4 Days in San Diego Itinerary

Morning:

Hop on the early ferry to Coronado to bag the best ‘alone at Hotel del Coronado’ selfies ahead of the sightseeing hordes – this turreted beachfront confection, known fondly as ‘the Del’ is one of the most popular attractions in town. Heck, if it was good enough for guests like Marilyn Monroe and Rita Hayworth…

Snaps snapped, rent a bike to ride the Bayshore Bikeway, or stay right here on the beach: there are BBQs in case you hanker after a mid-morning s’more, and local celeb Bill Pavlacka, aka the Sandcastle Man, can often be seen constructing his award-winning shoreline sculptures.

Afternoon:

Head back to ‘the mainland’, where waterfront lunch options abound along the glitzy Embarcadero and the opportunity to indulge in some credit card-melting retail therapy at Seaport Village may prove irresistible. Stop for a snog at the iconic Unconditional Surrender/Embracing Peace sculpture (pictured above) as you follow the bay to the USS Midway Museum. This hulking monument to 20th century naval history carried over 200,000 sailors during its 47 years of action. 

Evening:

Mosey on down to the Gaslamp Quarter, the downtown Victorian enclave that packs a mighty punch across its 16 blocks. The nightlife here is legendary, from rooftop cocktail clubs to atmospheric dive bars and comedy clubs to hard rockin’ music theaters. It’s also just a hop and a skip over to Petco Park to see local heroes the San Diego Padres strutting their stuff.

Read our guide to Coronado Island here. 

Read our guide to the Gaslamp Quarter here.

Morning:

There’s enough going on in Balboa Park to fill an entire day or more. You could spend the morning at San Diego Zoo, as its thousands of resident critters – furry, feathered, scaly and prickly – wake up for breakfast. But there are plenty of opportunities for watching the San Diego ‘wildlife’ elsewhere across the park’s 1,200 acres: eyes peeled for joggers panting along the pathways, yoga enthusiasts throwing impossible shapes on the lawns, and that most curious of creatures, the coffee-toting San Diego business exec, barking into their cellphone. Lean into it by howling like a wild thing from aboard the painted menagerie that is the Balboa Park Carousel. 

Afternoon:

No visit to Balboa Park is complete without ogling El Prado boulevard’s eye-popping pot pourri of architectural styles – tick off Gothic, Baroque, Rococo and Churrigueresque as you go. Further eye candy awaits inside the San Diego Museum of Art, a Spanish Renaissance confection that contains essential works by Velázquez, Murillo, Zurbarán, El Greco and more. Afterwards, soothe overstimulated gray matter in the Japanese Friendship Garden, 12 acres of zen featuring bonsai plants, koi ponds and tinkling waterfalls (pictured above).

Evening:

Just north of Balboa Park, the duo of hip young ‘hoods that are Hillcrest and North Park serve up an eclectic mix of cool street art, brewery taprooms, and tasty taquerias. 

Read our guide to Balboa Park here. 

Get up to 50% off entry to dozens of activities, tours and attractions with a Go CIty San Diego pass.

Morning:

Mission Bay is where it's at for all your San Diego watersports needs. This vast man-made saltwater bay is built for fun, with something like 4,600 acres of waterways and 27 miles of shoreline to explore. Pack a picnic and take yourself on a tour of the cycling trails. In a place this size you’re bound to find a secluded spot sooner or later. But if you can’t beat ‘em, you might as well join ‘em on the water: there’s wakeboarding, jet skiing, surfing, paddleboarding and, well, just about every other water-based activity you can think of. 

Afternoon:

From the bay to the Mission Beach boardwalk, where you’ll have to run the gauntlet of skateboarders and rollerbladers to reach some of the finest golden sands on the California coast. There’s a glut of great Pacific Rim-influenced restaurants (many with panoramic rooftops) along the boardwalk too, ideal if you accidentally polished off your picnic by 10AM. But the jewel in the Mission Beach crown has to be Belmont Park, an old-fashioned seaside amusement park complete with bumper cars, fairground sideshows, and century-old wooden roller coaster. Do not miss.

Evening:

Pause for local ales and tacos at the Ocean Beach Brewery en route down to the Sunset Cliffs which, as the name suggests, serves up Instagrammable sundown vistas from high on San Diego’s coastal bluffs.

Morning:

A spicy smorgasbord of Spanish, Mexican and American influences, the Old Town San Diego State National Park is old SoCal in microcosm, a cluster of preserved (or reconstructed) 19th-century adobe buildings including stables, hotels and a courthouse. Visit the nearby Whaley House Museum, said to be America’s most haunted house, and hit up the Mexican market for all your San Diego souvenir needs.

Afternoon:

Strike out north to La Jolla Village for lunch, before a lazy few hours on the soft sun-kissed sands that line this seven-mile stretch of windswept Pacific coastline. Sure, you could also surf or snorkel but, for our money, simply slapping on the sunscreen, pulling your hat down over your eyes and snoozing the afternoon away is a far more pleasurable way to wind up your busy 4-day San Diego itinerary. Go on, you’ve earned it.

Evening:

Seafood and cocktails back in Pacific Beach or Ocean Beach for the win.

Read our guide to La Jolla here.

Our 4 days in San Diego itinerary runs the gamut from historical attractions like the Gaslamp Quarter and Whaley House Museum to hip ‘hoods like North Park and Ocean Beach, via old-fashioned entertainment at Balboa Park, Coronado Beach and the Embarcadero. All the best San Diego highlights, in other words.

Many of the attractions and activities in our 4-day San Diego guide are included with the Go City San Diego pass, which can save you up to 50% on entry fees. Click below to find out more and buy the pass that’s right for you…