The Best San Diego Weekend Itinerary (2024)
Want to know the best San Diego weekend itinerary? We’ve got you covered with everything you need to know!
I’ll start with a little background on this trip.
This is a trip we did for my 24th birthday.
At the time, I had been around San Diego before but had never really done anything other than SeaWorld and go to the airport.
So this was my first real visit to see and do everything in San Diego.
I have since visited dozens of times, so I know this San Diego weekend itinerary is great for first time visitors or for those who have been before.
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The Best San Diego Weekend Itinerary
These are all the highlights of San Diego you can visit in just one weekend.
➡ USS Midway
On our first full day, the first thing we did was visit USS Midway.
From the convention center and Gaslamp Quarter area it is about a mile and a half, but the walk is entirely along the bayfront sidewalk.
It probably takes about 30 minutes to walk all the way there, but we were scoping out things we wanted to check out while we were there so it went quickly.
The USS Midway is an old aircraft carrier and it was actually the longest-serving aircraft carrier in the 20th century.
In 1992 it made its way to San Diego, was then stored in Washington until 2003, and then made its way back to San Diego as a museum in 2004.
Full price is about $32 per adult and you’ll want to plan to spend a few hours here.
We were there from about 11 am to 1:30 pm.
We walked all over every deck of this ship!
You definitely want to be wearing comfortable shoes.
There are lots of stairs/ladders, tight spaces, and a huge outdoor deck.
There were a few interactive things we enjoying playing with.
One in particular was when we practiced “tying the knot”.
I could only figure out two of them!
👉 Click Here To Book Your USS Midway Museum Tickets Today!
➡ Old Town San Diego
The next stop on our adventure was taking a Lyft to Old Town San Diego, which is less than 5 miles away.
This was my first time ever visiting this area and I LOVED it!
I can’t even count how many times I’ve been back since.
Old Town San Diego is made up of shops, restaurants, and museums and you can easily spend several hours here each visit.
On this trip we ate at Casa de Reyes, which is right in the middle of the courtyard.
We also stopped inside Rose’s Tasting Room, which we have now made a tradition, and ALWAYS get a glass of Blue Sangria from Turtle Rock Ridge Winery.
We love this sangria so much we actually took a trip to Turtle Rock Ridge Winery in Ramona, California one time just to bring home some of their sangria.
After lunch and wine tasting, take time to explore the shops and pop into the museums.
We stayed in Old Town San Diego for a little over 2 hours, but I would recommend at least 3 hours.
Outside of the historic center, there are more restaurants and shops along the main street.
Another great restaurant here is Casa De Fred’s.
I recommend their fajitas and their enchiladas.
➡ Hop On Hop Off Trolley
We started day 2 with the Hop On Hop Off Trolley since one of their stops was right outside of our hotel.
I highly recommend getting tickets for the trolley for all days of your visit so you won’t really need to use any other sort of transportation.
We’ve used these trolleys on a weekend trip in Savannah, Georgia too.
The trolley goes to all of the must visit places in San Diego, so we built our second day’s itinerary around the trolley schedule, but day one’s itinerary also fits with the trolley schedule.
You can stop at each place along the way that you want to visit and hop back on any time to continue on the route.
These are all the stops it makes so you get an idea of where all it goes:
- Old Town Market
- Maritime Museum
- Embarcadero
- Seaport Village/SEAL Tour
- Marriott Marquis & Marina
- Gaslamp Quarter
- Petco Park/Convention Center
- Barrio Logan
- Coronado/McP’s
- Balboa Park/Zoo
- Little Italy
👉 Click Here To Book Your Old Town Trolley Tickets Today!
➡ Balboa Park
To start day two, we picked up the trolley at the Petco Park/Convention Center stop and took it all the way to Balboa Park.
We had a nice little drive through Coronado along the way, which was a nice scenic detour.
We hopped off at Balboa Park and just roamed the whole area to just see and do all that was there.
Several museums had admission fees, so we didn’t go into those, but we did all the free stuff!
I really enjoyed this part of our day.
We saw a lot of cute buildings and gardens and probably stayed for about 2 hours.
The historic 1935 Exposition cottages were our favorite.
Each one represents different countries around the world and it’s like a miniature Epcot World Showcase right in the middle of Balboa Park.
You could spend all day here if you really wanted or if you’re visiting for more than just one weekend.
Balboa Park has some cafe’s and pubs, so if you’re ready to eat, it’s a great spot.
If not, the next spot has a ton more options.
➡ Seaport Village
After Balboa Park, we hopped back on the Old Town Trolley and took it over to Seaport Village next.
On this trip in particular, we were celebrating my birthday, so we stopped into Frost Me Cupcakes for a birthday cupcake.
They were actually on the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars show, so we knew they were good.
They’ve since moved over to Little Italy and re-opened as a cafe and bakery.
Seaport Village has restaurants with pretty much every type of cuisine from seafood, to pizza, to tacos, to burgers, and more.
There’s also the Seaport Fudge Factory if you need to feed your sweet tooth.
