San Diego

At California’s southern edge, San Diego is where warm beaches meet some of the state’s richest marine life. Sea lions sprawl on rocky outcrops, dolphins ride the surf, and migrating gray whales pass within sight of shore. Just offshore, La Jolla’s kelp forests offer some of the best diving and snorkeling in the state, where leopard sharks by the dozens hide in shallows and seals have the tendency to approach with deep curiosity.