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San Diego
The San Diego surfer with tousled hair, a great tan and gentle enthusiasm is not a myth; they look like they're on a perennial vacation, and when they wish you welcome, they mean it.
Attractions
Must-see attractions for your itinerary
La Jolla
Built in the 1930s behind a wave-cutting seawall, La Jolla’s Children’s Pool was created as a family beach but has since been invaded by herds of seals…
La Jolla
This state-of-the-art aquarium is a wonderous underwater world home to 5000 fish. Visitors can watch sharks dart, kelp forests sway, and even meet a…
San Diego
It's easy to spend an hour in this heartfelt museum of surf artifacts, from a timeline of surfing history to surf-themed art and a radical collection of…
San Diego
Next to the new Waterfront Park, this collection of 11 historic sailing ships, steam boats and submarines is easy to spot: just look for the 100ft-high…
San Diego
This interactive children’s museum offers interactive art meant for kids. Installations are designed by artists, so tykes can learn principles of movement…
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
San Diego
On the site of San Diego's first European settlement, Old Town consists of a cluster of restored or rebuilt historic 19th-century buildings filled with…
San Diego
A couple blocks east of Petco Park, the city's recent landmark is a beauty. Crowned by a steel-and-mesh dome, the futuristic, nine-story library features…
La Jolla
Waves have carved a series of caves into the sandstone cliffs east of La Jolla Cove. The one below the Cave Store, a shop selling vintage curios, is 200…
Attractions
Top picks from our travel experts
Surfing, safaris and scenic delights: here are the best things to do in San Diego
Curated by Lonely Planet Editors
San Diego Natural History Museum
San Diego
The 'Nat' houses 7.5 million specimens, including rocks, minerals, fossils and taxidermied animals, as well as an impressive dinosaur skeleton and an eye…
San Diego
Housed in the iconic 1915 California Building, this anthropological museum is packed with exhibits hopscotching from ancient Egypt to local Kumeyaay…
San Diego
It's easy to spend an hour in this heartfelt museum of surf artifacts, from a timeline of surfing history to surf-themed art and a radical collection of…
San Diego
This justifiably famous zoo is one of SoCal’s biggest attractions, showing more than 3000 animals representing more than 650 species in a beautifully…
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
San Diego
On the site of San Diego's first European settlement, Old Town consists of a cluster of restored or rebuilt historic 19th-century buildings filled with…
San Diego
Take a walk on the 'wild' side at this 1800-acre open-range zoo, sibling of the San Diego Zoo, in the suburban San Pasqual Valley. Giraffes graze, lions…
San Diego
An ode to flight, the circular museum houses an extensive display of historical aircraft and spacecraft (originals, replicas and models), including a hot…
San Diego
Pride of place in SDMA's permanent collection goes to its Spanish old masters (El Greco, Goya) and a respectable selection of works by other international…
San Diego
This interactive children’s museum offers interactive art meant for kids. Installations are designed by artists, so tykes can learn principles of movement…
San Diego
In business since the 1970s, this vibrant Mexican joint delivers authentic south-of-the-border fare despite the clichéd folkloric look. Marvel at staff…
San Diego
A 20-minute drive inland is a series of wonderful, mostly flat, shady and sunny paths snaking through a lush valley and past a cascading waterfall…
San Diego
Good, clean fun at this cavernous Gaslamp bar with dueling pianos. Talented players have an amazing repertoire, including classics, rock and more. We once…
Mission & Pacific Beaches Boardwalk
San Diego
Central San Diego's best beach scene is concentrated in a narrow strip of land between the ocean and Mission Bay. There's great people-watching along the…
San Diego
The hulking aircraft carrier USS Midway was one of the navy’s flagships from 1945 to 1991, last playing a combat role in the First Gulf War. On the flight…
Gaslamp Museum & William Heath Davis House
San Diego
This house, a prefab affair brought from Maine in 1850, contains a small museum with 19th-century furnishings, plus historic newspaper clippings in the…
San Diego
