San Diego
California's second city stretches from the Mexican border to the cliffs of La Jolla, with a naval port, a bay full of sailing boats and neighbourhoods that live facing the beach. You go from a 1945 aircraft carrier to the sea lions of La Jolla, from the Spanish-Moorish museums of Balboa Park to the tacos of Barrio Logan, under a sky that rarely tops 26°C.
By PierrickLocal Guide ★8 · 14M+ views on Google MapsBy PierrickLocal Guide ★8 · 14M+ Maps views
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San Diego · Photo Tapas S / Pexels
Things to do in San Diego in 5 days
Day 1
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A 486-hectare park laid out for the 1915 Exposition, whose Spanish Colonial pavilions now hold more than fifteen museums, with free gardens and a free Sunday organ concert.
💡 Park for free in the park's car parks from 9am at weekends, or come on bus 7 from the centre. Pick two museums at most for one day, as each takes two hours. Price: gardens and walks free, museums charged separately.
Day 2
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Founded in 1916 in Balboa Park, 40 hectares of planted canyons with over 12,000 animals in recreated habitats, a guided double-decker bus tour and the Skyfari aerial tram.
💡 Arrive at opening time for the guided bus, as the queue exceeds 45 minutes at midday. The 'Value Days' dates, bought online in advance, cost less. Price: $78 per adult, about €67, and $68 per child aged 3 to 11, about €58.
Day 3
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An aircraft carrier in service from 1945 to 1992, moored opposite downtown, with some thirty restored aircraft on its 300-metre flight deck and veteran volunteers recounting life aboard.
💡 Allow at least three hours and start with the island, the command tower, where the queue grows in the afternoon. The museum opens from 10am to 5pm, last entry at 4pm. Price: $41 per adult at the ticket office, about €35, and $39 online, about €34.
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The peninsula facing downtown, reached by bridge or ferry, with a wide mica-flecked beach in front of the white-timbered Hotel del Coronado of 1888, where Some Like It Hot was filmed.
💡 Take the ferry from Broadway Pier or the Convention Center landing, hire a bike on arrival and ride the bayside path to the hotel. The lobby and terrace of the Hotel del Coronado are open to non-guests. Price: beach free, ferry charged.
Day 4
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At the tip of Point Loma, high above the ocean, the 1855 lighthouse, sweeping views over the bay and tide pools full of anemones, octopus and crabs at low tide.
💡 Check the tide tables and come at low tide, from autumn to spring, for the pools. From December to March, the whale overlook lets you watch grey whales migrating towards Baja California. Price: $20 per vehicle, about €17, valid for 7 days.
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The birthplace of California, where a state historic park preserves the Mexican village of the 1820s to 1870s, its adobe houses and workshops, surrounded by Mexican restaurants.
💡 The park opens its house museums from about 10am to 4pm, most of them free. Then walk up to Presidio Park, 15 minutes away on foot, for the view over Mission Valley and the Junípero Serra Museum. Price: free.
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Sandstone cliffs south of Ocean Beach carved into arches and sea caves, with a clifftop path where locals and visitors line up to watch the sun set over the Pacific.
💡 Stay behind the barriers and well away from the edge, as the cliffs collapse regularly, and do not climb down to the coves by unofficial paths. There are no toilets on site, and parking is on the street or in small car parks that fill up quickly at the end of the day. Come an hour before sunset to walk along the cliffs. Price: free.
Day 5
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A small cove between sandstone cliffs where sea lions crowd the rocks, part of a marine reserve for snorkelling among bright orange garibaldi, with seven sea caves in the cliff.
💡 The caves can be visited by kayak with an outfitter in La Jolla Shores, or on foot for Sunny Jim Cave, through a tunnel dug in 1903 beneath The Cave Store shop, with a paid entry. Do not approach the sea lions, as federal law forbids disturbing them. Children's Pool closes to visitors from 15 December to 15 May, the pupping season. Price: free.
"Book" (hotels) and "via GetYourGuide" (activities) are affiliate links (Booking, GetYourGuide). Prices, times and distances are approximate.
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Good to know before you go
🍽️ Must-try food
Burgers and barbecue
brisket and ribs cooked low and slow, done differently in every state.
Clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl
the classic lunch on the San Francisco waterfront.
Mexican food
tacos from a truck in Los Angeles, a Mission burrito in San Francisco.
Pancakes and weekend brunch
a national habit, generous to the point of excess.
Craft beer, and California wine from Napa and Sonoma.
Dishes to look for in the good places: San Diego.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Tipping is not optional: add 15 to 20% in restaurants and bars.
- Prices on menus and in shops exclude sales tax, which is added at the till.
- Do not plan more than four or five hours of driving a day: the distances are larger than they look on the map.
- Never travel without health insurance. A night in hospital can cost thousands of dollars.
- In summer, do not hike down into the Grand Canyon in the heat of the day: the climb back out is where people get into trouble.
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The little details that make all the difference once you're there.
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📄 See the full guide: San Diego, detailed month-by-month weather, budget, what to avoid and FAQ.