Stretching from Silver Strand State Beach to the mountains of the Otay Open Space Preserve, Chula Vista lives up to its name, which is Spanish for “beautiful view.” In between the Pacific coast and the mountains, you’ll discover hills, canyons, and miles of hiking trails. This city celebrates its diversity and its history, which dates back before Spanish exploration in the 1500s. The area that is now Chula Vista was part of a land grant in 1795, and eventually became a part of the US (with the rest of California) in the mid-1800s. The city finally incorporated in 1911.
Lemons play a role in Chula Vista’s history, as it became the world’s lemon-growing hub in the late 1800s and is still known as the “Lemon Capital of the World.” While you likely won’t find too many lemon trees today, you will discover more than 60 beautiful parks and a variety of outdoor activities ranging from swimming and surfing to hiking and mountain biking.
