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Quirky Things to do in San Diego

Dodge the tourist traps and dive into our eccentric collection of the quirkiest and most offbeat things to do in San Diego! 

San Diego is an absolute treat for sightseers, and perhaps especially those who like their attractions with a large side order of quirky.

This is a city where traditional tourism hotspots – sandy beaches, verdant parks, world-class museums and fine-dining restaurants – rub shoulders with haunted houses, Victorian carousels, outdoor art trails and, um, permanent memorials to fallow deer.

Balboa Park’s Hidden Gems

Woman enjoying the scenery at Balboa Park, San Diego

Spend any time at all in San Diego and you’re bound to see at least a little of Balboa Park. And why not? This is where you’ll find San Diego Zoo – widely considered one of the best in the world – plus the quite excellent San Diego Museum of Art, Natural History Museum and Air & Space Museum. But you came here for quirky, right? So quirky, dear reader, is what you shall have. Hit up the eye-popping exhibits at the Museum of Us for anthropological treasures that include one of only six Ptolemaic children’s coffins known to exist, as well as the notorious Lemon Grove Mummies. Lighten the mood with a zen wander through the Japanese Friendship Garden, which turns pink with cherry blossoms in spring, and unleash your inner child on the charming Victorian carousel, a menagerie of ever-revolving beats that includes stately horses, fierce lions and – because why not? – a dragon.

Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park, San Diego

Last but by no means least, don’t miss your chance to catch a show at the largest outdoor pipe organ in the world. Free-to-attend performances at the century-old Spreckels Organ Pavilion, an elaborate confection in the Italian Renaissance style, take place every Sunday at 2PM.

Get Spooked at Whaley House

A spectral figure

It’s the stuff slasher movies are made of: house said to be built on the site of an old gallows sees subsequent inhabitants meet grisly ends across several decades. All this familiar plot requires now is a hapless investigator (i.e. you) to step inside and become the star of your very own horror flick. So what are you waiting for? The Whaley House has been called ‘the most haunted house in America’ by LIFE magazine, so you know it means business. Step inside for an evening tour with your spooky expert (g)hosts and discover the true story of this notorious San Diego building.

A Date With The Del

Hotel del Coronado in San Diego

Hotel del Coronado – affectionately known as ‘The Del’ is a San Diego institution, set on Coronado Island with commanding views of the bay and Point Loma. The Del’s distinctive terracotta turrets and white wooden buildings inspired the Emerald City in L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and have been attracting A-listers – think Madonna, Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable – since Victorian times. But you don’t have to be a celeb to enjoy it: just spread your towel on the golden sands of Coronado Beach and chill to the sounds of the gently rolling surf. And keep your eyes peeled for local legend The Sandcastle Man, an award-winning wizard of beach-based construction art, going about his elaborate work.

Oh, deer!

White fallow deer

There are many reasons to visit pretty Presidio Park in Mission Hills, not least the epic tower that crowns the Junípero Serra Museum, offering sweeping views across the park’s manicured lawns to the Old Town and beyond. But if you’re looking for quirky things to do in San Diego, look no further than the Memorial to the White Deer of Mission Hills, a peaceful hilltop monument to Lucy (for that was her name) who roamed these here glades for a decade in the 60s and 70s. Why was she so special, I hear you ask? Well, fallow deer are not native to the area, so locals took this snow-white beauty to their hearts, and there was outrage when she was accidentally killed by rangers in a rescue operation gone wrong. Some say you can still see her ghostly silhouette up here at Inspiration Point at sunrise and sundown.

Spruce Street Suspension Bridge

Spruce Street Suspension Bridge in Bankers Hill, San Diego

Head for heights? Get yourself down to the Spruce Street Suspension Bridge, a somewhat inconspicuous concrete’n’cable footbridge in residential Bankers Hill that also happens to be one of the most hair-raisingly quirky experiences in town. This feat of 1912 engineering spans the lush Kate Sessions Canyon just west of Balboa Park and remains incredibly well-concealed despite its epic 375-foot length. Prepare for a bit of a bumpy ride on breezy days, when the bridge shakes and shimmies in the wind. Just because it’s designed to do precisely that doesn’t make it any less terror-inducing, so be sure to steady those shattered nerves in the brewpubs of nearby Hillcrest afterwards.

