection with San Diego metropolitan area as they do with the Inland Empire. To the east, the United States Census Bureau considers the San Bernardino and Riverside County areas, Riverside-San Bernardino area as a separate metropolitan area from Los Angeles County. While many commute to L.A. and Orange Counties, there are some differences in development, as most of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties (the non-desert portions) were developed in the 1980s and 1990s. Newly developed exurbs formed in the Antelope Valley north of Los Angeles, the Victor Valley and the Coachella Valley with the Imperial Valley. Also population growth was high in the Bakersfield-Kern County, Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo areas.
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Los_Angeles_downtown_sunset_cityscape.jpg/800px-Los_Angeles_downtown_sunset_cityscape.jpg)
Natural landscape
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/Proctorvalleylake.jpg/220px-Proctorvalleylake.jpg)
Southern California consists of one of the more varied collections of geologic, topographic, and natural ecosystem landscapes in a diversity outnumbering other major regions in the state and country. The region spans from Pacific Ocean islands, shorelines, beaches, and coastal plains, through the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges with their peaks, into the large and small interior valleys, to the vast deserts of California.
- Introductory categories include:
- Category: Beaches of Southern California
- Category: Mountain ranges of Southern California
- Category: Rivers of Southern California
- Category: Deserts of California
- Category: Parks in Southern California
Geography
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Channelislandsca.jpg/180px-Channelislandsca.jpg)
Southern California is also divided into:
- the Coastal Region. densely populated with more affluence than inland areas. This region includes the coastal interior valleys west of the coastal mountains with all of Orange County and portions of: San Diego County, Los Angeles County, Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, and San Luis Obispo County
- A related floristic province term is the Cismontane Region on the coastal side of the Transverse and Peninsular mountain ranges, with the term "southern California" popularly referring to this more populated and visited zone.
- the Desert Region, larger and sparsely populated, with portions of: Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, Imperial County, and San Diego County. The division between the Coastal Regions and the Inland Empire/Imperial Valley winds along the backs of the coastal mountain ranges such as the Santa Ana Mountains.
- A related floristic province term is the Transmontane Region on the rain shadow side of the same Mountain Ranges, with the term "southern California" including this zone geographically and when distinguishing all the 'southland' from Northern California.
Geographic features
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Telegraph_Cucamonga_and_Ontario_Peaks.jpg/180px-Telegraph_Cucamonga_and_Ontario_Peaks.jpg)
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Yucca_Valley_San_Bernardino.jpg/180px-Yucca_Valley_San_Bernardino.jpg)
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Sunset_pier.jpg/180px-Sunset_pier.jpg)
- Antelope Valley (Los Angeles and Kern Counties)
- Arroyo Seco (Los Angeles County)
- Baldwin Hills (Los Angeles County)
- Ballona Wetlands (Los Angeles County)
- Big Bear Lake (San Bernardino County)
- Bolsa Chica Estuary (Orange County)
- Cajon Pass (San Bernardino County)
- Calico Mountains (San Bernardino County)
- Channel Islands (Santa Barbara, Ventura & Los Angeles Counties)
- Chino Hills (Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside & San Bernardino Counties)
- Coachella Valley (Riverside County)
- Colorado Desert (San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, and San Diego Counties)
- Colorado River (San Bernardino, Riverside & Imperial Counties, Baja California & Sonora)
- Conejo Valley (Ventura County)
- Cucamonga Valley (San Bernardino County)
- Cuyamaca Mountains (San Diego County)
- Death Valley (San Bernardino and Inyo Counties)
- High Desert = Mojave Desert (Los Angeles, Kern, Inyo, & San Bernardino Counties)
- Imperial Valley (Imperial County)
- Irish Hills (San Luis Obispo County)
- In-Ko-Pah Mountains (San Diego County)
- Inland Empire (Riverside, San Bernardino Counties)
- Jacumba Mountains (San Diego County)
- La Jolla Cove (San Diego County)
- Laguna Mountains (San Diego County)
- Lake Arrowhead (San Bernardino County)
- Lake Casitas (Ventura County)
- Lake Castaic (Los Angeles County)
- Lake Elsinore (Riverside County)
- Lake Piru (Ventura County)
- Lakeview Mountains (Riverside County)
- Little San Bernardino Mountains (Riverside & San Bernardino Counties)
- Los Angeles Basin (Los Angeles County)
- Los Angeles River (Los Angeles County)
