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A Little About North County  

North County is a region in the northern area of San Diego County. The second-most populous region in the county after San Diego proper, North County is well known for its affluence, especially in coastal Encinitas, Carlsbad, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, and Solana Beach. Inland cities along the 78 freeway that runs through the area, which include Oceanside,

Vista, San Marcos, and Escondido, have more mixed incomes. Semi-rural inland communities such as Valley Center and Ramona, which have traditionally been primarily agricultural but now function increasingly as bedroom communities for the more populous areas to their south, are generally included within inland North County.

North San Diego County is known as one of the most geographically diverse places around, with bluffs, sandy beaches, canyons, and rolling hills on the coast; humid inland valleys, rocky foothills, temperate mountains, rolling grassland, and large lakes and rivers in the interior; and arid deserts, lush oases, and sand dunes in the eastern region. The foothills of mountains soon become visible as one travels further east and encounters the rocky peaks of inland North County.

Beach and surf culture is prominent in the coastal areas, and many of the region’s beautiful beaches and lagoons are protected areas to help ensure the environment remains pristine. Inland offers a multitude of outdoor activities, including hiking, camping, and boating. North County contains 40 golf courses, including Torrey Pines, which hosted the 2008

and 2021 U.S. Open. Equestrian culture is also notable in the region, which includes numerous equestrian centers such

as the Rancho Camino Equestrian Center and San Diego Country Estates International Equestrian Center. The Del Mar Fairgrounds is home to one of the most famous racetracks in the world and is the site of the annual San Diego County Fair.

Shopping includes Escondido’s North County Mall and The Shoppes at Carlsbad. The Cedros Design District in Solana Beach offers more than 85 shops, boutiques, and galleries that specialize in antiques, handmade jewelry, unique artifacts, fine art, and more.

Important landmarks in North County include Mission San Luis Rey, Lake San Marcos, the Oceanside Pier, Twin Peaks, and Palomar Mountain, home of the Palomar Observatory.

North County is home to several colleges, including California State University, San Marcos, a four-year university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate programs; Palomar College, a community college based in San Marcos, with six other education sites in North County; and MiraCosta College, a community college in Oceanside.

In modern times, North County continues to grow and flourish as a highly influential region of Greater San Diego. The top 25 employers in San Diego County are closer to the North County city of Carlsbad than to San Diego itself.