San Diego | USA

Sunset Cliffs, San Diego, CA, USA

San Diego, in California, is one of the most photogenic cities in the United States. In this article we want to explain the 15 things to do in San Diego that you should not miss under any circumstances. It is a city located very close to Los Angeles to which you can dedicate 1 or 2 days . In addition, being so far south of the country gives you the opportunity to get to know Mexico and pay a visit to the emblematic Tijuana.

As you can imagine, we will consider storing it in a r uta by the West Coast of the United States. And we believe that the trinity San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco can become the most urban part of a journey along this coast of the great North American country.

San Diego is known for its good weather and its spectacular beaches . In addition, it is one of the first things to do in San Diego that Europeans visited on the Californian coast. This makes the past of the conquerors blend in a very organic way with the luxury of some of the best beach resorts in the country. Next, we are going to talk about the most visited things to do in San Diego, the most recommended beaches, the most interesting museums and the most beautiful corners of the city. Read on so you don't miss one of the things to do in San Diego . At the end of the recommendations we will leave you a map so you can locate yourself.

1. Old Town of San Diego

The Old Town of San Diego is the oldest part of the city. It was in 1769 when Gaspar de Portolá founded the San Diego Mission. The first place Europeans arrived on the west coast of the USA more than 200 years earlier. What you can find there is a recreation of what could have been a small town of Hispanic-Mexican architecture with endless shops and some restaurants with delicious Tex-Mex food.

Old Town, San Diego, CA, USA

2. Balboa Park

Balboa Park is located about 5 kilometers from the Old Town and it is a natural space of about 500 hectares . Because of its landscapes and the number of things to do in San Diego you can visit there, this must be one of the essential visits in San Diego. The name of this space pays tribute to the famous Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa and, among other things to do in San Diego, here you can see several museums, restaurants and theaters. To give you an idea of ​​how impressive this place is, it is the largest urban park in the USA . In addition to everything we have told you, we recommend the botanical garden with more than 2000 tropical plants. If you visit the city in good weather, something quite common, you will see the locals practicing their favorite sports, especially baseball.

Balboa Park, San Diego, United States

3. Little Italy

It is difficult to walk through a large American city and not find a neighborhood called Little Italy. Things to do in San Diego could not be different and, if you are walking through the center of the city , you are sure to run into it. It was founded by Italian fishermen at the beginning of the s. XX, but today it has almost nothing to do with that original district. What you will now find are dozens of Italian restaurants and one of the best nightlife in the city . It is also a place to see small corners of local artists who take advantage of the passage of tourists to open their doors as galleries.

little italy san diego

4. Gaslamp Quarter

Another of the city centers is the Gaslamp Quarter, the so-called Historic Heart of things to do in San Diego , it is a neighborhood that has hardly changed anything since the s. XIX. You can stroll through its streets lined with buildings from the Victorian era . Among these buildings you can visit the oldest house in the neighborhood dating from 1850, it is the William Heath Davis House. Do not miss the opportunity to have a beer in one of its bars and walk to the part of the pier to see Coronado Island.

Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego, CA, USA

5. Coronado Island

Many people, especially Americans, simply make their things to do in San Diego to spend a few days off here. This island, from which you can have spectacular views of the San Diego skyline, is the most exclusive things to do in San Diego . Here is the Hotel Coronado one of the most expensive resorts in the entire country. Even if you don't even consider staying here, you can cross the Coronado Bridge with the only excuse of your visits and enjoy one of the city's beaches .

Coronado Island

6. Beaches to see in San Diego

As we assume that you may have already noticed, the city's beaches are one of the main things to do in San Diego for tourism in the area . We are going to tell you about some of the most spectacular beaches in the area. Some are close to the center, but for others it will be better to have a rental car. As you know, in the US the most used transport is the car, so public transport is not recommended. The good thing about this country is that the cars are automatic and you drive on the same side as in Spain, so it is very easy to get into Yankee driving . We recommend that whatever type of trip you do, rent a vehicle. One of the funniest trips we have made through this country has been Route 66 which, as you can imagine, has an almost mandatory requirement to have your own vehicle.

beaches san diego

La Jolla Cove

La Jolla Cove is one of the most renowned beaches in California. For us it is difficult to determine which is the best, but we can tell you that this is one of the most colorful . The strong point of this things to do in San Diego is its surroundings, since between the cliffs you can enjoy one of the most spectacular sunsets on the American coast. It is also a very attractive things to do in San Diego for surfers and divers. This place is also a good place to observe seals in their habitat.

