Favorite San Diego activities for many visitors include Coronado Island, the Embarcadero, San Diego Zoo, and Wild Animal Park. Add in San Diego’s great weather – what are you waiting for?
With its microclimate, San Diego has everything you could want, and so much more. San Diego is home to large military bases, near both mountains and beaches, and merely a stone’s throw away from Mexico.
How could you go wrong with a visit here?
With so much to offer, it would be easy to be overwhelmed with the volume of San Diego activities to choose from. Let us help!
Why we are experts in San Diego activities.
Papa Joe has had family in San Diego for most of his life. Between childhood visits, extended stays with family, and sharing those experiences with his children, he has more activity recommendations than most of us could do in a single visit. We have gathered his favorite activities for you, from water to the military, to sports venues. Expensive to free – his suggestions cover almost anything you could want.
So here we go…
His first favorite is the San Diego Bay.
Some of the best views of the San Diego skyline are from the San Diego Bay. From Harbor Island you can travel the bay to Liberty Station in Point Loma, passing the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (a favorite of Papa Joe’s) heading toward Shelter Island. Or you can cruise past downtown and sail underneath the Coronado Bridge.
We like to view the bay on the San Diego Harbor Cruise. Guided jet ski tours gliding past some of San Diego’s historic military sites are also a great way to see the San Diego Bay.
On our favorite trip around the bay, we were able to watch marine troops practicing maneuvers – both in the water and from helicopters. At the same time, several large deployments left from the base, the action was pretty amazing to witness. It is hard to imagine how huge those ships really are, but maybe the photo will help.
Horatio Hornblower Dinner Cruise is another favorite.
Speaking of the bay, what better way to view the bay than onboard the Horatio Hornblower, enjoying a dinner cruise. Picture this – as the sun sets over the bay, stars begin to decorate the purple-hued sky, and we cruise past seals preparing for nightfall at Seal Pier.
All while enjoying relaxing dinner music and enjoyable dinner. How could you NOT want to do this? Especially when you take the kids and make it a family event. That makes this literally winner-winner-chicken-dinner.
You have to explore Coronado Island and the beach.
Now, Coronado Island is a favorite San Diego destination for both Papa Joe and myself. Accessed by the iconic Coronado Bridge, Coronado Island is one of the more exclusive tourist destinations in San Diego.
Coronado Island accordingly, is also one of the more expensive (why the area isn’t top of Papa Joe’s list). The reason it is on both our lists is that the beach is less crowded, has nice sand, and has calmer waves. Coronado Island boasts several themed restaurants, including Italian, Mexican, and ice cream – I haven’t had a bad meal here yet.
Expensive yes, but oh so yummy. The kids had a great time on the beach and got to be… you know – kids.
For history buffs, the Hotel del Coronado is worth a second look. This landmark red-roofed hotel has overlooked the Pacific from its beachfront locale since 1888. Throughout its history, the storied Hotel del Coronado has been a favorite among traveling presidents, including Benjamin Harrison, William Taft, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Gerald Ford. Movie stars, such as Charlie Chaplin, also paid visits, and the Hotel del Coronado played the backdrop to the feature film “Some Like It Hot” in 1958.
If you are looking for a Pinterest-worthy photo of San Diego, the Hotel del Coronado is iconic and a great share-worthy photo… that, unfortunately, I don’t have.
Beach Baby anyone?
Being a Beach-baby on The Strand is our kid’s favorite San Diego activity.
Located just south of Coronado Island, this stretch of beach spans 2.5 miles on the Pacific side and a half-mile along the San Diego Bay. Silver Strand State Beach is popular with both locals and visitors.
In our experience, there was a great place for teenage kids to hang out, with plenty of activities and, a nice beach that wasn’t overcrowded. Camping on the beach, swimming, surfing, boating, water-skiing, volleyball, and picnicking are popular activities.
Anglers can fish for perch, corbina, grunion, and yellow-fin croaker. You can see our sons found plenty to do here, even making friends with the herons.
Strolling the Embarcadero.
The Embarcadero is a really cool area to visit along the San Diego Bay waterline. Consisting of the Navy Pier and Broadway Pier, and Seaport Village, the Embarcadero waterfront stretches over a mile and is a self-guided walking tour through San Diego’s maritime history.
With Papa Joe’s fascination for everything navy, anything with the Embarcadero is a favorite San Diego activity.
The Embarcadero waterfront deserves a blog post all on its own – and I’m sure it won’t surprise you that I have found a blog post for you. Walking Along the San Diego Waterfront is worth a quick read, thank you Inigo Figuracion for this detailed write-up featuring the Embarcadero.
The Embarcadero is an easy walk, and a great way to spend time out of the hotel if visiting the area on business. There are plenty of spaces to sit down and take a break or people-watch. There is also shopping and entertainment.
A one-stop shop so to speak.
Explore naval museums.
USS Midway and other naval museums are Papa Joe’s all-time favorite San Diego activity. The USS Midway is conveniently located at the Navy Pier along the Embarcadero and is a must-do for any history or naval buff.
The USS Midway is the longest-serving American aircraft carrier of the 20th century, home to more than 225,000 sailors over its seafaring lifetime. This historical relic offers visitors the opportunity to explore 60 different exhibits and the 29 restored aircraft onboard, including some that were flown in World War II, Operation Desert Storm, and the Korean War.
