San Diego is one of America's top 10 favorite cities overall, earning a sixth place ranking on a new list based on data collected in the Travel + Leisure 2012 "America's Favorite Cities" survey. San Diego was recognized with high marks in a range of categories including visitor experience, dynamic nightlife, culinary offerings and as a destination for all types of visitors to travel throughout the year; the destination also rated as America's #1 city for athletic/active people and placed in the top 10 position according to visitors in 39 of the 66 individually ranked categories in this prestigious annual survey.

"San Diego has always been a top destination for visitors; however, with top 10 placements across so many categories, the Travel + Leisure survey confirms that San Diego is one of the country's hottest destinations with diverse offerings to experience throughout the year," stated Joe Terzi, President and CEO of the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau. "The survey also reflects the soul of the San Diego visitor experience: a destination that is easy-going, friendly and welcomes guests of all kinds," Terzi added.

In addition to its sixth place ranking as "America's Favorite City," San Diego rated high in a majority of voting categories, according to visitors. The following is a sampling of San Diego's category placements:

Best Time to Visit

San Diego ranked as an ideal destination to visit at any time of year, earning a top 10 designation in all seasonal and special holiday travel categories.

• #1 for 4th of July
• #1 for Spring Break
• #1 for Valentine's Day
• #3 for New Year's Eve
• #3 for summer
• #5 for winter
• #6 for Christmas
• #9 for fall

Visitor Experience

In addition to offering year-round nearly perfect weather, San Diego's high rankings in visitor experience showcase a destination that is pleasant, clean and safe.

• #2 for weather
• #4 for cleanliness
• #5 for public parks and outdoor access
• #6 for safety

Type of Trip

Whether visitors travel with a surf board or golf clubs, with a best girlfriend or significant other, respondents recognized San Diego among the top destinations for many types of travel.

• #1 for athletic/active people
• #2 for pet-friendly vacation
• #3 for family vacation
• #5 for girlfriend getaways
• #8 for romantic escapes
• #9 for gay-friendly vacation

Food and Restaurants

San Diego's culinary evolution over the last few years into a popular foodie destination was reflected with top rankings in eight of the 10 culinary categories.

• #4 for hamburgers
• #5 for ice cream
• #7 for microbrew beer
• #7 for pizza
• #9 for cafes
• #9 for ethnic food
• #10 for street food/food trucks

Nightlife

With a dynamic scene in downtown San Diego's historic Gaslamp Quarter along with trendy neighborhoods like North Park and Little Itlay, it is no surprise that San Diego ranks in the top 10 cities for nightlife in four of five categories.

• #7 for sports bars
• #8 for singles scene
• #9 for happy hour
• #10 for cocktail lounges

The annual online survey, developed by the editors of Travel + Leisure, asked readers to rate 35 cities nationwide across 66 categories. The 35 cities were selected by the magazine's editors based on reader feedback and tourism statistics. Required to identify themselves as either residents or visitors of the cities, respondents were asked to rate a city across a spectrum of categories using a scale from 1 to 5. Results were tabulated by TravelandLeisure.com, and a complete listing of the Travel + Leisure 2012 America's Favorite Cities survey results, along with methodology, is available at www.travelandleisure.com/americas-favorite-cities/2012.

Happiness is calling in San Diego. For more information on San Diego's offerings, including exciting vacation packages and valuable coupons for attractions, restaurants and more, visit the San Diego Tourism Authority's website at www.sandiego.org or call 619-236-1212.

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