A quick weekend to San Diego? Sign me up!
Thanks to Sun Country Airlines, I’ve been able to travel on the cheap lately, catching a nonstop flight from Minneapolis to San Diego for less than $300. It’s no Ryanair, but I’ll take it.
While this post is far from an exhaustive “must do” list for San Diego, it’s a snapshot of the fun we were able to have over a long weekend. I am sure there are a plenty of prolific Southern California travel and lifestyle bloggers to follow for all the exclusive insider tips, and this is not that. Think of this post as more of an outline for an itinerary for a food-focused, adventurous-but-not-crazy traveler looking to make the most of a weekend in San Diego. I hadn’t been to California since my visit to Redondo Beach in 2021, and it was great to be back in the Golden State for a long weekend of adventure.
Where to Stay in San Diego
Ok, so this header is a bit misleading, because I don’t know if I would actually recommend staying in the Gaslamp Quarter, or at least, the next time I visit San Diego, I would stay elsewhere. While it was nice to be centrally located, I think I would’ve rather stayed in a more beach-y area where we could have had a rental car, instead of staying in the heart of the downtown area and relying on Ubers to get everywhere. That being said, it was nice to not bother with a car, AND our hotel was quite nice. I would recommend the hotel if you needed accommodation in downtown for sure.
Hotel Sentral – Gaslamp Quarter
This hotel is near the Padres stadium, so ideal if you’re in town for a game. They played the Dodgers while we were there, so it was quite a lively crowd. The hotel is a modern facility with comfortable, spacious rooms. We had a kitchenette even, which was a nice upgrade from what we had booked. It’s fairly basic, but has everything you need, is clean, and well-located. I would recommend Hotel Sentral in the Gaslamp Quarter for anyone needed a downtown hotel in San Diego. Also – it was very easy to get here from the airport on the bus, the MTS 992, which you can grab right outside the exit to the airport. It was $2.50 on a trip that would’ve been probably a $35 Uber since it was during rush hour, and it dropped me off just a few blocks from the hotel.
Restaurants & Bars in San Diego
This is no means an exhaustive or must-eat list, check out some San Diego foodies for that, but we did have some really great meals and drinks while in San Diego, and these were the highlights I would definitely recommend!
A Drink on the Rooftop at Borrego
Just around the corner from the Hotel Sentral is another hotel with a rooftop patio, and because it has a view of the Padres stadium, it was extra lively during our weekend visit. The Dodgers were in town, along with many of their fans, and all of downtown was full of people visiting for the game. I stopped at Borrego for a quick glass of wine and enjoyment of the view before Katie arrived, and it was nice service and a great rooftop to check out while in the city.
Tacos at Lola 55 in East Village
This spot was a Michelin guide honorable mention in 2022, and after eating there, I can see why! I will say the ordering process was a bit clunky and the servers forgot one of our dishes, but they did eventually make it right. The cocktails were delicious and the tacos and beans were amazing. Get a few things and share. The space at Lola 55 is also really nice, with cool lounging spaces and a lovely bar. I will say the neighborhood felt a little sketchy after dark, so just be aware of your surroundings if walking here from a downtown hotel.
Breakfast & Coffee at Pinpoint Cafe in La Jolla
To fuel up before our snorkeling tour in La Jolla, we visited this super cute coffee and breakfast spot not far from the beach/marine preserve area. Pinpoint Cafe had a great little menu for breakfast items and delicious coffee and a few bistro tables on their patio. It was quick service and the food was great, exactly what we needed before snorkeling with sea lions.
California Burritos at The Taco Stand in La Jolla
I hate hyperbolic food writing, but this burrito was truly life-changing. After our 2-hour snorkeling tour of swimming around the La Jolla Marine Preserve and then wandering around admiring some of the houses in this coastal town, we were starving. The Taco Stand is an iconic spot in La Jolla, and known for its California burrito, a San Diego invention that I would absolutely say is a must-try when visiting. We also indulged in a Mexican Coke (love that real cane sugar!) and their fresh made churros — 100% worth the wait in line.
Water Grill San Diego
Surprisingly, this was the “fanciest” meal we at in San Diego, and it was also the most disappointing. The server was great and the space at Water Grill San Diego was beautiful, but the food was just so-so. The chickpeas in the mussel dish were very undercooked, and the miso fish (a ripoff of a Nobu dish, I am told) was very meh. It was nice ambiance for a meal, but the food itself was just okay. Maybe we ordered the wrong things because the reviews here are quite positive. I would go here again for a drink and some oysters, but maybe would skip the main meal.
OB Noodle House and Bar in Ocean Beach
After watching the sunset at Point Loma, we made our way to OB Noodle House for dinner. An award-winning Asian fusion spot, this restaurant was busy and with good reason! It has wonderful open air seating and outdoor seating, with friendly bartenders and a party vibe. Make sure you try one of their peanut butter shots — I didn’t realize that Skrewball whiskey is from San Diego, but these sweet little shots are a great dessert drink and go down smooth. The wings were delicious and the pho was awesome too. If I lived in San Diego I think I would frequent this place.
Cocktails at Neighborhood
I loved this spot! If I lived in San Diego, I would go here all the time. Delicious cocktails, attentive bartenders, and a fantastic bar menu, Neighborhood is a gem on the edge of the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown. We had a drink here and then wandered behind a giant mirrored wall to the speakeasy, Noble Experiment.