La Jolla Cove, San Diego, CA, USA

Pacific beach

Pacific Beach, closer to downtown San Diego, is a very good alternative to enjoy the beach atmosphere both during the day and at dusk. In addition to being able to enjoy its sand and sea, a bit cold though, you can simply go for a walk and have a nightly drink .

Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA, USA

Coronado Beach

We have already told you before about this beach, right on Coronado Island . As we mentioned before, it is worth crossing the bridge that separates it from the mainland simply to spend a little of your time in the city there.

Ocean beach

Ocean Beach is almost as important for its beach as it is for the neighborhood that surrounds it. If you want to soak up the idyllic Californian way of life , this is your place. While some neighbors spend their time fishing on the pier, others try their luck with the waves of the Pacific. If you walk a bit through the surrounding streets you can experience a good bohemian atmosphere .

Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA, USA

7. Sunset Cliff Natural Park

Sunset Cliff Natural Park is an important park in San Diego of about 30 hectares. As the name suggests, it is one of the best places things to do in San Diego- see the sunset . It is also a good place for ornithology, since there are many birds that pass through there on their migratory routes.

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, San Diego, United States

8. Sunset at Point Loma

Point Loma is the southernmost point on the small peninsula across from downtown San Diego. Another place where one can go to see the spectacular sunset. As you can see, there are many things to do in San Diego the sun go down at the end of the day, it will surely be difficult for you to decide where to go if you have only a few days in the city. At the end of this spit of land, there is a lighthouse where it is believed that a group of Spaniards landed on this part of the California coast for the first time.

Point Loma, San Diego, CA, USA

9. Cabrillo National Monument

As we mentioned before, this is the first place where the Spanish landed on the Californian coast back in 1542. In fact, they were the first Europeans to set foot on this North American coast. That is why in 1913 this monument was erected in memory of this sailor named Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo . To get to the monument you have to walk along some beautiful trails, without a doubt nature is an important asset things to do in San Diego.

Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego, CA, USA

10. Mission Bay Park

Mission Bay Park is an artificial bay of about 17 km² that makes it one of the largest parks of its kind in the United States. It is an ideal things to do in San Diego for outdoor exercise such as cycling or jogging in the park. You can also enjoy sailing boat races or simply stroll and observe the ancient wetlands.

mission bay park

11. Museums to see in San Diego

In addition to good weather, nature, and good food, there are also cultural reasons things to do in San Diego , United States. For this, there are several museums that we are going to recommend you visit in the Californian city. Depending on your tastes, surely there is one that suits you and you can spend part of your time in San Diego.

air and space museum san diego_edited

Air and Space Museum

Inside Balboa Park is this museum, one of the most interesting things to do in San Diego . The Air and Space Museum displays the history of North American aviation in recent decades. Some replicas, such as those of the Wright brothers' glider, or airplanes that participated in one of the two Great Wars, will delight both the aircraft enthusiast and those who are not. If you are planning to visit this museum, the hours are from 10am. at 4:30 p.m. Every day of the week. The price is $ 20, $ 11 for children between 3 and 11 years old.

San Diego Museum of Art

Also in Balboa Park - we already told you that it was one of the most attractive things to do in San Diego - is the SDMA. In this museum you will find some objects from Asia from the s. 30 BC to some paintings, photographs or sculptures from this century. Among its more than 20,000 objects from around the world, some paintings by Goya, El Greco or Dalí stand out . The hours are from 10am. at 5pm. every day of the week, except Wednesday when it is closed. The ticket price is $ 15, free for those under 17 years of age .

USS Midway Museum

We can say that the most spectacular museum in San Diego is this USS Midway. It is one of the largest aircraft carriers that have been built, and in it you can put yourself in the role of a marine and visit several of its rooms. This huge ship participated in some conflicts such as Vietnam, but in the s. XXI has changed its warlike side to that of education, where in addition to visiting the rooms, you can see some documentaries about its history. If you are a movie buff, you have another motivation to visit the USS Midway, as it was where "Maverick" moved in Top Gun . The hours are from 10am. at 17h. and the price is $ 26.

