Things to Do in San Diego
San Diego is an amazing city with an enormous variety of activities and things to do and see. Check out some of our favorites below! For additional information, check out the guide provided by the San Diego Tourism Authority.
See
Old Town Trolley Tours
Discover America’s Finest City aboard Old Town Trolley Tours of San Diego. This hop on, hop off tour will show you San Diego and Coronado with stops at Seaport Village, Old Town, the Gaslamp Quarter, Horton Plaza, Little Italy, Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo.
Balboa Park
Balboa Park is San Diego’s answer to Central Park, a 1,200 acre area in the heart of San Diego with a zoo, museums, a concert hall, hiking trails, and miles of green grass.
Seaport Village
You can be assured of two things: the weather will be amazing and you'll discover lots to do at Seaport Village. Come explore 50-plus diverse shops, 13 unique eateries and outdoor entertainment.
Gaslamp Quarter
Tucked tightly into 16 ½ blocks, the Gaslamp Quarter is a walkable urban playground known for its Victorian architecture located in Downtown San Diego adjacent to the Convention Center, Petco Park, and Horton Plaza.
Play
Sea World
Spread across 190 acres on beautiful Mission Bay Park, SeaWorld is known for its amazing animals, interactive attractions, aquariums, rides, beautiful landscaping and education programs for all ages.
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a fun, vintage beachfront amusement park along Mission Beach in San Diego, with a vintage 1925 wooden roller coaster, bumper cars, a zip line, miniature golf, and other fun arcade games.
Aquatica san diego
Aquatica San Diego is a lushly landscaped waterpark with up-close animal experiences, high speed thrills and the amenities of a beachside resort.
Petco Park
Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres, is unlike any other ballpark experience. Located downtown on San Diego bay, adjacent to the Gaslamp Quarter, before and after game activities and entertainment are easy to find. And, the park is packed with over a dozen San Diego favorite eateries.
Hang
Coronado Island
Spend the day on the beach, explore the shops or rent a bike for a few hours. Visit the historic Hotel del Coronado- it’s a one-of-a-kind experience.
Ocean Beach
This small beach town is a favorite among locals. It has a throw-back groovy vibe of vintage SoCal, with lots of surfing, sunbathing and taco stands.
La Jolla
With a dramatic coastline boasting incredible views, La Jolla is one of the most popular beach destinations in California. La Jolla's natural beauty, abundance of activities and upscale village lifestyle ensure that it lives up to its nickname as "the jewel" of San Diego.
Torrey Pines
A state reserve, Torrey Pines offers hiking, a sandy beach, and one of the worlds’ most famous golf courses. Pack a lunch and hike down to the beach for a relaxing afternoon away from the crowds.
Eat
Hodads
Hodad’s loads up their burgers making them a fun experience to eat. A locally owned and operated restaurant found only in San Diego, these extra-large, extra tasty burgers come conveniently served with large cut homemade fries in a combo. There are three locations in San Diego, boasting a classic surf grunge atmosphere, including the original burger joint in Ocean Beach, a newer location in downtown on Broadway Ave. and one located in Petco Park for events held there.
sandbar
There is a reason why Sandbar’s TKO Style fish tacos win every fish taco challenge in San Diego, and as far as we know, it has nothing to do with anybody actually getting punched in the face. It all starts with a piece of grilled local fish on a cotija-crusted flour tortilla. Top that with chipotle aioli, beer-brined escabeche slaw, lime crema, spicy guacamole, tobacco onions, and fried cilantro and you’ve got yourself the best fish taco in town.
Pappalecco
In true Italian fashion, Pappalecco makes all of its gelato on-site many times a day using only fresh, natural ingredients. Using the “hot process” it pasteurizes the milk, sugar, and milk proteins before adding all of its delicious flavors to the mix and sending it to the freezer. It doesn’t matter if you enjoy yours in a cup, on a cone, or stuffed inside one of its croissants, it's still the best gelato that will ever meet your lips.
Nico’s
Local surfers say Nico’s serves the best California burrito (essentially carne asada fries in burrito form) in San Diego. We agree. For the ultimate slacker/surfer experience, head to the original location in Ocean Beach. Bring cash; it doesn’t take cards.