The 40 Best Things to Do in San Diego

Seeing the sights in the historic district of Old Town San Diego is already a fun way to spend an afternoon, but you can have an even better time when you add great food and drinks into the mix. The Old Town Tales, Tacos, and Tequila Walking Tour lets you do exactly that!

Start the day off with a live tour of the neighborhood’s local landmarks, complete with interesting facts and stories. You’ll have the chance to visit Mexican churches, famous buildings, and an original European settlement on Presidio Hill. Visit a tequileria, then enjoy authentic street tacos with homemade tortillas on this one of a kind experience!

Right along the shoreline at Mission Beach, you’ll find the fun-filled Belmont Park, a classic boardwalk attraction with high-adrenaline rides and carnival games. If you’re planning on vacationing in San Diego with the whole family, you can’t go wrong with the Belmont Park Ride & Play Pass.

Like the Go City San Diego pass, this pass lets you experience everything the park has to offer for one all-inclusive price. This family-friendly attraction has a little something for everyone, with plenty of thrill rides for older kids and adults as well as fun rides and games for younger kids.

A long boardwalk stretches between Pacific Beach and Mission Beach, and it’s a favorite among local cyclists, who like to ride down the boardwalk while looking out over the beautiful ocean view.

Make the trip on the La Jolla: Summit to Sea Bike Tour, where you’ll also get to bike through other landmarks like the Children’s Pool, Windansea Beach, Mt. Soledad, and the La Jolla Ecological Preserve.

Alternatively, if you want a less guided experience, you can rent a bike for the day at a discounted rate with the Go City San Diego pass using discount code ‘GVSD5OFF’!

If you’re looking for a truly unique San Diego experience you will only find in the area, you won’t want to miss taking a guided sea cave kayaking tour just offshore in La Jolla!

This one of a kind, 90-minute adventure takes you by kayak past Seven Sea Caves, exploring La Jolla’s protected Ecological Reserve along the journey. Two person kayaks are provided as well as instructions and safety information so you can maximize the fun as you explore this special area with one of the highest densities of ocean life in all of California!

Home to many of San Diego’s most well-known pubs and breweries, North Park is a popular stop for craft beer enthusiasts. If you want to go beyond just drinking beers, take the North Park Beer-ucation Tour, where you can get a behind-the-scenes look at how beer is brewed and flavored.

Learn trade secrets from the beer industry, visit multiple local breweries each with their own distinct menus, and sample various craft beers paired with small bites. During the tour, you’ll also have the opportunity to learn about the neighborhood’s unique culture and history alongside experiencing it firsthand.

If you love food and drink tours, check out our complete article on the Best Food & Beer Tours in San Diego for a list of other unique options to discover the cuisine and spirits found in America’s finest city!

San Diego is only a few miles north of the border with Mexico, so it’s easy to head down to Tijuana for a day trip filled with exploration and adventure.

The Tijuana City Guided Tour and Food Tasting includes transportation to Tijuana via bus and a tour of some of its landmarks, including the Avienda Revolucion, Plaza Rio Tijuana, Tijuana Cultural Center, and a botanical garden.

You’ll also have the chance to do some shopping and try delicious, authentic food from the Baja Peninsula, making this a truly unique opportunity to experience the culture of another country without straying far from Southern California.

While many daytime tours in the Gaslamp Quarter focus on historic facts you’d find in any museum or brochure, the neighborhood’s nighttime tours are a little different.

Instead, tours like the Brothels, Bites and Booze: San Diego Gaslamp Walking Tour talk about tales you won’t find in the history books.

Learn about the early days of the Gaslamp Quarter, then known as the Stingaree District, back when it was a red light district. Listen to tawdry tales of the city’s underbelly, hear funny and sometimes unbelievable stories, and sample bites and beverages from popular local restaurants.

Just off the Embarcadero in the Downtown San Diego area, cruises leave the harbor and sail around the bay from morning to night. The San Diego Bay looks especially beautiful as the sun goes down and the stars come out, and there are few better ways to enjoy the view than by taking a Sightseeing Dinner Cruise with DJ Music.

