There are many wonderful places to visit in San Diego. It’s a destination that I was looking forward to exploring, after hearing from just about everyone who’s been there how beautiful it is.
I got to visit San Diego on my first trip to California, touring with a local guide who knew what to see in San Diego and where to go for attractions and great views.
In this guide I share some of the most beautiful places to go in the San Diego area and how to visit them.
Updated for 2026
Table of contents
Top places to see in San Diego
Balboa Park in San Diego
One of the top things to do in San Diego is visiting Balboa Park.
It’s much more than just an ordinary urban park…
With gorgeous gardens, museums and galleries, theatres, street performers, art studios and cultural activities, you can easily spend an entire day there.
Most of the attractions and museums in the park are free to enter. I especially enjoyed The Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA).
I also loved the Spanish Village Art Center. It has a pretty amazing range of art studios, where local artists and artisans work and sell their crafts.
The colourful tiles make this place very Instagrammable.
If you have little time in the city and want to make a shortlist of places to visit in San Diego, I think Balboa Park is a place not to be missed.
Take a guided tour of this fascinating park and make the most of your visit.
San Diego Seaport Village
We took a ferry boat from Coronado Island to San Diego’s Seaport Village.
It’s a short ferry ride with great views in any direction you look.
Seaport Village is a charming place to visit in downtown San Diego, right on the waterfront.
With its cute shops, restaurants and chilled atmosphere, this place should definitely be on your San Diego sightseeing list.
Some of the shops are quite unique, like Kite Flite, a cool kite shop by the water, and the Village Hat Shop, where we had a lovely time trying on all sorts of quirky hats.
When you’re done browsing the shops, head back to the waterfront to take in the view.
You get a splendid view of the water, Coronado Island, Coronado Bridge and the fancy marina boats.
All the shops around Seaport Village have a colourful brochure that you can pick up.
It lists all the things to do in San Diego Seaport Village, plus a handy map of the shops and restaurants and a live music schedule.
If you continue walking along the water you’ll reach the USS Midway.
USS Midway Museum
The USS Midway is a huge historic aircraft carrier turned interactive museum on San Diego’s waterfront.
This one is especially great for history buffs. It was a very different experience from beaches and parks.
It’s currently one of San Diego’s highest-rated major attractions.
We spent a few hours exploring inside, going on the top deck, seeing how people used to live on the carrier and what life at sea used to be like.
Book your USS Midway tickets in advance to save time when you arrive.
La Jolla: the jewel of San Diego
La Jolla (The Jewel) is one of the most charming places to see in San Diego County and unsurprisingly, it attracts a lot of tourists.
The jetty in La Jolla is especially popular and gives you a good viewing point from which you can see harbour seals on the beach.
There are some excellent art galleries on the main street that we enjoyed.
The National Geographic Gallery and Ian Ely Gallery both feature some amazing nature and travel photography.
You can easily spend half a day or even a full day at La Jolla.
La Jolla’s famous sea caves are one of San Diego’s most unusual coastal attractions.
Carved into the sandstone cliffs over thousands of years, the caves are best experienced from the water, particularly by kayak.
The popular activities around La Julla are:
For the best experience, take a guided kayak tour, which combines the caves with beautiful views of La Jolla’s coastline.
We passed by the jetty one last time before sunset to head to our next stop: Torrey Pines Gliderport.
Paragliding at sunset: Torrey Pines Gliderport
Torrey Pines Gliderport is one of the most spectacular places to go in San Diego, especially at sunset.
The view of the Pacific Ocean is dazzling and as you go closer to the water it becomes even more so.
I’ve never tried paragliding, though I’d love to do it one day.
Torrey Pines Gliderport is a great spot for paragliding and watching paragliders soaring above the ocean.
It’s a very relaxing place to spend some time in, take a leisurely walk, watch birds and people flying above your head and take some sunset photos.