The audio tour is self-guided, allowing you to experience the USS Midway at your own pace. You can view the crew’s sleeping quarters, the engine room, the ship’s jail, and the primary flight control room, among other areas of the 4-acre flight deck. Wear comfy shoes – note there are 4 acres to explore.
There are also flight simulators (which the kids loved), knot tying demonstrations, and a cafe when you start to refuel before exploring more.
Maritime Naval Museum.
We have not visited the Maritime Naval Museum. I guarantee Papa Joe will on including that on our next visit, now that he knows it exists. Not having visited the museum, I can’t provide any first-hand information. I can share information from the US News website.
The Maritime Museum offers a hands-on look at San Diego’s days as a bustling seaport. You can tour all types of historic vessels, from sailing ships to submarines, including the world’s oldest active ship, the Star of India. Recent visitors said the boat tours gave them a new understanding of the workmanship and skill required of sailors. Past travelers also note that you should plan to wear pants and sturdy shoes to easily maneuver the narrow, low corridors inside the ships.
Courtesy of US News
We have also not visited the India Star, but that will be top of my list on our next visit.
Another favorite of San Diego activities – a visit to SeaWorld.
I respect others’ perspectives. I have difficulty understanding how SeaWorld, and parks like it, have gotten a bad reputation for animal cruelty. Our kids absolutely loved it and received a really good education about conservation and animal rescue activity.
We saw dolphins, California sea lions, California otters, and sea turtles here. Rides have been added since our last visit, and travelers love the lightning-fast Manta-Ray rollercoaster. Also, check out Journey to Atlantis or Ship Wreck Rapids rides if you don’t mind getting wet.
Don’t miss the park’s animal exhibits, like the shark underwater viewing tunnel, the penguin habitat, which features nearly 300 penguins. Also check out the Wild Arctic ride/exhibit, which features the chance to see beluga whales and polar bears.
There’s also the Sesame Street Bay of Play, which features wet and dry playgrounds, arcade facilities, and smaller mechanical rides for the little kids.
None of which are anything our land-lubber kids from the Midwest get to see often.
Both young and old enjoy the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park.
The San Diego Zoo is one of the most prestigious zoos in the country, if not the world. A visit to the San Diego Zoo was a must-do when we visited the area with the kids. Home to more than 3,700 rare and endangered animals, the San Diego Zoo is known worldwide. It covers more than 100 acres and is a full-day activity.
A visit to the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park is an important and fun way to teach old and young alike about responsible animal care and endangered species. For more information about the San Diego Zoo, visit their website at San Diego Zoo.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity. Need a little more incentive? How to Have Great Family Vacations may be the jump start you are looking for!
The San Diego Wild Animal Park.
Our visit to the San Diego Wild Animal Park had many of the same educational and fun benefits as a zoo. Located outside city limits, this was more difficult to get to, and a very hot day when we went. It normally is warmer than downtown San Diego.
The photo below was taken at the end of our day at the Wild Animal Park, and we don’t look as tired as we felt.
Where else can you go in the US and see a lion stretched across a jeep?
Take in a San Diego Padre Baseball game.
Petco Park is conveniently located across from the convention center and is close to the Embarcadero. Even if you aren’t a sports lover, any day at the ballpark is a good day. There aren’t many baseball parks in the nation that include a water view – but this one does!
Hearing the crack of the baseball bat, the smell of freshly roasted peanuts, a cold craft-brewed beer, and seeing the San Diego Bay. That experience is priceless.
We spent a really great day there with family – I think we filled the better part of three rows. Really – does it get any better than that?
Last of Papa Joe’s favorite San Diego activities.
This is a staple for every “10 Best Activity” post, check out a food tour while enjoying the city.
Food tours are a new addition to our recommendations. Experiencing local food is THE best way to immerse yourself into the local culture of your destination. Experience local flavors. Savor the local experience.
Day trip listings include Valle de Guadalupe Mexico Premium Wine & Gourmet Food Tasting Tour, Cultural Food & Beer Tour, Kegs-n-Kush: Dispensaries, and Brewery Tour (just to list a few).
I think you can see (based on these tour names) how food tours help visitors understand the San Diego scene.
Viator, better known as TripAdvisor, lists lots of food tours in San Diego. This link may even get you a discount, and that’s always a favorite for me! Save up to 50% off tours and activities on Viator.
I tried nerve soup on our last San Diego visit. It’s not likely that I will do that again… think I lost my nerve. The moral, however, is to live a little and try something new.
I like to add ideas from other travelers.
We pulled additional ideas for this post from TripAdvisor, Conde Nast, and US News. I didn’t include any city walking tours or hiking in our “favorites” list. City walking tours and hiking each rank in the top 15 for each of these resources.
The Gaslamp Quarter is actually one of my favorite places in San Diego, but this post isn’t about me. Don’t forget how close Tijuana is. Many say the Tijuana Trolley is the best way to get from San Diego to Tijuana.
These resources also rank visits to Balboa Park and La Jolla Cove as recommended activities. Remember, our recommendations are from the perspective of one intimately familiar with the city. You may choose that perspective, or you may choose tourist activities.
Whether your favorite San Diego activities include Coronado Island, the Embarcadero, San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, Petco Stadium, or La Jolla Cove, you will find plenty to do in San Diego.
If you are looking for other iconic American cities to visit, New Orleans may be just the ticket for you. If so, check out my New Orleans feature story here.
Either way, you can’t go wrong with a visit to San Diego!
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