San Diego anchors the southwestern corner of California along the Pacific coast, stretching from La Jolla and Pacific Beach north through downtown and the Gaslamp Quarter to neighborhoods like North Park, Hillcrest, and City Heights, then south toward Chula Vista and the Mexican border. The region's economy centers on military installations including Naval Base San Diego and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, alongside major biotech and healthcare employers like UC San Diego Health and Scripps Research. With Camp Pendleton to the north and communities extending east through Mission Valley to La Mesa and El Cajon, the area serves both year-round residents and a significant military-connected population that cycles through on deployment schedules.