Experience the best San Diego tours

A picturesque coastal city offering something for nearly every interest, San Diego is home to many unique and historic landmarks, some dating back to the 1800s.

If there’s one spot that should be on every visitor’s list it’s Balboa Park near downtown San Diego. Established in 1868, the 1,200-acre park is not only an inviting greenspace filled with walking paths, but it’s also home to museums, theaters, manicured gardens, and the popular San Diego Zoo.

Cabrillo National Monument is another must-visit landmark, one that allows you to truly experience the coastal California beauty that is San Diego’s calling card. The monument is located 300 to 400 feet above sea level on the southern tip of the Point Loma Peninsula and offers one of the best views you’ll get of the San Diego city skyline and surrounding bay. In addition to taking in the scenery here, visitors can explore tide pools and the Old Point Loma Lighthouse.

Some of the city’s other top landmarks include Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, which includes buildings dating back to the founding of San Diego in the 1800s, and PETCO Park, home of the Padres Major League baseball team.

America’s Finest City offers many options for family visitors, but perhaps the most famous is the San Diego Zoo. The 100-acre zoo, which is located within Balboa Park, is home to more than 12,000 rare and endangered animals. Visitors can see everything from cheetahs to hippos to baboons at the zoo. Some of San Diego’s other notable family attractions include:

• The USS Midway Museum is a former naval aircraft carrier that’s now permanently docked in San Diego. The massive ship provides a glimpse of what life is like on a naval vessel and also features a variety of interactive exhibits including flight simulator rides. Don’t miss the World War II-era aircraft on display, which visitors can climb into.
• At the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, visitors can explore more than 60 habitats showcasing marine life. The aquarium is also the only place on the West Coast that’s home to Little Blue Penguins.
• Belmont Park is a seven-acre waterfront amusement park that dates back nearly a century. The park is home to dozens of rides including the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, which was built in 1925.
• Legoland offers yet another fun-filled option for families that includes a water park, aquarium, and all manner of rides and attractions.

If you’re looking for a tour with wheels, try the hop-on-hop-off trolley tours offered by Old Town Trolley Tours. The trolleys cover 25 miles from start to finish taking visitors to some of the city’s most popular sites including Balboa Park, the USS Midway, the Gaslamp Quarter, and more. There’s also a unique nighttime trolley tour designed to showcase the illumination of some of San Diego’s top signs after sunset.

For those who want to dive into the history of one of San Diego’s coolest districts on foot, the San Diego Gaslamp Quarter Walking Tour is a must. It covers everything from architecture to places believed to be haunted, and as a bonus, your guide will share tips on places to enjoy the local entertainment scene.

Harbor cruise tours offer yet another perspective of San Diego. You can take a narrated excursion past a variety of San Diego landmarks including Seaport Village, Shelter Island, Coronado Island, and more. Those seeking a romantic option might want to try a dinner cruise around San Diego Bay with music and a welcome cocktail.

For visitors in search of days filled with sunny skies, it’s often surprising to learn that late spring and early summer are not necessarily the best time to visit San Diego. That’s due to the impact of the marine layer on the coastal city, which brings about what locals refer to as May Gray and June Gloom. During these months, days start off especially cloudy and can be unseasonably cool. 

Planning a trip for August, September or October on the other hand, promise warmer, dryer, sunnier days. San Diego is also far less crowded in September and October since these are less popular travel months than the height of summer vacation or spring break. Though if summer is when you hope to visit, it’s still possible to have plenty of fun. The key is to plan outdoor activities for slightly later in the day, once the marine layer has faded.

With miles of coastline punctuated by unique and colorful coastal communities, as well as a vibrant downtown, deciding where to stay in San Diego is no easy task. If your goal is to focus on experiencing San Diego’s coastal attractions consider finding accommodations in the iconic beach neighborhood of La Jolla. Yet another option is San Diego’s Mission Bay neighborhood, which features 27 miles of shoreline, 19 beaches, and several beachfront hotels and resorts. 

If it’s nightlife and urban explorations you’re after, San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter and Little Italy neighborhoods, both located downtown, are home to a plethora of hotel options for every budget. Both parts of the city are easy to explore on foot and offer a variety of dining, bars, shopping, and cultural attractions.

