Visitors often flock to San Diego’s many beaches for surf and sun, but the fun doesn’t stop at the coast. In fact, some of the city’s most popular destinations are outside the coastal region. From craft beer to outdoor adventures, head northeast for some of San Diego’s best experiences.

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.

These 7 best mountain hikes in San Diego County offer beautiful landscapes, spectacular views, and are just around an hour's drive from the beach.

San Diego's sunny weather and shimmering coastlines aren’t the only perks worth swooning over. At one time, the county’s night skies were so clear that it became a sought-after spot for researchers to build astronomical observatories. While the city lights have changed the skies since then, the county still stands as an excellent place to stargaze. From surprising spots within the city to mountain getaways just outside of town, read on to find the best places for stargazing in and around San Diego.