Solo travel · San Diego · United States
Solo travel in San Diego
How to enjoy San Diego at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
San Diego is easy for solo travellers: surf lessons, group kayak tours, brewery tasting rooms and hostels in Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach and downtown make it simple to meet people. Many solo travellers base themselves in Gaslamp Quarter.
Key facts
- Base
- Gaslamp Quarter
- Getting around
- Tram
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Language
- English and Spanish
Solo travel tips
- Hostels in Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach and the Gaslamp run social events and beach outings.
- Group surf lessons and La Jolla kayak tours are a straightforward way to meet other travellers.
- Sit at the bar in brewery tasting rooms; staff happily recommend other places to try.
- Use the trolley and rideshare rather than walking long distances between neighbourhoods at night.
- Swim only at beaches with lifeguards on duty and check for rip currents.
Where to stay
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife and solo travellers
Gaslamp Quarter
The Gaslamp is downtown's 16-block historic district, with restored 19th-century commercial buildings along Fifth and Fourth Avenues now filled with steakhouses, bars and clubs. Petco Park and the Convention Center are on its southern edge, the trolley runs along its border, and it is a short walk to Seaport Village and the Embarcadero.
- Good
- Walkable to the waterfront and trolley; Huge choice of bars and restaurants; Short ride from the airport
- Watch out
- Loud on weekend nights; Hotel rates jump during conventions and Padres games; No beach within walking distance
- Nearby
- Petco Park, Seaport Village, USS Midway Museum, Horton Plaza Park
Great on your own
Park · Balboa Park
Balboa Park
Walking the gardens and El Prado is free; pick two museums for a day rather than trying to cover them all.
- Time needed
- Half a day to a full day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- Kids
- Art
- Outdoors
Museum · Embarcadero
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.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Architecture · Coronado
Hotel del Coronado
Take the ferry to Coronado, rent a bike at the landing and ride the flat streets to the hotel and beach.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Couples
- History
Nature · Torrey Pines
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Park at the beach lot and walk up the road for the full climb, or pay to park at the top for shorter walks.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Views
- Nature
- Active
- Photo spot
Historic site · Point Loma
Cabrillo National Monument
Check the tide tables and visit the tide pools at low tide, usually best in winter afternoons.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Kids
- Nature
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Historic site · Old Town
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Combine it with a walk up to Presidio Park above Old Town, site of the original 1769 Spanish fort and mission.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Kids
- Food
Meeting people
- Taco shop crawl — Compare California burritos, rolled tacos and fish tacos at a few neighbourhood taco shops in one evening; portions are big, so share as you go.
- Brewery hopping — North Park's 30th Street and the Miramar area have dense clusters of tasting rooms; many offer tasting flights and let food trucks park outside.
- Gaslamp Quarter — Rooftop bars, nightclubs and late-night restaurants along Fifth Avenue, busiest on weekends and after Padres games.
- Pacific Beach — Beach bars and casual clubs along Garnet Avenue and the boardwalk, popular with a young crowd.
Sensible precautions
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.
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Staying connected
- US SIM cards and eSIMs are easy to buy; free Wi-Fi is common in cafés, libraries and the airport.
Questions travellers ask
+Is San Diego good for solo travellers?
San Diego is easy for solo travellers: surf lessons, group kayak tours, brewery tasting rooms and hostels in Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach and downtown make it simple to meet people.
+Where should solo travellers stay in San Diego?
Gaslamp Quarter: Victorian-era blocks of restaurants, rooftop bars and hotels around Fifth Avenue.