A Weekend in San Diego: Travel Guide
Southern California with its clear blue water, jagged coastline, sunny skies, & amazing tacos! San Diego is the perfect city for a weekend getaway. It’s full of outdoor adventure, good food, beautiful views, and colorful sunsets.
Below is my ultimate itinerary for a three-day weekend in San Diego.
How to Get There and When to Go
San Diego is on the southern coast of California, right beside the border to Mexico. It is the second biggest city in California with over 1.4 million people. The airport, San Diego International Airport (SAN), is right in the city, with easy access by car, Uber, or public transit.
The best time to visit San Diego is February - May and September - December. These times have sunny skies, warm weather, and less crowds than the summer. Plus, have you heard of “June Gloom”? The early summer months in this area can be very misty and cloudy!
The weather in San Diego is generally between 50-80 degrees Fahrenheit, sunny, and dry. This is perfect for shorts and a t-shirt during the day, and a light sweater after the sun sets.
My Guide for a Weekend in San Diego
This travel guide includes outdoor adventure, exploring the coastline, & the best beaches, but not does include food or coffee shop recommendations. I am much more of a “budget” traveler with food and mainly get street food or groceries! Below is what is included in my travel guide:
Little Italy, Balboa Park, & Coronado Island
Pacific Beach, La Jolla, & Del Mar
Sunset Cliffs, Ocean Beach, & Point Loma
Day 1: A day in the city
Balboa Park
This is a 1200 acre historic park in the middle of the city. It is home to various museums, restaurants, and the San Diego Zoo! We spent about two hours roaming through the park, checking out the various historical sites & museums and enjoying the architecture.
Gaslamp Quarter & Embarcadero
This neighborhood is the lively heart of downtown. There are tons of bars, restaurants, and hotels in this area. It’s super walkable and has easy access to public transportation. The Embarcadero is a scenic waterfront area by the San Diego Bay. It’s home to marine museums, beautiful parks, and the marina. We enjoyed an afternoon stroll through these areas.
Little Italy
Little Italy is the best place for food (in my opinion) in San Diego. It’s an adorable district with tons of restaurants, coffee shops, and bars.
Coronado Island
This island is accessible from downtown over a massive bridge. You can take public transport (buses), but I highly recommend driving to this island. It’s home to the historic Hotel Del Coronado, which opened in 1888. The beaches have sparkling white sand and there is a perfect boardwalk for running or biking.
Day 2: Enjoying the beaches
Pacific Beach
This is a beachfront neighborhood with a lovely boardwalk for running, biking, or strolling. It’s full of coffee shops, tacos, shopping, and live music venues. This is the hub for a younger crowd. It has a great beach for surfing and sunbathing!
La Jolla
The famous La Jolla neighborhood is home to the Birch Aquarium, clear blue waters for diving & snorkeling, and beautiful beaches. We enjoying laying on the beach at La Jolla shores, checking out the sea caves at , and watching the baby seals at the Children’s Pool. You can check out the sea caves by booking a snorkeling or kayak tour. If you want to stay on land, Sunny Jim’s Cave & Store allows you to walk down steps into a cave!
Del Mar
This neighborhood is slightly north of the city. It’s a quieter beach area with great walking trails on the cliffs. We enjoyed walking the Sea Cliff Coastal Walkway. This is a mile long cliffside path that is surrounded by beautiful flower blooms and boasts excellent views of the ocean.
Day 3: Exploring the cliffs & tide pooling
Sunset Cliffs
This is a quiet neighborhood that is aptly named - it has the best sunset views in the city! We watched an amazing sunset from here and saw multiple snorkelers out in the water. I loved the peace and quiet of the ocean, the looming cliffs, and the scenic oceanside houses in this area.
Point Loma & Cabrillo National Monument
This was our favorite spot in San Diego. Point Loma is the furthest spot on the peninsula that stretches past the San Diego Bay. It is home to the Cabrillo National Monument, walking trails, views of the city, and tide pools. During low tide, there are amazing creatures that you can look for in the tide pools. We saw sea stars, sea urchins, crabs, and so many snails!
Make sure you have a national parks pass, or are prepared to pay the $20 entrance fee to this national protected area!
Where is best to stay?
I recommend staying in La Jolla for easy beach access, Little Italy for public transportation, and Coronado Island for resort luxury (Hotel Del Coronado).
Do I need to rent a car?
Although San Diego does have some public transportation, it is mainly limited to the downtown areas. I highly recommend renting a car if you are planning to visit the beaches or any further neighborhoods!
Additional Things To See in San Diego
Drive up the coast to Encinitas
Check out the San Diego Zoo
Go to Petco Park for a Padres baseball game