Cruising around the harbor and eating a delicious, buffet-style meal at a private table for two under the stars simply screams romance, so it’s no surprise this is a popular nighttime activity for couples. It’s also a great choice for a group of friends on a ladies’ weekend.

As the site of some of California’s earliest European settlements and colonies, Old Town has plenty of history, and it’s been the location of many ghost sightings throughout the years. Listen to tales of supernatural occurrences and unexplained events as you travel through the city on the Ghosts & Gravestones Trolley Tour.

This nighttime tour provides the perfect atmosphere for hearing spooky stories. It includes stops at notoriously haunted locations like the Whaley House and two different cemeteries. Keep your eyes peeled for ghosts as you learn about the colorful characters from San Diego’s history that just might still haunt the town.

The Mission Bay races take place in April each year offering incredible weather and a variety of distances so everyone can participate.

Whether you’re in for a 5K, 10K or perhaps the half marathon, you’ll get to be part of the action as you join thousands of other runners all looking for an exhilarating experience complete with a bayside festival and awards ceremony at the completion of the races.

I just really like the course for these races as they offer scenic beauty of Mission Bay and not too many hills, which as a novice runner myself offers the ideal course for me!

And one more tip, if you’re looking for a place to stay for the race weekend, I recommend the Bayfront Bahia Resort Hotel or the newly renovated, 4-star San Diego Mission Bay Resort. Both are family-friendly and near the race so you can arrive early and relax after your personal victory!

I also really like the annual Rock 'n' Roll San Diego races which take place over two days at the end of May and beginning of June and include a 5K, half marathon and full marathon.

While the races are not completely along the beach, the track takes you through multiple neighborhoods and features a lively atmosphere of music along the way. You can expect everything from DJs to live music and of course plenty of spectators to cheer you on as you push yourself towards the finish line.

As the largest farmers market in all of San Diego, Hillcrest Farmers Market hosts an incredibly wide variety of foods, crafts, and other goods. There are over 175 vendors in operation at the market each Sunday morning, so there’s always something new to check out, whether you’re in search of staples like fresh, locally-grown produce or unique artisan foods and gifts.

The Hillcrest Farmers Market has been operating since 1997. Today, it takes up the full street, lighting up the neighborhood with live music from local bands and other performances to enjoy while you shop.

Little Italy is most well-known for its food, and this is no different when it comes to the local farmers market!

At the Little Italy Mercato Farmers’ Market, you can purchase produce from local farmers right alongside prepared meals, artisanal goods, and handmade arts and crafts. Pick up some fresh ingredients to help with dinner, or just stop by for lunch.

The Little Italy Mercato Farmers’ Market is the only San Diego market that runs twice a week, on Saturdays and Wednesdays. The weekday market tends to draw smaller crowds, but there are still dozens of vendors selling high-quality goods to choose from.

Get your shopping done on a weekday in North Park at the North Park Thursday Market, which features over 50 different vendors.

This is a great spot for buying fresh, locally grown, and certified organic produce, and you can feel good about supporting the community while picking up other farmers market favorites like fresh baked bread, cheese, honey, dips and sauces, and floral arrangements.

In addition to what’s on sale, the North Park Thursday Market also frequently has entertainment in the form of live music and fun activities for kids. Handmade crafts are also available for purchase.

Given its name, it’s no surprise that Sunset Cliffs Natural Park in Point Loma is a great place to watch the sunset, but make sure to also enjoy the hike to the top of the cliffs in the afternoon. This is a gorgeous 68-acre park that overlooks the Pacific Ocean, and the scenic hiking trails that wind through it are flanked by breathtaking natural caves.

Arrive early and visit one of the San Diego attractions you won’t want to miss, that of Cabrillo National Monument! Located at the southern tip of the peninsula, the monument celebrates a piece of San Diego’s history, the landing of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo at San Diego Bay in the mid 1500s!

Watching the sun go down over the ocean from the cliffs’ summit is a sight to behold. Bring a camera to get a photo of this incredible phenomenon, as it’s a view you won’t want to forget anytime soon.

There are plenty of opportunities for watching the sunset along the shore at Coronado Island. Take the short journey across the picturesque Coronado bridge for one of the best spots in all of San Diego to see the setting sun, Coronado Beach!

