Best Things to do During Spring Break for College Students 2026

We're kicking off our 2026 list strong with one of our favorite food and beer tours. It includes tacos, tequila, and interesting stories about Old Town San Diego's history, which to us sounds perfect for college spring break!

Once known as the Tequila, Tacos & Tombstones Walking Tour, the Old Town Tales, Tacos, and Tequila Walking Tour is one of the most interactive and interesting tours Old Town San Diego has to offer.

Tours are offered daily starting at 1:00pm and depart from the meeting point at 3965 Conde St, San Diego, CA 92110. They run $85 per person which includes an English-speaking guide, gourmet street tacos, a shot of tequila, chips and salsa, and 2.5 half hours of memories made with your college friends!

Stay Near Old Town San Diego

If you've ever stayed at the Moxy San Diego Downtown / Gaslamp Quarter, then you'll understand why it's my first suggestion for this article.

Owned by Marriott, the property is hip, with a quirky, stylish lobby, a 24-hour bar with a free drink upon arrival, and plenty of places to lounge. Our founder Todd, is a big lobby guy, and he wholeheartedly approves of the Moxy as a place that young adults, especially college students, will love.

It's also worth noting that the hotel offers good value, a great location, and a fair price!

San Diego is well-known for its craft beer scene, especially in North Park and at historic Ballast Point. And while I personally love a local brew, for spring breakers seeking a unique way to get the party started, the city is also home to several bars modeled after 1920s speakeasies.

Old-timey speakeasies like Captains Quarters and The Grass Skirt in Pacific Beach will transport you back in time to the wild parties and glamor of the Prohibition Era. If you find yourself in Old Town San Diego, you could also check out Oculto 477 another local speakeasy with unique cocktails and my favorite, the 'risk it all' dice roll drink.

As a new addition to this year's Complete Guide to All the Holidays in San Diego, if I could only choose one, I'd personally recommend the Captain's Quarters, with their drink menu themed around rum-running pirates.

And a tip from a local, make sure to call ahead to make a reservation!

Stay Near a Pacific Beach Speakeasy

If you're looking for a beachfront hotel on Pacific Beach near one of the speakeasies, the Tower 23 Hotel would be the perfect choice.

The hotel has clean and comfortable rooms plus a rooftop lounge with Pacific Ocean views. You'll also find firepits perfect for relaxing around with friends.

For me, surfing is a lot of fun, and a lot of crashing! For our founder Todd, an avid surfer, sitting on his board in the lineup with nothing but blue ocean around him is his meditation!

There are excellent surfing beaches all along our Pacific Coast, but some of our favorites are in the Del Mar and La Jolla areas, which are especially lively during spring break with a big college student crowd.

La Jolla in particular, with standouts like La Jolla Shores, features surf zones with consistent, gentle rolling waves ideal for beginners and intermediates. More advanced surfers may enjoy Windansea Beach, one of the area's beaches that dripping with San Diego surf culture. There you'll often find more defined, punchier waves.

Beginners may also consider taking a private surf lesson. There are several surf schools nearby. They vary in what they offer and in their prices but all offer the gear and professional instruction that will have you safely in the surf in no time!

And if you just need to rent a surfboard cheaply, get a Go City San Diego pass and use our GVSD5OFF discount code to get the lowest prices.

As a foundational activity in San Diego and one our founder Todd thinks is perfect for every holiday of the year, we decided to also include surfing in La Jolla as part of this year's Complete Guide to All the Holidays in San Diego.

Stay in La Jolla

The 3-star Inn by the Sea, La Jolla seemed like the proper choice here for a group of college students looking for a nice hotel that's budget-friendly and walking distance to many of La Jolla's best beaches.

The hotel features an outdoor pool, nice rooms, parking, and a gym. All of this is just a few blocks from dining and shopping, plus The Children's Pool, Shell Beach, Wipeout Beach and more!

Formally known as the 'Brothels, Bites and Booze Tour', the Gaslamp Quarter Food & Drink Walking Tour is one that our team at Go Visit San Diego agrees would be perfect for a group of college students.

The tour costs $94 per person. And while that may seem like a lot for a budget-conscious college student, it includes a 2.5-hour tour with tasty food and alcoholic beverages!

We've walked it ourselves, so we can vouch for it first-hand. Highlights include the interesting stories of scandals and debauchery in the former red-light district, now the Gaslamp Quarter, plus a stop at an ice cream parlor.

The Gaslamp Quarter Food & Drink Walking Tour is one of our picks for San Diego's best food and drink tours and one that would surely offer a unique experience for friends celebrating spring break.