- Low Desert = Colorado Desert—Sonoran Desert (Imperial, San Diego, Riverside & San Bernardino Counties)
- Mojave Desert (Los Angeles, Kern & San Bernardino Counties)
- Mojave River (San Bernardino County)
- New River (Imperial County, Mexicali Municipality)
- Nine Sisters (San Luis Obispo County)
- Ojai Valley (Ventura County)
- Orange Coast (Orange County)
- Oxnard Plain (Ventura County)
- Palomar Mountain (San Diego County)
- Palo Verde Valley (Riverside and Imperial Counties)
- Palos Verdes Peninsula (Los Angeles County)
- Panamint Range (Inyo County)
- Peninsular Ranges (San Diego, Riverside, & Orange Counties)
- Point Loma (San Diego County)
- Point Mugu (Ventura County)
- Pomona Valley (Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties)
- Providence Mountains (San Bernardino County)
- Puente Hills (Los Angeles County)
- Pyramid Lake (Los Angeles County)
- Rio Hondo (Los Angeles County)
- Saddleback Valley (Orange County)
- Salton Sea (Imperial & Riverside Counties)
- San Andreas Fault (All Counties)
- San Bernardino Mountains (San Bernardino County)
- San Bernardino Valley (San Bernardino County)
- San Diego Bay (San Diego County)
- San Diego River (San Diego County)
- San Emigdio Mountains (Los Angeles, Ventura, & Kern Counties)
- San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles County)
- San Gabriel Mountains (Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties)
- San Gabriel River (Los Angeles County)
- San Gabriel Valley (Los Angeles County)
- San Jacinto Mountains (Riverside County)
- San Jacinto River (Riverside County)
- San Luis Rey River (San Diego County)
- San Pedro Bay (Los Angeles County)
- Santa Ana Mountains (Orange & Riverside Counties)
- Santa Ana River (San Bernardino, Los Angeles & Orange County)
- Santa Ana Valley (Orange County)
- Catalina Island (Los Angeles County)
- Santa Clara River (Ventura County)
- Santa Clara River Valley (Ventura County)
- Santa Clarita Valley (Los Angeles County)
- Santa Margarita River (Riverside, Orange & San Diego Counties)
- Santa Monica Bay (Los Angeles County)
- Santa Monica Mountains (Los Angeles & Ventura Counties)
- Santa Rosa Mountains (Riverside, Orange & San Diego Counties)
- Santa Susana Mountains (Los Angeles & Ventura Counties)
- Santa Ynez Mountains (Santa Barbara County)
- Santa Ynez Valley (Santa Barbara County)
- Sierra Pelona Mountains (Los Angeles County)
- Simi Hills (Los Angeles & Ventura Counties)
- Simi Valley (Ventura County)
- Sonoran Desert (San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, San Diego Counties, Arizona, Baja California Peninsula and Sonora, Mexico)
- Sweetwater River (San Diego County)
- Tijuana River (San Diego County)
- Tehachapi Mountains (Kern County)
- Topatopa Mountains (Ventura County)
- Turtle Mountains (San Bernardino County)
- Ventura River (Ventura County)
- Victor Valley (San Bernardino County)
Geology
Earthquakes
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/5_3_Earthquake_in_Southern_California.jpg/220px-5_3_Earthquake_in_Southern_California.jpg)
Each year, the southern California area has about 10,000 earthquakes. Nearly all of them are so small that they are not felt. Only several hundred are greater than magnitude 3.0, and only about 15–20 are greater than magnitude 4.0.[20]
In 2012 an earthquake occurred on August 26, 2012, which was a swarm of over 200 events, two which had magnitudes of 5.3 and 5.5.[21][22]The San Andreas Fault puts the area at high risk, which can produce a magnitude 8.0+ earthquake.
Regions
Divisions
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Salton_Sea_Reflection.jpg/180px-Salton_Sea_Reflection.jpg)
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Oceansidepier.jpg/180px-Oceansidepier.jpg)
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/Staples_Center_LA_Live.jpg/180px-Staples_Center_LA_Live.jpg)
Southern California is divided culturally, politically, and economically into distinctive regions, each containing its own culture and atmosphere anchored usually by a city with both national and sometimes global recognition which are often the hub of economic activity for its respective region and being home to many tourist destinations. Each region is further divided into many culturally distinct areas, but as a whole combine to create the southern California atmosphere.
- Coastal southern California
- Inland Southern California
- Deserts of California
*Part of multiple regions
Populace
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/Downtown_San_Bernardino.jpg/250px-Downtown_San_Bernardino.jpg)
As of the 2010 United States Census, southern California has a population of 22,680,010. Despite a reputation for high growth rates, southern California's rate grew less than the state average of 10.0% in the 2000s as California's growth became concentrated in the northern part of the state due to a stronger, tech-oriented economy in the Bay Area and an emerging Greater Sacramento region.
