San Diego, California is a vacation destination known for its warm weather year-round, miles of beautiful beaches, and an array of exciting activities. There are so many things to do in San Diego, from visiting theme parks to exploring historic locations and enjoying incredible dining.
Things To Do in San Diego On Your Next Trip
While you may know about famous attractions like the San Diego Zoo and LEGOLAND, there are countless other things to do and see during your time in San Diego, with several activities that will allow you to enjoy the outdoors. We will take you through our top 10 recommendations for the best things to do in San Diego during your vacation.
Explore Balboa Park
Spend some time at Balboa Park, the 1,200-acre urban park that is home to several gardens, performing arts venues, and 18 world-class museums.
You can see a show at the Tony Award-winning The Old Globe, featuring classic and contemporary works, in the 580-seat flagship Old Globe Theatre, the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, or the intimate theatre-in-the-round Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre.
Make sure to explore Balboa Park’s several museums, like the Comic-Con Museum, the Japanese Friendship Garden and Museum, or the Fleet Science Center with more than 100 interactive exhibits. During your time in the park, you can enjoy the outdoors with beautiful gardens like the Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden, Veterans Memorial Garden, and Botanical Building, and Lily Pond.
Visit the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park
While you are visiting Balboa Park, be sure to see the San Diego Zoo, which is praised as one of the best zoos in all of the United States and is home to over 14,000 rare and endangered animals. You can admire and learn about the more than 700 species and subspecies represented at the zoo, from the Clouded Leopard to the Two-Toed Sloth. The San Diego Zoo features a 4D Theater, botanical tours, guided bus tours, wildlife presentations, and more.
You can also explore the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, which is a 1,800-acre wildlife park where you can encounter several species in expansive savanna habitats. The San Diego Zoo Safari Park offers a variety of things to do, including the Africa Tram that takes you on a 25-minute tour of the savanna habitats for an up-close look at the wildlife, play areas for kids, the Journey Into the Wild presentation where you’ll meet multiple wildlife ambassadors and more.
If you want to be even closer to the action, you can opt for some of the special experiences and tours offered at the park, like the 90-minute “Deluxe Wildlife Safari,” where you can enjoy up-close views of giraffes, rhinos, and other species. If you’re an animal lover, visiting one or both of these locations is a great activity during your vacation.
See the USS Midway Museum
During your vacation, you can see the USS Midway, which was the longest-serving aircraft carrier in the 20th century. This is one of the most popular attractions in San Diego and one you won’t want to miss! After the Midway was decommissioned in 1992, it was donated to the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum organization and opened as the USS Midway Museum in 2004.
The Midway has an extensive and interesting history that you can learn about during your visit. On board, you can see more than 30 restored aircraft and helicopters on display, watch the “Voices of Midway” multimedia movie about the Battle of Midway, and tour the places where the crew lived and worked, like the mess halls, galleys, chapel, and laundry services.
Self-guided audio tours are available to learn more about the Midway’s history. You can hear Midway pilots sharing what it was like to fly the aircraft on the flight deck, Midway sailors describing their daily life onboard, and more.
Go to Belmont Park
Belmont Park, the historic oceanfront amusement park located in the Mission Bay area of San Diego, is a popular destination that features a variety of rides and experiences. There’s something for everyone, from classic bumper cars to the thrilling Giant Dipper Roller Coaster.
Belmont Park has many fun activities to explore, like a tiki-themed mini golf course, a laser tag arena, escape rooms, a zipline, and more! If you get hungry, enjoy the carnival-style food options like Hot Dog on a Stick and fresh lemonade, or try Sweet Shoppe’s famous Monster Waffle Cone. Belmont Park’s various offerings make it the perfect destination for a day of family fun!
Enjoy Authentic Mexican Food at Old Town
One of the best things to do in San Diego is explore Old Town, a neighborhood considered the “birthplace” of California with historical sites, plentiful shopping options, entertainment, and incredible dining. Old Town is known for its Mexican cuisine, with popular options like El Agave, Café Coyote, and more.
You can see Old Town San Diego State Historic Park’s restored historic buildings, visit the Whaley House Museum (one of California’s two officially designated haunted houses), or enjoy live musical entertainment at The Fiesta de Reyes stage.