There’s a variety of recurring events in San Diego particularly centered around music and food. Visitors hoping to sample some of the city’s best culinary offerings won’t want to miss Restaurant Week. The annual event features more than 100 restaurants that offer multi-course menus at a bargain, many starting at just $20. 

The San Diego County Fair is another major annual event that takes place in the region. The fair, which is held every June and July, offers a true slice of Americana with rides, all manner of food, concerts, and more.

The annual Comic-Con convention, which has become an almost cult-like gathering focused on comics, pop-art and movies, also draws legions of visitors to the city every year in July. The month of July also marks the start of the racing season at Del Mar racetrack — an event that lasts until September and draws not only sports fans, but also those who like to don their finest hats and dress up for the occasion. 

Music lovers, meanwhile, won’t want to miss the annual Wonderfront Music & Arts Festival, which is spread across waterfront parks and Seaport Village. These events are merely the tip of the iceberg. There are festivals and happenings taking place all year long in San Diego.

Though the city can’t necessarily claim to have invented them, fish tacos are an unofficial tradition in San Diego and they’re often enjoyed on “Taco Tuesdays” when many area restaurants offer a discount or a related meal deal. You can find tacos in San Diego that run the gamut from street style to gourmet so don’t miss indulging in this local favorite.

Not technically a food, but San Diego has become well known for its vibrant craft beer scene. Some even like to think of the city as the craft beer capital of America given that it’s home to more than 150 breweries, not to mention countless tasting rooms. 

Some of the additional foodie highlights in San Diego include:

• Enjoy all manner of Asian food along Convoy Street, which is sometimes referred to as Asian Restaurant Row or the Convoy District.
• San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood offers another not-to-miss dining experience, home to streets lined by restaurants serving a range of cuisine, including traditional and contemporary takes on Italian food, cafes known for their pastries and cappuccino, and shops specializing in gelato.
• The hipster neighborhood of North Park is the place to explore the city’s craft beer scene. Dubbed the “best beer neighborhood in the nation,” you’ll find tasting rooms, bars dedicated to showcasing craft beer, and breweries.

The itinerary for your first trip to San Diego really depends on your interests and travel style. Two of the biggest landmarks are Balboa Park and the Gaslamp Quarter, and for good reason. Each is loaded with attractions that you can spend hours exploring. 

You can start the morning with a walking tour of the Gaslamp Quarter and from there, walk straight to Balboa Park. Enjoy the many gardens and hit up a couple of the museums inside the park. The San Diego Museum of Art, the Mingei International Museum, and the Museum of Photographic Arts are all great. If you have kids in your crew, don’t miss the one-of-a-kind San Diego Model Railroad Museum. 

Nature lovers should be sure to hit San Diego’s beaches and coastline and don’t miss Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, which provides one of the most stunning views of the California coast that you’ll find in San Diego.

And when it comes time to eat, foodies have plenty of choices in San Diego, but be sure to include the Convoy District on your itinerary for a truly unique experience.

As the eighth largest city in the United States, San Diego offers a lot to see and do. The city also spans nearly 40 miles from south to north, so it can take some time to get around and see  all of San Diego’s top attractions. 

A vacation of 5-7 days would offer an adequate amount of time, especially if you hope to allocate a day or two for relaxing and enjoying some of the iconic beaches while still having time to explore some of San Diego’s cultural attractions and historic landmarks.

San Diego is a sprawling city, and public transportation is limited. If you want to be able to explore the variety of sights around the San Diego region, a rental car makes that far more manageable. 

The city does have a three-line trolley system, but with the exception of the Blue Line, which runs through downtown and Old Town, the trolley doesn’t connect with many of San Diego’s major attractions.

If it’s luxury shopping you’re after, downtown La Jolla is hard to beat. La Jolla’s Prospect Street and Girard Avenue are lined by upscale shops and boutiques as well as art galleries and restaurants.

Seaport Village is the place to go if you’re looking for souvenirs from your visit to San Diego, including standard items like T-shirts and sweatshirts and also more unique gifts or crafts. Take your time browsing the 50-plus shops. 

Old Town San Diego offers a variety of shops you’re unlikely to find elsewhere. There are over 100 stores here, and more than a few of them feature one-of-a-kind crafts, folk art, and jewelry.