Explore San Diego
Plan Your San Diego Holiday: Best of San Diego
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Essential San Diego
Get Active Outdoors in Sunny San Diego
Read on7 best outdoor activities in San Diego
- Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve3,798Lace up your hiking boots and admire the Pacific Ocean panorama atop the bluffs at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. For an easy walk, I enjoy the one-mile Guy Fleming Loop. Covered in cacti and wildflowers, it features fantastic scenic points (keep your eyes peeled for dolphins!). If you want to see the reserve from all angles, follow the two-mile Beach Loop Trail. Tip: Make sure you only go at low tide.
- La Jolla Cove13,756The seals and sea lions of La Jolla Cove are endlessly entertaining—pups play in the water while elders bark orders. Rent a kayak for an up-close encounter with the pinnipeds, pelicans, and dolphins. I also like to scuba dive (or snorkel) among the cove’s kelp beds and search for reef sharks, octopi, rays, and garibaldi, California’s bright orange state fish. Prefer to stay dry? Snag a table on Brockton Villa’s deck overlooking the cove instead.
- Coronado Island3,055There’s nothing like feeling the sea breeze against your skin as you bike around Coronado island. The six-mile lap takes you past one of my favourite hotels in San Diego, the Hotel Del Coronado. In its heyday, the hotel was a hotspot for glamourous Hollywood stars; today, it’s a fun resort to pull over for a lunch break. Even the journey to Coronado is gorgeous: The ferry boasts the best views of the city skyline.
- Balboa Park13,092You can’t go to San Diego without visiting Balboa Park. Sprawling across 1,200 acres in the heart of the city, Balboa is an impressive compound of museums, theatres, and the world-famous zoo. However, its 19 underrated gardens are also worth your time. There are sections dedicated to lily ponds, cacti, roses, palm trees, and medicinal plants. The Zoro Garden—originally designed to be a nudist colony in the mid-1930s—is now a haven for butterflies and ficus trees.
- La Jolla Shores Park2,723Surfing is a way of life for many San Diego locals. Learn how to catch a wave at the beginner-friendly La Jolla Shores Park. If you’ve come with children in tow, they’ll love its mile-long stretch of sandcastle real estate and the large grass lawn with an oceanfront jungle gym. More experienced surfers can head north toward Scripps Pier and Blacks Beach (note: topless tanning is common here).
- Torrey Pines Gliderport1,466Soar in the sky over the ocean with a tandem paragliding experience at Torrey Pines. The gliderport has been active for over a century, and you’ll find paragliders and hang gliders here whenever the weather is clear. If you’d rather keep your feet on the ground, it’s still a great spot to go for the bird’s-eye views and excellent coffee, served at the on-site café. Tip: Flights are first-come first-served.
- Sunset Cliffs Natural Park2,132Sunset Cliffs is a prime place to look for marine life. Stroll along the edge of the bluffs, and you may be lucky enough to see pods of migrating grey whales breach and splash in the water below. As a child, I’d spend afternoons searching for crustaceans and anemones hiding in the tide pools at the bottom of the rocks. If the swell is up, surfers always paddle out—this wave is one of my grandfather’s favourites.
Explore San Diego by interest
Head to the water
Fun for foodies
Bring the fam
Worth the splurge
Soak up wine country
More seaside escapes along the Pacific Coast Highway
Travelers' pro tips for experiencing San Diego
In the words of those who've been there before ...
What is the best way to get there?
Flying:
San Diego International Airport is the main commercial airport servicing San Diego. Shuttle buses run from the airport to nearby hotels, and cabs and rideshares are also available.
Bus:
Greyhound offers bus services to San Diego with a terminal on National Ave.
Bus:
Travelers driving to San Diego from Las Angeles usually approach the Strip off the I-5 Fwy. Those traveling from inland typically approach from the I-15 Fwy.
Do I need a visa?
If you’re visiting San Diego from overseas, use the State Department’s Visa Wizard to see if you need a visa.
When is the best time to visit?
Early spring and fall: This Southern California city is so nice you should visit twice a year: the first between March through May, and the second between September through November. That is when the temperatures are at their best and hover around 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 Celcius).
Train
Amtrak services San Diego and terminates at The Santa Fe Depot.
Trolley
There are three trolley lines (Blue, Orange, and Green) that service the downtown San Diego. Trolley and bus fares run between $2.25 to $5 one-way.
Taxis and rideshare
Taxis, Uber and Lyft rideshare services are readily available.
Driving
There are many pay-to-park lots located around the city as well as metered parking.
Pedicab
Pedicabs and horse-drawn carriages are both transportation options in San Diego’s downtown waterfront area, and in the Gaslamp Quarter.
Are there local customs I should know?
Find more information about local customs and etiquette in the United States generally here.