12 Incredibly Fun Things To Do In San Diego

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San Diego is probably my favorite US city that I’ve visited to date. I loved it from the moment I arrived to the minute the wheels of my plane left the ground again. Watching the Southern California coast disappear as I flew back to Canada I knew it wouldn’t be the last time I visited this amazing city. There are lots of fun things to do in San Diego, but what was it that made me fall in love with it?

What I loved about San Diego

Proximity to the ocean is a big plus for me when it comes to cities. I live in Vancouver, Canada and couldn’t imagine living somewhere that I couldn’t just stroll down to the ocean anytime I want. That’s one of the main things San Diego had going for it.

The weather, of course, is another plus. I first visited in February to escape the rainy, cold winter-like weather of Canada. Walking around in t-shirts and summer dresses means being able to pack light, and is a much more pleasant feeling to me than being so cold I can’t feel my fingers.

The people of San Diego also really made the trip for me. From the friendly bus driver who chatted and gave me a tour of the city as I was the last one on the bus, to a local I met through someone in the hostel who accompanied us on a cross-border trip to Tijuana for the day to play tour guide.

And of course, there are lots of fun things to do in San Diego. The city, the parks, the history and amazing museums. Here are some of the top activities in San Diego if it’s your first time.

San Diego Museums

San Diego has so many amazing museums, but for the largest concentration you should head to Balboa Park. Along central El Prado street, the museums line both sides of the street. The anthropological Museum of Us and the San Diego Natural History Museum shouldn’t be missed. But personally I loved learning a bit more about the city and region itself at the San Diego History Center.

Top Transit Tip: For easy transit access take bus #7 (Downtown San Diego-University/College) to the “Park Bl & Village Pl” stop.

Balboa Park

Balboa Park is the largest urban cultural park in North America. And spanning 1200 acres, it is bigger than even New York’s Central Park. The park is serviced by a number of public buses as well as being walkable from many popular areas of the city.

Balboa park is home to the world famous San Diego Zoo as well as a plethora of cultural museums and historic information sites. The park has miles of trails and spectacular garden views – keep an eye out for some unique, pretty birds.

Botanic Garden

This might be about a half hour drive outside of the city, but the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas is worth a day trip. Spend the morning walking the trails, seeing some of the beautiful flowers, plants and trees from around the world. The garden even has the country’s biggest bamboo collection. Then spend the rest of the day exploring the spectacular nearby southern California beaches.

Gaslamp District

With cobbled streets, boutique shops and of course the trademark Gaslamps lighting the historic looking streets, the Gaslamp District is one of the nicest areas of San Diego. There are so many great restaurants and bars, and the area really comes alive at night when the lights are turned on. Take a historical haunted walking tour to learn more about the areas 150 year history.

See some wildlife

The city is known for its incredible San Diego Zoo. This is THE zoo to beat all zoos. With over 12,000 animals of incredible variety, and covering 100 acres of real estate, you’ll walk your feet off in this humungous place. And if it was good enough for Marcel the monkey, it might just be worth checking out. The zoo also has an aerial tram as well as animal encounters. Buy your 1-Day Pass to the San Diego zoo here.

If you’d rather see some wild wildlife how about taking a whale and dolphin watching cruise? With any luck you’ll get to see some whales, but there are plenty of other animals to see such as dolphins and sealions. After all San Diego is right by the ocean, so the perfect place to see some wild animals.

Catch a ball game

Many sports teams play in arenas and stadiums that are difficult to get to. However San Diego’s baseball team, The Padres, play at Petco Park just outside the Gaslamp District. Take a couple of hours to enjoy America’s favorite pastime right in downtown San Diego and cheer on the home team.

The stadium even has a giant grassy space outside the outfield, the Park at the Park. So bring a blanket and a picnic, or on game days watch the Padres on the huge screen TV with a few friends (tickets required on game days). No game day when you’re there? Take a behind the scenes tour of Petco Park.

