San Diego is not on the list of ‘mandatory’ cities for Americans to visit. That is why this city (where the weather is pleasant 364 days a year) is often skipped during a trip to the southwest. A real shame, because it is a city that has a lot to offer.
Traveling to San Diego
With more than 1.3 million inhabitants, San Diego is the third largest city in California and even ranks among the top ten major cities in America. The city is located just under two hours south of Los Angeles and about 30 kilometers from the Mexican border. Yet many people still see this city as the little brother of megacities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Today, San Diego has acquired a completely individual look. The city is located on hills, has one of the most beautiful natural harbors in the United States and is the ideal place to dive into the sea with your surfboard. In addition, the city has a mild Mediterranean climate, which is characterized by warm dry summers and mild winters. The combination of weather, beach, sea and city is the most attractive aspect of San Diego. A pleasant holiday destination! Read on and you’ll know what you can do there. I give you 10 tips about places to see and things to do in San Diego!
1. Downtown: fun and good food!
Typical of San Diego are the lively neighborhoods: Old Town, Gaslamp Quarter & Little Italy for example. The Gaslamp Quarter was seriously in disrepair about 10 years ago, but now it is one of the city’s tourist attractions. You will also notice this by the many shops and restaurants that are located here. This district comes to life especially in the evening and it is a cozy place for a snack and a drink. Because of the tourist spot you pay a little more than average here, but in this case we didn’t mind that much.
2. Petco Park
In the middle of the city is the large open-air stadium Petco Park. This is where the Petco Padres play their hugely popular baseball games. There are also regular concerts or other festivities. We always wanted to go to a real baseball game, so we arranged tickets for the same evening. The competition is spread over several evenings and lasts 3 hours per evening. During our match the final score of that evening was 1-0. So you can imagine that not much happened on the field in those three hours. Still, it was quite an experience for us! The atmosphere in the stadium, the entertainment between the substitutions and the people. It was a wonderful evening and definitely worth a visit!
3. Coronado Island
This peninsula is located in the extreme south of San Diego and is connected to the mainland by the two-mile-long San Diego Coronado Bridge. Coronado Island is best known for the Coronado hotel and its surfing beaches. Furthermore, you will not find much, but the view of the city does have its charm.
4. To the beach
Unfortunately for us, but to really dive into the sea it was really too cold during our stay. Still, San Diego beach is very beautiful. Moreover, it is not as crowded as in the other places along the coast and you have plenty of opportunities for surfing. Time left? Then I would definitely relax here for an afternoon.
5. East Coast of San Diego Bay
Fancy a walk? Then, start at the Embarcadero Marina Park and head north along the east coast of San Diego Bay. You will pass beautiful yachts, Seaport Village and the USS Midway naval vessel. It is a nice walking route on the edge of the city if you want to get away from all the crowds.
6. Aircraft Carrier – USS Midway
Downtown is a huge aircraft carrier from the USS Midway in the water. This colossus has served in the US army for years, but since 2004 it has been a museum. Life and work on the ship is depicted very well here. Moreover, you can get an explanation of almost everything via an audio tour. There are also many different aircraft to admire on the deck. The museum is therefore definitely worth a visit if you find this interesting.
7. Shopping – Fashion Valley Mall
If you feel like shopping, it’s best to go to the Fashion Valley Mall. This open-air shopping center has over two hundred shops, several restaurants and a number of department stores. We didn’t see any really special nice shops, but you can enjoy yourself there for an afternoon.
8. Balboa Park
Balboa Park is a 490-acre cultural park in San Diego. We can describe this area (because it is more than a park) as special and highly recommended to visit. The Balboa Park is a kind of village with several museums, parks, gardens, theaters and restaurants.
9. San Diego Zoo vs. Sea World
Animal watching at San Diego Zoo or Sea World is a popular pastime for many. The Zoo is one of the few zoos in the world with a giant panda and in Sea World you can of course admire the famous orcas up close. A fun activity to do, especially with children.
10. Take a day trip to Mexico?
San Diego is the place to take a day trip to the border city with Mexico, Tijuana. This is the busiest border crossing in the world. Think carefully about how you are going to approach this in advance, because most American rental cars are not allowed to cross the border. From downtown there is a train to Tijuana, so this is probably the best way to visit. Don’t forget that the waiting time at border control can be up to around two hours. We skipped this adventure because we thought it was a waste of our short stay in the city.
Another tip: explore the city by car
The most convenient way to discover San Diego is with your own (rental) car. The city is a lot less hectic than Los Angeles, for example, and the roads are clearly structured. We have experienced that parking is not really a problem and that the costs are not too bad. Like us, find a large parking lot in the middle of the city, where the car can park all day for 12-15 USD.
We found San Diego a pleasant surprise. It would be a shame to skip this metropolis during your road trip through West America. Okay, the city doesn’t have any highlights known to the general public, but does that matter? We just loved that! So if you’re in the area, my advice is: visit San Diego for a few days!