San Diego boat tour
Some of the best San Diego activities are on the water. Everywhere you look, you’ll see sailboats, cruise boats, speed boats and even a vehicle that transitions from a bus into a boat.
We took a very pleasant boat tour with Flagship Cruises on a large, spacious boat that took us to see all the highlights.
You can do either a one hour tour (selecting between a North Bay or South Bay trip) or a two hour tour.
We took the longer tour, which was nice and relaxing.
If you’re planning to do the same, you can compare current San Diego cruises here.
It’s a great introduction to the city, with great views of the water, the San Diego skyline, Coronado Bridge and other San Diego attractions.
Coronado Island & Hotel del Coronado
We spent a bit of time visiting the historic Hotel del Coronado, one of San Diego’s most recognisable iconic landmarks.
It’s a relaxed island escape just across the bay with a sandy beach and charming streets.
If you’re an architecture buff or if you’re after a slower-paced side of San Diego, it’s worth a visit.
Opened in 1888, the historic Victorian-style hotel has hosted generations of visitors and has become famous for its distinctive architecture.
You can stroll along the beach and explore the surrounding Coronado neighbourhood.
You can easily combine a visit with a day exploring Coronado Island.
To get to know the history, take a guided tour of Coronado Island with a local.
I enjoyed walking around there, but you can also take an e-scooter tour and see even more.
Gaslamp Quarter
This is where we went for dinner after a day of exploring. It’s a great place for foodies.
San Diego’s historic downtown entertainment district is packed with restaurants, bars, and nightlife.
Worth a detour: San Clemente
On the way to the city of San Diego, we made some stops at a few other points of interest.
The first one was San Clemente, in Orange County, just before you reach San Diego County.
It’s a delightfully sunny Californian beach city, where you definitely want to visit the pier.
From the pier, the view of the water, the waves and the beaches is a real joy 🙂
Where to stay in San Diego
There’s a wide choice of places to stay in San Diego.
For a special stay, I’d narrow the search down to these three highly rated hotels. They each offer something quite different.
Fairmont Grand Del Mar: best for a luxury resort escape
Set in a tranquil area of northern San Diego, this elegant resort is surrounded by landscaped grounds and feels worlds away from the bustle of downtown.
It is particularly suited to couples, families and anyone looking for a relaxing luxury stay with golf, spa facilities, pools and excellent dining.
The Lodge at Torrey Pines: best for nature and coastal scenery
The hotel overlooks the famous Torrey Pines area and is an excellent choice if you want to combine luxury with easy access to nature.
This is the one I’d choose for couples and outdoor lovers.
Pendry San Diego: best for first-time visitors and nightlife
If you’d rather be in the middle of the action, Pendry San Diego is my pick. Located in the Gaslamp Quarter, it’s a much more urban experience than the two resorts above, with restaurants, bars and attractions right outside the door.
It’s particularly convenient for a first visit if you want to explore downtown, visit Petco Park or experience San Diego’s nightlife.
The hotel itself has a stylish, contemporary feel, with a rooftop pool, restaurants, bars, spa and fitness centre.
How to get to San Diego
San Diego is in Southern California, close to the Mexican border and just a couple of hours’ drive from Los Angeles, making it an easy addition to a California road trip.
For most international visitors, flying is the simplest option, but you can also reach the city by train, bus or car.
By plane
The easiest way to get to San Diego is to fly into San Diego International Airport (SAN).
The airport is well connected to destinations across the US, as well as a number of international cities.
If you’re travelling from the UK, you may find that flying via a US hub such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas or another major American airport gives you the most choice.
Tip: If you’re planning to explore more of Southern California, compare flights into both San Diego and Los Angeles before booking. Depending on your itinerary, flying into one and out of the other can save you time and unnecessary driving.
By car
San Diego works well as part of a California road trip.
From Los Angeles, the drive south takes roughly two to three hours (in good traffic).
