Ultimate San Diego Guide

Ultimate San Diego Guide

San Diego is one of the best places in the world, in my humble opinion. Here is a list of the top places to see/things to do in San Diego including hiking/outdoor activities, museums, and where to eat and drink!
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Hiking/Outdoor Activities

Potato Chip Hike Start Point ramona, ca
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Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve
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Cowles Mountain Trailhead
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Lake Poway
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Make sure to check the website's updated hours first, but I always loved renting the pedal boats and hanging around this beautiful lake. Family friendly, or the perfect date activity, it's cheap and fun to rent the little boats and makes for a great day in the sun!
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Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
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This is one of the most "San Diegan" hikes you could ever do, along the beach, how could it be better?! There is an onsite paid parking lot, or as the locals do, find parking alone the road and walk down. (More steps in = more tacos after, right?)
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The Flower Fields
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The highlight of Spring is the 55-acres of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers which make up The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, California. They are in bloom for approximately six to eight weeks each year – from early March through early May. Every San Diegan looks forward to this each year and it is one of nature’s ways of officially announcing the arrival of spring in Southern California. You must book your tickets online and unfortunately no pets allowed.
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Sunny Jim's Sea Cave
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Located inside a little wood-shingled, oceanfront shop in La Jolla, is one of La Jolla's best, shining attractions. If you just happened into the gift shop, you might be surprised by the dark tunnel leading downstairs to the Sunny Jim Cave. This is the only sea cave, in all of California, accessible by land. The wooden steep steps, going down the tunnel, can be slippery and wet, so be careful. The name Sunny Jim was created by Frank Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz, because the cave’s opening looked like a character for a British cereal, which was also called Sunny Jim. You can purchase tickets at the door (cashier) inside the shop.
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La Jolla Tide Pools
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La Jolla Cove
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Cardiff State Beach
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Activities

Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
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Open daily from 9am-5pm GENERAL ADMISSION - ADULT Price: $24.95 Tickets for adults ages 18-59 GENERAL ADMISSION - SENIOR Price: $22.95 Tickets for adults ages 60+ GENERAL ADMISSION - CHILD Price: $19.95 Tickets for children ages 3-17 Free for children 2 and under GENERAL ADMISSION - STUDENTPrice: $22.95 Tickets for College Students (ID required*). *Must present valid school photo ID with ticket.
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Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
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Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
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Whaley House Museum
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Ocean Beach Farmers Market
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Belmont Park
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Balboa Park
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Balboa Park is a great place just to walk around through but it is also great for museums, or the botanic gardens.

Seaport Village
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Cabrillo National Monument
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Coronado Ferry Terminal
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Take the ferry from downtown San Diego to Coronado Island. It's just a few dollars and you get a short, but beautiful little boat ride through the harbor, to discover Coronado.
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Coronado Island
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Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton
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Day Trip to Julian

Julian
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If you're visiting in the Fall, especially around Thanksgiving time, there's nothing like a drive to Julian, into the mountains! Make sure to stop at Mom's Pie Shop for some delicious home made Julian pie.
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Views/Picnic/Sunset Spots

Torrey Pines Gliderport
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My absolute favorite place to spend a couple hours, enjoy the sunshine, watch the gliders, or watch the sunset! Free gravel parking onsite.
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Sunset Cliffs Natural Park
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Another top place to watch a beautiful San Diego sunset.
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Soledad Mountain
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Drive up Mt Soledad for fantastic views. Park and head to the monument and see out over La Jolla. Great during the day or at sunset!
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Spruce Street Suspension Bridge
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A hidden little gem in the residential area of Bankers Hill in San Diego, the 375 feet long suspension bridge, with a beautiful view of the Sessions Canyon 70 feet below, was built in 1912. Walking along the bridge isn’t made for those with a fear of heights. The bridge literally hangs over the canyon, and any movement, such as a heavy gust of wind can make it swing slightly. Parking is in a residential neighborhood. To find it, turn west onto Spruce street from First avenue and drive all the way down until the entrance is seen. If you are walking from the park, just walk down Spruce street and it turns into the bridge, you won't miss it after Front street.
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Quince Street Bridge
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Another fun, little bridge in San Diego with nice views. It was built in 1905 and is 236 feet long, and 60 feet tall.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ciao! My name is Danielle and I'm a Californian from San Diego, who's been living full time in Florence, Italy since 2020. I studied in Florence in 2016 and absolutely fell in love with the food, culture, and history, and made it my mission to move back. I moved right before the pandemic, and staying here through all the lockdowns and pandemic life really helped me discover slow travel and find all of Italy's beauty, including lesser known gems, and off the beaten path travel spots. During my three years in Florence, I have wrote for publications like The Florentine, done freelance marketing with restaurants and a travel agency, giving me high insight into the best destinations, foodie spots, and more. I am here to help you make the most of your vacation in Italy with curated itineraries for every type of traveler and digital maps to help you enjoy THE BEST food each region has to offer. Let me do the work so you can just relax and enjoy, without any stress! I've had a very unique experience living in Italy the last 4 years, as I made my official move right before the pandemic, after visiting for years. Because of this I learned to travel locally and deeply throughout the numerous incredible destinations in Italy and for that I cater my travel services to finding the most local and mindful experiences, keeping true to discovering and appreciating Italy's culture.
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