Chula Vista ( ; , due to its scenic location between the San Diego Bay and coastal mountain foothills ) is the second largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area as well as the 7th largest city in Southern California . Chula Vista is so named because of its scenic location between the San Diego Bay and coastal mountain foothills . It is the second largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area , 7th largest city in Southern California as well as the 14-largest city in the U.S. State of California .