One day in San Diego

Day by day

1. Day 1: Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

   Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo, USS Midway Museum and La Jolla Cove, then Gaslamp Quarter in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Balboa Park

      Walking the gardens and El Prado is free; pick two museums for a day rather than trying to cover them all. Allow Half a day to a full day.

   2. Late morning

      San Diego Zoo

      Arrive at opening, ride the bus tour first to get your bearings, then walk the canyons before the midday heat. Allow Full day.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: California burrito

      Independent taco shops across the city, especially in Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach and North Park.

   4. Afternoon

      USS Midway Museum

      Go up to the flight deck first while it is cool, then work through the lower decks; the self-guided audio tour is included. Allow 3–4 hours.

   5. Late afternoon

      La Jolla Cove

      Keep a respectful distance from the sea lions and seals; rangers and signs mark the closed areas. Allow 1–2 hours.

   6. Evening

      Gaslamp Quarter

      Walk Fifth Avenue in the early evening when the street lamps come on, before the late-night crowds arrive.

Before you go

• San Diego Zoo: Buying tickets online saves time at the gate on weekends and in school holidays.

If it rains

• Swap in Maritime Museum of San Diego (Embarcadero): Ask about short bay cruises on the museum's historic boats, which leave from the same dock.
• Swap in Birch Aquarium at Scripps (La Jolla): Pair it with a calm-water swim or tide-pooling at La Jolla Shores just below.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 15–20 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10 hours in December to 14.3 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Tram. The MTS San Diego Trolley runs light-rail lines linking downtown with Old Town, Mission Valley, the San Ysidro border crossing and, on the Blue Line, the UC San Diego area near La Jolla.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in San Diego
• 3 days in San Diego
• 5 days in San Diego

Questions travellers ask