San Diego area offers outdoor living mecca

San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, California

By Kay Anderson -- Casual Living, 7/1/2007 12:00:00 AM

Constant sunshine, the serenity of the Pacific Ocean, and the ability to move from beach to mountains to desert within a few hours provide ample inspiration for the nearly 3 million people who call the San Diego metro area home.

It's also highly conducive to outdoor living and is projected to have a 26% increase in outdoor furniture sales and a 24% increase in grill sales between 2006 and 2011, according to forecasters at New York-based Easy Analytic Software Inc. EASI's projections take into account changes in population such as age and income, but not changes in economic conditions.

The metro area includes the cities of Carlsbad, San Marcos and National City, as well as the entirety of San Diego County, an area about four-fifths the size of Connecticut — in the southwestern-most corner of the continental United States. It is bound by the 60-mile international border with Mexico to the south and by 70 miles of beautiful coastline with the Pacific Ocean on the west.

San Diego has emerged as a national leader in the new, knowledge-based economy. It has a diversified high-tech economy, with hundreds of biotech, communications, software, Internet and information technology companies. U.S. Navy and Marine commands throughout the county make it one of the largest military complexes in the nation. It's also home to the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

In July 2006, Money magazine ranked San Diego as the fifth best big U.S. city in which to live, based on its strong economy, excellent educational institutions, year-round balmy weather and wonderful lifestyle.