Located 5 miles northeast of
downtown San Diego off Interstate 8, Mission Valley is a key player in
state history. Part of the 45-mile-long San Diego River valley, which
snakes a path from desert-like inland areas to the sparkling Pacific
ocean, Mission Valley is home to California's first mission, established
in the late-1700s by Spanish Franciscan priest Junipero Serra. Today, the
Valley corridor reflects a more modern growth spurt in the mid- and
late-1900s, which resulted in its birth as a business and hotel center.
In addition to its missions, Mission Valley is the current home of San
Diego's professional sports stadium, host to the 2003 Super Bowl. If the
air horns and mission bells don't do it for you, ring up some serious
victory at Fashion Valley Mall or Mission Valley Center, and take the red
Trolley's blue line, which conveniently weaves its way through most of the
town's main attractions.
