I found myself sending really long Twitter DMs so if you’re coming to San Diego and want some recommendations from a local, here’s a TLDR version:
Where to stay
Avoid staying in south/south-east San Diego. The Gaslamp and downtown, in general, are also not great areas to stay. Here are my recommendations:
- Little Italy (Recommended hotel: Hilton Garden Inn)
- Coronado (Recommended hotel: Hotel Del)
- Downtown/Seaport Village (Recommended hotel: Grand Manchester Hyatt)
- Mission Valley (Recommended hotel: Legacy Resort)
- Pacific Beach (Recommended hotel: Tower23)
- Oceanside (Recommended hotel: Mission Pacific Hotel)
What to do
- Shop: Fashion Valley Mall, Westfield UTC, One Paseo
- Beaches: Coronado, Pacific Beach, La Jolla Shores, Sunset Cliffs
- Hikes: Torrey Pines Beach Trail, Big Laguna Trail, Cowles Mountain, Potato Chip Rock
- Zoo or Safari Park
- Legoland
- SeaWorld
- Balboa Park
- USS Midway
- Seaport Village
- Coronado Ferry
- Liberty Station
- Old Town
- Padres Game
- Belmont Park
- La Jolla Cove (see the seals & sea lions!)
What to eat
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What to drink
Coffee
Breweries
Cocktails
