The University of California, San Diego and nearby research institutes on Torrey Mesa provide a base for technological innovation and there are numerous high-tech and biotech companies in the area, such as Qualcomm, Neurocrine, Illumina, and Genentech of Oceanside. Major tourists attractions include the city's beaches and bays, Balboa Park with its many museums, the San Diego Zoo, Sea World, San Diego Wild Animal Park and Old Town, the site of the original Spanish settlement.

A Supercarrier is a ship belonging to the largest class of aircraft carrier. It is generally considered to be 75,000 tons or greater in displacement — most countries that have carriers at all operate carriers with a displacement of less than 40,000 tons and more often closer to 20,100 Supercarriers currently hold the world record of the largest warships ever built; however, they are not the largest ships ever built, as the world’s largest supertankers are larger and heavier than supercarriers. Supercarrier is not an official designation.