San Diego is known around the world as an amazing vacation destination. With spectacular weather for most of the year, stunning beaches, an excellent foodie scene, and plenty more attractions and activities…well, there’s really no better place to spend a weekend!
If you’re planning to spend a weekend in San Diego and are wondering what you should do, I’ve created a great itinerary to help make sure you experience the best this city has to offer. So let’s take a look at these options that will help you have an incredible weekend getaway!
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San Diego Weekend Itinerary
If you’re planning a weekend getaway to San Diego, here are some of the best spots to go and the best things to do! For the sake of this itinerary, I’m assuming you’ll show up Friday night and stay until Sunday. If you have a little more time (for a three day weekend) check out some of the optional activities listed at the end of this article.
Friday
For the first day of your itinerary, you’ll probably be arriving in late afternoon or early evening depending on where you’re traveling from. If you arrive in time for dinner and a little exploring, here are a few things to check out on this partial day!
1. Go to Phil’s BBQ for Dinner
If you’ve arrived in time for dinner, there’s no better time than the present to try this iconic San Diego BBQ restaurant. To say it’s a San Diego institution and very popular might actually be an understatement…because it is delicious and beloved by locals and tourists alike!
During peak mealtimes, lines will often wrap around the building. (That’s how you know it’s good!) Phil’s has a more informal atmosphere to it and you order at the front before taking your seat at any open table.
My favorite foods here are the Baby Back Ribs and the El Toro Sandwich, but really everything is fantastic so you can’t go wrong with anything you try!
2. Visit Sunset Cliffs for Sunset
After dinner, Sunset Cliffs is the perfect place to go for a sunset stroll! This natural park along the coast in the Point Loma area offers stunning views of the ocean as well as beautiful cliffs that glow orange as the sun sets.
This place is a favorite of mine and of many locals, so you’ll likely see a lot of people who have come here to take a walk at sunset or have set up a blanket for a picnic or yoga. So on your first night in San Diego, come and enjoy one of the most amazing San Diego sunsets!
3. Return to Hotel
After sunset, I recommend returning to your hotel to rest up for a full day on Saturday! (Of course, if you prefer you could always head to the Gaslamp Quarter for fun nightlife instead).
As far as where to stay in San Diego, there are lots of amazing options. If you have the budget, the Hotel del Coronado is an excellent choice…especially for a special weekend getaway. This hotel has hosted presidents, celebrities, and tons of fascinating people throughout its many years as a hotel and is still a gorgeous place to stay in San Diego today. In fact, it’s one of the places you should visit whether you are staying here or not!
Click here to check out the Hotel del Coronado and check availability!
Saturday
For your full day on Saturday, I recommend getting outside, getting sandy at the beach, and exploring all the great outdoor options we have here! After all, San Diego is famous for its sun and its fantastic weather…so be sure to enjoy it to the fullest while you’re here.
1. See Old Town San Diego
Before you get out into the outdoors and get all sandy from the beach and sweaty from hiking in the sun, an excellent place to start off your Saturday is Old Town San Diego.
Old Town (and the Old Town State Historic Park) is in fact the city’s original downtown and the birthplace of the California we know today. As such, this is a stop you won’t want to miss on your San Diego itinerary. It was the site of the first Spanish settlement on the West Coast of the US, so it is a great place to explore San Diego’s complicated history and learn about this part of California’s culture. There are also some cute shops in the area alongside the historic sites…as well as authentic Mexican food that you may want to try!
2. Hike at Torrey Pines State Reserve
Next, to start off your Saturday outdoor adventures, I recommend hiking at Torrey Pines State Reserve. This 2,000 acre coastal park is an excellent place to enjoy the beautiful weather, and there are lots of trails to choose from. One of my favorite hikes, though, is taking the Beach Trail and then walking along the beach once you reach the bottom.
Plan to spend part of the morning hiking and playing on the beach here, or if you prefer then simply hike and move along to the next stop. Whatever you decide, this is a great way to kick off seeing some of the most beautiful places in San Diego!
3. Experience a Beachy Afternoon at La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores
No weekend in San Diego would be complete without a visit to some of San Diego’s best beaches! After all, this is one of the things we’re most well known for around the world!
Some of my favorite beaches in San Diego include La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores, but you could also substitute any number of other amazing San Diego beaches (Coronado, Ocean, Pacific, etc.).
The beach you choose depends on what activities you want to do, and in the case of La Jolla Shores you will find a more sandy, open, and “traditional” beach…while La Jolla Cove has a smaller sand area but is excellent for snorkeling and kayaking. This is also a great place to see seals and sea lions.
I highly recommend going to both La Jolla shores and cove if you love beach areas…and maybe even take a tour to get out and see the beauty of the underwater La Jolla Ecological Reserve! And of course, simply enjoy the sand and the sun. That’s the true San Diego!
4. Eat at Grater Grilled Cheese
There are lots of amazing restaurants in San Diego, but another of my favorites is Grater Grilled Cheese. This incredible grilled cheese restaurant has all sorts of gourmet grilled cheese options alongside other cheesy dishes. My favorites include the lobster grilled cheese and the lobster mac and cheese. After a day hiking and a day in the sun, this is a great way to round off your Saturday!
5. Enjoy an Evening Out on the Town
After eating dinner, you may wish to return to your hotel to freshen up after a full day outside exploring. If you aren’t too tired, then this would be the perfect time to head out and explore some excellent evening entertainment options in San Diego!
For those who like vibrant nightlife, the Gaslamp Quarter is the perfect place to explore. This is one of the main neighborhoods in San Diego and is a huge attraction for those who want to experience San Diego’s nightlife scene. There are tons of restaurants to choose from if you prefer to eat here, or you can stick around for live music and dancing as the night goes on!