The drive itself follows the Pacific coast for much of the way, with plenty of opportunities to stop along the route.
If you’re hiring a car, San Diego is a good base for exploring the surrounding beaches, coastal towns and attractions.
By train
Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner connects San Diego with several destinations in Southern California, including Los Angeles and Orange County.
It’s a particularly appealing option if you don’t want to drive, as the route includes some beautiful coastal scenery.
The train can also be a convenient choice for travellers combining San Diego with Los Angeles or other Southern California stops.
By bus
Long-distance buses also connect San Diego with cities throughout California and beyond.
This can be one of the more budget-friendly ways to travel, although journey times are generally longer than travelling by car or train.
What is the best way to get to San Diego?
For international visitors, flying into San Diego International Airport is usually the easiest option.
If you’re already travelling around California, however, a road trip or train journey can be a much more enjoyable way to arrive.
If you’re planning to visit several places in Southern California, I’d compare the cost of flights, car hire, and train travel.
Sometimes paying a little more for a convenient connection can save you hours.
How to get from San Diego Airport to downtown
San Diego International Airport (SAN) is conveniently close to the city centre, so getting from the airport to downtown is relatively straightforward.
Private airport transfer: The most convenient option. Your driver can meet you at San Diego International Airport and take you directly to your hotel, without having to wait for a taxi or work out public transport after a long flight.
This option is especially convenient for families, groups, or visitors with a lot of luggage. Arrange it before you arrive. Compare private airport transfers from San Diego Airport.
Car hire: If you’re planning a wider Southern California road trip, you can collect a hire car at SAN’s Rental Car Centre. Rental-car company shuttles run between the terminals and the Rental Car Centre 24 hours a day. However, if you’re staying in central San Diego for a few days, you may not need a car. Parking can be an unnecessary expense, and many of the main attractions are accessible by public transport or rideshare.
Rideshare: Uber or Lyft are a convenient choice. Pick-up areas are located at the designated transport areas outside Terminals 1 and 2, so follow the airport signs after collecting your bags.
Taxi: You can take a traditional taxi instead of a rideshare.
Bus: The MTS Route 992 stops at both Terminals 1 and 2.
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I was invited on the tour by Tierra Marina Tours. All opinions are my own.
15 Comments
What a beautiful city to live in LOL. I write a food blog about San Diego so feel free to check out my reviews of restaurants around the city!
As a California native Id say you captured all of the best places in San Diego to visit!
I never been to San Diego but always dreamed of visiting and this post made me want to go even more. Paragliding at sunset sounds awesome, next time you should try 🙂
Thanks Sahar, I hope I’ll summon up courage one day 😉
Wow, wow and wow!
What an awesome post! If this post is “intended” to be an appetizer or introduction to California, then it has achieved the goal!
Until now I used to sing “California Dreaming”, now I am dreaming of California…
A very very beautiful post, every place is “killing”, and San Clemente Pier seems to me like entering heaven on earth!
Thank you for this experience.
Thank you! Glad it gave you a taste of California and hope you get to visit too soon
I have actually been to San Diego but it seems like such a distant memory now! I did the usual Sea World visit and some beaches which I cannot remember the name of but I remember loving the vibe and just watching the surfers ride the waves! The Spanish Village Art Centre looks pretty cool and I’d also love to visit Balboa Park if I make it back to San Diego someday!
Yes, Balboa Park was certainly one of the highlights for me 🙂 Hope you make it back to San Diego some day…
I’m so sad I missed San Diego on my last tour of the west coast. San Clemente Pier looks so scenic, I’m missing some serious sunshine at the moment!
Hope you get to visit it on your next trip 🙂
I’ve only been to San Diego once and the only place I made it to your list was La Jolla. Sounds like I need to go back to see the rest and enjoy the great weather!
It’s definitely worth another visit!
omg this place looks stunning! i love your photos! you have made me really want to travel here!!
Thanks! It really is worth visiting