Friday, August 2, 2013

What I love about Chula Vista




I was born in Los Angeles and moved to Baja Mexico when I was 6 years old however weekends, holidays and vacations were spent in Los Angeles. Never in my life did I think I would end up living in what is called "America's Finest City: San Diego".


If you ask me, it's the perfect place to live. Weather is always perfect as it is sunny 95% of the time, you have the beautiful Pacific Ocean to the West and the gorgeous dessert mountains to the East. We lived happily in San Diego for 11 years. One of the things I love about San Diego is the convenient location it has -only a 2 hour drive to visit family to the North and to the South. Not bad at all. Our place of residence was located in the South Bay area of San Diego in a city called Chula Vista. In all honesty I still love Chula Vista, I love everything about it. 

Here's a little history of our beloved city:

Chula Vista is a Spanish name that is translated to "Beautiful View"-believe me there are more than beautiful views from all over the City. In the late 1800's Sweetwater Dam was completed and would bring water to the area which was mostly full of farms. Mostly full of citrus trees {oranges and lemons} due to the regions climate and location. After World War II the lemon crops disappeared and so did all the big manufacturing companies {Rohr Aircraft and Hercules Powder Company} and growing crops/fields this lead to Chula Vista becoming one of the most populated areas in San Diego County. You can learn more on Chula Vista's interesting history at the Chula Vista Heritage Museum located on Third Avenue Village {a.k.a Downtown Chula Vista}.

Fun events and places to visit:

Source: Third Avenue Village Association website


The City of Chula Vista has been celebrating for seventeen years this year the "Lemon Festival" which is held in August. It is a fun filled family event on Third Avenue Village with live entertainment, food vendors, lemon pie eating contest, crafts and much more. It is lots of fun, we used to walk to it from our home.

Source: Chula Vista Olympic Training Center Website

Next to the lower Otay reservoir and at the end of Olympic Highway {heading East} you will find the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center. It is one of three in the United States, Chula Vista has the perfect weather for athletes to train in rowing, BMX, beach volleyball, archery, canoe/kayak, cycling, field hockey, soccer, softball, tennis, triathlon, cross training and several winter sports. This center offers housing, dining, recreational facilities and professional development programs for athletes. Among some of the famous athletes are the Winklevoss twins {remember them? from Facebook?} they are here to train for rowing. 



Off interstate 5 and next to the Pacific Ocean you will find The Living Coast Discovery Center {formerly known as the Chula Vista Nature Center}. It is a non-profit organization that houses local wildlife and plants. Among the animal residents are: turtles, lobster, fish, anemones, raptors, reptiles, birds, jelly fish, shark, rays and native plants. The perfect setting to learn about the local ecosystem and get up close and personal with wildlife. One of our favorite exhibits here is the Shark and Ray interactive experience where you can feed and touch rays.

Have you visited Chula Vista? Do you live in Chula Vista? What would you add as must see places? Leave me your ideas on the comments section below. :D

14 comments:

  1. I don't go to San Diego very often, so I have never visited Chula Vista. Next time I go down there, I'll make a point to stop by! [:

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    1. It is a nice City, close to the Coast and border :D Which is why we lived there so comfortably :D

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  2. Hi Maribel,

    Thanks for stopping by A Pear Shaped Gal! I don't often go to Chula Vista, but I have always wanted to visit the Olympic Training Center. Plus, I just discovered that there is a cool indoor trampoline gym called Sky Zone in Chula Vista .. I hope to go jump around very soon!

    Monica, www.pear-shaped-gal.com

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    1. My pleasure! I've been reading your site a lot :D Yes Sky Zone is there, I haven't been but I heard of it when it opened :D If you do go jump I hope you share. Thank you for stopping by! :D

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  3. Lemon Festival? I'm there. Will definitely put it on my to-do list for next summer. We actually have friends that just moved down to San Diego so we might be going down more often.

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    1. Yes it is so much fun! Your family would love it.

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  4. The Lemon Festival sounds fun. You know I'd be all over that one. The end of the month we are taking one more day trip down to San Diego... David's family will be in town. =)

    Not sure what we're doing quite yet, but I am sooo looking forward to it.

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    1. You will certainly enjoy San Diego, it is very cool and breezy near the coast and has a lot to do. :D email if you want ideas :D

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  5. I would love the lemon festival. I worked in Tecate, BC ( sin papeles) as a guest instructor at a spa for many years, crossing the border, driving in Mexico, taking the public bus to Tj, and even route taxis to Ensenada. I have been through Chulajuana many times but never stopped. My border crossing days are over. I last went in 2003. I have vivid and wonderful memories of the good old border.

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    1. Sounds like you know this area very well! :D

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  6. Wow very cool, had no idea Chula Vista has all those awesome things to do. All the times I've been to SD never really checked out Chula Vista. I will definitely have to take a drive there next time I am in San Diego. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. You're welcome! Chula Vista has lots to offer, there is also the Discovery center which has local animals and plants. It is certainly worth a visit... :D

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  7. I've read your blog a few times and never did I imagine I would ever be able to relate to this post! However, my husband just found out that he will be in San Diego for 7 months for work and they will putting us up in Chula Vista! I'm so excited, yet nervous. I'm from Maine...I've only ever been to FL and New England states. Any tips? I have two little ones, 3 &5!

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    1. HI Sarah! How exciting! Well first things first we complain about being cold but compared to New England States it is never that cold :) be ready for taking walks along the beach year round and as a resident of San Diego you can go to museums on Tuesday in Balboa Park and some participate in the Tuesday Museum Days which means they rotate and you get free admission. The railroad museum is lots of fun, also in Chula Vista make sure you visit The Chula Vista Adult School for parenting clases these work as a mommy and me and are perfect for 3 year olds. My kids went to Mrs. Lori Swem's Class and her mom's class Mrs. Carol Manzi. They are wonderful for kids. The Chula Vista Recreational Center offers swim lessons during the summer and a drop off tiny tot program for ages 3+ that are fully potty trained. For more details you can always check on my travel tab at the top of the page and there is a section that says San Diego... under there you'll find great ideas and tips.

      best wishes with the move :D

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