For those, like me, who aren’t a huge fan of nightlife, you may prefer to find another San Diego evening option. One possibility is to go see a play instead! San Diego has a thriving theater scene, which means there are lots of amazing places you could go to watch a play…but one of my favorite places to go is the Old Globe Theatre. They are a stunning and professional group that puts on plays ranging from Shakespeare all the way up to modern plays, so there is something for everyone!
Sunday
On your last day in San Diego, I recommend checking out some of the fun attractions in the heart of San Diego. Here are some of the ones that many visitors (and locals) love! You’ll be doing a lot of walking and exploring so be sure to check out this San Diego packing list to make sure you’ve got everything you need for a day of fun!
1. Visit Balboa Park
To start of your Sunday, I highly recommend visiting Balboa Park. This park is a 1,200-acre urban cultural park in the heart of San Diego, making it the largest urban cultural park in North America! You could easily spend a whole day just here exploring all there is to see and do. But with only part of a morning to spend, you will want to choose only a few things to see.
You could explore one of the many urban hiking trails, visit a museum, see beautiful gardens, or even maybe attend a concert here at the Organ Pavilion. Some of my favorite things to do are go to the Botanical Building, the Air & Space Museum, and the Japanese Garden…but you can find a full list of museums and attractions here.
2. See the San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo is another spot that many tourists love to visit while they’re here, and you could easily spend the whole day here whether you are bringing kids with you or going on your own. The San Diego Zoo is world famous and people come from all over to see it, and the zoo also actively contributes to conservancy efforts around the world, which is very cool!
The zoo is located right next to Balboa Park, so after exploring some that the park has to offer you can just hop over and see some amazing animals. The Zoo does cost to enter (just like some museums at Balboa charge for entrance) but if you buy the Go San Diego Card that I’ll talk about later then entrance is included in the cost…so you don’t have to feel bad about visiting for a short time and then moving on to other fun San Diego sights.
3. Go to Little Italy
If you still have time on your San Diego weekend trip, then you should take some time to visit Little Italy. This is one of my favorite neighborhoods in San Diego, as it is a little upscale and perfect for strolling and enjoying the city. There are also lots of fun little stores along this area that you can enjoy seeing, as well as cute historic homes and the nearby waterfront.
Little Italy is also one of my favorite places because of all the fun food options, including Napizza (delicious pizza by the slice), the Queenstown Public House (a New Zealand restaurant), and of course Salt and Straw (only the best ice cream ever!)
5. Eat Lunch/Dinner at C Level & Island Prime Restaurant
If you’ve made it through the above itinerary and are looking for one last meal to finish your San Diego weekend itinerary, then I have one last recommendation for you: lunch (or dinner) at C Level Lounge!
C Level is a really nice restaurant, so you will want to dress appropriately for a nicer area, but you can enjoy a delicious meal here on the waterfront with incredible views of San Diego. This is an experience you won’t want to miss and is the perfect way to end your perfect weekend in San Diego!
Additional San Diego Sights
If you have some extra time (like on a three day weekend) or are not interested in visiting some of the places mentioned above, then here are a few options you could consider adding or substituting during your time in San Diego!
Belmont Park
At Mission Beach, you’ll find San Diego’s very own beach-side amusement park! With lots of fun rides and a very famous wooden roller coaster called the Giant Dipper, this is a fun stop to add to any San Diego itinerary.
You do not have to pay to enter the park, but do have to pay to ride any attractions you choose. You can pay as you go or buy an all access pass that gives you unlimited rides.
Fashion Valley Mall
If you love to shop, then we have the perfect mall for you! The Fashion Valley Mall is an upscale, open-air shopping mall that is truly a treat. And it’s the largest mall in San Diego and one of the largest in California!
As an upscale mall, you’ll find lots of designer and luxury brands here including Luis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Ted Baker, and more. Of course, there are also some spectacular versions of common mall shops like Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and Macy’s and even a huge Apple store and a Tesla store! You can see a full list of stores here.
Beyond shopping, it’s also a really nice place to just walk and explore. There’s lots of seating areas across the mall in the open air (and even some outdoor fireplaces to sit around when it’s cold!). If you aren’t used to the world of luxury, you’ll feel like you’ve walked into a completely different world…and if you are used to luxury, then you will certainly feel right at home!
Whale Watching
In California, whale watching season is all year long. This makes it a perfect thing to do on the weekend in San Diego. Different seasons bring different types of whales…so in December through April you will likely see California gray whales while from April/June through September you will see blue whales. If this is of interest, check out my article about whale watching in San Diego to learn more!
Need more ideas? Check out the full San Diego bucket list!
Spend Less on Your Weekend Trip: How to Get Discounted Attractions and Activity Tickets
If you’re in San Diego for only a weekend but still want to pack in as much as you can, it can get expensive real quickly! There are so many things to see and do and it can hurt to pay full admission to somewhere (like the San Diego Zoo or Balboa museums) and not get to enjoy it as fully as you’d like.
So if you plan to do a lot of activities that require you to pay, such as kayaking, surfing, going to the zoo, visiting museums, or going on rides at Belmont Park, you may wish to purchase the Go San Diego Card to help you save money.
The Go San Diego Card charges an up front, flat fee for an all-inclusive pass to see the best attractions in San Diego. And you can even choose the number of days you want to use the pass. For many visitors to San Diego, this ends up being a much better price than paying for everything individually when you’re doing it all over just two or three days.
So I recommend thinking about the itinerary above, seeing which activities you want to do, and then doing some quick math on what they cost. Doing this will help you decide whether you’re wanting to experience enough paid activities that the Go Card will be the best option for your wallet.
Check out the Go San Diego Card to see what is included and how much it costs!
Save for Later
