Things to Do in San Diego

Sights Overview

Name	Category	Location

Bahia Belle At the dock of the Bahia Resort Hotel, on the eastern shores of...	Nautical Sites	Mission Bay, Beaches, and SeaWorld

Alcazar Garden The gardens surrounding the Alcazar Castle in Seville, Spain...	Gardens / Arboretums	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Anza-Borrego State Park Today more than 1,000 square mi of desert and mountain country...	Parks	Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Banner Queen Trading Post Gallery A step inside what was the mine superintendent's home in the...	Museums / Galleries	Julian

Batiquitos Lagoon Development has destroyed many of the lagoons and saltwater marsh...	Bodies of Water	Carlsbad


Bea Evenson Fountain A favorite of barefoot children, this fountain shoots cool jets...	Fountains	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Belmont Park The once-abandoned amusement park between the bay and Mission...	Amusement Parks	Mission Bay, Beaches, and SeaWorld

Birch Aquarium at Scripps The largest oceanographic exhibit in the United States, maintained...	Zoos / Aquariums	La Jolla

Birch North Park Theatre Built in 1928, this stunning period theater seats 730 and is...	Arts / Performance Venues	Old Town and Uptown

Black's Beach The powerful waves at this beach, which is officially known as...	Beaches	La Jolla

Blue Heron Gallery You'll find tons of interesting stuff in this storefront gallery/antiques...	Stores / Malls	Fallbrook

Border Field State Park This southernmost San Diego beach is different from most California...	Beaches	South Bay

Botanical Building The graceful redwood-lath structure, built for the 1915 Panama-California...	Gardens / Arboretums	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Brandon Gallery This Fallbrook art institution that has been showing works of...	Stores / Malls	Fallbrook

Cabrillo Bridge The park's official (and pedestrian-friendly) gateway soars 120...	Bridges / Tunnels	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Cabrillo National Monument This 160-acre preserve marks the site of the first European visit...	Parks	Point Loma and Coronado

California Center for the Arts An entertainment complex with two theaters, an art museum, and...	Museums / Galleries	Escondido

California Surf Museum A large collection of surfing memorabilia, photos, vintage boards...	Museums / Galleries	Oceanside

California Wolf Center This center, just outside Julian, is one of the few places in...	Nature Preserves	Julian

Camp Pendleton The nation's largest amphibious military training complex encompasses...	Military Sites	Oceanside

Cardiff State Beach This beach, popularly known as George's, begins at the parking...	Beaches	Cardiff-by-the-Sea

Carlsbad Mineral Water Spa Remnants from late 1800s, including the original well dug by...	Spas	Carlsbad

Carousel Suspended an arm's length away on this antique merry-go-round...	Carousels	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Casa de Balboa This building on El Prado's southeast corner houses three museums:...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Centro Cultural de la Raza An old water tower was converted into this center for Mexican...	Arts / Performance Venues	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Chicano Park San Diego's Mexican-American community is centered in Barrio...	Parks	Point Loma and Coronado

Children's Pool Because of the pool's location at the tip of the La Jolla peninsula...	Beaches	La Jolla

Coronado Beach With the famous Hotel Del Coronado as a backdrop, this stretch...	Beaches	Coronado

Coronado Ferry Landing This collection of shops at Ferry Landing is on a smaller scale...	Stores / Malls	Point Loma and Coronado

Coronado Museum of History and Art The neoclassical First Bank of Commerce building, constructed...	Museums / Galleries	Point Loma and Coronado

Crystal Pier Stretching out into the ocean from the end of Garnet Avenue...	Viewpoints	Mission Bay, Beaches, and SeaWorld

Cuyamaca Rancho State Park Spread over more than 25,000 acres of open meadows, oak woodlands...	Parks	Cuyamaca Mountains

Daley Ranch A 3,058-acre conservation area and historic ranch site, it holds...	Parks	Escondido

Del Mar Beach The numbered streets of Del Mar, from 15th north to 29th, end...	Beaches	Del Mar

Del Mar Fairgrounds The Spanish Mission-style fairground is the home of the Del Mar...	Fairground	Del Mar

Del Mar Plaza Along with its collection of shops, the plaza contains outstanding...	Stores / Malls	Del Mar

