Chula Vista/map
| Bayfront | Downtown | The Ranch | |
|---|---|---|---|
| \ | / | The Lakes | |
| Main Street | |||
| Highway |
Main Street
Chula Vista's Main Street district includes a vast area stretching along most of the southern border of the city. The west side of the area is densely filled with homes, businesses and attractions. In contrast, the eastern side of the area is filled with vast amounts of open space that has yet to be expanded upon. The vast and fertile Otay Valley Regional Park resides to the South of Main Street, running along the Otay River.
There are several major attractions in the area, including sources of live entertainment. The Sleep Train Amphitheatre and Aquatica Prospect make up some of the most noteworthy. The city provides the South Chula Vista Library and a few additional parks as other amenities in the area.
(+Hangouts/jump Chula Vista brings you here)
The Lakes
The Lakes is a primarily residential district filled with high-class communities. Most roads running through the area are divided and bordered by strips of grass, small trees, and shrubs arranged to provide a lush beauty contrasting the desert to the east. A plentiful amount of parks, schools, stores, and other businesses fill the well-off area, which makes up the easternmost border of the city. A few country clubs are about, catering to the nearby residents. A large Olympic Training Center is located in the southern reaches of the area, right next to the Lower Otay Lake to the east.
The Ranch
The Ranch is a large area consisting primarily of upper-middle and upper class residential communities. The district has been designed to be very pedestrian friendly, with abundant amounts of green space, parks, and trails. An extensive network of trails, paseos, and promenades are available to be enjoyed either on foot or on bicycle. Several community centers and other similar resources fill the area. Numerous retail shops can also be found throughout the area.
Downtown
Downtown Chula Vista has undergone extensive renovations over the past several years, improving the public roads and sidewalks. The area has been made very pedestrian-friendly and bicycle-friendly, and has undergone many landscaping improvements to improve its beauty. Aesthetic street lamps line the streets, providing ample light even on the darkest night. This is the cultural center of the city, home to historic neighborhoods and landmarks, as well as community centers and events.
Downtown is also, of course, filled with many thriving businesses and restaurants. Bars and theatre performances provide for the nightlife here. For more mild forms of recreation, a few small public parks sit amid the residential neighborhoods, and the Chula Vista Public Library lies in the northern reaches of the area.
Bayfront
Formerly a primarily industrial area, the Chula Vista Bayfront has undergone over a decade-and-a-half of intense redevelopment into a waterfront recreation and resort area. Many high-end stores, resorts, and restaurants have recently been built or are ungoing construction as part of the 24-year public-planned development. A large marina and harbor rests in the center of the area, filled almost entirely by the yachts of the upper class. A few industrial facilities remain in the area, although primarily further from the water.
In addition to the large amount of amenities completed or under construction, the Bayfront is also home to many acres of public parks and restored ecological habitats. The Bayside Park and Chula Vista Bayfront Park provides public strips of green and sandy beach along the bay, acting as a thin border between the water and numerous businesses. The Prospect Bay National Wildlife Refuge consists of much of the nearby bay and many acres of undeveloped wetlands along the north and south ends of the area. The Living Coast Discovery Center sits in the middle of the Sweetwater Marsh in the northern refuge.
