10 Best Things to Do in San Diego, California
San Diego surprised me because it does not try to be anything, it simply is pleasant. Southern California’s southernmost big city spreads its neighborhoods, beaches, and canyons in the sun, and nearly everything worth doing happens outdoors. I spent a long week there moving between parks, tide pools, and taquerias, and I never once ran out of things to do. Here are the best, in the order I would do them again.
Spend a Day in Balboa Park
Start downtown with Balboa Park, a sprawling green space of gardens, Spanish colonial plazas, and more museums than any one person can see in a day. I wandered the cactus garden, took photos of the ornate buildings, and dipped into my favorite of the museums. Many museums offer a discount pass that bundles several, so decide on your top two or three and buy that. The park is free to roam even if you skip the exhibits, and the architecture alone earns a full afternoon.
Visit the San Diego Zoo
Inside Balboa Park sits one of the most famous zoos in the world, and it deserves the hype. I spent a full day following the free guided bus tour and the skyfari gondola over habitats designed to feel like wild landscapes. The pandas, koalas, and elephants were the stars, but the botanical gardens and the conservation programs are just as impressive. Go early, pick a route, and wear comfortable shoes because you will walk miles.
Walk the Gaslamp Quarter and Old Town
San Diego’s history lives in two walkable districts. The Gaslamp Quarter downtown is where I found the Victorian buildings and packed restaurants for dinner, while Old Town San Diego, the site of the city’s founding, gave me a slower, Mexican influenced look at the past with adobe buildings and craft shops. Do Old Town in the late morning and Gaslamp for evening food, and you get the best of both tones. Both are free to wander.
See La Jolla Cove and the Seals
Up the coast, La Jolla is where the ocean steals the show. I walked the cove’s cliffs, watched sea lions lounge on the rocks just offshore, and stood above the kelp beds with kayakers paddling below. The children’s pool at the south end is famous for its resident seals, and the sunset there is spectacular. Bring a jacket, because the sea breeze is cool even on warm days and the viewpoints are exposed.
Kayak the Sea Caves of La Jolla
For the closest look, I joined a kayak tour that paddled through the iconic sea caves carved into the La Jolla cliff line, timing the tour to enter the low ceilinged tunnels in the open season. The guides know the swell, and the rush of a small wave pushing you into a glowing cavern stays with you. It is forgiving for beginners and one of the more memorable ways to see the coast. Book ahead in summer, since spots sell out.
Relax on a Classic Beach
San Diego has a beach for every mood, and I sampled several. Pacific Beach gave me the lively surf scene, La Jolla Shores the family friendly sand, and Coronado the spectacular golden strand with the famous hotel behind it. I spent one whole afternoon simply walking the Coronado shoreline, which is wide, soft, and long. For surf lessons head to Pacific Beach; for a calm swim choose La Jolla Shores.
Take in the View from Cabrillo National Monument
At the tip of Point Loma, Cabrillo National Monument marks the spot where Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo first landed on the West Coast in 1542. I drove up for the panorama over the bay, the city skyline, and the Pacific, and then walked the tide pools below at low tide, where starfish and anemones cling to the rocks. The combination of history, view, and marine life makes this one of the best free things to do in San Diego.
Eat Your Way Through Mexican Food
San Diego is famous for its Mexican food, and I treated it like a sport. I tried fish tacos from a Pacific Beach stand, carnitas from a Barrio Logan taqueria, and a burrito that might be the best I have ever eaten. Do not stop at the tourist street; ask locals where they go for a taco and you will be rewarded. The California burrito, stuffed with fries, is a local invention worth hunting down.
Watch the Sunset at Sunset Cliffs
True to its name, Sunset Cliffs Natural Park is the place to watch the sun drop into the ocean. I found a quiet spot on the sandstone bluffs in Point Loma and joined the crowd that gathers every evening to watch the sky turn orange and pink. It is a free, moving ritual and a perfect way to end the day. Go a little early to stake out a good seat and stay until the first stars.
Know the Best Time to Visit
San Diego is a year round destination, but the sweet spot is late spring and early fall, from April through June and September through October, when warm, dry days meet thinner crowds. Summer brings the beach crowds and higher prices, while winter stays mild with occasional rain and good whale watching. I visited in May and had comfortable temperatures for both the beach and the zoo. Book popular tours and the zoo in advance on summer weekends.
San Diego is easy in a way most cities are not. The sun is dependable, the neighborhoods are relaxed, and the food and ocean reward slow days spent outside. From the kelp forests of La Jolla to the old buildings of Old Town and the art and beer of Liberty Station, it offered me a week of varied, unhurried enjoyment. I left sun warmed, well fed, and already planning the next low tide tide pool walk.
