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.

Foodies, art lovers, shoppers, hikers and adventure-seekers will be delighted at all this neighborhood has to offer.

San Diego is a place where artistic spirit and world-class artworks cannot be confined to museums. The streets, art galleries, main library, and other nooks and crannies are overflowing with art. Checking most of it out doubles as a way to enjoy the weather or a night on the town, so pack a good pair of walking shoes to take in some of San Diego’s best works.

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.