How to Spend a Week in San Diego

Being cooped up in a city that was heavily shut down through 2020/COVID was tough. When full vaccination hit early 2021, I was ready to jet off. I set my eyes on sunny San Diego to visit my dear friend Haley (plus her husband Ash and pup Teddy) before she packed up and moved to Salt Lake City.

I stayed in the Point Loma area where Haley & Ash’s lovely condo was. Along with roaming all over town, we spent plenty of time walking Teddy, catching up and watching The Circle on Netflix – the makings of a great vacation, IMO.

This was my first (real) trip since January 2020 and I was so ready. For eight days, I got shown around the SoCal town and lived my SD fantasy. So here’s what all we did and enjoyed to fully embrace the city and what I recommend.

Eat + Drink

Aside from the standard Mexican food you’d expect to find in San Diego we ate the gamut of foods all over the city. I was pretty pleased with every meal, especially the seafood (of course) and had lots of healthier options for me to eat gluten and dairy free, even for the fun/sweet things. 😉

See + Do

Obviously there are TONS of things to do outdoors in San Diego with the mild, temperate weather year round. The benefit of this is not only the amazing weather, but most things can end up being pretty cheap or free since you’re mostly exploring the outdoors. We tried to hit all the “hot spots” and some personal faves.

Hike Torrey Pines

Torrey Pines is a super popular destination, but that’s for good reason. Lots of hiking options (that anyone could do!), great beach areas and cool views. I personally loved the tie dye looking sand. A great first exposure to the sights.

View sea lions at La Jolla Cove Children’s Pool

If you’re like me and have only seen sea lions at a zoo or aquarium, then this touristy spot is fun. It’s kinda neat to be able to see the sea lions and seals in their truly natural habitat. They’re super cute, but super smelly!

Wander Liberty Station

Liberty Station is a nice, large area to hang out and enjoy the weather, be by the water or find different shops and restaurants to try at the Liberty Station Public Market. I was staying a five minute drive from here, so it was an easy stop to enjoy the evenings most nights. There’s definitely something here for everyone.

Go stand up paddle boarding (SUPing)

As a classic midwestern-er, I’ve never been “SUP-inig” (I’m so cool when I say that). I was super nervous to try it out, but also excited. It ended up being easier than I thought (didn’t fall down once). I’d 100% do it again and again. We ended up doing in Mission Bay which was basically empty, making it easier for a first timer like me.

Take a walk on Shelter Island

Shelter Island (which is basically a narrow strip vs. a real island) is a great spot for walking the green space, getting water views and some boat sightings. I have a conference for work next March and this is the area my hotel will be.

Catch the sunset at Sunset Cliffs

As the name states, Sunset Cliffs is the spot to catch the sunset. Beautiful rocky, shoreline views with the sunsetting over the endless ocean was incredible. We ended up coming here again to a different area before sunset for some light hiking too.

Go back in time in Old Town

Want to feel like you’re a first settler? Check out Old Town. This neighborhood is the location of the first European settlement in California and is the oldest neighborhood in the city. And you can tell. It’s preserved/rehabbed to give you the old time feels. Walk through the area to find niche shops and a stunning array of Mexican flair.

Walk around Balboa Park

Balboa Park is one of the iconic “San Diego things” to check out. A large, sprawling park with a zoo, gardens, walking paths, museums and theaters. It’s not only beautiful scenery, but stunning architecture throughout too. You could spend all day here walking around or museum hopping. I definitely want to come back here and check out the museums.

Enjoy lunch with a view at the Torrey Pines Gliderport

While you’re out hiking Torrey Pines, venture to the gliderport to catch the hang gliders and parasailers fly over the edge above the ocean waters. Pretty neat experience to watch and great spot to post up for lunch. We took Haley and Ash’s epic van out here to lay around, eat, watch the flyers and chill – highly recommend!

Roller skate the Pacific Beach board walk

If you’re seeking the classic beach-y, boardwalk surfer vibes, then Pacific Beach is where it’s at. A little more of a “party scene,” but super vibrant and fun. We walked the beach, wandered the boardwalk and eventually, attempted to roller skate. I failed miserably, but it was fun to try – even if I was a huge chicken and walked away with some bruises.

Catch skyline views and bike Coronado Island

Drive across a big, long bridge to Coronado Island (again, not an island….a long strip!) and you’ll be just across the water from downtown San Diego. Pop over to tiny little Bayview Park for great skyline views. Jaunt over to the ferry landing park, grab a bike to rent and pedal up and down the strand. Be sure to stop by Hotel Del for beautiful architecture, beaches and grab some food or drinks.

Hike Annie’s Canyon

If you’re looking for a short, easy, yet fun hike, check out Annie’s Canyon. It’s a tiny little canyon hike that might make you uncomfortable (tight spaces!) but is fun to do and looks super cool in photos.

Support local farmers at the Hillcrest Farmers Market

It’s rarely a “Britt trip” without hitting up a local farmer’s market. It’s the best way to get the essence of a city or neighborhood, in my opiniion. We made our way to the Hillcrest Farmers Market. Decent sized, great options of vendors and is in the epicenter of the LGBTQIA+ leaning neighborhood, so extra bonus there!

Shop

Of course, there’s never a trip anywhere with me without scouting out some local shops and small businesses in different areas of a city. I pretty much went all over San Diego, so these are scattered about the city and some faves I stopped by. My favorite neighborhood by far was North Park – likely the area I would find myself if I ever moved to San Diego.

I’m slated to go to San Diego March 2022 for a work conference trip. We’ll see what other SD things I can cram in while there. 🙂

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