Stay Near Harborview

When we were selecting our featured hotels for this article, Todd asked if we thought the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego would be fun for young adults and college students. Our team's answer was a resounding, 'yes'!

Located in the historic Gaslamp Quarter, the hotel offers a lively atmosphere, a rooftop pool and bar, and stylish, spotless rooms.

The property is also just a few blocks from PETCO Park. So if you happen to be visiting on Padres opening day or during any of their matchups, consider having a hot dog, a local San Diego beer, and catching a game with friends!

If you want to let loose and have a few drinks during your spring break, San Diego's breweries, pubs, and bars are a great place to start!

In North Park, you can crawl your way down 30th Street, San Diego's most famous craft beer hub. I'm a big fan of the Fall Brewing Company, while our team also really loves the Original 40 Brewing Company and Mike Hess Brewing (North Park).

For a more mixed-drink, party vibe, Gaslamp Quarter bars stay open late, as do spots in Downtown San Diego and Little Italy.

And if you and your friends would like a more structured pub crawl, try a food-and-beer tour such as the Brewery and Tap Room Sidecar Tour or the North Park Beer-ucation Tour, two of our favorite food and beers tours in the city!

Stay Near a Pub Crawl in North Park

After a pub crawl with your college friends, I think it's fair to say that location matters. The closer you are, the less you have to worry about finding your way home!

With that in mind, The Lafayette Hotel, Swim Club & Bungalows is our choice here as it's well located between North Park and University Heights.

You'll instantly notice that the hotel is 'retro cool' with reclaimed wood floors, a famous pool, and even a small bowling alley. Recently renovated, the property is in good shape and a destination by itself that we think is perfect for a Spring Break 2026 stay!

San Diego's Pacific Beach is among the city's best spring break destinations for college students, with plenty of space to sunbathe, swim, and surf. The party atmosphere carries over to the nearby boardwalk, a shopping and dining destination.

The Pacific Beach Boardwalk is concrete and skateboarder-friendly. If skateboarding isn't your thing, I'd recommend that you rent a bike with a Go City San Diego pass and ride down toward the peninsula to reach Mission Beach.

Stay in Pacific Beach

Our founder, Todd, and his family live in Pacific Beach, so I left the choice of this hotel to him!

He chose The Wayfarer San Diego. Located on the beach with Pacific Ocean views and the boardwalk just outside, you could literally ride your skateboard, roller blade, or just walk directly to the back door to enjoy the boardwalk, plus the surf and shore!

The pool is also very inviting, with loungers facing the sea. The rooms are clean and updated, exactly what you would expect from a 4-star property!

The Seven Seas Food Festival at SeaWorld San Diego is one of my new favorite seasonal events of the year, and it just so happens to fall during spring break in 2026.

Honestly, it was this exact festival that encouraged me to try SeaWorld San Diego again after a few years away. It's super cheap given all the food and drinks you get. Entry requires either a standard admission ticket or a Go City San Diego pass, then you just have to buy a pass for the Seven Seas Food Festival.

This year's event set for weekends from February 27th to April 26th, 2026, will feature an extensive food and drink menu with more than 150 options as well as live entertainment, a weekly concert series, and a lot more!

I suggest that you arrive early to get the freshest food. Then grab some beers or cocktails and enjoy the park with your friends!

Stay in Mission Bay Park

Located in Mission Beach Park, just north of the park and bay, our team's choice if you want to stay near SeaWorld San Diego is the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa.

The property features a private beach, a spa, a large pool, and clean rooms with comfy beds. It also has a Polynesian theme, which, while we're not in Tahiti or Hawaii, is still pretty fun for spring break.

Maybe you’re catching on by now and noticing that our list is full of food and beer tours! We love them and think they are the perfect activity for young adults and especially college students.

The Little Italy Food & Drink Walking Tour is another of our favorites. While I enjoy Little Italy year-round and would recommend Herb & Wood and the Pali Wine Co. Little Italy Tasting Room for Mother’s Day brunch which is coming up soon, on this tour, you won’t have to choose!

For $94 per person you can take a guided stroll exploring tasty restaurants and the area’s shops. Think homemade pizza and red wine or house-made gelato.

But it’s not all Italian. Queenstown Public House, a New Zealand-inspired restaurant is on the normal itinerary and includes grass-fed slider and a local beer or sangria.

And while $94 might be a higher price tag for a college student, it does include food, wine and beer, so perhaps a bit of a splurge could be possible for this one-of-a-kind experience.

Stay in Little Italy

After an awesome tour full of tasty food and delicious drinks, you won’t want to travel far for some rest. I suggest a stay at the Carte Hotel San Diego Downtown, Curio Collection by Hilton.

