Things to do in San Diego
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit San Diego
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best season, clear skies, warmest ocean, September is the single best month.
Whale season, best tide pools and lowest prices except holidays, rain Dec to Mar.
Wildflowers and baseball, then May Gray brings overcast cool coast from May.
Peak crowds and prices, June Gloom marine layer hangs over beaches into afternoon.
What's on
- San Diego Kids Free October October
Month of free child admissions and meals across attractions.
- Fleet Week San Diego October
Military celebration in October.
- Dia de los Muertos, Old Town late Oct-Nov 2
Old Town celebrations around Day of the Dead.
- Balboa Park December Nights early Dec
Huge free holiday festival in Balboa Park.
- Holiday Bowl December
College bowl season game in San Diego.
- San Diego Beer Week early Nov
Beer week tail in early November.
- Carlsbad Flower Fields Mar-early May
Flower fields run from March to early May.
- San Diego County Fair mid-June-early July
Large county fair at Del Mar.
- San Diego Pride mid-July
Parade and festival in Hillcrest and Balboa Park, one of the largest US Prides.
- Comic-Con International Usually late July
Downtown hotels sell out at multiples, come for it or avoid downtown that week.
Worth the trip for
Best things to do in San Diego
Balboa Park
Huge park of museums, gardens and Spanish Revival courtyards where two museums plus wandering works best.
San Diego Zoo
Famous zoo in canyon habitats with pandas, Skyfari tram and a full hilly day of animals.
USS Midway Museum
Aircraft carrier you explore at your own pace, from flight deck aircraft to bridge and engine room.
La Jolla Cove
Small protected cove starting a free coast walk past sea lions, Scripps Park and harbour seals.
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Free historic park of restored adobes, museums and a blacksmith showing 1820s to 1870s California.
Cabrillo National Monument
Point Loma headland with lighthouse, whale viewpoints and tide pools that shine at a negative low tide.
Petco Park
Downtown ballpark with skyline views, a grass park beyond centre field and strong local food concessions.
Chicano Park
National landmark under the bridge pylons holding a large, growing collection of Chicano murals.
Where to stay in San Diego
Little Italy / Marina District
first trip, all-round base
Real food neighbourhood by the Embarcadero and Midway, airport close, Gaslamp walkable without sleeping in it.
La Jolla
beach splurge, couples
Village by the Cove and Coast Walk with top coastal dining, pricey and 25 to 35 minutes from downtown.
Coronado
resort island stay, families
Manicured, flat and bikeable island with the widest gentle beach, quiet early evenings.
North Park / Hillcrest / South Park
local feel, food and value
Where locals live, eat and drink, near Balboa Park east side, thin hotel stock and a drive to the beach.
Pacific Beach / Mission Beach / Ocean Beach
surf, sunsets and hostel scene
Classic beach San Diego, PB young and loud, Mission family boardwalk, Ocean Beach funkier and older soul.
Gaslamp Quarter
nightlife and conventions only
Central Victorian bar and restaurant blocks by Petco Park, loud until 2am and pricey parking.
Think twice about
- East Village east of Park Boulevard
Most concentrated street homelessness and encampments around downtown services, tents and unsanitary sidewalks day and night.
- Downtown core / Cortez Hill / Civic Centre
Blocks around the central library, C Street and courthouse stops still carry encampments, open drug use and empty streets at night.
- Hotel Circle / Mission Valley
Freeway valley of chain hotels and malls with nothing walkable, flood prone, a car and freeway ride to everything.
- Midway District / Sports Arena Boulevard
Cheap motels on a wide charmless arterial with a sketchier late night feel and nothing to walk to except chain food.
Best restaurants in San Diego
Addison
Southern Californias only three star restaurant, a destination tasting menu dinner to plan around.
Callie
Mediterranean cooking through a Southern California lens in a warm buzzy downtown room.
Juniper and Ivy
Playful chef driven fine dining in a big handsome Little Italy room, fun for dates and groups.
Soichi
Tiny quiet omakase counter serving a personal Edomae meal with local and Japanese fish.
Lola 55
Technique forward creative tacos and agave cocktails in a modern downtown taqueria.
Herb & Wood
Wood fired California sharing plates in a warehouse glam room locals repeat in Little Italy.