Southern California consists of one Combined Statistical Area, eight Metropolitan Statistical Areas, one international metropolitan area and multiple metropolitan divisions. The region is home to two extended metropolitan areas that exceed five million in population. These are the Greater Los Angeles Area at 17,786,419, and San Diego–Tijuana at 5,105,768.[23][24] Of these metropolitan areas, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana metropolitan area, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area, and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura metropolitan area comprise Greater Los Angeles;[25] while the El Centro metropolitan area and San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos metropolitan area comprise the Southern Border Region.[26][27] North of Greater Los Angeles are the Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Bakersfield metropolitan areas.
Cities
Southern California's two global cities are also its two largest. With each being over a million in population, Los Angeles and San Diego are the largest cities in southern California. The region also has twelve cities over the 200 thousand marker and 34 cities over one hundred thousand in population.
Many of southern California's largest, affluent, and developed cities are also located on the coast, where housing in coastal areas such as North County average over one million dollars.[28]
Counties
- Imperial
- Kern
- Los Angeles
- Orange
- Riverside
- San Bernardino
- San Diego
- San Luis Obispo
- Santa Barbara
- Ventura
Economy
Industries
Southern California's economy is diverse and one of the largest in the United States. It is dominated and heavily dependent upon abundance of petroleum, as opposed to other regions where automobiles not nearly as dominant, the vast majority of transport runs on this fuel. Southern California is famous for tourism and "Hollywood" (film, television and music). Other industries include software, automotive, ports, finance, tourism, biomedical, and regional logistics. The region was a leader in the housing bubble 2001-2007, and has been heavily impacted by the housing crash.
Since the 1920s, motion pictures, petroleum and aircraft manufacturing have been major industries. In one of the richest agricultural regions in the U.S., cattle and citrus were major industries until farmlands was turned into suburbs. Although military spending cutbacks have had an impact, aerospace continues to be a major factor.[29]
Major central business districts
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Taco_Bell_Headquarters_Irvine.jpg/220px-Taco_Bell_Headquarters_Irvine.jpg)
Southern California is home to many major business districts. Central business districts (CBD) include Downtown Los Angeles, Downtown San Diego, Downtown San Bernardino, South Coast Metro and Downtown Riverside.
Within the Los Angeles Area are the major business districts of Downtown Burbank, Downtown Santa Monica, Downtown Glendale and Downtown Long Beach. Los Angeles itself has many business districts including the Downtown Los Angeles central business district as well as those lining the Wilshire Boulevard Miracle Mile including Century City, Westwood and Warner Center in the San Fernando Valley.
Orange County is a rapidly developing business center that includes Downtown Santa Ana, the South Coast Metro and Newport Center districts; as well as the Irvine business centers of The Irvine Spectrum, West Irvine, and international corporations headquartered at the University of California, Irvine. West Irvine includes the Irvine Tech Center and Jamboree Business Parks.
Downtown San Diego is the central business district of San Diego, though the city is filled with business districts. These include Carmel Valley, Del Mar Heights, Mission Valley, Rancho Bernardo, Sorrento Mesa, and University City. Most of these districts are located in Northern San Diego and some within North County regions.
The Riverside-San Bernardino area maintains the business districts of Downtown Riverside and Downtown San Bernardino.
Theme parks and waterparks
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Sleepingbeautycastle50.jpg/180px-Sleepingbeautycastle50.jpg)
Los Angeles
- Universal Studios Hollywood
- Six Flags Magic Mountain
- Six Flags Hurricane Harbor
- Raging Waters San Dimas
- Pacific Park
Orange County
Riverside & San Bernardino
- Castle Park
- Knott's Soak City
- Pharaoh's Adventure Park
- Scandia
San Diego
- Legoland California
- SeaWorld San Diego
- Belmont Park
- Knott's Soak City
- Legoland Waterpark
Vinyard-Winery AVA districts
- California wine AVA-American Viticultural Areas in Southern California:
Transportation
Airports
The following airports currently have regularly scheduled commercial service:
- Los Angeles International Airport
- San Diego International Airport
- John Wayne Airport (Orange County)
- LA/Ontario International Airport
- Bob Hope Airport (Burbank)
- Long Beach Airport
- Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
- Palm Springs International Airport
- Meadows Field (Bakersfield)
- San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport
- McClellan-Palomar Airport (Carlsbad)
- Santa Maria Public Airport
- Oxnard Airport
- Imperial County Airport
Freeways and highways
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Sign | Freeways and State Route | |
---|---|---|
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Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) Lincoln Boulevard Sepulveda Boulevard Oxnard Boulevard Coast Highway Camino las Ramblas |
State Route 1 |
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Angeles Crest Highway Glendale Freeway Santa Monica Boulevard Alvarado Street Glendale Boulevard |
State Route 2 |
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Antelope Valley Freeway | State Route 14 |
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Waterman Avenue | State Route 18 |
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Rosemead Boulevard Lakewood Boulevard |
State Route 19 |
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Seventh Street Garden Grove Freeway |
State Route 22 |
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Decker Road Decker Canyon Road Mulholland Highway Westlake Boulevard |
State Route 23 |
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Topanga Canyon Boulevard | State Route 27 |
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Ojai Freeway | State Route 33 |
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State Route 38 | |
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San Gabriel Canyon Road Azusa Avenue Whittier Boulevard Beach Boulevard |
State Route 39 |
