Look, everyone talks about California like it's just Los Angeles and San Francisco. But honestly? San Diego is where you actually want to be. I tell everyone this. It's way more relaxed than LA, the traffic won't make you want to rip your hair out (mostly), and the Mexican food is literally the best you'll find north of the border.
If you are planning a trip soon, you are probably trying to figure out your itinerary. I get it. Trying to plan out your san diego sightseeing can feel a bit overwhelming because the county is massive. We're talking over 4,000 square miles. You absolutely need to rent a car. Do not rely on public transit here. Seriously, don't. An Uber from the airport to downtown will run you about $15 to $20, but if you want to hit the beaches and the mountains, get a rental.
Let's talk about the big stuff first. The major san diego tourist spots are famous for a reason. Balboa Park is huge. It's 1,200 acres right in the middle of the city. You've got the world-famous zoo there, which is a giant day project on its own. Tickets are around $70 for adults. Is it worth it? Yes. But your feet will be screaming by the end of the day. If you don't want to spend the cash, walking around the park itself is completely free. The architecture is gorgeous, mostly Spanish colonial style, and there are street performers everywhere on the weekends.
Speaking of saving money, let's talk about san diego attractions free of charge. The beaches. Obviously. La Jolla Cove is probably the most photographed spot. You go there, you park (good luck finding a spot on weekends, seriously, get there by 8 AM), and you walk down to see the sea lions. They smell terrible. Like, really bad fish. But they are incredibly fun to watch. Just don't get too close because the lifeguards will yell at you, and yes, the animals bite. Pacific Beach is where the college kids hang out. If you want cheap beers and a loud boardwalk, go there. Coronado is a bit more upscale. You drive over this massive bridge that feels like a rollercoaster to get there. The sand literally sparkles because of the mica in it.
If you are looking for a definitive must do in san diego, it's eating fish tacos. I cannot stress this enough. Skip the fancy sit-down places and find a hole-in-the-wall taco shop. There's a spot called Oscar's that sells a smoked fish taco for like $5. Get three of them. Grab a bunch of napkins because it gets messy.
Then you have to check out Old Town. A lot of people think it's just a tourist trap, but it's actually super fun if you know what to look for. When you are looking for things to do in old town san diego, start at the state historic park. It's free to walk around. You can see how the city looked back in the 1800s. There's this old haunted house, the Whaley House, which costs about $15 to tour. They say it's the most haunted house in America. I don't know if I believe that, but the floorboards creak in a really creepy way. Afterward, grab a margarita at Cafe Coyote. Yes, it's loud, and yes, there's always a line, but the tortillas are made fresh right on the sidewalk. You can watch the women pressing them out.
What about the weather? It's pretty much 70 degrees (around 21 Celsius) all year. We call it the sunshine tax. You pay a lot to live here, but the weather is flawless. But hey, it does rain sometimes. Mostly in February. When that happens, people here completely forget how to drive. It's chaos. If you catch a rainy day, you'll need some san diego things to do inside. The Midway Museum is a massive aircraft carrier docked downtown. You can spend four hours in there easily exploring the flight deck and the engine rooms. There's also the Fleet Science Center or the Natural History Museum back in Balboa Park. Honestly, grabbing a coffee at an indoor cafe in North Park and people-watching is a pretty solid backup plan.
Are you coming in the winter? Winter here is barely winter. You'll need a light jacket at night, but you can still wear shorts during the day. December is actually a fantastic time to visit because of the san diego christmas events. The biggest one is December Nights in Balboa Park. It's totally free, but the crowds are insane. They have food from all over the world, choirs, and tons of lights. Down on the bay, there's a boat parade where people decorate their yachts with thousands of lights and sail them in a big circle. Watching from the shore with a thermos of hot chocolate is just great.
I can't talk about this place without bringing up the craft beer scene. It's massive. We have over 150 independent breweries in the county alone. If you like IPAs, you are in heaven. Miramar is an area just north of the city that locals call 'Beer-amar' because there's a brewery in practically every warehouse. You can do a tasting flight for about $12. Stone Brewing is the big famous one. Their location in Liberty Station is huge. It has this massive outdoor garden with koi ponds and fire pits. You can grab a pint, sit on a rock, and just chill. Even if you don't drink beer, Liberty Station is cool to walk around. It used to be a naval training center, and now it's packed with art galleries and a giant food hall.
Speaking of food halls, if you have a group of people who can never agree on what to eat, just go to the Liberty Public Market. You've got empanadas in one corner, gourmet grilled cheese in another, and Thai food right in the middle. It gets loud and crowded on weekends, but the food is fantastic. Grab your stuff and take it outside to the grass.
Getting around outside the city center takes some planning. If you want to go hike Torrey Pines (which you should, the cliffs over the ocean are incredible), it's a 20-minute drive north from downtown. Parking in the lot is around $20, but you can sometimes find free street parking if you don't mind walking an extra mile up a huge hill. Totally up to how cheap you're feeling that day.
Another thing. Sunset Cliffs. You drive out to Point Loma, park your car on the dirt shoulder, and just sit on the rocks. Bring a blanket. Grab some burritos beforehand. Everyone claps when the sun finally dips below the water. It sounds cheesy, I know. But it's actually a really nice moment where everyone just stops looking at their phones for five minutes.
Anyway, pack layers. The sun is hot, but the ocean breeze is cold. You'll want a hoodie the second the sun goes down. Leave the formal clothes at home. Nobody dresses up here. A nice pair of jeans and a clean t-shirt will get you into 95% of the restaurants in town. It's a flip-flop kind of city. Just come ready to eat way too many avocados and spend a lot of time outside. You're going to love it.