Explore the Beaches of La Jolla
During your San Diego vacation, you can visit La Jolla Cove, a small, picturesque beach surrounded by sandstone cliffs that is a popular destination for swimmers and snorkelers. Above La Jolla Cove, you’ll find Ellen Browning Scripps Park, a grassy area with picnic tables and a paved walkway that you can travel along to enjoy panoramic ocean views.
You can also visit the Children’s Pool, a protected cove home to several seals and sea lions that you can observe swimming or lounging on the beach. The Children’s Pool was originally built as a swimming area for children, but after the seals took a liking to the cove, it became a popular wildlife viewing area. Nearby, you can explore La Jolla Village, where you’ll find a variety of shopping and dining options.
Have Fun at Legoland
Located in Carlsbad, Legoland California offers a variety of rides, shows, and attractions for guests to enjoy between its theme park, water park, and interactive aquarium. Legoland offers popular attractions like The Dragon indoor/outdoor rollercoaster and Lost Kingdom Adventure, where guests battle LEGO mummies and skeletons to find hidden treasure, and much more.
You can explore Legoland Water Park when it is seasonally open, featuring fun attractions like the Build-A-Raft River, where you design and build a LEGO raft, the giant raft slide Orange Rush, the pirate-themed play area Soak-N-Sail, and more.
Legoland California is also home to the SEA LIFE Aquarium, with over 350 different species and more than 6,000 creatures. You can attend educational talks or feeding demonstrations to learn about the creatures at the aquarium and observe sea creatures like seahorses, sharks, octopi, and more.
Enjoy Nightlife at the Gaslamp Quarter
In Downtown San Diego, you can explore the Gaslamp Quarter, a 16-square-block area with Victorian-style buildings that is famous for its nightlife. Here, you’ll find over 200 restaurants, bars, nightclubs and lounges, boutiques, art galleries, and shops. The Gaslamp Quarter is home to popular bars like the rooftop bar Altitude Sky Lounge, which offers panoramic views, the classic cocktail bar Fifth & Rose, the three-level The Tipsy Cow with dancing, and more.
Several dining options are available in the Gaslamp Quarter, from places to grab a quick bite to fine dining. You’ll also find various entertainment options, from seeing a show at American Comedy Co. San Diego to enjoying a live music performance with Dueling Pianos performers at The Shout! House.
Visit SeaWorld
During your San Diego vacation, you can also visit SeaWorld in Mission Bay Park, which offers rides and attractions, animal experiences, and presentations.
You’ll see a variety of animals like dolphins, penguins, Beluga Whales, and more, enjoy interactive exhibits like Bat Ray Shallows, where you can touch bat rays, and even explore special tours and activities like the Dolphin In-Water Interaction or the Sloth Up-Close Encounter. SeaWorld also offers presentations like Orca Encounter, Dolphin Adventures, and Sea Lion & Otter Spotlight.
SeaWorld features thrilling rides and attractions like Arctic Rescue, the fastest and longest straddle coaster on the West Coast, the Electric Eel coaster with several inversions, and more. It also offers options for kids like the Tentacle Twirl swing ride, the child-sized shot-n-drop tower Sea Dragon Drop, and other family-friendly rides.
Hike the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
If you’re looking for a fun outdoor activity during your vacation, explore San Diego’s Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, home to the rare Torrey pine. The reserve’s 2,000 acres of natural land include miles of beaches and a lagoon vital to migratory seabirds, and it is one of the wildest stretches of land along the Southern California coast.
This is a perfect place to take a nature walk and enjoy the overlooks with beautiful ocean views. If you’re interested in hiking, you’ll find miles of trails to explore, with options for all experience levels. During the gray whale migration, the Reserve is also good for whale watching!
Ready for Your San Diego Vacation?
From admiring the beauty of La Jolla Cove to exploring the history of the USS Midway, there are countless ways to make the most of your vacation. Between its theme parks, outdoor activities, and dining and entertainment options, San Diego has a treasure trove of unique attractions that you won’t want to miss. Be sure to explore these ten things to do in San Diego during your next trip!
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