Lounge on a recliner and watch as the hot afternoon sun cools and falls below the distant horizon line, sinking below the ocean. This coastal sunset is a picturesque sight, and it’s a favorite among Coronado residents and vacationers alike.

For an even better view, watch the sunset from the Hotel Del Coronado, a beautiful beachfront hotel. The Del offers guests beachside waitservice with its own private section of the shore, so you can have a drink as night falls.

The calm waters of La Jolla Cove make it an ideal spot for swimming and an incredible location for sunbathing. While the beach experiences the heaviest traffic while the sun is still up, you can still go for an evening stroll along the water or go stargazing, right after catching a beautiful sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

This is an especially great location for taking a photo in front of the sunset to commemorate your vacation, as you’ll get a scenic background. If you’re lucky, you might even snap a shot of the seals and sea lions that can be found on the beach or in the water!

On top of being a popular San Diego area spot for surfing, La Jolla’s beaches are also teeming with wildlife just off the coast, so snorkeling and scuba diving are common activities at beaches like La Jolla Shores. While snorkeling, you’ll be able to see colorful garibaldi and other reef fish, and you might just encounter a shark or two!

Don’t worry about shark attacks - leopard sharks, which are native to San Diego’s shores, are fairly small and pose no danger to humans. Swimming with sharks is a popular activity offered seasonally from mid-summer to fall, with August and September being peak months.

Whether it’s your first time visiting San Diego or you just want to learn a little more about the history of the place you live, visiting the Old Town San Diego neighborhood is the perfect way to do so.

Step back into the past as you admire architecture from over 200 years ago, take a Hop-on Hop-off Narrated Tour of the most significant landmarks, and check out informative exhibits at local museums.

The Whaley House is one of the best ways to learn about Old Town’s history.

One of the best ways to get in tune with an area’s culture is to taste local dishes, and there are few better spots for doing so in San Diego than Barrio Logan. This is a great neighborhood for trying authentic Mexican and Southern California fusion meals.

Stop at Las Cuatro Milpas for lunch, where you can enjoy delicious tacos with homemade tortillas and other Mexican favorites. Often cited as the best taco joint in town, the restaurant has been a staple of Barrio Logan since 1933, and their tasty food is well worth a visit.

Going to one of San Diego’s beaches is a great way to spend the day and they are completely free and open to the public!

To name just a handful of our favorites, La Jolla Cove, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, Solana Beach, and Blacks Beach are all beautiful places to spend the day. Many of the beaches in San Diego also have free lot or street parking so you won’t have to spend on that. You can find even more free coastlines at Coronado Central Beach and Ocean Beach Pier.

Amp up the fun with a discounted surfboard or kayak rental with a Go City San Diego pass, or simply enjoy free beach day activities like sunbathing, building sandcastles, and swimming.

Mission Bay’s beaches are especially beautiful as the sun goes down, and there’s no better way to enjoy them than by gathering around a roaring fire and toasting some marshmallows. This is a great family-friendly activity, though it also makes for a unique activity for couples who want to stargaze in the sand.

Alongside being an excellent nighttime activity in San Diego, roasting marshmallows on the beach has the added benefit of being entirely free. Head down to Vacation Isle, a popular beach with many fire pits available for use, and don’t forget the chocolate and graham crackers for s’mores!

Balboa Park hosts some of San Diego’s biggest attractions like the San Diego Zoo and Japanese Friendship Garden, as well as dozens of great educational museums like the Natural History Museum, Fleet Science Center, and the Air and Space Museum.

If you already have an All-inclusive Go City San Diego pass, you can visit all these attractions for one flat rate, but there are also plenty of things to enjoy about Balboa Park that don’t require you to spend a cent.

The park features miles of pet-friendly walking trails surrounded by neatly groomed gardens. Admire the flowers and hedges as you stroll, and have a picnic lunch on the grass, all without spending a dollar!

The scenic surroundings of the San Diego Bay create the perfect romantic atmosphere for a couples’ night out. On a San Diego Bay harbor cruise, sit back and watch the sunset as you cruise in the big bay of San Diego.

