San Diego

Sea lions on the rocks of La Jolla, surfers in the morning light of Pacific Beach and a park full of Spanish Colonial palaces: San Diego feels like California in relaxation mode. A vacation in San Diego almost always means mild weather, laid-back beach neighborhoods and an outstanding beer scene. For a city break with a few days at the beach tacked on, there are few more pleasant destinations on the West Coast.

Where California Began

In 1542, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo became the first European to sail into the bay, and in 1769 the Franciscan friar Junípero Serra founded the first of California's 21 Spanish missions here. With its adobe buildings, shops and restaurants, Old Town San Diego preserves the memory of the Mexican and early American eras. The city grew large thanks to the U.S. Navy: since the early 20th century, San Diego has been one of the most important fleet bases on the Pacific. Today the city is also shaped by biotechnology, universities and its close ties to Tijuana across the border – the crossing at San Ysidro is among the busiest land borders in the world.

Things to See in San Diego

Balboa Park is the cultural heart of the city: magnificent Spanish Colonial-style buildings were constructed for the expositions of 1915 and 1935, and today they house around 17 museums, including the San Diego Museum of Art and the Air & Space Museum. The park is also home to the world-famous San Diego Zoo, with koalas, elephants and lush vegetation. On the waterfront, you can tour the aircraft carrier USS Midway, a museum ship with dozens of aircraft on deck. The Embarcadero promenade leads to Seaport Village, and the ferry crosses to Coronado, where the red-roofed Hotel del Coronado has stood on the beach since 1888. Cabrillo National Monument on Point Loma offers the best view of the bay and skyline, and in winter you can watch gray whales from here.

Neighborhoods Between the Bay and the Border

The Gaslamp Quarter in Downtown, with its Victorian facades, is the quintessential nightlife district, with rooftop bars and Petco Park baseball stadium nearby. Little Italy has a farmers market on Saturdays and trattorias, while North Park and neighboring Normal Heights are the neighborhoods for craft beer, vintage shops and small restaurants. In the Convoy District, officially known as the Asian Pacific Thematic Historic District, you'll find East Asian restaurants ranging from ramen to hot pot. Along the ocean, you'll find Ocean Beach with its hippie vibe, Mission Beach with its wooden roller coaster and Pacific Beach with its college scene. La Jolla to the north is the elegant coastal community, with seals at Children's Pool cove and sea caves for kayak tours. To the south, San Ysidro and Otay Mesa define the border area.

Eating in San Diego

The fish taco, with fried fish, cabbage, lime and white sauce, is the city's signature dish, prepared in the style of Baja California just across the border. Equally popular is the California burrito, with carne asada and french fries inside. San Diego's restaurants benefit from the Pacific catch, from sea urchin to tuna. With well over a hundred breweries, the city is considered one of the capitals of craft beer; the hoppy West Coast IPA in particular became popular here. Beer lovers will find plenty of tasting rooms in North Park, Miramar and Little Italy.

Getting Around San Diego

San Diego International Airport sits right on the bay, just a few minutes from Downtown. The Trolley light rail connects the city center with Old Town, UC San Diego and the border at San Ysidro, from where you can walk into Tijuana. For the beaches and La Jolla, buses, rental bikes or a rental car are practical. The Pacific Surfliner takes you along the coast to Los Angeles in about three hours.

Best Time to Visit and Day Trips

San Diego has one of the most even climates in the U.S., and trips are worthwhile year-round. The best time for a beach vacation is late summer through October, when the water is warmest; in May and June, coastal fog often lingers in the mornings. In winter, gray whales pass by. Day trips lead to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, with its wildflower bloom in spring, to Julian, known for apple pie in the mountains, to Legoland in Carlsbad or to the Temecula wine region.