Eagle Mining Company Five blocks east of the center of Julian, you can take an hour-long...	Mines	Julian

El Campo Santo The old adobe-wall cemetery established in 1849 was, until 1880...	Cemeteries	Old Town and Uptown

Escondido Arts Partnership Municipal Gallery Showcasing works by local artists, the gallery has regular exhibitions...	Museums / Galleries	Escondido

Escondido History Center The outdoor center is adjacent to the California Center for the...	Museums / Galleries	Escondido

Fallbrook Art Center Housed in a typical midcentury modern building that served as...	Arts / Performance Venues	Fallbrook

Fallbrook Winery It's worth visiting this winery, perched on a lovely hillside...	Wineries / Breweries	Fallbrook

Fiesta de Reyes North of San Diego's Old Town Plaza lies the area's unofficial...	Stores / Malls	Old Town and Uptown

Fiesta Island The most undeveloped area of Mission Bay Park, this is popular...	Parks	Mission Bay, Beaches, and SeaWorld

Firehouse Museum Firefighting artifacts of all sorts fill this converted fire...	Museums / Galleries	Downtown

Fletcher Cove Most of the beaches in the little city of Solana Beach are nestled...	Beaches	Solana Beach

Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch In spring the hillsides are abloom on this, the largest bulb...	Gardens / Arboretums	Carlsbad

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery In 1934, 8 of the 1,000 acres set aside for a military reserve...	Cemeteries	Point Loma and Coronado

Freeflight This small exotic-bird training aviary adjacent to the Del Mar...	Zoos / Aquariums	Del Mar

Gaslamp Museum at the William Heath Davis House The oldest wooden house in San Diego houses the Gaslamp Quarter...	Historic Districts / Sites	Downtown

Glorietta Bay Inn The former residence of John Spreckels, the original owner of...	Houses / Mansions	Point Loma and Coronado

Harbor Island Restaurants and high-rise hotels dot the inner shore of this...	Islands	Point Loma and Coronado

Helgren's Sportfishing You can schedule daily ocean fishing trips and whale-watching...	Marinas / Piers	Oceanside

Heritage Park A number of San Diego's important Victorian buildings are the...	Architectural Sites	Old Town and Uptown

Hillcrest The large retro Hillcrest sign over the intersection of University...	Neighborhoods / Streets	Old Town and Uptown

Hillcrest Farmers' Market One of San Diego's best farmers' markets, this weekly bazaar...	Markets / Bazaars	Old Town and Uptown

Horton Grand Hotel This Victorian hotel was created in the mid-1980s by joining...	Hotels	Downtown

Hospitality Point Enjoy lunch in this pretty, secluded spot, which has a view of...	Viewpoints	Mission Bay, Beaches, and SeaWorld

Hotel Del Coronado One of San Diego's best-known sites, the hotel has been a National...	Hotels	Point Loma and Coronado

House of Charm This structure was rebuilt from the ground up in the mid-1990s...	Architectural Sites	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

House of Hospitality A late-1990s replica of the 1915 original, this structure has...	Information Centers	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

House of Pacific Relations This is not really a house but a cluster of red tile-roof stucco...	Arts / Performance Venues	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Imperial Beach In July or early August this classic Southern California beach...	Beaches	South Bay

Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden and Desert Garden These neighboring gardens sit just across the Park Boulevard...	Gardens / Arboretums	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Japanese Friendship Garden A koi pond with a cascading waterfall, a 60-foot-long wisteria...	Gardens / Arboretums	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Julian Pioneer Museum When the gold mines in Julian played out, the mobs of gold miners...	Museums / Galleries	Julian

Junípero Serra Museum The hill on which San Diego's original Spanish presidio (fortress)...	Museums / Galleries	Old Town and Uptown

Keys Creek Lavender Farm In spring a visit to this organic lavender farm is worth a detour...	Farms	Escondido

La Jolla Caves It's a walk of 145 sometimes slippery steps down a tunnel to...	Cave	La Jolla

La Jolla Cove This shimmering blue inlet is what first attracted everyone to...	Beaches	La Jolla

La Jolla Shores This is one of San Diego's most popular beaches, so get here...	Beaches	La Jolla