The hotel has a great location with a rooftop bar featuring a really stylish gas firepit. You can also expect a heated saltwater pool, a hot tub and sauna, and of course modern, well-appointed rooms and suites.

Next to surfing, kayaking is my next favorite activity! And it just so happens to be the best way to explore the sea caves in La Jolla.

The 2-hour Kayak Tour of the 7 Caves will take you through the La Jolla Ecological Reserve to visit the sea caves, sea cliffs, and marine life that call the area home.

For $81 per person, you can paddle through the rocky reefs, sandy flats, and kelp beds looking for garibaldi, leopard sharks, and dolphins. This activity is great for active college students who want to explore the coastline and get a little workout while doing it!

Stay Near La Jolla

I know that the SpringHill Suites by Marriott San Diego Downtown/Bayfront isn't located directly in La Jolla, or on one of its beaches like my favorite La Jolla Cove, or in Pacific Beach, which is minutes to the south. The hotel is about 30 minutes away by rideshare in Downtown San Diego. However, I think it's worth the trip!

What the property offers is all suites, so bigger spaces, a rooftop pool with incredible San Diego city and bay views, and a gym for keeping up with your workouts. It is also less than 3 miles from San Diego International Airport (SAN) and within walking distance of Little Italy and the Gaslamp Quarter's energetic nightlife.

There's nothing quite like relaxing on the sands of a Pacific Beach with a drink in hand, enjoying a spectacular view of the sunset.

The sunset view will surely be gorgeous enough to rival other top spots for spring breakers like Panama City Beach and South Padre Island. Your photos will be right at home among pictures from Myrtle Beach and Cabo San Lucas.

Our article, Best Places to Watch the Sunset in San Diego, offers other ways to enjoy the golden hour, from breezy park hikes to harbor cruises and more!

Splurge on a Fancy Stay in Nearby Mission Bay

Ok, I must admit this suggestion can be a bit pricier, but for the money, you can enjoy a luxury stay at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina. You'll get upscale, clean rooms, a waterfront restaurant, pools, views, and a fancy bar to boot.

If you really want to go for it or have a group of friends that can split the cost, this could be the hotel for you!

If you're looking for a budget-friendly activity, a hike at Torrey Pines is ideal.

The 1,750-acre Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, located on the cliffs above Torrey Pines State Beach and one of San Diego's iconic surfing beaches, Black's Beach, offers breathtaking trails that wind high above the Pacific Ocean.

The park has about 3,000 of our nation's rarest pine trees – the Pinus torreyana, found only in this San Diego destination and on Santa Rosa Island off the coast of Santa Barbara. You also may catch a glimpse of the very famous Torrey Pines Golf Course to the south, one of our recommended golf courses, if you can get a tee time!

There's free parking along Hwy 101, or you can pay just $10-25 per vehicle to drive through the gate and park a bit closer to the trails.

Stay Near the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

I'd describe The Pearl Hotel as a 'chic' property with stylish mid-century décor, a saltwater pool, and a fancy restaurant.

The 4-star property is a bit of a drive or San Diego rideshare away from the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve at about 30 minutes and 17 miles, but it will absolutely give you options.

It's not far from the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, another great place to go for a hike or catch one of our colorful sunsets and will provide easy access to the funky laid-back Ocean Beach, Point Loma, the history of the Cabrillo National Monument, and the beautiful San Diego Bay. Plus, the hotel is just 2 miles from the San Diego International Airport (SAN)!

So a ghost tour might sound like a Halloween activity for the fall, and while it does make our list of the Best Halloween Events & Haunted Houses for Kids and Teens in San Diego, it's actually a really unique and interesting activity to enjoy year-round.

The after-dark Ghosts & Gravestones Trolley Tour is the best way to learn about rumored hauntings and the true crimes from San Diego's history that inspired these tales. The 1.5-hour tour is $46 per person and well worth the fee. You'll want to meet your tour guide at 4010 Twiggs St, San Diego, CA 92110.

The 1.5-hour Ghosts of San Diego Old Town Walking Tour is another great choice that includes the Whaley House, a super haunted location in San Diego. And at just $30 per person, it's quite affordable!

Stay in Downtown San Diego

When it comes to staying in Downtown San Diego, you'll have a lot of choices. After the ghost tour, I'd suggest a stay at the AC Hotel by Marriott San Diego Downtown Gaslamp Quarter.

Located in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter on Fifth Avenue, this new property lives up to Marriott standards. You'll have restaurants, bars, and cafes in the surrounding blocks, which is very convenient. The rooftop has a heated pool with city views, which for me screams of relaxation with friends during spring break!

If you'd like more hotel options in Downtown San Diego, we did a full article sharing our list of our team's favorites!