While my memories of San Diego are still crisp and clear, I want to take today to share a little “tourist’s guide” of sorts for “America’s Finest City.” I’ve been meaning to share a post like this for awhile, but I guess it takes moving to Chicago to fully reflect on what I appreciate most about San Diego.
As I write this, my current whereabouts are buried under a blanket of snow that’s been building up over the past three days. So I guess you could say this post is a little mental escape back to the sunshine and ocean.
San Diego was our home for over six years, and throughout that time, we did a lot of exploring around the city/county. Whenever we had friends or family visit, we liked to take them to a lot of the same spots because we thought they represented the city pretty well.
Anyone living in / from San Diego would probably have a slightly different list, but from my point of view, these were some of the best locations to go.
1. Balboa Park
Balboa Park is filled with all sorts of beautyโfrom gardens and architecture to the theatre and museums. If you want a scenic area to spend an afternoon, Balboa Park has a lot to experience (and photograph)!
2. San Diego Zoo & Safari Park
The San Diego Zoo & Safari Park are two magical places to watch and interact with animals. Both are absolutely massive, but seeing as how the San Diego Zoo is regularly voted the #1 zoo in the U.S., it’s definitely worth you time.
3. Hotel Del Coronado & Coronado Beach
Coronado Beach (technically in Coronado, CA) was always our favorite beach to go for a beach day, to watch the sunset, or to play beach volleyball at. If you have the opportunity to go, make sure you walk through Hotel del, which is a gorgeous historic landmark and beachfront hotel.
4. Tacos Anywhere
Okay, maybe not anywhere…but at least anywhere authentic. The tacos above are the spicy shrimp tacos from Oscar’s Seafood in PB that I attempted to remake at home because I’m obsessed. There are also a lot of other places known for their fish tacos, as well as those with amazing carne asada burritos and so on. Considering San Diego is so close to Mexico, it’s not hard to find some life-changing taco places.
5. Little Italy Farmer’s Market
The farmer’s market in downtown San Diego is huge and packed with so many great local goods! We always loved going down there on Saturday mornings to get some fresh crepes while perusing through the numerous tents housing food, crafts, and much more.
6. Breweries
Really any brewery. San Diego County is overflowing with beer because there are so many breweries to choose from! This flight is from Duck Foot Brewing, but some of our other favorites were Ballast Point, Coronado Brewing, Alesmith, Kilowatt, and Green Flash.
7. Any Pier
There are several piers to choose from in San Diego, and all of them are so beautiful to venture out onto. I think my favorite was probably the Ocean Beach pier (above), but wherever you go, you’ll often have some fishermen nearby and a view of surfers in the distance. Also, the sun shining over the sparkling ocean.
8. Gaslamp District
The Gaslamp is a section of downtown San Diego that’s known for having numerous restaurants and a lively nightlife scene. We liked going there for some of our monthly date nights, surprising the other with a new place to get fun drinks, tasty food, or…on a couple occasions…experience one of the speakeasies hidden within certain buildings.
9. Children’s Pool Beach (“Seal Beach”) in La Jolla
If you don’t want to spend the money (or time) at one of the zoos, head over to La Jolla Coves and find their “seal beach,” which is an area of beach where there are always several seals hanging out. The beach area is calmer because of a concrete breakwater preventing any significant waves (which you can walk out onto if the waves/water aren’t too high).
10. Mission Bay or La Jolla Shores
If you’re into water sports (or perhaps just a stroll along the beach), I highly recommend heading to Mission Bay or La Jolla Shores. These were our two go-to spots for stand-up paddleboarding (I included them in my list of free fit activities to do in San Diego). And if you do go to Mission Bay, you could also walk across the street to the ocean side, where you’ll find Mission Beach and the boardwalk
11. Torrey Pines State Natural Preserve
Torrey Pines is a gorgeous area to walk around. I highly recommend going for a hike there to see views like this, or you can just hang out on the beach. Or if you’re a golfer, Torrey Pines Golf Course is right there as well.
12. Seaport Village
This is a section of downtown San Diego filled with a lot of shops and eateries. If you’re there on a Saturday morning, you might also want to visit the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market closeby for some fresh fish!
13. Mount Soledad Cross
For a high vantage point over the city, head up Soledad Mountain Road to get to the huge cross where there’s a veteran’s memorial. It’s a free area to visit, and it has breathtaking views of the water and greater La Jolla area.
14. Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
Yes, really. This is the most beautiful cemetery I have ever seen in my life. It’s a huge military cemetery that overlooks the bay and the naval base in Coronado. While you’re up there in Point Loma, you could head down towards the water to the tidepools to see some fun creatures by the water!
15. USS Midway Museum
The Midway is a maritime museum that’s like its own city in the water. If you’re claustrophobic, wandering through the aircraft carrier on a tour might not be for you, but it’s a cool experience if you want to interact with some veterans and see what life was like on the ship (which served from 1945-1992).
And that rounds out what I’d consider the top 15 places to visit if you’re in San Diego! I hope this list is helpful if find yourself in San Diego some day.
For those who live in or have visited San Diego: What are some of the places you recommend?
These are all great recommendations! One of my favorite places that didn’t make your list would be the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) meditation gardens in Encinitas. The gardens are open to the public most days/times, and it’s just such a beautiful and peaceful experience. You can even relax and sit on a bench at the top that overlooks the ocean.
Mmmm I remember you telling me about this. We never made it there, but it definitely sounds magical!