Cocktails at Noble Experiment
Near the bathrooms of Neighborhood, behind a swinging “wall” of mirrors, is the speakeasy Noble Experiment. This spot was awesome — it didn’t take long to get a table for two and the macabre decor was a marvel to check out. There is no cocktail menu, you’ll just tell the bartender what you generally enjoy and they will craft up a drink for you. Both of ours were delicious and the space wasn’t too loud nor too dark, unlike some speakeasies I’ve been to in the past. Noble Experiment would be excellent for date night.
Brunch at Parakeet Cafe
We chose this spot due to its proximity to the farmers market in the Little Italy neighborhood of San Diego, and it was nice for a quick brunch. I had the avocado toast with poached eggs and a basil pesto-type sauce, it was good but a bit pricey for the size. The coffee was good and the service was quick, but I don’t know if I would go back to Parakeet for another brunch, there are just too many other options that look good in the city. It’s definitely a good choice for healthy options.
Ice Cream at Moo Time
After boiling on Coronado Beach for a few hours, we were in need of some cold sugar, and ice cream sounded like the perfect fix. Moo Time was right on Orange Avenue, not far from the historic Hotel Coronado, and it was a cool, 1950s themed creamery that makes their own ice cream on site. I had a mango sorbet that was delicious, and they had a huge menu of flavors.
Pizza at Buona Forchetta in Coronado
We finished up at the beach in that weird, non-meal time you can often find yourself on vacation, where you had a large enough brunch late enough to skip lunch, but it’s too early for dinner, but you’re starving. That’s where a stop at Buona Forchetta (the good fork) in Coronado came in clutch. We split a Margherita pizza, had a glass of wine and balanced with some broccolini, and it was the perfect pre-dinner small meal and drink before heading back downtown.
Brunch at Village Cafe
Before making our way to the zoo (and eventually back to the airport to go home) we stopped at Village Cafe in East Village for brunch, and it was fantastic. Owned by a very nice Persian man, they had a great selection of breakfast options and delicious coffee, I had a croissant sandwich and an iced Persian coffee, while Katie had another Acai bowl that was packed with perfect fruit toppings. Definitely worth a stop, and very affordable.
Top Things To Do in San Diego
Visit Coronado & Coronado Beach
This iconic beach and the historic Hotel del Coronado make the area of San Diego worth a visit. With a huge expanse of beach, I will say I was surprised to see there were not really any services offering chair and umbrella rentals, this seemed to only be an option for hotel guests or at a super high-end beach club. While it was not as comfortable to lounge in the sand in the heat, for an hour or so, it was worth it. I would say if you have the option to haul some chairs, a shade umbrella, and a cooler, this would definitely make the beach experience more comfortable. There are public restrooms and showers to rinse off in, which was nice to get the sand off after we had spent some time here.
Sunset at Point Loma
Nothing beats a west coast sunset, so catching one while in San Diego is a must. We jumped in a Uber and make our way to Point Loma, a seaside area with a nature preserve that offers rocky cliffs and beautiful views of the sea. It was the perfect spot to watch the sunset and see some brave cliff jumpers before making our way to dinner at OB Noodle House.
San Diego Zoo
Even if you don’t care about zoos, or you think they are just for families with kids, I’m sorry but you still need to go to the San Diego Zoo. Within just a few minutes of entering the park, it’s very easy to see how it is internationally renowned, a must-visit when in San Diego. We ventured here for a half-day of exploring before catching our flights home, and while a few hours was enough to see some of the highlights, I can absolutely see how one could spend an entire day at the San Diego Zoo.
My advice would be to buy your tickets in advance and arrive as early as possible – we got there right after opening, which made it easy to visit some of the more popular animals where lines are involved, like the Giant Panda. Download the app for the zoo before you go – the map and navigation feature is super helpful as the zoo can be a bit of a maze, and if you get lost you can lose time.
I also loved how the zoo had drinks for sale that you could buy and walk around with – they were expensive, but the beer comes in a metal souvenir cup to prevent plastic waste and made for a nice memento.
Snorkeling Tour in La Jolla
This tour was awesome! We met our guide and since the other people in the group didn’t show, it turned into a private 2-hour snorkeling excursion in the La Jolla Marine Preserve with Snorkel San Diego. We saw sea lions that swam right around us, the gorgeous bright orange Garibaldi fish, and lots of other marine life as we snorkeled down to the caves. Late August was a great time of year — there weren’t very many people on kayak tours since kids in California are back in school at this time, which made it overall much less crowded on the water.
It was truly incredible to swim so close to the sea lions; they swam around us and even blew bubbles at us. They are massive creatures, but are just friendly and curious. I never felt scared they were going to take my mask off or touch me.
Saturday Farmer’s Market in Little Italy
This extensive farmer’s market was a fun stop on Saturday after brunch before we hit the beach. This farmers market takes place on Saturday’s year round from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, with the vendors lining up on both sides of Date street. While I think you could take it or leave it, there was a lot of fun stuff to check out here, including prepared food, fresh produce, soaps, candles, and other goods.
Balboa Park
One thing I really wished we had more time for was wandering around Balboa Park, I would’ve loved to check out another museum or more of the gardens — definitely plan to have some time here! We wandered around a bit before getting in our car to the airport, and what we did see was beautiful.
Overall, I loved this introductory weekend to San Diego. The food was amazing, the people were friendly, the weather was perfect and the time with a friend was ideal. It’s easy to see why so many people move here and never leave, it’s really a wonderful coastal city to enjoy. I’d love to come back to explore more neighborhoods, and on my next visit I think I would rent a car to venture to more nature areas and places that are harder to access from the downtown.
If you have San Diego recommendations for my next trip — please leave a comment below!
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