Bonita, California
Bonita is a community of 12,652 people in San Diego County, California.
Why visit Bonita
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 17 parks and trails, 42 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Gobblers Knob, Pumpkin Patch Bonita, Pumpkins Bonita, Bonita Museum & Cultural Center and Kumeyaay Park.
September is the warmest month, with average highs of 77°F; December lows average 46°F.
Weather in Bonita
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Bonita
Bonita (Spanish for "Beautiful") is a census-designated place (CDP) in southern San Diego County, California, nestled between the cities of Chula Vista, National City, and San Diego. The population was 12,917 at the 2020 census, up from 12,538 at the 2010 census.
From the Wikipedia article Bonita, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Pumpkin Patch Bonita, Pumpkins Bonita
Farm and orchard · 1.0 mi
5354 Bonita Road
Mo-Su 09:00-21:00
Museums and landmarks2
Parks, trails and playgrounds17
Discovery Park
Park · 1.9 mi
Park in San Diego County, California, United States of America
5 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes42
Bankhead Mississippi Style Cooking
Restaurant · American, Barbecue, Chicken, Regional · 2.0 mi
8300 #102-103
Tu-Sa 11:00-19:00; Su 11:00-17:00
Romesco Mexiterranean Bistro
Restaurant · Spanish, Mexican, Pasta · 1.9 mi
4346 Bonita Road, Bonita
Tu-Th 15:00-22:00; Fr 15:00-23:00; Sa 14:00-22:00; Su 12:00-20:30
TJ Oyster Bar
Restaurant · Seafood · 1.8 mi
4410 Bonita Road, Bonita
Mo-Th 11:00-20:30; Fr 11:00-21:00; Su 11:00-20:00
Tambayan Filipino BBQ & Grill
Restaurant · Filipino · 2.1 mi
We-Th 11:00-19:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-20:00; Su 11:00-17:00
Tapas Bar
Bar and pub · 1.9 mi
4342 Bonita Road, Bonita
Tu-Th 17:00-22:00; Fr 17:00-01:00; Sa 17:00-23:00
30 more on the map.
History
Before the arrival of the Spanish, Kumeyaay lived in the area around Sweetwater Valley, and called it Apusquel. After the establishment of Mission San Diego de Alcalá, the valley was used for cattle raising but was not significantly settled. After gaining independence from the Spanish Empire, the valley became part of a land grant awarded to John (Don Juan) Forster. The word Bonita is a feminine word for "pretty" in the Spanish language. It was the name of a ranch owned by Henry Ernest Cooper, Sr. in 1884, and was used by the nearby post office. The ranch itself was used to cultivate lemons, which were first grown in the area beginning in 1871. During the early years lemon industry was thriving, where it became the originator of the Bonnie Brae Lemon variety, named after the first lemon ranch in the community.
In 1888, Sweetwater Dam was built, creating Sweetwater Reservoir and forever changing the geography of the region. Soon after, in 1906, the dam broke as a result of extensive rains which overfilled the reservoir, and the Lower Sweetwater Valley was completely flooded.
From the History section of Bonita, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship11
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 1.9 mi
1590 East H Street, Chula Vista
Shopping6
Paradise Valley Produce & Grocery Market
Grocery · 2.0 mi
8423 Paradise Valley Road, Spring Valley
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries61
Healthcare1
Map of Bonita
147 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°F | 46°F | 1.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 67°F | 48°F | 2.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 67°F | 51°F | 1.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 54°F | 0.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 69°F | 58°F | 0.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 71°F | 61°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 75°F | 65°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 77°F | 66°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 77°F | 64°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 75°F | 58°F | 0.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 71°F | 51°F | 0.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 66°F | 46°F | 1.6 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Chula Vista Hcn (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
San Diego County has had 35 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2024-02-19: Severe Storm And Flooding (Flood)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-10-16: Wildfires (Fire)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Brown Field Municipal Airport (SDM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Chula Vista 3 mi south, about 5 min by car
- La Presa 3 mi north, about 5 min by car
- Spring Valley 4 mi north, about 7 min by car
- Lemon Grove 5 mi northwest, about 7 min by car
- National City 6 mi west, about 9 min by car
- La Mesa 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- Casa de Oro-Mount Helix 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- Rancho San Diego 8 mi northeast, about 13 min by car
- El Cajon 9 mi north, about 15 min by car
- Coronado 9 mi west, about 14 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Bonita-south, The original uploader was John.niekrasz at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bonita Vista High School - 13 May 2017 - 2, RightCowLeftCoast, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bonita Vista High School - 13 May 2017 - 1, RightCowLeftCoast, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bonita Vista High School - 19 May 2017 - 2, RightCowLeftCoast, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bonita Vista High School - 19 May 2017 - 1, RightCowLeftCoast, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Corpus Christi Catholic Church, RightCowLeftCoast, CC BY 4.0
- Spring Valley, California (15036255263), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Spring Valley, California (15470844410), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Solenopsis amblychila casent0005802 head 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- Camponotus fragilis casent0005344 head 2, April Nobile, CC BY 4.0
- Pheidole clementensis casent0005756 dorsal 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- Pheidole clementensis casent0005755 dorsal 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- Solenopsis amblychila casent0005802 dorsal 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- Pheidole clementensis casent0005756 head 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- Camponotus fragilis casent0005344 head 1, April Nobile, CC BY 4.0
- Pheidole clementensis casent0005755 head 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- Camponotus fragilis casent0005344 label 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- Pheidole clementensis casent0005755 profile 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- Pheidole clementensis casent0005756 profile 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- Solenopsis amblychila casent0005802 profile 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- Camponotus fragilis casent0005344 dorsal 1, April Nobile, CC BY 4.0
- Camponotus fragilis casent0005344 profile 1, April Nobile, CC BY 4.0
- California State Route 125, Spring Valley, California (15470447177), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Spring Valley, California (15470263878), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Lolita's Carne Asada Chips - 1, RightCowLeftCoast, CC BY 4.0
- Lolita's Taco Shop Kearny Mesa California Burrito Cross section, RightCowLeftCoast, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Jumooluk, RightCowLeftCoast, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Manna CV - 2, RightCowLeftCoast, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Border of Spring Valley and Jamacha-Lomita Area of San Diego, California (15657236792), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Dudleya variegata 280211632, James Connolly Davis, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Dudleya variegata 280211680, James Connolly Davis, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lollicup, RightCowLeftCoast, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tetramorium spinosum casent0005831 profile 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- Tetramorium spinosum casent0005831 head 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- Tetramorium spinosum casent0005831 dorsal 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
- Tetramorium spinosum casent0005831 label 1, Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
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