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Manchester Ave Manchester Boulevard Firestone Boulevard |
State Route 42 |
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Terminal Island Freeway Seaside Avenue Vincent Thomas Bridge |
State Route 47 |
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Soledad Freeway | State Route 52 |
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South Bay Freeway Filipino-American Highway |
State Route 54 |
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Costa Mesa Freeway Newport Boulevard |
State Route 55 |
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Ted Williams Freeway | State Route 56 |
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Orange Freeway | State Route 57 |
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Pomona Freeway Moreno Valley Freeway |
State Route 60 |
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Foothill Boulevard E Street |
State Route 66 |
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Julian Road San Vicente Freeway |
State Route 67 |
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Corona Expressway Chino Valley Freeway |
State Route 71 |
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Whittier Boulevard | State Route 72 |
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San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor (toll road) | State Route 73 |
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Ortega Highway Pines to Palms Highway[30] |
State Route 74 |
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San Diego-Coronado Bridge Silver Strand Boulevard |
State Route 75 |
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Mission Avenue Pala Road Cuyamaca Highway |
State Route 76 |
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Vista Freeway San Pasqual Valley Road |
State Route 78 |
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Winchester Road Temecula Parkway Firefighter Steven Rucker Memorial Highway |
State Route 79 |
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Euclid Avenue | State Route 83 |
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Indio Boulevard | State Route 86 |
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Marina Freeway Imperial Highway Richard Nixon Freeway |
State Route 90 |
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Artesia Boulevard Gardena Freeway Artesia Freeway Riverside Freeway |
State Route 91 |
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Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway Campo Road |
State Route 94 |
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Hawthorne Boulevard | State Route 107 |
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Pasadena Freeway | State Route 110 |
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Grapefruit Boulevard | State Route 111 |
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Ronald Reagan Freeway | State Route 118 |
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La Mesa Freeway | State Route 125 |
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Santa Paula Freeway | State Route 126 |
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Eastern Transportation Corridor (toll road) Laguna Canyon Road |
State Route 133 |
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Ventura Freeway | State Route 134 |
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State Route 138 | |
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Carbon Canyon Road Chino Hills Parkway |
State Route 142 |
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Cabrillo Freeway | State Route 163 |
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Hollywood Freeway Highland Avenue |
State Route 170 |
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Pierce Street | State Route 195 |
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Catalina Boulevard Canon Street Rosecrans Street |
State Route 209 |
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Foothill Freeway | State Route 210 |
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Western Avenue | State Route 213 |
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Foothill Eastern Transportation Corridor (toll road) |
State Route 241 |
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State Route 259 Freeway | State Route 259 |
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Balboa Avenue | State Route 274 |
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3rd/4th Street | State Route 282 |
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Cahuilla Road | State Route 371 |
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Otay Mesa Freeway Otay Mesa Road |
State Route 905 |
Note: highway segments with names listed in italics are surface streets and not freeways. |
Sign | Freeways and US Route | |
---|---|---|
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U.S. Route 6 | |
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U.S. Route 95 | |
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Ventura Freeway Hollywood Freeway Santa Ana Freeway El Camino Real |
U.S. Route 101 |
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U.S. Route 395 |
Public transportation
- Metrolink
- Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
- San Diego trolley and San Diego County MTS
- Orange County Transportation Authority
- Omnitrans (southwestern San Bernardino County)
- Santa Barbara MTD
- San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority
- Gold Coast Transit (Ventura County)
- North County Transit District (northern San Diego County)
- San Diego Coaster (Oceanside to San Diego)
- Big Blue Bus (Santa Monica)
- Riverside Transit Agency (western Riverside County)
Communication
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Los_Angeles_area_codes.png/220px-Los_Angeles_area_codes.png)
Telephone area codes
- 213 – Downtown Los Angeles
- 323 – Doughnut-shaped area surrounding downtown, including Hollywood, Mid-Wilshire, East Los Angeles and South Los Angeles
- 310 – West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Inglewood, South Bay and Catalina Island
- 424 – Overlay with 310
- 442 – Overlay with 760
- 562 – Long Beach and the Gateway Cities
- 619 – San Diego including downtown, East County San Diego and the South Bay
- 626 – Pasadena, San Gabriel Valley and Covina Valley
- 657 – Overlay with 714
- 661 – Bakersfield, Santa Clarita, Antelope Valley and California City
- 714 – Santa Ana, Anaheim, Huntington Beach and northern Orange County
- 760 – Oceanside, Escondido, Palm Springs, El Centro, Victorville, Barstow, Ridgecrest, Hesperia, Apple Valley, Blythe, Adelanto and Indio
- 805 – Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties
- 818 – San Fernando Valley, Glendale and Burbank.
