Located in coastal North County, Carlsbad was named after a famous spa in Karlsbad, Bohemia, and is now known as a popular destination for beaches, shopping, dining and much more.

Recently named among the 20 best surf towns in the world by National Geographic, Encinitas wears its surf history proudly. Located along six miles of Pacific Ocean coastline, Encinitas is an unspoiled reminder of the historic Highway 101 beach culture that thrived in the mid-1900s.

Find dog-friendly beaches and off-leash dog parks in San Diego that are great for your dog to perfect its doggy-paddle, play fetch, or have a snore-fest on the warm sand.

With its unique identity as a beach town, a border city, a bustling international port and a former frontier burg, San Diego has mixed and matched architectural styles to surprising and sometimes dazzling effect over the decades. While the influence of the region's early Spanish settlement remains prominent, plenty of signature architectural sites here draw on other, more disparate traditions. Here's a look at 7 eye-catching San Diego buildings and districts that architecture-minded visitors will love discovering.