100+ San Diego Trivia Questions & Answers

Question: Which Spanish explorer first claimed San Diego Bay for Spain in 1542?

Answer: Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo

Question: Which Kumeyaay village became the basis for the settlement in today's Old Town San Diego?

Answer: Kosa'aay

Question: Who named the bay and surrounding area "San Diego de Alcalá" in 1602?

Answer: Sebastián Vizcaíno

Question: In what year was Mission San Diego de Alcalá founded?

Answer: 1769

Question: Which 1775 event forced Mission San Diego de Alcalá to relocate up the San Diego River?

Answer: A Kumeyaay revolt

Question: What title was given to San Diego for being the first site visited by Europeans on the West Coast of the United States?

Answer: Birthplace of California

Question: When did Mexico win its independence from Spain, making San Diego part of Alta California?

Answer: 1821

Question: Which year did the U.S. formally gain California, including San Diego, from Mexico?

Answer: 1848

Question: What treaty ended the Mexican–American War and ceded San Diego to the United States?

Answer: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Question: Who was elected as the first alcalde (municipal magistrate) after San Diego became a pueblo in 1834?

Answer: Juan María Osuna

Question: Which 1846 battle was fought in the San Pasqual Valley between American and Californio forces?

Answer: The Battle of San Pasqual

Question: Who was the last alcalde of San Diego and also the city's first mayor after incorporation?

Answer: Joshua H. Bean

Question: Which pioneering developer promoted "New Town" near the bay, leading to modern Downtown San Diego?

Answer: Alonzo Horton

Question: Which two expositions took place in Balboa Park in 1915 and 1935, respectively?

Answer: Panama–California Exposition and California Pacific International Exposition

Question: What long-standing industry earned San Diego the reputation of being the "tuna capital of the world"?

Answer: Tuna fishing and canning

Question: Which 1950s festival highlighted San Diego’s Spanish and Mexican heritage?

Answer: Fiesta del Pacifico

Question: During World War II, San Diego became a major hub for which two related sectors?

Answer: Military and defense

Question: Which aborted Japanese plan in 1945 intended to release plague-infested fleas in San Diego?

Answer: Operation Cherry Blossoms at Night

Question: Which Franciscan missionary served as the chronicler during the first overland expedition to San Diego in 1769?

Answer: Juan Crespí

Question: What year was San Diego incorporated as a city under the United States?

Answer: 1850

Question: Which city on the Pacific coast of Southern California shares a border with Tijuana, Mexico?

Answer: San Diego

Question: What is the highest point in the city of San Diego?

Answer: Cowles Mountain

Question: What is the approximate elevation of Cowles Mountain?

Answer: 1,591 feet (485 m)

Question: Which fault zones near San Diego are part of the San Andreas Fault system?

Answer: Rose Canyon and Point Loma fault zones

Question: What river runs east to west and effectively divides San Diego into northern and southern parts?

Answer: The San Diego River

Question: Which large urban cultural park was originally the site of the 1915 and 1935 expositions?

Answer: Balboa Park

Question: Name a major nature preserve in San Diego that protects the rare Torrey Pine.

Answer: Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

Question: Which two mountain ranges rise to the east of San Diego?

Answer: The Cuyamaca Mountains and the Laguna Mountains

Question: Which type of climate is commonly attributed to San Diego, featuring warm, dry summers and mild winters?

Answer: A hot-summer Mediterranean (or hot semi-arid) climate

Question: What term describes the frequent coastal cloud cover during late spring and early summer in San Diego?

Answer: June gloom (or May gray)

Question: What is the average annual rainfall along the coast of San Diego?

Answer: Around 10.65 inches

Question: Which desert areas lie beyond the Cuyamaca and Laguna Mountains to the east?

Answer: Desert regions (east of the mountains)

Question: Which national forest is about a half-hour drive from downtown San Diego?

Answer: Cleveland National Forest

Question: Which park was built for the Panama–California and California Pacific Expositions and remains a central cultural site?

Answer: Balboa Park

Question: What is the name of the large bay that includes a major U.S. naval base and commercial port in San Diego?

Answer: San Diego Bay

Question: Which phenomenon often results in thick coastal fog and cooler temperatures near the ocean?

Answer: The marine layer

Question: What type of plant communities traditionally covered much of the San Diego area before urban development?

Answer: Coastal sage scrub and chaparral

Question: Which reserve area north of Torrey Pines features canyons and freshwater streams in San Diego?

Answer: Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve

Question: What citywide event in October 2003 caused extensive damage to homes and increased ER visits?

Answer: The Cedar Fire (wildfire)

Question: Which major reservoir and regional park separate parts of eastern San Diego from developed areas?

Answer: Mission Trails Regional Park

Question: What form of government does the City of San Diego use?

Answer: A mayor-council form of government

Question: Who currently serves as the mayor of San Diego?

Answer: Todd Gloria

Question: What is the city’s motto in Latin, meaning "Always Vigilant"?

Answer: Semper Vigilans

Question: Who is listed as the San Diego City Attorney in the text provided?

Answer: Heather Ferbert

Question: How many total members serve on the San Diego City Council?

Answer: Nine

Question: In what year was San Diego’s city charter reestablished after being revoked?

Answer: 1889

Question: Which city body is responsible for local legislation in San Diego?

Answer: The San Diego City Council

Question: According to the 2020 census, what is San Diego’s population?

Answer: 1,386,932

Question: What demonym is used for residents of San Diego?

Answer: San Diegan

Question: Which border crossing between San Diego and Tijuana is the busiest international land border crossing outside Asia?

Answer: The San Ysidro Port of Entry

Question: Among U.S. cities, where does San Diego rank in population size?

