San Diego's housing stock reflects more than a century of growth. The city's earliest neighborhoods hold Victorian-era homes, while the Panama–California Exposition of 1915 helped popularize Spanish Colonial Revival and Mission Revival styles that remain among the city's most recognizable architecture, often with red-tile roofs and stucco walls. Craftsman bungalows are common in neighborhoods built through the early twentieth century, and mid-century modern and ranch homes fill many of the canyons and mesas developed after World War II. Beach communities feature cottages and townhomes near the water, while downtown and the urban core offer condominium towers and lofts, particularly around the Gaslamp Quarter, East Village, and Little Italy. Farther from the coast, larger subdivisions with single-family homes characterize communities in Mission Valley and the northern reaches of the city.

La Jolla, on the northern coast, is known for its bluffs, coves, and village center, along with the UC San Diego campus and Torrey Pines to the north. Point Loma occupies a peninsula west of downtown with views of the bay and the ocean, while the beach communities of Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, and Ocean Beach line the coast with boardwalks and a casual, surf-oriented character. Across the bay, the island community of Coronado is a distinct residential enclave centered on its wide beach and historic hotel. Downtown, the Gaslamp Quarter, East Village, and Little Italy offer a dense, walkable urban lifestyle, while North Park and Hillcrest are older, walkable neighborhoods known for historic homes, restaurants, and independent shops. Mission Valley sits in a central canyon corridor with shopping and transit access, and Kensington showcases Spanish Colonial Revival and Tudor homes from the 1920s.

San Diego's lifestyle revolves around its coast, its parks, and its neighborhoods. The Gaslamp Quarter and Little Italy anchor downtown dining and nightlife, while craft breweries and coffee shops are spread across communities such as North Park and Pacific Beach. Balboa Park hosts a cluster of museums, gardens, and the San Diego Zoo, and Petco Park downtown brings major-league baseball to the city. The oceanfront communities maintain a beach culture built around surfing, boardwalks, and harbor activity, and the city's many ethnic enclaves contribute to a dining scene that ranges from Baja-style Mexican food to Asian and Italian influences. A mild climate extends the outdoor season through much of the year, supporting farmers markets, street fairs, and community events across the city.

Public education in San Diego is led by the San Diego Unified School District, one of the largest districts in California, serving much of the city from its coastal and downtown neighborhoods to communities such as University City and Scripps Ranch. The city is also a center for higher education: the University of California San Diego in La Jolla, San Diego State University in the eastern part of the city, and the University of San Diego on the hill above Mission Valley are among its major institutions, along with a network of community colleges that includes the San Diego Community College District.

San Diego is served by an extensive network of freeways, including Interstates 5, 8, and 15, which connect the coastal, central, and northern communities. The Metropolitan Transit System operates the San Diego Trolley, a light-rail system whose lines link downtown, Mission Valley, and communities to the south and east, alongside an extensive bus network. The Coaster, operated by the North County Transit District, provides commuter rail between downtown's Santa Fe Depot and communities along the coast to the north, while Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner offers intercity service. San Diego International Airport sits just northwest of downtown, and the city's position near the U.S.–Mexico border makes it a gateway for cross-border travel and trade.

Balboa Park is San Diego's signature green space, home to museums, gardens, and the San Diego Zoo within a landscape first developed for the 1915 Panama–California Exposition. Mission Bay, a large saltwater bay near the coast, offers boating, kayaking, and miles of shoreline paths, with SeaWorld on its shores. The ocean beaches — La Jolla Shores, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, and Coronado — provide surfing, swimming, and boardwalk recreation, while La Jolla Cove is known for its sea lions and seals. Inland, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve protects coastal bluffs and rare pines, and Mission Trails Regional Park offers hiking across the city's eastern mesas.