San Diego: 15 Fun Opportunities Around the City You Shouldn’t Miss

San Diego is such a beautiful place—right off the water, the weather stays comfortable year-round. While there, we took advantage of this, walking many places even though it was late June/early July. Walking allowed us to slow down and get to know our surroundings a lot better.

Here are our favorite stops for staying, eating, and doing around the city.

Before You Visit, You Should Know

San Diego is the closest major city to the Mexican border and the second-largest city in California. For us, this means there is a lot to do and plenty of great culture.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit is… well, any time of year. I would say go during the winter or summer months because there are other parts of the United States that you can see during spring and fall that have either rough summers or winters. Think like a snowbird in this particular instance.

Remember, though, that if you go during the summer, the expenses may be higher since it is an excellent destination for enjoying the sun’s warmth without it bearing down on you like it would in Slab City. We went for an event during the summer, and it was a nice reprieve from the heat of Dallas, that’s for sure!

What to Pack

Pack for summer, but bring a light sweater for the cooler nights. Naturally, you will also want to pack your swimsuit and sunscreen since San Diego is relatively sunny year-round.

Getting Around

We took public transportation, walked, and even caught a few Lyfts to get around the area. Public transportation is fairly easy to navigate, even with Apple maps. One thing they offer that I love is the ability to add funds to your PRONTO card, which is connected to tap in your Apple wallet.

I have heard that parking is not too difficult in the city, and I plan to learn more about it soon!

Your Home Away From Home

Hotel

• Embassy Suites: Like the Embassy Suites in Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, this suite had two rooms. While we did not opt for the corner room, we had great views from the bedroom, and the living area had a window to the balcony below. A great view also means a great location—we were within walking distance of the ocean and the Embarcadero.
  This was the first hotel we stayed where I used the Hilton sign-in with your phone feature, which I thought was super neat.
  The pool area was excellent, and if you go in the early morning, you’ll likely have it to yourself.

Hostel

• PodShare: The thing that I loved most about PodShare was the people. PodShare is like a hostel, but it’s not. Many residents live there long-term or bounce from podshare to podshare on the coast of Southern California. I paid $75 for a two-person bed. It was big enough that Nevaeh and I could sleep without crowding each other. We also did some work while we were in our bunk.
  Back to the people, though—they were very friendly. One offered us some of his wine and seasonings to use with our dinner, and the RA offered Nevaeh some pizza. I felt safe the entire time we were there. So, if you’re looking for a way to get to know some locals, that’s it!

Dig In! Let’s Eat

Breakfast and Coffee

• Peet’s Coffee: Peet’s is the precursor to Starbucks and an East Coast staple. The founder of Peets helped Starbucks get its start; Shultz bought the company, and one of the original owners of Starbucks bought Peets. If you are headed there, I recommend the Havanna latte with sweetened condensed milk and a hint of cinnamon or the Fiery Mocha.
• Better Buzz Coffee: Better Buzz was not a planned stop, but all three of us were ready for a little pick-me-up, and this was only a block from the beach. This location gave off the beachy vibe of the area, and I could tell it felt like home just by looking at it- so I decided we had to stop in. I ordered the horchata latte and a piece of passion fruit bread with white chocolate drizzled on top. The bread was colorful and perfect. What I mean by ideal is not too sweet. With those colors, I figured it would be sugary, but not at all.
• Spill the Beans: I’ll be honest; this was a planned coffee stop. While researching San Diego things to do and coffee to drink, I saw their sign and had to laugh. That led to more research, and since most of the reviews were positive, this was the coffee stop on our first full day in San Diego. I ordered the La Vida Loca latte, which was smooth and thick, exactly how I liked my hot chocolate-type drink. Nevaeh got seasonal tea, and she liked it enough that two years later, she remembered it.
• Seven Seas Roasting Co.: I ordered coffee from this food truck while we were at the San Diego farmers’ market. I liked the outside of their trailer, and it filled my needs before I shopped for all the delicious produce! I ordered the vanilla latte because it was a bit unique compared to what most coffee shops make. Instead of just being a simple vanilla syrup, they make theirs with a vanilla-infused brown sugar syrup. Yum!

