Boasting 70 miles of craggy coastline on the Pacific Ocean, San Diego is overflowing with arts, eats, culture, nature, good food and great vibes. The Southern California boom town has something for everyone from mountains to beaches, theme parks to golf courses, museums to zoos.
Home to 1.4 million people, a magnet for the military and retirees, San Diego is the eighth largest municipality in the United States. And the weather just happens to be gorgeous - more than 250 sun-drenched days a year.
Despite all the superlatives, California’s southernmost major hub keeps a low profile. But we’re going to spill the tea.
During a recent week in the city by the sea, it was difficult to squeeze in everything we wanted to do. Here are some of the A-list attractions.
Gaslamp Quarter
Check in, chill out. The rooms feel like the islands, the restaurant is impressive, the bar is hoppin’, and the large rooftop pool is the place to be and be seen.
Just outside the hotel, the vibrant sidewalks of the historic 16-block district house the hottest nightlife scene. The choices seem endless: dine high or low, sip a creative cocktail, listen to live music or comedy, line ‘em up at a raucous bar, play pinball or wile away the night on the dance floor.
Balboa Park
It’s tough to imagine that a municipal park could contain 18 museums and cultural centers, a vintage theater and an expansive, renowned zoo. Welcome to Balboa Park.
On 1,200 acres, Balboa Park is filled with everything a nature, culture or arts lover could want.
The 1,200-acre public space features a bucolic setting with 65 miles of trails for picnicking, bicycling and hiking as well as Spanish Baroque Revival buildings, a huge outdoor pipe organ, a carousel, an art village, and gardens with roses, butterflies and koi ponds. We could have spent our entire vacay here.
There's an institution for everyone, including the Comic-Con Museum, the Museum of Photographic Arts, the San Diego Air & Space Museum, the Museum of Us, the San Diego Museum of Art, the Centro Cultural de la Raza, the Fleet Science Center, the Institute of Contemporary Art, and the San Diego Natural History Museum. Drama buffs savor the Old Globe Theatre, and wildlife lovers go bananas over the San Diego Zoo.
San Diego Zoo
The world-famous San Diego Zoo, which is home to 4,000 creatures from penguins to polar bears, is as phenomenal as its reputation. Each time we turned a corner in the sprawling zoo, there were more fascinating animals: hippos, jaguars, snow leopards, koalas, zebras, camels, mountain lions, cheetahs, gorillas, rhinos.
The renowned San Diego Zoo houses 4,000 critters.
And, extremely rare in an American zoo, there were pandas! Two new pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, arrived in 2024 after the previous set of famous black-and-white cuties returned to China in 2019.
About 30 miles north of downtown in Escondido, we thrilled at walks and drives through its sister facility, Safari Park. The 1,800 acres are filled with free-roaming denizens of Africa and Asia. On board an open-air safari truck, a knowledgeable guide at the helm, we ventured into a sweeping habitat for up-close views of giraffes, antelopes, elephants and more.
SeaWorld
Sticking with the wildlife theme, we spent a lovely day at SeaWorld, interacting with and viewing marine animals. All our faves were there: Dolphins, walruses, beluga whales, sea lions, harbor seals, turtles, flamingos.
Although we focused on animal presentations and shows, the rides (example: California’s tallest, fastest, longest dive coaster) are also a big draw. Through it all, we were sipping on “bottomless” sodas in souvenir cups, a real savings.
USS Midway Museum
The vintage aircraft carrier Midway, 20 stories high and three football fields long, shows how military staff worked, slept and ate during its 47 years in action. Commissioned in 1945, Midway was involved in the Vietnam War in the 1960s and ‘70s and Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
Self-guided tours took us from high up on the bridge to low down in the engine room including the flight deck, hangar deck and below deck. A slew of volunteers, mostly retired military, helped us and other visitors understand the human and technical aspects of the warship.
While there, we had the choice of viewing 30 aircraft, watching a film in the immersive theater, and engaging in simulators and virtual reality experiences as well as educational programs.
The decommissioned Midway tells the story of its years in action.
Maritime Museum
It’s a coastal town so, of course, there’s more than one water-side attraction. At the Maritime Museum of San Diego, guests can examine exhibits on nautical exploits or score their own by setting sail on the bay.
For us, the most excitement revolved around vessels that display 500 years of seafaring history, including sailboats, steam-powered watercraft and submarines.
Stepping aboard was fascinating. The 1863 Star of India, the oldest sailing ship afloat, had brought immigrants from England to Australia and New Zealand. The HMS Surprise is a replica of an 18h century Royal Navy frigate. The San Salvador is a recreation of a galleon that explored the California coast in 1542.
The Maritime Museum displays seagoing days of old.
Old Town
Restored 19th century buildings. Eclectic shops. Local eateries. Even a bed-and-breakfast or two. We enjoyed meandering Old Town, approximately 1 mile long and ½ mile wide, which provides a glimpse into life in sparsely populated San Diego before it became the city it is today.
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, site of the first European settlement in California, has original adobe buildings surrounding a lively plaza and Bazaar del Mundo, its commercial center. We toured several historic buildings, including the one-room Mason Street School, the first schoolhouse in San Diego County, where youngsters were taught until 1872.
Beaches
You’re never far from a stretch of sand in San Diego. A sojourn under the palms is a joy since there are dozens of pretty beaches, waves for water sports, and spectacular sunsets.
According to locals, different beaches have different moods and activities. Partiers revel in Pacific Beach Park near Crystal Pier, home to bars on the boardwalk. Families go to Mission Beach, which provides access to Belmont Park’s roller coaster and carnival rides.
Furry friends are welcome at Del Mar’s Dog Beach. Water sports enthusiasts hang 10 at Tourmaline Surf Park, La Jolla Shores, Windansea Beach or Black's Beach. Privacy-seekers stake their claim at La Jolla Cove, home to big-money residents, kayakers and sea lions.
For a stunning view, those in the know drive to Cabrillo National Monument at the tip of Point Loma, which includes a 1954 lighthouse. On the ocean side are the Tidepools, where barnacles, crabs and kelp are visible. Just north of Point Loma is Mission Bay, a public park with 27 miles of golden beaches.
We admired the picture-perfect island of Coronado, where the Hotel Del Coronado, a National Historic Landmark that opened in 1888, provides Old Hollywood glam. Between the delightful beaches, chic eateries, posh lodgings, upscale wine shops and high-end boutiques, Coronado made for a wonderful getaway...let’s call it a vacation from our vacation.