Seaport Village Carousel
While we were in Seaport Village we also rode the historic Fair Park Looff Carousel.
It was built in 1895 in Brooklyn, debuted in 1904 at Fair Park in Dallas, moved to Pacific Ocean Park in Santa Monica in the 50s, and moved to Washington in the 70s.
It spent time in Portland in the 80s, was completely restored in the 90s, and made Columbus, Ohio its home for awhile.
In 1997 it made its way out to Burbank, and then it has been in Seaport Village since 2004.
➡ Gaslamp Quarter
We were in Seaport Village from about 3-4 PM before heading over to the Gaslamp Quarter.
It’s a short walk over to the Gaslamp Quarter from Seaport Village, less than a mile depending on exactly which area you’re walking from and to.
The Whiskey House
Our first stop here was The Whiskey House where we sampled a couple different cocktails before heading over to dinner.
Morton’s Steakhouse
For dinner we went to Morton’s Steakhouse.
We love to go to Morton’s for special occasions because they almost always have those 3 course menu deals for $40-$45 a person.
Social Tap
Another great dining option in the Gaslamp Quarter is Social Tap.
It has a little more of a sports bar feel, but slightly more upscale.
It’s located just across from the outfield of Petco Park.
They have really great street tacos that I recommend and cocktails.
Cerveza Jack’s
Cerveza Jack’s is another great spot in the Gaslamp Quarter that served Southern comfort food with a California flair.
I tried looking up their menu to confirm what all these snacks were that we had below, but it appears they’ve had a pretty recent menu change.
But, if you go and they have it, I highly recommend their hummus and pita bread appetizer.
Where To Stay In San Diego
On this particular visit to San Diego, we stayed 2 nights at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, which has the best location in San Diego for anything you could want to do with your time there.
On more recent visits we’ve stayed there again because it’s really just the perfect location.
You can see a full walk-through of our room here in this video on our YouTube Channel!
👉 Click Here To Book Your Stay At Hilton San Diego Bayfront Today!
More Fun Things To Do In And Around San Diego
If you have more time to spend in San Diego, or you don’t want to do any of the above activities, I’ve got plenty more ideas from our other trips down to San Diego.
✔ San Diego Zoo and La Jolla Day Trip
The San Diego Zoo is considered the number one zoo in America and it is a must visit.
You can spend a whole day here easily and then drive a few minutes up the coast to La Jolla and see the wildlife in action.
👉 Click Here To Book Your One Day San Diego Zoo Tickets Today!
✔ Best Things To Do In North Park San Diego
North Park is a vibrant and eclectic neighborhood in San Diego that is north of Balboa Park.
North Park is home to a diverse range of restaurants, bars, shops, and cultural attractions.
With something for everyone, North Park is a great place to explore and spend a day or weekend.
✔ Best Things To Do In Ocean Beach San Diego
Ocean Beach is a vibrant beach community in San Diego with a laid-back atmosphere.
Visitors can enjoy the beach, go surfing, visit the many shops and restaurants, or simply relax and soak up the sun.
✔ San Diego Urban Wineries Guide
San Diego Urban Wineries are a growing trend in the city, offering a unique way to experience wine tasting.
These wineries are located in the heart of San Diego, making them a convenient and accessible option for wine lovers.
✔️ Visiting in the Fall or Winter?
We’ve compiled lists of all the best things to do in San Diego during the Fall season.
From special events, seasonal festivals, Halloween celebrations, and more, it’s such a unique time to visit San Diego.
And if you’re visiting in Winter, find out if you need to be worried about any snow!
More Great Restaurants in San Diego
San Diego is home to a diverse and vibrant culinary scene, with something to offer everyone.
From casual eateries to fine dining establishments, San Diego has a restaurant for every taste and budget.
✅ Best Birthday Restaurants in San Diego
Looking for the best birthday restaurants in San Diego?
Look no further!
Here are a few of the top-rated spots in the city to celebrate your special day.
✅ Best Restaurants in San Diego With A View
San Diego is a city with stunning natural beauty, and there are many great restaurants that offer stunning views of the city, the bay, or the ocean.
Whether you’re looking for a romantic dinner for two or a special occasion meal with friends, there’s a restaurant in San Diego with a view that’s perfect for you.
✅ Best Italian Restaurants in San Diego
San Diego has a thriving Italian food scene, with restaurants serving everything from classic dishes to modern interpretations.
Here’s a little tip: not all of the best Italian restaurants in San Diego are located in Little Italy.
✅ Best Seafood Restaurants in San Diego
Being a coastal city, San Diego definitely has some amazing seafood restaurants for a variety of budgets and palettes.
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Conclusion: The Best San Diego Weekend Itinerary
And that was the end of our San Diego weekend itinerary!
As someone who has a Graduate Certificate in Destination Marketing and Management, I can say that San Diego is one of the best laid out cities I have ever visited and is the most tourist friendly place I’ve ever been to.
Especially when it comes to transportation options and cost.
There is so much more to do here and so much good food!
Great weather all year long and it’s on the water!
There’s not much more you could ever ask for in a weekend getaway destination or even for a birthday weekend.
