5 Days in San Diego Itinerary

Morning:

Apart from a handful of lazy nocturnal types, the critters at San Diego Zoo are at their most active in the mornings. You’ll find them out stretching their legs (or wings) and looking for breakfast at the start of the day, making this a great way to encounter the thousands of animals here, including polar bears, hippos, gorillas and tigers. Heck, if you want to get there really early, you can even book a zoo sleepover experience!

Afternoon:

Mosey over to the broad El Prado boulevard, with its eye-popping architecture and many museums. Grab lunch at The Prado or Panama 66 (set in the sculpture garden at the San Diego Museum of Art, no less), before stepping inside the museum itself, where works by  Spanish masters Velázquez, Murillo and Zurbarán are among the many highlights. Afterwards, make time to chill in the Japanese Friendship Garden or catch a free show at the ornate Spreckels Organ Pavilion.

Evening:

Head up to the hipster enclave of North Park for dinner, drinks and an ogle at some of the best street art in the city. You don’t have to look too hard to find a craft-brewery taproom or six in which to sample San Diego’s legendary beer, and City Tacos along ‘restaurant row’ is a solid choice for soaking it all up.

Read our guide to Balboa Park here, and get up to 50% off entry to dozens of San Diego tours, activities and attractions with a Go City San Diego pass.

Morning:

Take the ferry across to Coronado and grab some selfies at the Hotel del Coronado (aka ‘The Del’). Former guests of this San Diego icon include Marilyn Monroe, Brad Pitt and Madonna, so you’re in good company! The fine golden sands and awesome views of Point Loma make the beach here ideal for whiling away the morning (or longer). Be sure to dip your toes in the calm, warm waters.

Afternoon:

Fortify yourself with lunch at a waterside fave like The Henry or Bluewater Boathouse, then rent a bike to ride the Bayshore Bikeway along the picturesque Silver Strand sand spit. The tranquil green oasis that is Spreckels Park is ideal for a break on hot days. Top tip: Coronado bike rental is included with the Go City San Diego pass. 

Evening:

Head back to The Del for sunset s’mores on the beach, or take the ferry back over to Embarcadero, making time for a visit to the epic USS Midway Museum before dinner in one of the neighborhood’s hottest restaurants: Nobu or Joe’s Crab Shack for the win.

Read our guide to Coronado Island here.

Morning:

Spend some time soaking up the history and Insta-perfect architecture of this diminutive Victorian enclave. Bone up on your west coast history at the Gaslamp Museum – only the oldest surviving structure in downtown San Diego, fact fans – and take a camera-toting tour of historic 5th Avenue, home of some of the finest historic buildings in town. Don’t miss the impressive Baroque Revival confection that is the Louis Bank of Commerce, and the twin spires of the Art Deco Yuma Building. 

Afternoon:

Got kids in tow? Get their creative juices flowing at the interactive New Children’s Museum. Don’t got kids in tow? Shop yourself silly in the neighborhood’s fine selection of indie boutiques and artisan makers’ stores. There’s also the excellent Gaslamp Artisan Market if you happen to be here on the weekend – which has the added bonus of international street food stalls for a quick and handy lunch.

Evening:

The Gaslamp Quarter is known for its superb nightlife. Sip sundowner cocktails at a rooftop bar, see funny guys and gals in the making at the American Comedy Company’s open mic nights, or catch Broadway productions and rock royalty over at the Balboa, a century-old former moviehouse and vaudeville theater. Alternatively, it's just a hop and a skip over to Petco Park in the East Village to catch Major League heroes the San Diego Padres in action. 

Read our guide to the Gaslamp Quarter here.

Morning:

You’ve earned yourself another beach day after all that sightseeing. Where better to spend it than La Jolla, an epic 7-mile stretch of wild Pacific coastline that’s perfect for surfing, sunbathing, snorkeling and seal-spotting? Hit up La Jolla Cove for calm morning conditions ideal for exploring the extraordinary underwater marine park here. Or relax on La Jolla Shores, a palm-fringed crescent of golden sand set beneath soaring pine-clad bluffs.

Afternoon:

Lunch in La Jolla Village walked off with a brisk shoreline stroll sets you in good stead for an afternoon of arty adventures. Check out the La Jolla branch of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, an eye-popping collection that runs the gamut from Pop Art through Abstract Expressionism, then make for the University of California’s La Jolla Campus for an al fresco art trail that includes audio-visual installations, a precipitously placed cottage and a giant teddy bear made out of rocks.

Evening:

Catch a classic La Jolla sunset from the cliffs at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, then foray south to Pacific Beach or Ocean Beach for seafood and cocktails.

Read our guide to La Jolla here.

Morning:

An intoxicating spicy blend of Spanish, Mexican and American influences, San Diego’s Old Town is well worth a few hours of your time. Snap colorful adobe house along palm-fringed streets and step inside the Whaley House Museum (said to be America’s most haunted house) if you dare! Get a taste of the Old West in Old Town San Diego State National Park with its 19th-century courthouse and vibrant Mexican market, and fill your face in one of the many authentic taquerias at lunch.

Afternoon: 

Stop by the Insta-perfect Mission San Diego de Alcalá (the flour-white 18th-century church that gives the area its name), then press on eastwards for an afternoon hike in Mission Trails Regional Park. The most popular trail takes you to the summit of Cowles Mountain, the highest point in San Diego, with 360-degree panoramas of the city and beyond. But fear not, with over 60 miles of marked paths to choose from, you can always opt for something a little less strenuous!

Evening:

Hop south to hip Hillcrest, where University Avenue’s astonishing variety of international restaurants (everything from authentic Italian pizza to aromatic Afghani kebabs) is sure to satisfy the hungriest post-hike appetite.

Our 5 days in San Diego itinerary includes La Jolla’s glorious beaches, hikes in the Mission Trails National Park, a taste of old San Diego in the Gaslamp Quarter and Old Town San Diego State National Park, and day trips to beautiful Balboa Park and Coronado Island. That’s more San Diego highlights than you can shake a very big stick at!

Many of the attractions and activities in our 5-day San Diego itinerary are included with a money-saving Go City San Diego pass. Click below to find out more and buy the pass that’s right for you…