One of the world's most iconic hotels, ‘The Del’ is an all-timber whitewashed architectural fantasy complete with conical towers, cupolas, turrets,…
San Diego
The San Diego Historical Society operates this center, with permanent and temporary exhibitions on city history. Previous exhibitions have included the…
San Diego
One of the town's main draws is this 979-acre ecological preserve popular with bird-watchers for its herons, coots, terns, ducks, egrets and more than 250…
San Diego
Housed in the iconic 1915 California Building, this anthropological museum is packed with exhibits hopscotching from ancient Egypt to local Kumeyaay…
San Diego
The Botanical Building looks lovely from El Prado, where you can see it reflected in the large lily pond that was used for hydrotherapy in WWII when the…
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
San Diego
On the site of San Diego's first European settlement, Old Town consists of a cluster of restored or rebuilt historic 19th-century buildings filled with…
San Diego
Just beyond the ‘Hotel Del', this beach is consistently ranked in America’s top 10. Four-and-a-half miles south of Coronado Village is the white-sand…
San Diego
Less than 5 miles south of Coronado Municipal Beach, Silver Strand State Beach offers space from the crowds of the main city beaches. The strand’s long,…
San Diego
As you head northward toward Hillcrest consider a detour across the 375ft Spruce St Footbridge. Note that the 1912 suspension bridge, built over a deep…
San Diego
Pride of place in SDMA's permanent collection goes to its Spanish old masters (El Greco, Goya) and a respectable selection of works by other international…
San Diego
Don’t skip the Timken, home to a small but impressive collection of American and European paintings, including works by Rembrandt, Rubens, El Greco,…
Mission & Pacific Beaches Boardwalk
San Diego
Central San Diego's best beach scene is concentrated in a narrow strip of land between the ocean and Mission Bay. There's great people-watching along the…
San Diego
Balboa Park’s Old Globe Theater dates from the 1935 Exposition, and in the 1970s the main stage was rebuilt à la 17th-century Globe in England, where…
San Diego
The hulking aircraft carrier USS Midway was one of the navy’s flagships from 1945 to 1991, last playing a combat role in the First Gulf War. On the flight…
San Diego
Balboa Park includes a number of gardens, reflecting different horticultural styles and environments, including Alcazar Garden, a formal, Spanish-style…
San Diego
A couple blocks east of Petco Park, the city's recent landmark is a beauty. Crowned by a steel-and-mesh dome, the futuristic, nine-story library features…
Gaslamp Museum & William Heath Davis House
San Diego
This house, a prefab affair brought from Maine in 1850, contains a small museum with 19th-century furnishings, plus historic newspaper clippings in the…
San Diego
Next to the new Waterfront Park, this collection of 11 historic sailing ships, steam boats and submarines is easy to spot: just look for the 100ft-high…
San Diego
Neither seaport nor village, this 14-acre collection of novelty shops and restaurants has a faux New England theme. It’s touristy and twee but good for…
San Diego
One of the world's most iconic hotels, ‘The Del’ is an all-timber whitewashed architectural fantasy complete with conical towers, cupolas, turrets,…
San Diego
High on Palomar Mountain, at an elevation of 5500ft to avoid light pollution, the Palomar Observatory is simply spectacular – as large as Rome’s Pantheon,…
Planning Tools
Expert guidance to help you plan your trip
Best Neighborhoods
From hikes out the backdoor to surfing out the front and awesome tacos just down the street, live the SoCal lifestyle in these San Diego neighborhoods.
Read articleDay Trips
San Diego is famous for surf and sand, but drive in any direction and you'll see a different side to California. Here are our top day trips from San Diego.
Read articleFree Things to Do
From compelling museums to some of the best beaches in the USA, San Diego teems with great free things to do.
Read articleTraveling with Kids
There are very few places in the world that do family-friendly the way San Diego does. With cultural, adventurous and fun activities everyone will love.
Read article5 Shops
The sunny Southern California city has more than just beaches – check out these top independent retailers all over town.
Read articleArticles
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