Bonita

Nestled between National City and Chula Vista, Bonita is a census-designated place (CDP) in southern San Diego County. According to the 2010 census, the population of this close-knit community was 12,538.

The Kumeyaay people originally lived in this area near Sweetwater Valley; they named it Apusquel. After gaining independence from the Spanish Empire, the valley later became part of a land grant which was awarded to John (Don Juan) Foster.

The name “Bonita” comes from the Spanish feminine noun meaning “pretty.” This was the title of a lemon ranch which was owned in the late 1800s by Henry Ernest Cooper. There is a 5-mile portion of Sweetwater River in Bonita, and the town is also bordered to the north by the Sweetwater Reservoir, a body of water that was created just before the 20th century from the nearby Sweetwater Dam.

The pleasant climate in this community combines San Diego County’s coastal and inland valley temperatures. It’s warmer here than in areas that are directly adjacent to San Diego Bay or the coast, but it’s not as hot as communities in inland valleys like El Cajon or Spring Valley. The climate in Bonita during summer is temperate and peaceful, though the area sometimes faces flooding issues.