Note: All travel is subject to frequently changing governmental restrictions—please check government advisories before scheduling trips. Some attractions and establishments may be closed or providing modified services. We strongly recommend researching any attractions and establishments prior to your visit. This article was last updated October 2020.
Dang it, San Diego! Why do you have to be so perfect? Not only is California’s southern-most city blessed with 70 miles of coastline, nearly 300 days of sunshine annually and friendly folks, but thanks to a revitalization both downtown and in surrounding neighborhoods like Little Italy, North Park and Golden Hill, it’s downright cool these days. If we could afford to live there we would. In the meantime, join us in trying these 9 things you can only do in “America’s Finest City.”
RELATED: Soak up the Sun at San Diego’s Hottest Beaches
Trover photo by Suzie G
Wave to Mexico from the largest museum campus on the West Coast
The crown jewel of sunny San Diego is Balboa Park, a gorgeous, urban-cultural landscape occupying 1,200 acres of eucalyptus, palm tree and cactus-studded greenery smack in the middle of the city. It’s not only home to the world famous San Diego Zoo, but also a breathtaking collection of Spanish Colonial-revival buildings that function as museums. Closed for 80 years, but now open, is the California Tower at the Museum of Man. Climb its 157 steps for beautiful views of the city, ocean and on a clear day (which is basically everyday), Mexico!
See a mid-century mushroom house on a bluff in the buff
Breathtaking Torrey Pines State Beach stretches out below a striking series of cliffs, atop of which sits the University of California at San Diego campus. Its only man-made feature is the so-called “Mushroom House,” a circular oddity built in 1965 for Sam Bell of Bell’s Potato Chips & General Mills. In its residential heyday, it was accessible only via funicular. Today, it’s closed to the public, but worth marveling at if you’re willing to make the difficult hike down to the beach. Just know that strolling north leads to Black’s Beach—where swimsuits are optional.
Anza-Borrego State Park
Experience four seasons—in a single day
It’s 100% accurate that within San Diego County, a person can leapfrog from season to season in a matter of hours. In March or April, for example, you could rise and shine to moody spring temps, drive east to Anza-Borrego State Park (the largest in the state) where you’ll need to slather on sunscreen, return to the city via the mountain town of Julian where a sudden blizzard could easily deter you and then return to San Diego for an al fresco dinner enveloped in crisp, autumn-like air. Trust us, we experienced this exact phenomenon not too many years ago.
Photo courtesy of Hotel del Coronado
Stay at a hotel that will make you think you’re not in Kansas anymore
A glorious collection of turrets and spires capped in red, the Hotel del Coronado is a San Diego icon and inspiration for the phrase, “Meet me at the Del.” Its namesake island is a cheery and likeable, if sleepy, place, but the famous Hotel Del (as it’s colloquially called) thrills with its sparkling pool, immaculate grounds, numerous open-air restaurants and sprawling beachfront. The Del opened in 1888 as the largest resort in the world, and is where L. Frank Baum wrote much of “The Wizard of Oz.” Rumor has it the Del provided inspiration for the Emerald City.
Go to jail (and eat amazing tacos there)
A bit of a tourist blight, Seaport Village functions as a collection of souvenir shops and bay-facing seafood eateries. But a better attraction is the nearby Headquarters at Seaport Village, a former police headquarters that has since been transformed into an open-air shopping, dining and entertainment destination that’s not too shabby in its cultural and culinary offerings. Original jail cells still stand (and make for great bait for the old Instagram feed). Of the many eateries, grab a few meaty tacos at Puesto and chase them with a scoop from Gelato Paradiso.
Don’t miss you chance to swim with leopard sharks!
Swim with a leopard (shark that is)
Oh, great whites. They give sharks such a bad rep! But most marine life, and most sharks for that matter, are in fact harmless to humans and that includes leopard sharks, a species of houndshark, that are found along the Pacific Coast of North America. In summertime, they make their home in La Jolla Cove, a crescent-shaped wisp of sand in downtown La Jolla. Grab a snorkel mask and some fins and don’t be surprised if you find yourself suddenly surrounded by dozens of them (they can grow up to six feet!). Relax, we promise they’re friendly.
Explore a secret sea cave, via a gift shop
Another La Jolla highlight is Sunny Jim Sea Cave. It’s one of roughly a half dozen in La Jolla, but this one has the distinction of being the only sea cave in the entire state (rumor has it) accessible via land. That’s because a tunnel has been cut through and visitors can descend a set of steep, slippery steps (don’t worry, there are handrails) to reach the cave’s ocean-facing entrance. As for the gift shop, yep, it’s real thing and it’s appropriately named the Cave Store. As for the cave itself, it was given the name Sunny Jim by none other than “Wizard of Oz” creator L. Frank Baum.
Snap a selfie atop a “potato chip”
Full disclosure: We’ve not tried this one (yet), but if Instagram is any indicator, thousands have before us. We’re talking about the most iconic hike in San Diego County to none other than Potato Chip Rock. A wafer thin rock jutting out from the peak of Mount Woodson, this once-in-a-lifetime selfie requires a 3-4 hour mostly uphill trek and is not actually in San Diego but rather nearby Poway (about 30 miles north of the city), but that doesn’t stop the masses from climbing to the summit’s peak to snap a pic in hopes of earning a few new followers.
Summon a Hawaiian God—from inside a freezer
San Diego doesn’t get enough credit for wearing its love of all things Polynesian on its sleeve. For starters there’s SD icon Bali Hai’, a Bayfront tiki bar and restaurant housed within a midcentury marvel and famous for its killer mai tais. Then there’s Grass Skirt, an upscale newcomer serving pupus in Pacific Beach. Last of all there’s False Idol, a fun, rowdy tiki lounge and speakeasy hybrid located entirely within Craft & Commerce restaurant in Little Italy and accessible only via the restaurant’s walk-in cooler. Prepare to wait in a long line on weekends.
Jason Heidemann, Travelocity Staff Writer
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