Tip-Tip Topiary

Harpers Topiary Garden in Mission Hills, San Diego

Gardening enthusiasts might think they’ve taken ‘leaf’ of their senses at Harper’s Topiary Garden in Mission Hills, a hedge art extravaganza at which even Edward Scissorhands might raise an appreciative eyebrow. Owners Edna and Alex Harper have spent years preening, pruning and primping their bushes into a menagerie of beautifully coiffed creatures including a whale, a dinosaur, a Buddha and a whole herd of elephants. It’s endearing, whimsical, charming and totally bonkers all at the same time. Do Not. Miss.

Al Fresco Art

The sunny suburb of La Jolla is where it's at for some of the most eye-catching outdoor art in San Diego. Get your quirk on for a walking tour of the Stuart Collection, which includes more than 20 unique al fresco sculptures and installations, all centered around the La Jolla campus of the University of California in San Diego. Take the short walking trail and brace yourself for a whole host of eye-popping oddities, such as Do Ho Suh’s Fallen Star, a tiny cottage that teeters precariously atop an otherwise unassuming college building, and Bear, Tim Hawkinson’s oversized (not-so) cuddly toy constructed from eight huge granite boulders.

Good Old-Fashioned Family Fun

The Giant Dipper in Belmont Park, San Diego

The jewel in the crown of Mission Beach, Belmont Park is an old-fashioned seaside amusement park par excellence, guaranteed to charm (or scare) the pants off anyone who steps through its hallowed gates. Can you even say you’ve been to San Diego if you haven’t taken a ride on the Giant Dipper at least once? No, you cannot. This beautiful wooden roller coaster has been here since the park opened a century ago, and is still going strong today. There are also bumper cars, carnival games and a traditional carousel, in case you prefer your thrills a little more sedate.

To The Lighthouse

Old Point Loma Lighthouse in San Diego

Our brief journey through San Diego’s quirkiest attractions concludes at the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, a historic monument 20 minutes’ drive south of Ocean Beach at the tip of the peninsula. Take a peek inside where, with luck, you might find yourself face to face with a sailor or serf – volunteers in period costume there to reenact memorable moments from the lighthouse’s 170-year history. Visit between December and April for some of San Diego’s best whale-spotting opportunities and note that the lighthouse tower is only open to visitors twice a year: on August 25 and November 15.

Save on quirky things to do in San Diego 

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Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Freelance travel writer

Stu caught the travel bug at an early age, thanks to childhood road trips to the south of France squeezed into the back of a Ford Cortina with two brothers and a Sony Walkman. Now a freelance writer living on the Norfolk coast, Stu has produced content for travel giants including Frommer’s, British Airways, Expedia, Mr & Mrs Smith, and now Go City. His most memorable travel experiences include drinking kava with the locals in Fiji and pranging a taxi driver’s car in the Honduran capital.

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Hillcrest street sign
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Things to do in Hillcrest San Diego

