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SAN DIEGO Diversity and variety make it easy to enjoy city neighborhoods » SAIL, DINE, SHOP, SURF! San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau sandiego.org 118 2 013 travel guid e to c al i fo r n ia by maribeth mellin imagine living in San Diego permanently. Those who love warmth and sunlight dream of wearing shorts and flip-flops year round. While checking out even a few of San Diego's 100 unique neighborhoods, they consider living by the beach or amid downtown's hip vibe. Gradually, these visitors realize they could feel right at home on the West Coast. San Diego's neighborhoods are as diverse as its residents who've come from all over the world. Little Italy and Point Loma celebrate the city's Italian and Portuguese heritages. Old Town contains the city's early Spanish settlements and Mexican homesteads. La Jolla reflects the Mediterranean visions of artists and architects. Distinctive neighborhoods throughout the metropolitan region are filled with emigres from China, Vietnam, Somalia and Brazil—and there's no shortage of East Coasters and Midwesterners who've left winter behind. Youthful newcomers gravitate to North Park, South Park and Hillcrest, all with vibrant nightlife, shopping and dining possibilities. San Diego's famed craft beers get prime billing at eclectic pubs and cafés along these urban streets, while the latest fashions and collectibles VISITORS TEND TO are on display in trendy shops and galleries. A similar scene draws urbanites to downtown's newest digs in the East Village, Little Italy and bayfront streets where sleek condos share the water view with the convention center and chic hotels. At the center of it all, dozens of restaurants and nightspots keep the historic Gaslamp Quarter hopping day and night. Across San Diego Bay, Coronado is a city unto itself with handsome homes, gorgeous gardens and one of the country's loveliest beaches. Young families mingle with retired veterans who fell in love with the city while stationed here in their youth. There's a Mayberry feeling in this tight-knit community, where denizens gather for annual parades, art shows and holiday celebrations. The vibe is looser in the beach towns north and south of downtown, from Imperial Beach, close to the border with Mexico, to Pacific Beach and Mission Beach and along historic Highway 101 in San Diego's North County. There's a place to call home all along these sunny shores and in the eastern hills, canyons, mountains and desert. Once you've sampled San Diego, it's hard to stay away. CA JUSTIN IN SD, CREATIVE COMMONS FLICKR THE GASLAMP QUARTER, above, is San Diego's premier neighborhood for dining and nightlife.