Spruce Street Suspension bridge

A suspension bridge? In the middle of San Diego? This is a little bit of a hidden gem in the city. The great news is that it isn’t too far from Balboa Park so you can easily work it into your park and museum day.

The historic footbridge is over 100 years old. Offering views of the canyon below it’s the perfect place for a picturesque walk. Assuming you like heights of course.

Old Town San Diego

One of my favorite parts of the city is the historic looking and aptly named Old Town. A perfect place to visit if you love beautiful small towns despite being part of the bigger city. It’s really accessible as the light rail line stops right outside the culturally significant area of San Diego where you can learn about the town’s Mexican heritage. Buy some traditionally made wares from the many shops, explore one of the historic homes-turned-museums, and of course pig out on delicious food.

My favorite thing in Old Town was a tea shop that sold a Mexican Hot Chocolate that I still dream about to this day. Made with rich cocoa, a hint of spicy chili and garnished with peanuts for a little texture.

Top Transit Tip: Take the San Diego Trolley Green Line to the Old Town stop. This will drop you right at the edge of the historic district.

Eat amazing Mexican food

So much good food in San Diego. And you can’t be this close to the border without experiencing some yummy Mexican food. Not to say that San Diego doesn’t have other great food (they really do) but you’re going to want to load up on dishes made with fresh tortillas, spicy homemade salsas and tasty slow cooked meats and vegetables.

There are plenty of options ranging from budget to high end – you won’t be disappointed with either. So skip the chain restaurants and find a family run restaurant in the city to really appreciate this fantastic cuisine. Not sure where to start? Take a Taco Tour of San Diego and have tacos for breakfast, lunch and dinner – definitely one of the most fun things to do in San Diego.

USS Midway Museum

This gigantic former naval aircraft carrier is now a museum housing dozens of fighter jets, helicopters and more. Plus you can explore the vessel and see how those who worked there would have lived. One of the best interactive exhibits is a 360 flight simulator where you can even roll and spin. Whether you’re a plane nut, a history geek or just love museums this is a great place to visit.

Do some shopping

San Diego has some nice unique shops around the city, but it also has a shopping mall or two. The Horton Plaza mall near the Gaslamp quarter is an open air mall with many brand stores, or try the Fashion Valley Mall a bit further away. For some more boutique shops try Seaport Village down by the marina (and close to the USS Midway museum).

Stay at a fancy hotel

There are lots of great places to stay in San Diego. From budget hotels and hostels to high end resorts and everything in between. But there’s one property that’s a little higher on the wish list than most. The Hotel del Coronado on the resort peninsula with impressive ocean views. The hotel is over 130 years old and the architecture is exquisite.

With so many resort activities on offer you’ll run out of time before you get to them all. However long you spend there make sure to check out the Ice House Museum which details the property’s history – and the famous guests who have stayed there.

Bonus idea: Tijuana day trip

During my trip to San Diego I discovered that you can take public transit right to the Mexico-US border. Now if that’s not the easiest way to explore two countries in one I don’t know what is.

If you’re less comfortable with transit there are plenty of day tours that will take you to Tijuana for the day, but I made a friend in the hostel who knew a Spanish speaking local who was happy to play tour guide for us.

Sample some cheap and delicious street food, bargain for some trinkets at a market, and enjoying a walk around the colorful streets of Tijuana. Then if you’re anything like me you’ll end your trip walking back through the USA border holding your churros in one hand and tequila in the other. But Mexico is so much more than that, so make time to enjoy your visit and take advantage of how close you are in San Diego.

Top Transit Tip: Take the San Diego Trolley Blue Line to the last stop (San Ysidro). It stops a few meters from the border and you can just walk through.

The best fun things to do in San Diego

San Diego is a wonderful city, and you’ll find so much to see and do here. This is just a snapshot of some of the awesome fun things to do in San Diego. Allow at least 3 full days to explore San Diego and it’s attractions, but more would be good if you plan on a day trip to Tijuana or nearby La Jolla.

If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Have you visited San Diego before? Is this your first time? Which of these fun things to do in San Diego is top of your list?