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Campus Life

Living in San Diego

NewSchool of Architecture & Design’s downtown San Diego location is a prime spot to inspire learning, curiosity, and innovation. Students and instructors alike benefit from the beauty and passion that surrounds them while living in America’s Finest City.

Start your exploration in the East Village, best known for Petco Park, and in the nearby Gaslamp Quarter — an area The New York Times calls “happening … for the culturati and the hip.” Streets lined with historic Gold Rush–era architecture, much of it impeccably preserved, hold destination restaurants, intriguing music clubs, and student hangouts. Life in San Diego is full of inspiration at every corner.

Downtown living is just steps away from the action and it’s all part of the city’s newly revitalized downtown. Known for its loft residences, boutique hotels, and trend-setting restaurants, San Diego architecture often incorporates unique designs, like hidden rooftop gardens and the steel-domed roof of the San Diego Central Libary. Balboa Park, the largest urban cultural park in the United States, is less than a mile from campus. This iconic landmark is home to more than a dozen museums, the Old Globe Theatre, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

With idyllic weather, nothing gets in the way of enjoying all that life in San Diego has to offer. Street festivals abound, from the Mardi Gras celebration to arts and music fairs. In a single day, you can go from mountain hiking to touring wine country to luxury shopping in coastal La Jolla. But what brings so many people to San Diego is its 70 miles of beaches. In this laid-back surfer community, swimming, sailing, and watching the sunning seals and migrating whales can be a daily activity. Life in San Diego, California can truly be enjoyed by all.

Residents find that the area’s diverse ethnic makeup is welcoming, and international trade plus the region’s access to Mexico, the Pacific Rim, and South America open doors to a thriving post-graduate future.

To learn more about working, studying, visiting and living in San Diego, click here.

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