- 858 – Northern San Diego (including La Jolla) and its suburbs (including Del Mar and Poway)
- 909 – Southwestern San Bernardino County, eastern Los Angeles County, and very small portions of northwestern Riverside County
- 949 – Southern Orange County (Irvine, Newport Beach, Laguna Niguel & San Clemente)
- 951 – Riverside, Temecula and western Riverside County
Colleges and universities
Parks and recreation areas
- Numerous parks provide recreation and open-space, some locations include:
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Sports teams
See also
- Category: History of Southern California
- Category: California ranchos – Southern California Counties categories
- Category: Public transportation in Southern California
- Geography of Southern California
- Largest cities in Southern California
- Southern California Association of Governments
- South Coast
- California megapolitan areas
- Conurbation
- Megaregions of the United States
- Megalopolis (city type)
- San Angeles
- Other California regions
References
- ^ The three metropolitan areas are:
- Los Angeles–Long Beach–Santa Ana (the second largest in the US),
- Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario (the Inland Empire) and
- San Diego–Carlsbad–San Marcos – see: United States metropolitan areas
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ Sector 9 Incorporated – San Diego, California
- ^ Surfline – Huntington Beach, California
- ^ Yoon, Peter (August 7, 2006). "X Games Take a Turn for the Better". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ^ Higgins, Matt (September 13, 2006). "Construction Stirs Debate on Effects on 'Perfect Wave'". The New York Times. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
- ^ Michael DiLeo, Eleanor Smith, Two Californias: The Truth about the Split-state Movement, Island Press, Covelo, California, 1983. pg. 9–30.
- ^ J. M. Guinn, HOW CALIFORNIA ESCAPED STATE DIVISION, The Quarterly, Volumes 5–6 By Historical Society of Southern California, Los Angeles County Pioneers of Southern California
- ^ Leilah Bernstein, "Then and Now", Los Angeles Times, December 31, 1999, page 1 A library card is needed to access this link.
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2008), Los Angeles County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts., retrieved November 19, 2009
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2008), San Diego County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts., retrieved November 19, 2009
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2008), Orange County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts., retrieved November 19, 2009
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2008), Riverside County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts., retrieved November 19, 2009
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2008), San Bernardino County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts., retrieved November 19, 2009
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2008), Kern County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts., retrieved November 19, 2009
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2008), Ventura County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts., retrieved November 19, 2009
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2008), Santa Barbara County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts., retrieved November 19, 2009
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2008), San Luis Obispo County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts., retrieved November 19, 2009
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2008), Imperial County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts., retrieved November 19, 2009
- ^ "USGS facts". data from Southern California Earthquake Center. Retrieved March 18, 2009.
- ^ "M5.3 – Southern California". USGS. August 26, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ "Series of earthquakes rattle Southern California". San Diego. Associated Press. August 26, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Population of Combined Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2009" (CSV). 2009 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 23, 2010. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
- ^ "World Gazatteer; San Diego-Tijuana". World Gazetteer. Retrieved March 20, 2011.
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau – Combined statistical area population and estimated components of change: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008
- ^ "California Coast, Los Angeles to San Diego Bay".
- ^ Transboundary policy challenges in the Pacific border regions of North America. University of Calgary Press. p. 8. ISBN 1-55238-223-0. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
{{cite book}}
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ignored (help) - ^ "San Diego Real Estate Market Reports". Highland Realty. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
- ^ Peter J. Westwick, ed. Blue Sky Metropolis: The Aerospace Century in Southern California (Huntington Library/University of California Press
- ^ Lech, Steve (2012). For Tourism and a Good Night's Sleep: J. Win Wilson, Wilson Howell, and the Beginnings of the Pines-to-Palms Highway. Riverside, CA: Steve Lech. p. 230. ISBN 978-0-9837500-1-7.
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