So, i’ve been asked several times for a list of must see’s and to do’s in San Diego. Since i’ve retyped the list, dug through iMessage and Facebook threads to copy paste from one friend to another I figured i’d share it here for all my SoCal visitors and friends to see!
For anyone traveling to San Diego here are a few of my favorite beaches, hikes, restaurants, bars and things to do in the area!
Monkey see, monkey do… Must see’s in SD.
Hikes:
- Coastal Hikes
- Torrey Pines State Reserve
- Ho Chi Min Trail
- Sunset Cliffs
- Cabrillo National Monument
- Adobe Falls
- Potato Chip Rock
- Iron Mountain
- Mission Trails
- Cowles Mountain
- Three Sisters
- Devil’s Punchbowl
Activities:
- Rent a beach cruiser! Cruise along south mission and the pacific beach boardwalk. Check out some local bike rentals here.
- Paddle board on mission bay! Aquatic rentals here.
- Shopping on Garnett Street, Fashion Valley, Mission Valley, La Jolla and Mission Beach.
- Garnett Street: Check out Brandy Melville & Urban Outfitters on Felspar Street.
- Mission Beach: Sun Diego, Brillo de Sol.
- Birdrock/La Jolla: Bobbirocco, Mimi & Red, LF, Girard Ave.
- Outdoor shopping malls:
- Fashion Valley (Cheesecake Factory, YUM. I go here for a piece of home aka this is my new Providence Place).
- UTC, La Jolla (Eat at lemonade – bomb buffet style food).
- Watch a San Diego Sunset
- Sunset spots: La Jolla Cove, Crystal Pier, Sunset Cliffs
- Take a drive up the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway)
- Choose a destination and make stops along the way!
- I recommend checking out the Hollywood Sign in LA and stopping in Orange Country, Newport, Laguna, Huntington, Venice or Santa Monica along the way.
- Choose a destination and make stops along the way!
- Eat a California Burrito, I recommend La Perla. (If you want to switch it up get a breakfast burrito no breakfast potatoes in it sub fries, YEW!).
- Catch happy hour anywhere during the week!
Food, food, coffee, beer and more food.
*A personal favorite*
Cafes/Coffee:
- Rum Jungle
- Bob Marley bowl – with raw acai, pitaya no bananas extra strawberries.
- Java Earth
- Honey vanilla latte and a PB bagel.
- Better Buzz
- Blended caramel buzz with almond milk.
- The Little Lion
- Swell Cafe
- Holy Matcha – Instagram worthy wall paper.
- Mission Beach Cafe – a hole in the wall but GREAT acai.
Breakfast/Brunch:
- Barbarella’s
- Fig Tree Cafe
- Duck Dive
- Voodoo salmon tacos or wings.
- Liberty Station
- Draft
- Chiliquilies or the pistachio crusted salmon sandwich.
- Snooze
- HashHouse A GoGo
- Local
- Patio on Lamont
Lunch:
- Amplified Ale Work’s
- Chicken kebab rice bowl with garlic aoli and electric habenero sauce.
- Wavehouse
- Rubicon Deli
- The crandie on dutch crunch.
- Oscars
- Grilled mahi taco.
- Fat Fish
- $1 taco tuesday in the bar every tuesday, 1/2 price apps on Wednesdays
- Dirty Birds
- Wings! Every flavor you could imagine.
- ChebaHut
- Cali mist.
- Board N Brew
- Baja chicken sandwich. – whatever you get make sure you try their sauce!
- PB Fish Shop – BYOB
- PB Market – best deli counter sands in the area
Dinner:
- George’s at the Cove – Ocean Terrace
- Tap Room
- OB Noodle House Bar 1502
- A FAVORITE FOR SURE. PB jameson shots – I hate Jameson and am obsessed with these you must try one! Also, banana bread beer, house special fried rice, PHO and their chicken wings… Drooling already.
- Cannonball
- Calamari and a sunset margarita.
- Puesto
- Filet Tacos
- Barley Mash
- Caged caesar salad & any of their specialty fry dishes
- Sear Sucker
- GOOD VIBES! Great food.
Bars:
- Vin De Syrah – underground wine bar
- Rustic Root – rooftop bar
- BangBang – sushi
- Nobile Experiment – hidden speakeasy
- Prohibition – speakeasy
- ALTITUDE Sky Lounge – overlooks the city and PETCO park
- BackYard Kitchen & Tap
- Barley Mash
- Pacific Beach Bars:
- PB Shore Club
- Redbull vodka slushies
- Wednesday nights – fish races
- Firehouse
- PB Alehouse
- Local
- El Prez
- Tavern
- Good deals throughout the week, click here to check them out.
- Moonshine Beach
- Bajas
- Horrible food but giant margaritas
- Duck Dive
- BareBack
- Awesome burgers!
- PB Shore Club
Clubs:
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San Diego in a Nutshell: *must see*
- Uptown:
- North Park
- “Best beer neighborhood in the nation”
- Coin Op – (bar) adult arcade
- Live theaters and musical shows
- 30th Street (nightlife)
- Ray Street – art galleries
- Hillcrest
- LGBT central hub
- Pride festival (July)
- University Avenue and Park Blvd (shopping and nightlight)
- Farmers Market
- Sunday’s 9am-1pm at the intersection of Normal Street and Lincoln
- Balboa Park
- San Diego Zoo
- North Park
- Downtown
- Gaslamp (nightlife)
- The Embarcadero
- USS Midway and the Maritime Museum of San Diego
- Seaport Village
- PETCO Park
- Little Italy
- Coronado Island
- Hotel del Coronado
- La Jolla
- Torrey Pines
- Torrey Pines Golf Course
- State Reserve – Hiking
- Birch Aquarium
- La Jolla Cove
- Shopping, restaurants (Prospect Street)
- Seals
- Ho Chi Min Trail
- Black’s Beach
- Glider port
- Avienda De La Playa
- Kayak tours
- Torrey Pines
- Mission Bay & Beaches
- SeaWorld
- Belmont Park
- Mission Beach Park
- Firepits (no alcohol permitted – be careful police will ticket you!)
- Pacific Beach
- My hood!
- Mission Valley & Old Town
- Old Town Trolley Tours
- Fashion Valley
- East County
- “San Diego’s Backyard”
- Julian
- Mission Trails Regional Park
- Cowles Mountain
- North County Coastal
- Encinitas
- Botanic Garden
- Moonlight State Beach
- Del Mar
- Del Mar Village
- Del Mar Racetrack
- Carlsbad Lagoon
- Kayak, jetski
- Oceanside Pier
- Encinitas
- North County Inland
- San Diego Zoo Safari Park
- Breweries & Wineries
- Rancho Bernardo Winery
- Palomar Observatory
- LEGOLAND
- Point Loma Peninsula
- Liberty Station
- Stone Brewing
- Tide Pools
- Cabrillo National Monument
- Harbor Island
- Shelter Island
- Humphrey’s concerts at the bay
- Bali Hai
- Famous Mai Tai’s
- Ocean Beach
- Sunset Cliffs
- Liberty Station
