North County refers to the northern region of San Diego County which is the most affluent area of the county. Cities in North County include Oceanside, Escondido, Carlsbad, Vista, San Marcos, Encinitas, Poway, Solana Beach, and Del Mar. Some of the census-designated areas include Fallbrook, San Diego County Estates, Valley Center, Lake San Marcos, Bonsall, Hidden Meadows, Rancho Santa Fe, and Fairbanks Ranch. Other unincorporated areas include Pala Mesa, Pauma Valley, and Rincon. Camp Pendleton South and Pendleton Mainside are also located in North County. The city of San Diego is not located within North County.

Major lagoons and inlets along the North County coastline from north to south include Oceanside Harbor, Buena Vista Lagoon, Agua Hedionda Lagoon, Batiquitos Lagoon, and San Elijo Lagoon.

North County is home to California State University, San Marcos, a four-year university; MiraCosta College, a community college in Oceanside; and Palomar College, a community college in San Marcos.

The famous Paloma Observatory and Hale Telescope are located on Palomar Mountain in Palomar State Park which is in North County San Diego.

North County is famous for its numerous high quality golf courses. A partial list includes Torrey Pines South, Torrey Pines North, Aviara, La Costa, Maderas, Rancho Bernardo, The Crossings, Encinitas Ranch, The Vineyard, and Twin Oaks.

Other regions of San Diego County include South Bay, East County, and Central San Diego.

 

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, commonly referred to as Camp Pendleton, established in 1942, is a 125,000-acre Marine Corps base in San Diego County. The base, which is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States, is bordered by Oceanside to the south, San Clemente and Orange County to the north, Fallbrook to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Marine Corps Air Station is part of Camp Pendleton.

 

Palomar College

Palomar College, founded in 1946, is a public two-year, accredited college. The main campus is in San Marcos in North San Diego County. In addition to the main campus, Palomar College has five learning centers in Escondido, Fallbrook, Rancho Bernardo, Ramona, and Camp Pendleton. More than 20,000 full-time and part-time students are enrolled. Palomar College offers the Associate of Arts degree, the Associate of Science degree and nearly 200 Certificates of Achievement. Earned college credits are transferable to the University of California and all California State University schools.

 

Franciscan School of Theology

The Franciscan School of Theology (FST), established in 1854, is a small Roman Catholic graduate theological school at the Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside, which is in North County, San Diego. FST is affiliated with the University of San Diego. The school offers a two-year Master of Theological Studies degree and a three-year Master of Divinity degree which is required for ordination to the priesthood.

 

San Diego Botanic Garden

The San Diego Botanic Garden, formerly known as the Quail Botanic Gardens, is a 37 acre botanical garden in Encinitas which is in North County San Diego. San Diego Botanic Garden is a major tourist attraction featuring numerous exhibits including a tropical rainforest, rare bamboo groves, a subtropical fruit garden, succulent gardens, an herb garden, and much more. Visitors come from all over the country and beyond.