Regions of the San Diego metropolitan area facts for kids
The San Diego area in California is a big place! It includes both the San Diego metropolitan area and San Diego County, which cover the same land. To make it easier to understand, people often divide this large area into different regions. These regions help us talk about specific parts of San Diego, from sunny beaches to high mountains and dry deserts.
Here are some of the main regions you might hear about:
- The Anza Borrego region is also called the Desert or Inland region. It covers the northeastern part of San Diego County. This area includes places like Borrego Springs and a piece of the Colorado Desert. Most of this region is taken up by the huge Anza Borrego Desert State Park. This park is the biggest state park in California! It's east of the Peninsular Ranges, except for a small area called the Mountain Empire.
- Central San Diego is the heart of the area. It includes most of the big San Diego city itself. Often, nearby Coronado is also included here. This region usually doesn't include the very southern parts of San Diego. Sometimes, northern communities within the city might be counted as part of Central San Diego, or they might be seen as part of North County.
- Cuyamaca is a beautiful mountain region in eastern San Diego County. Its name, 'Ekwiiyemak', comes from the Kumeyaay language. You'll find it east of the Capitan Grande Indian Reservation, nestled in the Cuyamaca Mountains and the western Laguna Mountains. It's north of Descanso and south of Julian. The region is named after a large land grant from 1845 called Rancho Cuyamaca. Today, a huge park called Cuyamaca Rancho State Park covers about 26,000 acres (105.2 km2) of this area. Inside the park, you'll find Cuyamaca Peak, which is the second-tallest mountain in San Diego County at 6,512 feet (1,984.9 m) high!
- East County usually means the cities and towns located east of the city of San Diego. Depending on how people define it, it might also include some of the eastern backcountry areas, which are more rural and wild.
- The Mountain Empire is a group of communities in the southeastern Laguna Mountains. These towns are often found along major roads like California State Route 94 and Interstate 8. Sometimes, the Mountain Empire is considered part of East County, but not always.
- North County is a large region that's often split into two parts: Coastal (near the ocean) and Inland (further from the ocean). It includes all the cities and communities north of the San Diego city limits. It also includes places like Ramona and San Diego Country Estates, and everything to their west. Some definitions might even include northern communities that are technically still inside the city of San Diego.
- South Bay or South County covers all the cities and communities at the southern end of San Diego Bay. This includes South San Diego. When people talk about South County, they often include Coronado as well, especially if they are also talking about the South Bay area.
Understanding San Diego's Regions
Why Are Regional Borders Different?
It's important to know that the exact borders for these San Diego regions aren't always the same! Different maps or groups might define them a little differently. This means that where one region ends and another begins can change depending on who you ask.
Which Communities Are Hard to Place?
Some communities are a bit tricky to place into a specific region. For example, Julian, Pine Valley, and Borrego Springs are often considered "backcountry" areas. They are far from the big cities and can feel quite isolated. Because of this, they aren't always neatly placed into one of the main regions. However, groups like the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) often include them within the East County Major Statistical Area for official data.