Answer: Eighth

Question: San Diego is the second-most populous city in which U.S. state?

Answer: California

Question: Approximately what percentage of San Diego’s population identified as Hispanic or Latino in 2020?

Answer: 29.65%

Question: In 2006, San Diego transitioned to which form of mayoral governance?

Answer: Strong mayor government

Question: Which official leads the executive branch of San Diego’s local government?

Answer: The mayor

Question: How many recognized community planning areas does the City of San Diego have?

Answer: 52

Question: Which year did the Mexican–American War end, resulting in the U.S. acquiring San Diego?

Answer: 1848

Question: Which plan from the 2008 General Plan centers on the idea of a “City of Villages”?

Answer: The City of Villages concept

Question: Which region includes the busy ports of entry connecting San Diego to Baja California, Mexico?

Answer: The San Diego–Tijuana region

Question: Which major factor has historically contributed to the city’s rapid population growth, especially during WWII?

Answer: Military and defense-related activities

Question: Which major industries drive San Diego’s economy, according to the text?

Answer: Military, tourism, international trade, research, and manufacturing

Question: Which leading public research university in San Diego is part of the University of California system?

Answer: UC San Diego

Question: What is the second-most populous transborder metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere that includes San Diego?

Answer: The San Diego–Tijuana region

Question: Which world-class zoo originated from exhibits at the 1915 Panama–California Exposition?

Answer: The San Diego Zoo

Question: What is the busiest single-runway airport in the United States, located in San Diego?

Answer: San Diego International Airport (SAN)

Question: Which local company, founded in 1925, built Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis in 1927?

Answer: Ryan Airlines

Question: Which iconic downtown structure was the tallest building in San Diego until 1963?

Answer: El Cortez Hotel

Question: Which worldwide corporation headquartered in San Diego is a major wireless technology employer?

Answer: Qualcomm

Question: Which local craft brewing event, held annually, highlights San Diego’s prominence in beer production?

Answer: San Diego Beer Week

Question: In which park can visitors find the Spanish/Baroque-style buildings remaining from two international expositions?

Answer: Balboa Park

Question: Which major tourist destination in the city is known for marine attractions and shows?

Answer: SeaWorld San Diego

Question: What popular economic sector in San Diego led it to be called “America’s Craft Beer Capital”?

Answer: The craft brewing industry

Question: Which large convention venue was constructed downtown to boost tourism and events in San Diego?

Answer: The San Diego Convention Center

Question: Which 1912 conflict in San Diego involved the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and free speech issues?

Answer: The San Diego free speech fight

Question: Name one prominent private university in San Diego founded by the Catholic Church.

Answer: University of San Diego (USD)

Question: Which 1980s urban renewal project included the opening of Horton Plaza and revival of the Gaslamp Quarter?

Answer: Downtown redevelopment

Question: What major redevelopment event took place in 2004 to further transform the downtown area?

Answer: The opening of Petco Park

Question: What sector did city leaders focus on after post–Cold War military cutbacks to diversify the economy?

Answer: Research, science, and tourism

Question: Which museum features the USS Midway aircraft carrier as a floating exhibit on San Diego’s waterfront?

Answer: The USS Midway Museum

Question: Which local museum is known for its historic ships, including the Star of India?

Answer: Maritime Museum of San Diego

Question: Which San Diego neighborhood was historically shaped by Italian immigrant fishermen in the local tuna canning industry?

Answer: Little Italy

Question: Which marine-themed attraction in San Diego boosted the city's tourism industry?

Answer: SeaWorld San Diego

Question: San Diego is the seat of which county, with a population of nearly 3.3 million?

Answer: San Diego County

Question: Which dense urban community in San Diego lies just northeast of Balboa Park?

Answer: North Park

Question: Which San Diego community is located north of Mission Valley and south of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar?

Answer: Kearny Mesa

Question: Which coastal neighborhood in San Diego sits between Mission Beach and La Jolla?

Answer: Pacific Beach

Question: Which 1912 conflict in San Diego involved the Industrial Workers of the World protesting free-speech restrictions?

Answer: The San Diego free speech fight

Question: Which scenic coastal neighborhood in San Diego is famous for its rugged shoreline and UC research campus nearby?

Answer: La Jolla

Question: What annual phenomenon off the San Diego coast attracts visitors seeking to see gray whales?

Answer: Whale-watching cruises

Question: Which style of architecture is prominent in Balboa Park’s museum buildings?

Answer: Spanish/Baroque

Question: Historically, which industry in San Diego employed many immigrant fishermen, notably from Japan and Italy?

Answer: Tuna fishing and canning

Question: Which 1950s festival, called Fiesta del Pacifico, celebrated the area’s Spanish and Mexican past?

Answer: A citywide cultural festival

Question: Which professional gathering place, built for large conferences and exhibitions, helps bolster local tourism revenue?

Answer: The San Diego Convention Center

Question: About how many people were homeless in the city of San Diego according to the 2020 count?

Answer: 4,887

Question: Which mayor resigned in 2013 following multiple sexual harassment allegations?

Answer: Bob Filner

Question: Which legislative body has an 8–1 Democratic majority as of the information provided?

Answer: The San Diego City Council

Question: Which entity is San Diego’s regional planning agency mentioned in the text?

Answer: SANDAG (San Diego Association of Governments)

Question: What rank does San Diego hold among North American cities by population?

Answer: 20th

Question: Which area of San Diego is known for its hilly peninsula just west of downtown across the bay?

Answer: Point Loma

Question: What is the narrow strip of land that connects San Diego’s southern neighborhoods with the rest of the city called?

Answer: A narrow strip at the bottom of San Diego Bay