Just north of Balboa Park, the uptown neighbourhood of Hillcrest is the beating heart of San Diego’s LGBTQ+ scene, its tree-lined streets brimming with lively gay bars, international restaurants and fab brunch spots. Stay here for the vibrant community feel, huge annual Pride parade and proximity to top San Diego attractions including the fine gardens, museums and architecture in Balboa Park and the iconic Spruce Street Suspension Bridge in nearby Bankers Hill. Read on to discover our favorite things to do in Hillcrest San Diego. Historic Hillcrest Immerse yourself in Hillcrest history with a wander through the neighborhood’s leafy streets. It won’t be long before you spot a traditional Craftsman’s house. These simple, rustic bungalows date to the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 20th Century and were originally intended as an antidote to Victorian ostentation. Well-preserved specimens can be identified by architectural hallmarks such as modest wooden exteriors, terracotta porches and wide oak doors. The most famous of these is Marston House at the top of Balboa Park. Visit the museum here for a fascinating glimpse into the Arts and Crafts movements inside the private family home of George W. Marston, dubbed ‘the father of Balboa Park’ for his part in establishing this vast green space. Stroll beneath fragrant pine and eucalyptus trees and California Oaks in the museum’s five acres of mature gardens and pick up unique Arts and Crafts-influenced gifts including pottery and prints in the cozy shop, located in the former carriage house. Hillcrest Life Hillcrest’s lively streets are abuzz with fine places to eat, drink and shop. Head to University Avenue for a mouthwatering variety of international restaurants serving up everything from steaming bowls of ramen and eye-wateringly spicy Thai curries to authentic Italian pizzas and aromatic Afghani kebabs. Nearby Fifth Avenue is the place for thrift-store fashions and a chilled brunch scene, while the Hillcrest Farmers’ Market rolls into Normal Street every Sunday, with nearly 200 vendors selling organic produce, handmade clothes and more, accompanied by live music and the intoxicating scents of street food. It’s also around these central thoroughfares that you’ll find the hub of San Diego’s LGBTQ+ scene, with dozens of gay bars and clubs to choose from. Head to Rich’s for karaoke, games and dancing till late and to Urban MO's Bar & Grill for imaginative cocktails, themed evenings and weekend brunches. Hillcrest Brewing prides itself as 'the first gay brewery in the world’ and serves up a selection of its own concoctions including Crotch Rocket Irish Style Red Ale and Banana Hammock Scotch Ale alongside guest beers, cocktails and more. The epicenter of San Diego’s annual Pride festival, Hillcrest welcomes around 300,000 revelers every July for a series of events including inspirational speakers, a 5k fun run, top-flight live music and entertainment and, of course, the legendary Parade, a colorful celebration that weaves through the neighborhood’s streets, leaving music, laughter and joy in its wake. Local Highlights Hillcrest's location, bounded by Mission Hills, University Heights, North Park, Bankers Hill and Balboa Park, means there’s plenty more to see and do in the immediate vicinity. Head south along First Avenue to reach the Spruce Street Suspension Bridge in Bankers Hill. At 375 feet long, this discrete footbridge is an iconic local landmark with cracking views of the verdant Kate Sessions Canyon below. Those with a head for heights will find much to enjoy on a stroll across this feat of 1912 engineering. Those without may however wish to get their kicks elsewhere – strong gusts of wind have been known to make the bridge sway somewhat dramatically. Eek! Over in Mission Hills, hedge enthusiasts will have quite the ball at the extraordinary Harper’s Topiary Garden. Here, the owners’ neatly trimmed bushes have become a piece of living art, with more than 50 expertly hand-coiffed sculptures in their front yard. The result is nothing less than magical. Look out for dinosaurs, surfers, a Buddha and all manner of other weird and wonderful shapes. The neighborhood’s quirky outdoor theater, Cinema Under The Stars, shows a program of classic and cult movies year-round, thanks to its retractable weatherproof dome and infrared heating. Balboa Park Bordering Hillcrest to the south, Balboa Park is San Diego’s sprawling urban playground, covering some 1,200 acres. Inside, you’ll find the best museums and formal gardens in town. You’ll recognize the San Diego Museum of Art from its elaborate Spanish Renaissance-style facade, just one example of some of the fantastic – and fantastical – architecture on display along the El Prado Boulevard. Statues of master painters Velázquez, Murillo and Zurbarán stand sentry over the grand entrance and their works loom equally large inside, along with major pieces from Goya, Monet, Canaletto and more. Stroll the length of El Prado to admire the wildly diverse architectural styles on display, from Casa del Prado’s shaded cloisters and garlanded columns to the playful California Building with its colorful tiled dome, three-story belltower and enchanting mix of the Baroque, the Rococo, the Gothic and the Churrigueresque. Also worth seeking out is the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, an ornate Italian Renaissance confection that houses the the biggest outdoor organ on the planet and hosts free organ recitals every Sunday as well as evening concerts in summer. Among the dozens of things to do in Balboa Park you can also – deep breath – meet thousands of cute critters at San Diego Zoo, ride painted beasts including a lion and a dragon on the park’s traditional century-old carousel, chill with an ice cream on the broad lawns in front of the picture-perfect Botanical Building, and meander zen-like among bonsai groves, koi ponds and cherry blossoms in the Japanese Friendship Garden. Save on things to do in Hillcrest San Diego Save on admission to San Diego attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
The legendary Hotel del Coronado in San Diego
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Things to do in Coronado San Diego

