8 Ways San Diego Leads in Sustainable Living and Travel

Sustainability in San Diego isn’t a trend — it’s part of the region’s DNA. From climate leadership and protected open spaces to biodiversity, agriculture, and quality of life, San Diego consistently earns national and international recognition for the things that matter most to residents and visitors alike. Together, these distinctions help explain why San Diego is increasingly known as a leader in sustainable, responsible, and people-centered travel.

1. San Diego was ranked the greenest city in the United States by WalletHub’s 2024 sustainability ranking, which evaluated cities across clean energy use, air and water quality, transportation, and environmental policies.

    

2. The City of San Diego also earned an A-rating for climate action and resilience from CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), placing it among a small group of global cities demonstrating strong environmental leadership.

    

3. San Diego consistently ranks among the happiest cities in the United States. The Happy City Index placed San Diego among the top U.S. cities and within the top global rankings, citing strong performance in environment, mobility, governance, and overall quality of life.

    

4. San Diego was also named the most relaxing city in the world to visit in 2025 by a global travel study that evaluated access to nature, air quality, wellness amenities, sunshine, and congestion levels.

    

5. San Diego sits within the most biologically diverse region in the continental United States. San Diego County is widely recognized for the convergence of coastal, desert, mountain, and marine ecosystems — a distinction highlighted in PBS Nature’s documentary “San Diego: America’s Wildest City.”
    

6. San Diego offers more than 34,000 acres of parks, preserves, and open space, providing residents and visitors with extraordinary access to nature within an urban setting. Mission Trails Regional Park, spanning nearly 7,000 acres, is one of the largest urban parks in the United States and a defining example of San Diego’s long-standing commitment to preserving open space.

    

7. San Diego’s sustainability story also extends into its working landscapes and food systems. San Diego County has more small farms than any other county in the United States and one of the highest concentrations of organic growers in the country. According to the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources program, the county is home to more than 5,000 farms — the majority of them under ten acres — supporting local food ecosystems, farmers’ markets, and farm-to-table dining experiences that connect visitors directly to environmentally responsible agriculture.

    

8. San Diego’s sustainability leadership reaches its waterfront as well. The Port of San Diego has received national and international recognition for clean air initiatives, emissions reduction strategies, and environmental stewardship, including the Green Port Award and top-tier Green Marine certification.

Taken together, these recognitions reflect a destination where environmental stewardship, quality of life, and visitor experiences are deeply connected. For travelers, that means enjoying San Diego’s beaches, neighborhoods, events, and open spaces in a place that is actively working to protect what makes it special — today and for generations to come.