Other Meals

• Rocking Baja Lobster: This was our first restaurant stop when we got to San Diego, and it did not disappoint. We sat outside, enjoying the lush greenery and bustle of the area. Nevaeh and I ordered the salsa queso flight, which was phenomenal, especially the Pineapple Citrus Mago salsa and hot queso blanco dip. If you happen to be there on a Tuesday, they also have a Taco Tuesday happy hour!
• Lemonade: I will not go into too much detail here because I have already covered my deep love for Lemonade in the Los Angeles food guide. The area is super cute, and the food was exactly what we expected, which is why I returned to the Los Angeles location two years later. Their food is fresh, and the locations are bright and colorful. If you want to feel like you’re getting an authentic Southern California meal, don’t skip out on Lemonade!
• NY West: We got a $25 voucher daily from the Embassy Suites due to how the room was paid for. This voucher could be used for several items, but we spent it twice in the hotel’s restaurant because we liked the food. We ordered a Hawaiian Pizza one night and a Margherita another night. Since it was wood-fired pizza, it had the perfect crust: chewy with a bite of crunch. If you’re staying at the Embassy Suites and want a late-night fill- NY West has you.
  Bonus: the bartenders are lots of fun to chat with!
• The Melt Burgers: We went bad for our last meal in San Diego and got a melt burger with cookies and cream shake. I am pretty big on healthy meals, so while I can’t say it was the best thing I had the entire time there, it was good. If you like a cheesy, greasy burger that doesn’t make your bread soggy, this is the place to get it.

Sweet Treat

• An’s Dry Cleaning: An’s is not a dry cleaners store. Instead, it is a gelato shop hidden in what was formerly a dry cleaner. Their flavors are unique and change regularly. Nevaeh got a blueberry-flavored gelato, and I got a coffee-flavored one then. It was smooth and not too sweet (a big perk for me), but for the love of God, make sure you get a cup to sit your cone in because the cones are made fresh and drip. I may or may not have gotten extremely frustrated that the gelato was dripping all over me as we walked to our next place. Sorry Nevaeh.

Things to Do

• Liberty Public Market: Liberty Public Market is housed within Liberty Station and is the best hood hall I’ve ever visited. I added this to the things to do instead of the foods to eat because it was such a great experience. Housed on what was a Navy base from 1923 to 1997, it has transformed into a place to shop, eat, and move.
  Specifically talking about the Public Market, though, we went to Weapon Ramen, housed in the Slurp Taiyaki & Ramen booth at the time, and BOPJO. The latter of the two is still there, and for good reason. They give you Asian food in a taco- combining the best of both worlds if you desire.
  We got the Sweet Gochujang Chicken Taco, and for some reason, I remember them being a bit on the spicy side. Nevaeh ate most of them. I shared with the plate we got from Weapon, which was hearty and filling. My friend Lisa ordered a sweet treat she shared with us, which is also worth noting. From Parfait Paris, she ordered a caramel dessert with brownies on top. I can’t find it on their menu, but it was so good. The caramel was mouth-wateringly perfect, with a tanginess from the salt. This made the chocolate brownie taste that much more rich.
  We sat outside and people-watched, talking about what it would be like to live here. This would be high on our list of places to visit regularly.

• Balboa Park: This park is not your average park. Nope. Instead, 1,200 acres of fun were dedicated to the city in 1835, making it one of the oldest sites in the United States dedicated to public use. Several museums, restaurants, and theaters are located on the premises, as well as the San Diego Zoo, which is a can’t-miss attraction when you’re in the area. Museums have always interested me, and they have a model railway museum I would like to visit soon.
  One of my favorite aspects of the park is all the walking you can do. Walking is even better when it’s done with beautiful scenery. Nevaeh liked the Japanese friendship garden, and from there, we stumbled upon the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages, which has artifacts from different countries housed within each of the nine cottages. We came during an off hour, but it was super neat to peek inside.

• San Diego Farmers’ Market: They may have other farmers’ markets, but the Little Italy Mercato one is housed on Wednesdays and Saturdays in… you guessed it, Little Italy. The view from the farmers’ market is beautiful, with scenes of the city and the ocean off in the distance.
  You can probably do all of your grocery shopping at the Mercato, which, on Saturdays, spans six blocks of the city. It’s so good that, according to USA Today, it ranked fourth among the best farmers’ markets in the US!

• Mission Beach: San Diego has plenty of beaches, so why did I choose Mission Beach? It embodies the Southern California beach vibe better than any other in the city. On one side, you have the ocean, complete with surfers of all different abilities; on the other, you have the boardwalk, with many different attractions. Our favorite was to watch the people working out looking at the ocean. We wondered why they would be inside and not out in the beautiful weather.
  Mission Beach also features Belmont Park, which has the Big Dipper, a half-mile wooden track roller coaster built in 1927. The biggest ride on the pier, it has a 70-foot drop and turns to keep your heart pumping. Just remember, nobody died on it today (that’s how I get on roller coasters nowadays). Not an amusement park fan? That’s okay- this is a park where it’s free to walk around, and you only pay for what you want to ride.
  Next time I go, I also plan to visit the Graffiti Shack.

Wrapping It Up

San Diego has so much to offer, and I cannot wait to return. One time was definitely not enough! If I were to have one day in San Diego, here’s what I would do:

• A bagel and coffee from Spill the Beans for breakfast. They have a location near our next stop
• Mission Beach for a stroll and to check out the Graffiti Shack.
• Lunch and another stroll at Liberty Public Market
• Finish out the majority of the day at Balboa Park and then stop for dessert at
• An’s Dry Cleaners