Born and Raised
Maximalist old school steakhouse with tableside Caesar, big martinis and a rooftop.
Ironside Fish & Oyster
Raw bar, crudo and lobster roll in a nautical industrial Little Italy room.
Outdoor things to do in San Diego
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Rare pines and sandstone canyons above the ocean, with overlook trails and a beach walk at low tide.
Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course)
Championship South Course on Pacific cliffs, long and hard, home to US Opens and the Farmers Insurance Open.
Torrey Pines Golf Course (North Course)
Friendlier North Course at Torrey Pines, cheaper than South and many locals prefer its ocean holes.
La Jolla Ecological Reserve
Kayak to sea caves then snorkel a protected reserve with garibaldi, rays and seasonal leopard sharks.
Tourmaline Surfing Park
Forgiving Pacific Beach break for learners and longboarders, with surf schools and wetsuits included.
La Jolla Shores Beach
Gentle family friendly beach for first surf lessons and practising on a rented foam board.
Mission Bay Park
Calm man made bay for paddle, sail and cycling the flat loop, ideal for mixed ability groups.
Shelter Island
Departure area for whale watching boats, gray whales in winter and blue whales offshore in summer.
Best hotels in San Diego
Pendry San Diego
Downtown luxury hotel on the Gaslamp edge with a rooftop pool.
InterContinental San Diego
Bayfront hotel with bay view rooms on the downtown waterfront.
Hotel Republic San Diego
Boutique mid tier hotel on the Little Italy side of downtown.
Kimpton Alma San Diego
Boutique mid tier hotel near Little Italy and the waterfront.
HI San Diego Downtown Hostel
Well run hostel a few blocks from Little Italy, with dorms and private rooms.
The Lodge at Torrey Pines
Craftsman lodge on Torrey Pines golf course, a top overall San Diego stay.
La Valencia Hotel
Pink 1926 landmark hotel on Prospect Street above La Jolla Cove.
Pantai Inn
Boutique inn facing the Cove in the heart of La Jolla village.
Is San Diego expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | $150 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | $310 a person |
| Splurge | $575 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- San Diego Zoo: a few days ahead
- Petco Park: a few days ahead
- SeaWorld San Diego: a few days ahead
- Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course): months ahead
- Torrey Pines Golf Course (North Course): months ahead
- La Jolla Ecological Reserve: a few days ahead
- Shelter Island: a few days ahead
- San Diego Zoo Safari Park: a few days ahead
- Addison, Soichi, Jeune et Jolie and Valle book weeks to months ahead, as do Torrey Pines tee times.
- Book hotels early for Comic-Con, Pride, Del Mar opening and December holidays.
- Buy Zoo tickets online and arrive at opening, book whale boats and La Jolla kayak tours days ahead in season.
- Cabrillo only works at low tide, check the tide table before setting the day.
Is San Diego safe?
- Car break-ins at beach and trailhead lots are the main risk, leave nothing visible in the car.
- Route around East Village and downtown east blocks at night rather than through them.
- Swim near a lifeguard, watch rip currents, shuffle for stingrays at the Shores and keep distance from marine mammals.
- Stay back from cliff edges at Sunset Cliffs, Torrey Pines and Blacks, especially after rain.
- Check your government's current travel advice before you go.
San Diego travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Safari Park is in Escondido 35 miles inland, not at the Zoo, plan it as its own day.
- Biggest Old Town patios and Gaslamp Fifth Avenue steakhouses charge for location, the Eat list is ten minutes away.
- Seaport Village is a 30 minute stroll, not an afternoon destination.
- La Jolla Cove is tiny and rocky for a beach day, use La Jolla Shores or Coronado for sand and swimming.
- Alcohol is prohibited on city beaches and fires are only in designated pits, first come.
Getting around San Diego: public transport and more
- A car is the default for La Jolla, Torrey and North County days, rent for excursion days if based in Little Italy.
- Blue Line trolley runs border to UC San Diego via downtown and Old Town, useful for Old Town and Zoo connections.
- Airport is 10 minutes to Little Italy, bus 992 to downtown and rideshare is cheap by airport standards.
- Beach parking fills by 10 to 11am on summer weekends, arrive early and use La Jolla village garages.
Who San Diego suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Great |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Great |
Make San Diego your trip
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