Location: San Diego
Top Things to do in San Diego
Top 10 Free Things to do in San Diego, California (CA)
San Diego embodies laid-back California culture, complete with a Boardwalk, surfing communities, and outstanding Mexican food. Breathe in the fresh ocean air at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, then gobble down a fresh fish taco at a La Jolla seafood joint. The naval aircrafts at the USS Midway Museum will have you standing at attention. A free Sunday concert at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion is the perfect way to unwind after a Saturday night bar-hop in the thumping Gaslamp Quarter.
Restaurants in San Diego
1. Balboa Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 12,833 reviews
One of the most popular urban parks in the United States, this bucolic paradise is packed with an array of attractions, including the world-famous San Diego Zoo.
Reviewed By noeadventures - Los Angeles, United States
Who knew Southern California had an international-like escape. Old buildings and churches, open city squares for dining under umbrellas with fountains and birds, vendors, huge outdoor piano organ, church bells ringing, museums, botanical gardens, bridges, zoo, on and on and on and on...you could spend a whole day here easily. I felt moderately like I was back in Prague or Guatemala. Such a cool place.
2. Mission Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,029 reviews
Along with Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach, Mission Beach forms the coastline of San Diego.
Reviewed By Gofifh
Nice board walk and Beech for people watching and walking love picking up the shells and sand dollars on the beech!
3. Coronado Bridge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5,758 reviews
A beautiful bridge connecting San Diego to Coronado.
Reviewed By AdvtrTrvlr - Camarillo, United States
We both drove across the bridge and sailed underneath the bridge. If you drive across the bridge there is now no toll to pay but be careful with your speed once you are on Coronado Island. The maximum speed is 25 mph all over the entire island and there are many cops waiting to give you a ticket. By far the best way to see the bridge is by taking a bay cruise; more specifically the one that does the southern part of the bay which goes underneath the Coronado Bridge and also by about 30 Navy ships. We took a Hornblower cruise and the captain explained the Navy ships in great detail. I would also recommend that company. I would only take the one hour southern bay cruise and not the two hour cruise.
4. Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5,643 reviews
Historic site in downtown San Diego that recreates life in the Mexican and early American periods of 1821 to 1872.
Reviewed By Enjoy4790 - San Diego, United States
I love Old Town San Diego I've been going to Old Town since I was a couple weeks old we have always had our family parties in Old Town even when I moved far away whenever I would come back to visit San Diego I would go to Old Town there's so much to do so much to see many different men Mexican restaurants lots of shops on the weekends they have the craft festivals they have live music in Old Town free live music shows they also have a live theater called the Signet they have many surrounding hotels or you can just stay in Hotel Circle and then you will be really close to Old Town actually there's hundreds of hotels that are very close to Old Town San Diego but in Old Town you really want to experience the Mexican food not every Mexican restaurant is good my top recommendations are going to Casa Guadalajara or El Agave Mexican Restaurant there's a few other good ones but then there are many that are well below average as far as the shopping there's a lot of cute unique boutiques and then there's many Mexican owned little shops that have some fabulous jewelry stores old town is in the center of San Diego just about 8 minutes from SeaWorld, it's about 8 minutes from the airport it's about 8 minutes from downtown San Diego it's about 11 minutes from La Jolla it's about 16 minutes from Del Mar so it's really Central....... Another really nice thing about Old Town is many of the people that work in the shops around the Old Town Park and in the restaurants wear "time period Clothing" which is really special and then in the restaurants they wear authentic true Mexican dresses and clothing and then they have a "live show" in "fiesta de los Reyes" so it is live Mexican style dancing and singing and the show is seven days a week and it's free and so that's really enjoyable but the restaurant it's connected to called "fiesta de los Reyes" is really bad as far as the food and the service is even worse but if you are willing to put up with that it's in a beautiful setting so if you don't really care about service and you don't really care about having a nice meal then go ahead and eat there because there's so much to do right around that area but then over at Casa Guadalajara where I recommended for you to go to lunch or dinner the shopping over there will blow you away ats, some of the best shopping in all of San Diego and the lady that owns Casa Guadalajara she owns all the shops around it, it's called "Bazaar del Mundo" and it's a two-level shopping area it's so worth seeing, the most beautiful clothing and true authentic elegant Mexican apparel and dishes and Gourmet Foods and material and shoes and jewelry it's really worth seeing✨
5. Windansea Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 578 reviews
A famous beach for surfing.
Reviewed By 453karinl - Doha, Qatar
A must when you visit La Jolla or the San Diego area ... a beautiful and serene beach filled with surfers and sunbathers .. you'll spend a most relaxing and enjoyable day!!!
6. Girard Avenue and Prospect Street
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 287 reviews
Fashionable streets in La Jolla that offer expensive shops, boutiques, art galleries and elegant restaurants.
Reviewed By 337dougb
Lots of fun shops, restaurants (large and small) and a general good ambience. Plan to just roam around a while.
7. La Jolla Caves
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 726 reviews
Seven elongated fissures in the cliff walls that can be entered during low tide.
Reviewed By J8972UPcarriec
Such a cool spot with so much to do. Sea caves, beautiful shore line and ocean views and of course the seals and sea lions. Parking is a bit tricky but we found parking up the hill near the shops easier and it was just a short walk (a a few..well alot..of steps) Must see in the area!
8. Tourmaline Surfing Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 60 reviews
Each serving as a center of water-sports and recreation in La Jolla, this beach and Windansea Beach were immortalized in Tom Wolfe's famous novel, "The Pumphouse Gang."
Reviewed By alexandracT3255KF - San Diego, United States
This is a magnificent example of California this beach is so very peaceful and beautiful.A wonderful place to find peace an tranquility.
9. University of California San Diego
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 338 reviews
You don't have to be enrolled to appreciate the vast green lawns of this major university, which is home to the Mingei International Museum of World Art.
Reviewed By MohQut - Amman, Jordan
It is a big university, I went there for a tour and I enjoyed my experience, nice buildings, nice staff, overall it was a nice tour except for parking which was paid and difficult to find.
10. La Jolla Cove
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 13,465 reviews
San Diego's most desirable spot for swimming, diving and snorkeling. The water is calm and the cove is ecologically protected. There is also a world famous dive site that is located in the La Jolla ecological preserve.
Reviewed By westcoastcat - Vancouver, Canada
San Diego has 70 miles of beautiful coastline and there are endless ways to enjoy the beaches, but this little cove in La Jolla "the Jewel" is perhaps the most unique. You can explore the tide pools on Shell beach, a soft Sandy beach with caves tucked into the cliffs, or you can admire the antics of the playful seals and California sealions on the rocks and on the Children's Beach. I loved strolling along the shoreline watching the waves come crashing in and spraying water high up into the sky, while the surfers hung out in the water waiting for the perfect wave to ride in.
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