Where to stay, eat and go in San Diego
My fiancé is from San Diego so it’s a city we visit regularly to catch up with his family and friends. During my first visit I immediately fell in love with the perfect weather, diverse neighborhoods, amazing fish tacos and wide variety of things to do.
For those of you that get the chance to visit, below is a list of my favorite places to stay, restaurants to visit and things to do!
Where to stay
There are so many diverse neighborhoods to stay in when visiting San Diego. Below are my top picks and where I generally spend my time when I visit.
La Jolla is an upscale, picturesque neighborhood that is perfect for those that want to lounge on the beach, shop boutiques and enjoy fine dining. La Jolla Cove is the destination for kayaking, snorkeling and whale watching (I did this in a kayak and it was AMAZING). Torrey Pines is great for hiking and home to one of the most beautiful golf courses in the world.
North Park is walking distance to many of San Diego’s cultural sites like Balboa Park, Ray Street and the North Park Theater. If you want to spend your trip visiting museums, gardens, art galleries or the world-famous San Diego Zoo, this neighborhood is a great option
Mission Bay is home to the larger resorts given its expansive public beaches, recreation paths and waterfront parks. If you’re traveling to San Diego to enjoy water sports, boats, jet skis and kayaks dominate in this area.
Gaslamp Quarter is perfect for travelers that want to be in the heart of downtown San Diego. Full of renovated historic buildings, the Gaslamp Quarter is a great place to be if you want to enjoy the cities nightlife as it is loaded with bars and restaurants. I also recommend checking out a Padres game at Petco Park – they’re not the best baseball team (don’t tell my fiancé I said that), but the stadium is fun to walk and full of craft beer and great food!
I chose La Jolla every time! :)
Where to eat and drink
The fish taco, my favorite food, was created in San Diego so they are obviously amazing here! I could have made this all about tacos, but decided to offer you some variety :)
The Fish Shop, located in Pacific Beach, is one of my favorites for fish tacos. You walk up to the counter, pick from a huge variety of fresh fish, select your seasoning and how you want your meal prepared – as a taco, salad or sandwich. It’s super casual and never disappoints.
George’s at the Cove, located in La Jolla, offers three distinct restaurants each on different floors – one is fine dining and the other two are casual. The ocean view from the rooftop is worth the trip and on a chilly evening they have heat lamps and blankets. Great place to check out even for just a drink.
Pacific Coast Grill, located in Cardiff, is right on beach. You can enjoy an amazing meal overlooking the ocean and then immediately take a stroll through the sand.
What to do
Below are some of my favorite things to do and places to see when visiting San Diego!
Kayaking La Jolla Cove – the first time I ever visited San Diego we went Kayaking with La Jolla Sea Cave Kayaks. Our guide took us out into the ocean and about halfway through our time spotted a whale. We followed it and about 10 yards in front of us the whale’s tail emerged completely from the water before it disappeared. I can’t guarantee this will happen when you go, but the experience was so unforgettable I have to recommend it!
Petco Park – the Padres might not be the best at baseball, but they have a great stadium! I get Park at the Park tickets which get you into the stadium lawn area. You can bring your own food for a picnic, but you also have full access to beer and food vendors
Balboa Park – home to the world famous San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park is full of things to do. There are trails, gardens and museums, you could spend an entire day here exploring cultural attractions
Hike Torrey Pines State National Reserve – with multiple hikes to choose from, you can experience ocean views, glance at the world-famous golf course and see the endangered Torrey Pine tree
Torrey Pines Gliderport – if you’re like me, running off the side of a cliff and hoping you’ll glide through the air doesn’t sound like fun. For more adventurous types, you can definitely learn to do that here, but for those that aren’t interested in that this is still a great place to visit. It has one of the best views in San Diego, its free and watching the bright parachutes glide through the air is amazing!
What are some of your favorite places to stay, eat and go in San Diego? I’ll definitely keep adding to this list!
Xoxo, Katie