La Valencia Mediterranean-style La Valencia, operating as a luxury hotel...	Hotels	La Jolla

Lake Cuyamaca Behind a dam constructed in 1888 the 110-acre lake offers fishing...	Parks	Cuyamaca Mountains

LEGOLAND California Resort The centerpiece of a development that includes resort hotels...	Amusement Parks	Carlsbad

Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park This was a real working ranch with 600 head of cattle owned by...	Historic Districts / Sites	Carlsbad

Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater Performances incorporate marionettes, hand puppets, rod puppets...	Arts / Performance Venues	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Marine Street Beach Wide and sandy, this strand often teems with sunbathers, swimmers...	Beaches	La Jolla

Maritime Museum From sailing ships to submarines, this collection of restored...	Museums / Galleries	Downtown

Marston House George W. Marston (1850-1946), a San Diego pioneer and philanthropist...	Houses / Mansions	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Mingei International Museum All ages can enjoy the Mingei's colorful and creative exhibits...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Miniature Railroad Adjacent to the zoo parking lot and across from the carousel...	Transportation Sites	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Mint This shop offers a hip selection of men's and women's footwear...	Stores / Malls	Old Town and Uptown

Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá It's hard to imagine how remote California's earliest mission...	Religious Sites	Old Town and Uptown

Mission Bay Park Mission Bay Park is San Diego's monument to sports and fitness...	Parks	Mission Bay, Beaches, and SeaWorld

Mission Beach San Diego's most popular beach draws huge crowds on hot summer...	Beaches	Mission Bay

Mission Beach Boardwalk The cement pathway lining the sand from the southern end of Mission...	Promenades / Boardwalks	Mission Bay, Beaches, and SeaWorld

Mission San Antonio de Pala A living remnant of the mission era, this mission, built in 1816...	Religious Sites	Palomar Mountain

Mission Santa Ysabel West of Santa Ysabel, this tiny late-19th-century adobe mission...	Religious Sites	Julian

Moonlight State Beach Large parking areas and lots of facilities make this beach, tucked...	Beaches	Encinitas

Morley Field Sports Complex In addition to the 2-mi fitness course and ball diamonds, the...	Sports Venues	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Mount Soledad La Jolla's highest spot can be reached by taking Nautilus Street...	Mountains	La Jolla

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego The oldest section of La Jolla's branch of San Diego's contemporary...	Museums / Galleries	La Jolla

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) At the Downtown branch of the city's contemporary art museum...	Museums / Galleries	Downtown

Museum of Making Music Take an interactive journey through 100 years of popular music...	Museums / Galleries	Carlsbad

Museum of Photographic Arts World-renowned photographers such as Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Museum of San Diego History The San Diego Historical Society maintains its research library...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

The New Children's Museum (NCM) Opened in May 2008, NCM blends contemporary art with unstructured...	Museums / Galleries	Downtown

North Park Named for its location north of Balboa Park, this evolving neighborhood...	Neighborhoods / Streets	Old Town and Uptown

Observer's Inn One of the best ways to see Julian's star-filled summer sky is...	Observatories / Planetariums	Julian

Ocean Beach Much of this mile-long beach is a haven for volleyball players...	Beaches	Point Loma

Ocean Beach Pier This T-shape pier is a popular fishing spot and home to the Ocean...	Marinas / Piers	Point Loma and Coronado

Oceanside City Beach Swimmers, surfers, and U.S. Marines (from nearby Camp Pendleton)...	Beaches	Oceanside

Oceanside Harbor With 900 slips, this is North County's fishing, sailing, and...	Marinas / Piers	Oceanside

Oceanside Museum of Art Housed in side-by-side buildings designed by two Southern California...	Museums / Galleries	Oceanside

Oceanside Pier South of Oceanside Harbor, at 1,942 feet, this is one of the...	Marinas / Piers	Oceanside

Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area The sand dunes and rock formations at this 80,000-plus acre haven...	Sports Venues	Borrego Springs

Old Mission San Luis Rey Known as the King of the Missions, this structure was built in...	Religious Sites	Oceanside