Tours are offered in luxury sailboats and yachts, adding an element of class to the dinner date. During the tour, you’ll get to look out over the ocean, and you’ll cruise past seaside landmarks like Seaport Village and the ships at the Maritime Museum, making for a fun-filled evening.

The famous Hotel del Coronado offers guests a luxurious way to relax in comfort, making it a favorite among couples.

With daily resort activities and a full-service spa, you can’t go wrong at the historic resort. The hotel has been in operation since 1888, and it’s hosted a number of celebrities, politicians, and other famous figures.

Even if you’re not looking to book a room here, you can still visit and explore the historic landmark. Stop by in the afternoon to enjoy high-class Victorian tea, finger sandwiches, and sweet snacks in the Coronet Room, or have a gourmet dinner at one of The Del’s many restaurants and bars.

You don’t have to travel all the way to Venice, Italy to take a romantic gondola ride with your significant other. Instead, you can take one right on the San Diego Bay!

Relax and enjoy the view as you float gently out of the harbor and through the Coronado Cays canals.

San Diego’s beautiful year-round weather makes this the perfect way to spend the afternoon if you want to try something a little more unique than lounging on the beach. Alternatively, rides are also offered in the evening if you want to do some stargazing from the bay.

Fall is often cited as the best season in San Diego, as the weather is consistently warm without being overbearingly hot. Take advantage of the clear, sunny climate and sunbathe on the beach, go hiking, or walk around Balboa Park. Many annual events, like Restaurant Week and Beer Week, are routinely held in the fall as well.

Surfing conditions are especially ideal as the weather gets cooler and waves get larger, so make sure to use your Go City San Diego pass for a discount on renting a surfboard or other beach equipment like snorkels and kayaks if you visit toward the end of fall.

Summer is vacation season, so it’s no surprise that it’s a popular time to visit San Diego!

The city can get a little crowded, and temperatures are higher, but this just makes swimming in the ocean at a secluded cove all the more refreshing. Summer events include the County Fair, Del Mar horse races, and the very popular Comic-Con.

As long as you plan your trip in advance and take advantage of Go City San Diego pass discounts to balance out higher seasonal hotel and flight rates, a summer trip to San Diego is a blast!

Perhaps one of the best known attractions in the entire city, the San Diego Zoo is popular with all ages, especially for animal lovers.

Get up close and personal with species from around the world in a variety of different habitats, and make lasting memories as you explore the park and learn about both local and exotic animals.

No day at the zoo is complete without a Go City San Diego pass, so be sure to pick one up and bundle zoo admission with other attractions in Balboa Park like the Japanese Friendship Garden and the Museum of Us.

There are beaches all along the coast in San Diego, but the shores of Mission Bay are especially popular with tourists. These beaches are characteristically wide and sandy, and they offer plenty of opportunities to swim, kayak, sunbathe, paddleboard, and more, especially when you rent a surfboard, kayak, or stand-up paddleboard at a discount with the Go City San Diego pass.

Hotspots in Mission Bay Park include El Carmel Point and Sail Bay for sailing, Crown Point Beach and Mission Point Park for picnicking, and Ventura Cove Park and Bonita Cove for swimming. Check out our Mission Bay beaches guide for a rundown on what each beach has to offer.

The famous SeaWorld San Diego more than earns its reputation as a top tier family-friendly destination on the West Coast, especially for those interested in animals and marine life. While there are plenty of aquariums around the country, the big draw of SeaWorld San Diego is getting to see whales, dolphins, seals, sharks, and more up close, whether you catch a show or a hands-on educational talk.

You can easily spend the whole day at the park, but if you’re interested in marine life, we also recommend visiting the Birch Aquarium at Scripps in La Jolla at a discount with the All-inclusive Go City San Diego pass.

The dog-friendly Mission Trails Regional Park has multiple trails of varying difficulties, making it suitable for both beginners and more experienced hikers seeking a challenge. With over 8,000 acres and 60 miles of scenic trails snaking through the park, it’s easy to stay active and spend the whole day taking in the local flora and fauna.

