Travel guide · United States
San Diego travel guide
Year-round mild beaches, Balboa Park's museums and Baja-style tacos
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Quick answer
San Diego sits in the far southwest corner of California, about 25 km from the Mexican border, with 100-plus km of coastline running from Coronado and Point Loma up to La Jolla and Torrey Pines. Most visitors split their time between downtown (the Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy and the Embarcadero), Balboa Park with its museums and the San Diego Zoo, and a beach neighbourhood such as La Jolla, Pacific Beach or Coronado. The airport is only about 5 km from downtown, and the weather is mild in every month, with grey mornings in May and June. Plan 5 days for a first visit; the best months are April–May and September–October.
Key facts
- Country
- United States
- Best time to visit
- April–May and September–October
- Ideal stay
- 5 days
- Main airports
- SAN
- Mid-range daily budget
- $230–$400 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, Beaches and surfing and Fish tacos
Why visit San Diego
- Balboa Park packs more than a dozen museums, Spanish Colonial Revival buildings and the San Diego Zoo into one walkable 485-hectare park on the edge of downtown.
- Beaches with different characters sit within 30 minutes of each other: Coronado's wide sand, Pacific Beach's boardwalk, La Jolla Cove's sea lions and Ocean Beach's pier.
- Mexican and Baja-influenced food is everywhere, from late-night California burritos to fish tacos and mariscos.
- Clifftop walks at Torrey Pines, Sunset Cliffs and Cabrillo National Monument are free or low-cost and look straight out over the Pacific.
- The climate is mild all year, with average highs of about 19–25°C and very little rain from May to October.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 17 things to do.
Park · Balboa Park
Balboa Park
Built largely for the 1915–16 Panama–California Exposition, Balboa Park lines El Prado with Spanish Colonial Revival buildings housing museums including the San Diego Museum of Art, the Museum of Us, the Fleet Science Center and the Natural History Museum.
- Time needed
- Half a day to a full day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- Kids
- Art
- Outdoors
Zoo · Balboa Park
San Diego Zoo
One of the best-known zoos in the world occupies about 40 hectares of canyons on the north side of Balboa Park, with habitats for koalas, polar bears, elephants and great apes.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Museum · Embarcadero
USS Midway Museum
The aircraft carrier USS Midway served from 1945 to 1992 and is now moored on the downtown waterfront.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
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Waterfront · La Jolla
La Jolla Cove
A small sheltered cove below sandstone cliffs, part of a protected underwater park where snorkellers see bright orange garibaldi and leopard sharks gather offshore in summer.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Photo spot
- Kids
- Iconic
Architecture · Coronado
Hotel del Coronado
The red-turreted wooden resort hotel opened in 1888 and has hosted presidents and film crews, including the cast of Some Like It Hot.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Couples
- History
Nature · Torrey Pines
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Clifftop trails wind through eroded sandstone and stands of the rare Torrey pine, one of the least common pine species in the United States, before dropping to Torrey Pines State Beach.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Views
- Nature
- Active
- Photo spot
Where to stay
Gaslamp Quarter is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 8 areas.
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife and solo travellers
Gaslamp Quarter
Victorian-era blocks of restaurants, rooftop bars and hotels around Fifth Avenue
$$$ · Best for food lovers, couples and first-timers
Little Italy
Restaurant terraces, a Saturday farmers' market and harbour views along India Street
$$$$ · Best for couples, luxury, families and beach
La Jolla
Clifftop village, sea lions on the rocks and boutiques on Prospect Street
$$$$ · Best for families, beach, quiet stays and luxury
Coronado
Wide sandy beach, the Hotel del Coronado and a calm small-town main street
What to eat
- California burrito — San Diego's signature burrito wraps carne asada, French fries, cheese and guacamole or sour cream in a large flour tortilla.
- Baja fish tacos — Battered and fried white fish in a corn tortilla with shredded cabbage, a creamy white sauce and salsa, in the style of Ensenada just across the border.
- Carne asada fries — A heaped plate of fries topped with grilled carne asada, cheese, guacamole and sour cream, invented in San Diego taco shops and best shared.
- Rolled tacos — Thin tortillas rolled around shredded beef or chicken, fried crisp and buried under guacamole and cheese, usually sold in orders of three or five.
- Mariscos and aguachile — Sinaloa- and Baja-style seafood: shrimp aguachile cured in lime with chilli and cucumber, ceviche tostadas and seafood cocktails served in tall glasses.
- West Coast IPA — San Diego's breweries helped define the bitter, piney, clear West Coast style of India pale ale, and the county has well over 100 breweries and tasting rooms.
When to go
San Diego works all year, but September and October are the sweet spot: the sea is still warm, the coast is often at its sunniest, and summer crowds and prices have dropped. April and May are mild and comfortable, though mornings are often grey, while July and August bring the warmest weather together with the highest prices.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Mild days, spring break crowds in March, the Carlsbad flower fields and desert blooms after wet winters; morning marine layer grows by May. |
| Summer | June–August | Grey mornings in June, then reliable sun, warm water and peak crowds; Comic-Con and the Del Mar fair and races drive up prices. |
| Autumn | September–November | Warm sea, clear skies and fewer visitors; occasional Santa Ana heat waves in October. |
| Winter | December–February | Mild, sometimes rainy, with cool evenings, whale-watching and the lowest hotel rates outside the holidays. |
Getting there and around
San Diego International Airport is about 5 km from downtown, one of the closest airports to a city centre in the US. A taxi or rideshare to the Gaslamp takes about 10–15 minutes, and an MTS bus links the terminals with downtown.
San Diego is spread out, and most visitors use a mix of the MTS trolley and buses, rideshare and a car for the beaches north of the city. Downtown, Little Italy and the Embarcadero are walkable, and Coronado is a short ferry ride across the bay.
Plan your days
Three days covers Balboa Park and the zoo, downtown and the Midway, and a day in La Jolla. Five days adds Coronado, Point Loma and a day trip to the Safari Park, Carlsbad or the desert at Anza-Borrego.
Practical information
- Currency
- USD
- Language
- English and Spanish
- Plugs
- Type A and B sockets, 120 V, 60 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink; many visitors prefer filtered water for taste.
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Tipping
- Tipping is expected: about 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, a dollar or two per drink at bars, about 15–20% for taxis and rideshares, and a few dollars per night for housekeeping.
Leave nothing visible in parked cars at beaches and viewpoints, where break-ins happen. Rip currents are common, so swim near staffed lifeguard towers, and keep back from crumbling cliff edges at Sunset Cliffs and La Jolla.
Flights to San Diego
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in San Diego?
Three days covers Balboa Park and the zoo, downtown and the Midway, and a day in La Jolla. Five days adds Coronado, Point Loma and a day trip to the Safari Park, Carlsbad or the desert at Anza-Borrego. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit San Diego?
San Diego works all year, but September and October are the sweet spot: the sea is still warm, the coast is often at its sunniest, and summer crowds and prices have dropped. April and May are mild and comfortable, though mornings are often grey, while July and August bring the warmest weather together with the highest prices.
+What is San Diego known for?
San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, Beaches and surfing, Fish tacos, Craft beer, USS Midway, La Jolla sea lions and Mild climate. Balboa Park packs more than a dozen museums, Spanish Colonial Revival buildings and the San Diego Zoo into one walkable 485-hectare park on the edge of downtown.
+Is San Diego expensive?
San Diego is expensive for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $230–$400 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in San Diego?
Not for downtown, Balboa Park and Coronado, but a car or rideshare makes La Jolla, Torrey Pines and the northern beaches much easier, and is close to essential for day trips inland.