Connected to the California mainland by a sandy isthmus and (since 1969) a road bridge, Coronado is a sunny island resort nestled in the heart of San Diego Bay, just across the water from downtown. There’s stacks to do here, especially for families, from tide-pooling on the beach to touring the island by bike or on the Old Town Trolley. Hop aboard for our guide to the 10 best things to do in Coronado San Diego. Spend a Night at the Hotel del Coronado Perched right on the beachfront overlooking Point Loma, ‘The Del’ is a Coronado institution that has been welcoming presidents, celebrities and royalty since Victorian times. Former guests include Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable and Madonna; the hotel’s distinctive conical turrets are said to have inspired the Emerald City in L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; it’s even rumored that Prince Edward first met Coronado resident Wallis Simpson here at a 1920 banquet. And, naturally, a hotel of this vintage also has its very own ghost story. Rooms start north of $700 but a visit to the adjacent Ice House Museum for a walk through the hotel’s rich history is gratis. Hit the Beach The long stretch of golden beach in front of The Del is great for families, thanks to its gentle waves, tide pools crammed with anemones, hermit crabs and sand dollars, and mineral-rich sand that actually glitters in the sun. Kids will love having a go at building their very own sparkling Emerald City sandcastles. Also look out for the legendary Sandcastle Man, who can often be found here on Coronado Central Beach building his extravagant and highly artistic sand sculptures. In the evening, use one of the public firepits to barbecue your own burgers and toast marshmallows as the sun sets over the Pacific. Get on Your Bike Dedicated cycle paths snake around much of Coronado, making bike hire a great idea for family days out. The Bayshore Bikeway runs down the Silver Strand sand spit, and all the way back up into downtown San Diego, from where you can catch the Coronado Ferry back to your starting point. Expect swaying palms, wildlife reserves and sweeping views of the Pacific on this epic 24-mile ride. A shorter version that turns back before you hit the mainland may be the smarter option if you’re with kids, and there’s another more urban route around Coronado itself. Visit Spreckels Park Named for Victorian entrepreneur John D. Spreckels, this park in the middle of Coronado is a beautiful green oasis amid the city streets. Families stop by to picnic beneath the trees, while kids live their best lives in the large playground. In summer, the gazebo bandstand bursts into life every Sunday as part of a series of free concerts that run the gamut from marching bands to high-energy pop acts. Local artists showcase their work at the Art in the Park event on alternate Sundays while the Coronado Flower Show brings thousands of colorful fragrant blooms to the park every April. Ride the Old Town Trolley Hop aboard one of San Diego’s brightly colored trolley buses for a whistle-stop narrated tour of the top attractions in Coronado and Downtown. Taking in Coronado Beach and the Hotel del Coronado, the bus then cruises over the bay to visit several more locations on the mainland, including the historic Gaslamp Quarter and sprawling Balboa Park, home to San Diego Zoo and many of the city’s top museums. You can hop on and off the trolley at your leisure along the route. Discover the Local History Take a deep dive into Coronado’s past at the Coronado Museum, where a huge collection of art, photographs and other exhibits tell the story of island life since the 1880s. The museum also runs a weekly walking tour of some of Coronado’s most important locations, including Orange Avenue and, of course, the Hotel del Coronado. The leisurely tour, in which a knowledgeable local historian will point out interesting architecture and wow you with fascinating anecdotes, lasts around 90 minutes and covers approximately two miles. Shop the Farmers’ Market Hit up the weekly farmers’ market at Coronado Ferry Landing for your fix of all things fresh and wholesome. Here’s your chance to taste sweet organic tomatoes fresh from the vine, and crisp, zingy apples that have ripened on the branch. The whole operation is certified farm-fresh, so you just know there’s going to be more flavor packed into that single strawberry than in any number of mass-produced punnets at the mall. You’ll also find beautiful fresh blooms and countless homemade oils, pickles, condiments and jams. Delicious. Take to the Water The relatively tranquil waters off Coronado make it ideal for trying out some of those watersports you’ve always fancied having a go at. Grab a kayak and paddle your way around the island’s scenic shores. Or get to grips with a stand-up paddleboard. Like surfing, but gentler, this increasingly popular activity can be surprisingly relaxing once you’ve got the hang of it. Try not to be put off your stride by pelicans dive-bombing the water for their lunch! Treat Yourself on Orange Avenue Saunter along flower-filled Orange Avenue, a broad street packed with bougie boutiques, cute cafés, local artisan jewelers and more. There’s plenty to see and do along this mile-long stretch that runs all the way from Bayside to the Hotel del Coronado. Pick up a unique souvenir at the Coronado Museum Store, take in a show at the intimate Lamb’s Players Theatre and sample some of San Diego’s famous craft beers at the Coronado Brewpub. Take the Ferry Downtown Hands down the most romantic way to reach downtown San Diego from Coronado is on the quaint old ferry that chugs back and forth throughout the day. Time your trip for around sunset to get the most magical views as you pull in to dock by the legendary USS Midway aircraft carrier. From here, it’s just a short stroll into the Gaslamp Quarter or Little Italy to enjoy some of the best nightlife (and pizza!) in town. Save on things to do in Coronado San Diego Save on admission to San Diego attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak

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