Hikers looking for a unique multiple-day climb can try out the 5-Peak Challenge, which spans 12 miles and includes all five peaks in the park, these being Cowles Mountain, North Fortuna, South Fortuna, Pyles Peak, and Kwaay Paay Peak.

The fairly accessible 2.5-mile hike along the Torrey Pines State Reserve Loop in Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is a good choice for those more interested in taking in the view than pushing themselves to their limits.

On the Beach Trail, you can gaze at the coastline as you walk along the shore. Take a few moments to admire the rare torrey pine tree, the namesake of the park, which is found only in two places on earth, coastal San Diego County and growing on Santa Rosa Island.

The Torrey Pines Loop is a popular hike with families, and it’s a good trail for birdwatching as well. There’s even beach access, so you can catch your breath and take a dip in the ocean to cool off.

Head northeast from San Diego County and you’ll find Lake Poway Park, home of the Potato Chip Rock hike. This is a fairly difficult trail that spans just over 7 miles, so it’s best suited to more experienced and athletic individuals, but the view is well-worth the effort.

Views of Lake Poway set a gorgeous backdrop for your walk as you make your way up to the summit. Once there, you’ll get to look out at the titular Potato Chip Rock itself, set against a backdrop that’s practically picturesque. Be sure to bring a camera for some commemorative photos!

As one of the largest and most popular malls in San Diego, the Westfield UTC Mall is full of opportunities for shopping, dining, and entertainment.

The mall is open-air with multiple fire pits, water fountains, and art pieces, but the decor pales in comparison to the dozens of stores selling everything from toy stores and tech retailers to upscale beauty brands and designer clothing lines.

Other notable features include a movie theater, playground, dog park, and gourmet restaurants and bars. In the winter, the mall goes all out for Christmas with Santa, decorations and even its own ice skating rink.

Fashion Valley Mall is just one of multiple shopping centers in Mission Valley, but it’s undeniably the most luxurious, with a wide array of designer brands and plenty of upscale restaurants.

Treat yourself to some quality clothes and shoes, or shop at some of the mall’s more affordable boutiques and tech stores. There’s also a food court on the upper level, as well as a movie theater.

Other amenities at this outdoor mall include valet service, electric vehicle charging stations, and a kids’ play area, plus a central fountain with plenty of nearby benches.

Just a bit north of Downtown San Diego in the neighborhood of Carlsbad, you can find an upscale shopping experience at the Carlsbad Premium Outlets.

This is a large, open-air outlet mall that borders the famous Carlsbad flower fields, which are a big draw in the spring, but there are plenty of high-end stores to visit no matter what time of year you find yourself in San Diego.

In addition to housing outlets from top designed brands, all at affordable prices you won’t find elsewhere, there are multiple family-friendly restaurants and other eateries scattered throughout the mall.

Dubbed not just one of San Diego’s most haunted houses, but also one of the most haunted places in all of America, The Whaley House dates all the way back to the earliest European settlements on the West Coast.

By day, this unassuming San Diego museum is full of history, but by night, it has featured in many tales of ghost sightings, with many claiming to have seen the spirits of the old Whaley family still haunting its halls.

Visit this famous landmark at night for a chilling ghost tour, complete with spooky stories and the chance to witness the paranormal for yourself.

It’s said that the walls themselves speak at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, and given just how many people have claimed to see ghosts at this haunted location, that may not be an exaggeration!

Notoriously, rooms 4, 5, and 11 are each said to hold the restless spirits of long-gone figures from San Diego’s history, and many guests have reported unexplainable moving furniture and spectral voices calling from down the hall.

Visit or stay at the hotel to learn about the different ghosts that have been spotted throughout its storied history, and keep your eyes peeled for any hints of paranormal activity you might encounter during your stay.

To most guests who choose to stay at the Horton Grand Hotel, the charming, boutique hotel offers a unique mix of historic surroundings and modern comforts. However, for a select few, the hotel is memorable not for its amenities, but for the ghost sightings they experienced within!

As one of the oldest hotels in the city, the Horton Grand Hotel is said to be home to multiple poltergeists, each with their own chilling or tragic backstory. Visiting the hotel offers paranormal enthusiasts the chance to see ghosts from the 18th and 19th centuries while also enjoying a comfortable stay.