Right next to the aircraft carrier, there is a statue called The Unconditional Surrender , it is a sculpture of one of the most famous photos in history. The photo, which surely sounds familiar to you, was taken at the end of World War II in New York's Times Square. In it, a sailor appears kissing a nurse celebrating the end of this warlike event. The statue, almost 8 meters high, is a place where many tourists ask for marriage.

Maritime Museum

The San Diego Maritime Museum displays a large collection of historic ships from around the world. The most important ship that can be seen there is the Star of India, the oldest active ship in the world built in 1863. Visiting hours are 9am. at 8pm. and the entry price is $ 20. If you are interested, on the official website of the museum you can see all the ships you can visit.

12. Lucha Libre Taco Shop

In this review - things to do in San Diego, we did not want to stop recommending a place to eat . This is Lucha Libre Taco Shop and you will find 2 throughout the city. As you can imagine from the name, and being so close to the border, this place serves delicious Mexican food. So now you know, if during your visit to the city you fancy a taco or burrito, don't forget to go to this restaurant. This place is famous in the city for its annual burrito food tournament that was featured on the Man vs. Food , but you don't have to wait for this event to enjoy your food.

lucha libre taco shop

WHAT TO DO AROUND SAN DIEGO

As you have seen so far, there are many things to do in San Diego, but there are some places that we would like to recommend you around the city. Surely to visit this you need to spend more than one day in the Californian city , but we are sure that you will not regret every day you spend of things to do in San Diego. These are our 3 recommendations for its surroundings.

13. Legoland California

Our first recommendation things to do in San Diego  is Legoland. It is located near the city center, about 50 km., And if in the end you decided not to rent a car you can get there by train or bus, if you use the latter means of transport you need to change.

Surely it needs no introduction, since this place is more than known by everyone. These small interlocking pieces have taken the world by storm , especially after starring in more than one movie with well-known characters. A visit to this theme park and spending a full day there is mandatory if you travel with children, although it is not ruled out for adults.

There you will find a lot things to do in San Diego in its nine sectors : The Beginning, Dino Island, Explore Village, Fun Town, Castle Hill, Mini United States, Pirate Shores, Imagination Zone and Land Of Adventures. Shows and events throughout the day, a multitude of places to eat, as well as interactive exhibitions always surrounding the thousand and one figures built with these mini-pieces. As if all this were not enough, you have the possibility of riding its things to do in San Diego. If you are thinking of making this visit to Legoland California , here you can buy your tickets online . The opening hours are from 9:30 a.m. at 8pm. in summer, the rest of the year they close a little earlier.

legoland california san diego

14. Torrey Pines landscapes north of San Diego

Torrey Pines is famous for its incredible scenery and the cliffs that the Pacific Ocean breaks into . A nice getaway to nature not far from the city. Also, if you are a golf fan, this place becomes things to do in San Diego.

Torrey Pines landscapes north of San Diego

15. Cross the border into Tijuana

Our last recommendation is the most adventurous of all. In case we hadn't already told you, San Diego is located a short distance from the US-Mexico border . In addition, the first town when crossing the border is the mythical Tijuana, surely you have heard this place in hundreds of American movies and series. Apparently it is the ideal things to do in San Diego to disconnect for a few hours in Baja California. Come by to eat authentic Mexican food or have some tequilas. Actually, in Tijuana there is a lot to see and do, but we will have to leave that for another day. Although you must take into account the terms of your visa in the United States and the conditions of entry into Mexico, which stopped us from living this adventure when we were faced with the idea of ​​doing so.

WHERE NOT TO GO ON A VISIT TO SAN DIEGO

Things to do in San Diego, we have told you 15, but you will see that there are many more. Some of them, like the ones that we are going to tell you about below, are visits that we do not recommend under any circumstances , since with everything that can be done, it is not necessary to go to things to do in San Diego where animals are exploited for profit. . Obviously, this is our opinion, and you can do what you consider most appropriate. We are sure that you will be able to find other forms of   entertainment that are more responsible with nature.

Seaworld

Seaworld is a theme park focused on the marine world in which there are several shows with aquatic animals . Something that we warn you is not responsible with the animals and that we tell you so that you avoid going to it.

San diego zoo

Within Balboa Park there is also this zoo of more than 40 hectares of animals, most of them outside their natural habitat and that we advise against visiting and thus promoting their exploitation.

San Diego Zoo, San Diego, United States

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