Old Town San Diego State Historic Park The six square blocks on the site of San Diego's original pueblo...	Neighborhoods / Streets	Old Town and Uptown

Old Town Temecula Once a hangout for cowboys, Old Town has been updated and expanded...	Towns	Temecula

Orange Avenue Coronado's business district and its villagelike heart, this...	Neighborhoods / Streets	Point Loma and Coronado

Orfila Vineyards This vineyard offers tours and tastings of award-winning Syrah...	Wineries / Breweries	Escondido

Pacific Beach/North Pacific Beach The boardwalk of Mission Beach turns into a sidewalk here, but...	Beaches	Mission Bay

Palm Canyon Heading down into this lush canyon near the House of Charm provides...	Canyon	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Palomar Mountain State Park One of the few areas in Southern California with a Sierra-like...	Parks	Palomar Mountain

Palomar Observatory Atop Palomar Mountain, the observatory is owned and operated...	Observatories / Planetariums	Palomar Mountain

Pennypickle's Workshop: Temecula Children's Museum This is the imaginary home of Professor Phineas Pennypickle...	Museums / Galleries	Temecula

PETCO Park Opened in 2004, PETCO Park is a state-of-the-art major league...	Sports Venues	Downtown

Presidio Park The hillsides of the 50-acre green space overlooking Old Town...	Parks	Old Town and Uptown

Queen Califia's Magical Circle The last work by sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002), this...	Public Art (Mural / Sculpture / Statue)	Escondido

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center The center's interactive exhibits are artfully educational. You...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Salk Institute The world-famous biological-research facility founded by polio...	Educational Institutions	La Jolla

San Diego Air and Space Museum By day, the streamlined edifice looks like any other structure...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

San Diego Automotive Museum Even if you don't know a choke from a chassis, you're bound to...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

San Diego Botanic Gardens More than 4,000 rare, exotic, and endangered plants are on display...	Gardens / Arboretums	Encinitas

San Diego Hall of Champions In a 70,000-square-foot building, this museum celebrates local...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

San Diego Model Railroad Museum When the impressive exhibits at this 27,000-square-foot museum...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

San Diego Mormon Battalion Historic Site Operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...	Religious Sites	Old Town and Uptown

San Diego Museum of Art Known primarily for its Spanish Baroque and Renaissance paintings...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

San Diego Museum of Man If the facade of this building—the landmark California...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

San Diego Natural History Museum There are 7.5 million fossils, dinosaur models, and even live...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

San Diego Zoo Balboa Park's—and perhaps the city's—most famous...	Zoos / Aquariums	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

San Diego Zoo Safari Park An extension of the San Diego Zoo, 35 mi to the south, the 1,800-acre...	Zoos / Aquariums	Escondido

San Dieguito River Park The park maintains several hiking and walking trails in the Escondido...	Trails	Escondido

San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy Between Solana Beach and Encinitas, this is the most complex...	Bodies of Water	Encinitas

San Elijo State Beach There are campsites (800/444-7275 www.parks.ca.gov for reservations)...	Beaches	Cardiff-by-the-Sea

Santa Fe Depot The Mission-style Santa Fe Depot, which replaced the original...	Transportation Sites	Downtown

Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve This preserve provides a glimpse of what this countryside was...	Nature Preserves	Temecula

Santa Ysabel Valley Three Native American tribes live in this valley which looks...	Nature Preserves, Towns	Julian

Scott Street Running along Point Loma's waterfront from Shelter Island to...	Promenades / Boardwalks	Point Loma and Coronado

SDAI: Museum of the Living Artist Outside juries decide which works created by members of the Art...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Sea Life Aquarium Offering an educational and interactive underwater experience...	Amusement Parks	Carlsbad

Seagrove Park Summer evening concerts take place at the west end of this small...	Parks	Del Mar

Seaport Village You'll find some of the best views of the harbor at Seaport Village...	Stores / Malls	Downtown

SeaWorld San Diego One of the world's largest marine-life amusement parks, SeaWorld...	Amusement Parks	Mission Bay, Beaches, and SeaWorld

Self-Realization Fellowship Retreat Founded in 1936 as a retreat and place of worship, the retreat...	Religious Sites	Encinitas

Shell Beach North of Children's Pool is a small cove, accessible by stairs...	Beaches	La Jolla

Shelter Island This reclaimed peninsula now supports towering palms and resorts...	Islands	Point Loma and Coronado

South Carlsbad State Beach/Carlsbad State Beach Erosion from winter storms has made the southern Carlsbad beaches...	Beaches	Carlsbad

Spanish Landing Park Across from the western end of Harbor Island, on the mainland's...	Neighborhoods / Streets	Point Loma and Coronado

Spanish Village Art Center More than 200 local artists, including glassblowers, enamel workers...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Spreckels Organ Pavilion The 2,400-bench-seat pavilion, dedicated in 1915 by sugar magnates...	Arts / Performance Venues	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Spruce Street Bridge Constructed in 1912 by Edwin Capps, this 375-foot suspension...	Bridges / Tunnels	Old Town and Uptown

Sunrise National Scenic Byway In the Cleveland National Forest, this is the most dramatic approach...	Scenic Drives	Cuyamaca Mountains

Sunset Cliffs As the name suggests, the 60-foot-high bluffs on the western...	Viewpoints	Point Loma and Coronado

Sunset Cliffs One of the more secluded beaches in the area, Sunset Cliffs is...	Beaches	Point Loma

Swami's The palms and the golden lotus-flower domes of the nearby Self-Realization...	Beaches	Encinitas

Temecula Valley Museum Adjacent to Sam Hicks Monument Park, this museum focuses on Temecula...	Museums / Galleries	Temecula

Thomas Whaley House Museum Thomas Whaley was a New York entrepreneur who came to California...	Museums / Galleries	Old Town and Uptown

Timken Museum of Art This small museum inside a modern travertine structure is a true...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Torrey Pines Glider Port On days when the winds are just right, gliders line the cliffs...	Sports	La Jolla

Torrey Pines State Beach and Reserve One of San Diego's best beaches encompasses 2,000 acres of bluffs...	Beaches	La Jolla

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Pinus torreyana, the rarest native pine tree in the United States...	Parks	La Jolla

Tourmaline Surfing Park Year-round, this is one of the area's most popular beaches for...	Beaches	Mission Bay

U.S. Grant Hotel Far more formal than most other hotels in San Diego and complete...	Hotels	Downtown

University Heights Tucked between Hillcrest and North Park, this small but charming...	Neighborhoods / Streets	Old Town and Uptown

University of California at San Diego The campus of one of the country's most prestigious research...	Educational Institutions	La Jolla

USS Midway Museum After 47 years of worldwide service, the retired USS Midway began...	Museums / Galleries, Nautical Sites	Downtown

Vacation Isle Ingraham Street bisects this island, providing two distinct experiences...	Beaches	Mission Bay, Beaches, and SeaWorld

Veterans Museum and Memorial Center Housed in what was the old Naval Hospital Chapel, this museum...	Museums / Galleries	Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve The 1¼ -mi trail through the preserve passes through Engelmann...	Nature Preserves	Julian

Wave Waterpark A 3-acre water park run by the city of Vista, it's also one of...	Amusement Parks	Oceanside

Western Metal Supply Co Building Initially scheduled for demolition to make room for PETCO Park...	Architectural Sites	Downtown

Westfield Horton Plaza This downtown shopping, dining, and entertainment mecca fronts...	Stores / Malls	Downtown

Wildlife Research Institute The 4,000 acres of grasslands that have been preserved in the...	Nature Preserves	Ramona

Windansea Beach Named for a hotel that burned down in the late 1940s, Windansea...	Beaches	La Jolla
Sights Overview »

New on Fodors.com

Travel Deals in San Diego

$176 & up -- Flights from Columbus on Sale (R/T incl. Tax) Major Airlines on Fly.com
$119-$123 -- San Diego 4-Star Hotel, 55% Off Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina
$67 -- 3-Star Los Angeles Airport Hotel Hotwire.com
$3250+: 8-Nt New Zealand & Fiji Self-Drive Package w/Air Pacific Holidays

View all travel deals

* Some taxes, fees additional

Things to Do in San Diego

Things to Do in San Diego

New on Fodors.com

Travel Deals in San Diego

Sign In Using: