San Diego is one of my favorite cities in the United States. I mean like #2 in my top 5. My dad often had training on Coronado Island in his F-16 back in the 90’s, and me remember my stepmother driving my sister and me in our Cadillac DeVille from Tucson, Arizona to San Diego.
We would bike all over Coronado, stop at local mom and pop places and eat ice cream, and enjoy the parks and beaches.
When my dad became a commercial pilot, I begged to go on one of his San Diego layovers. When I did go, I made him take me all over. I had some of the best cheesecake in a delightful cafe in the Gas Lamp Quarter, walked around Seaport Village, shopped in Westfield Horton Open Plaza, and even casually had a drink in the famous Top Gun Diner, which is Kansas City Barbeque.
*This post contains affiliate links – if you purchase something from this post, I receive a small commission with NO extra cost to you. To see my full disclosure click here. Thanks for supporting us!
As you start planning your trip, look over the options in the provided infographic below. These are some of the top rated restaurants, hotels, things to do, and tours. When you find what you want to do, click on my CityPASS below, and you can save up to 50%.
San Diego Travel Guide
With a father that flys for a major airline, I am aware of travel necessities. Be sure to check my guide on travel essentials for the whole family.
Also be sure to check out the airline and airport travel tips YOU NEED in order to have a smooth trip. It will keep you up-to-date on the following:
- specific airport arrival times,
- baggage costs,
- traveling with children, and
- a way to get through security quicker.
Do you have a favorite place in San Diego that you love to visit? Tell us in the comments below!
About the Author
Kelsey Ramirez is a Real Estate Broker in western Washington. She is also a veteran elementary school teacher, military wife, and mom to two daughters. She is the founder of The Military Move, a military-based website to help families in the PCS process. Kelsey loves to travel, write, and create amazing content. She has her Masters in Technology, which she uses to learn all new things digital.
With three decades of military support, Kelsey’s mission is to help new and existing military families in their unique adventures through all military topics including PCSing, budgeting, school choice and rights, housing, and especially just being a military spouse.
14 Comments
Great list! I definitely will be saving this for the future. San Diego is absolutely on my travel bucket list!
Hi Emily!! Thanks 🙂 San Diego is an awesome city! Beautiful weather, great sites, and tall buildings (for those like me that are not used to that)! You definitely will have to go!
Awesome ideas
Thanks Nicole!
I love, love, love San Diego. It is hands down my favorite place in our country and it broke my heart to move from there a few years ago. I could REALLY go for a Hodad’s burger! I also love Miguel’s on Coronado for Mexican (better than the Pt. Loma one) and C-Level/Harbor Prime!
Hi Lindsay! It is always on our dream sheet (for the military) because I would not mind living there for a few years! It is second only to Charleston, SC because I love my little southern charm town. I love Coronado Island – one of the best places to travel in San Diego – a must do!
Your graphics are gorgeous! San Diego is my favorite city out of every place I’ve been in the USA. If I could I would live there. 😀
Thank you so much! I love making graphics 🙂 It must be the teacher in me. I tell my husband all the time that San Diego is the place to live – we always put it on our military dream sheet for our “West Coast” pick. We are both “East Coasters,” but that is where I would go if we had to move cross-country!
Great and detailed list. Love the infographic. It’s clear you definitely know your way around San Diego! Will keep the post in mind if ever I get the chance to visit.
Hi Linda! I LOVE San Diego! I used to go a lot as a child. I need to find my pictures to add to my post of me as a child there. Thanks for keeping it mind, I believe you will have a great time if you can see some of these things. I have other guides to see at https://themilitarymove.com/resources/travelguides/ if you are interested!
I love your things to do list, brilliant graphics! I have never been to San Diego, have only been to Miami and NYC so far and there are still so many places I want to visit in the US.
http://www.elegantduchess.com/
Why thank you 🙂 You will definitely have to visit more cities. I recommend Charleston, SC for its southern charm. You can check out more of my travel guides at https://www.themilitarymove.com/resources/travelguides/ to see some other cities you may be interested in!
Great tips! I’m going to San Diego later in the year. This will be helpful. Which restaurant is your favorite?
Definitely check out Coronado – it is a neat place. Also Seaport Village if you like to walk around and look at shops. I love Mexican food, so I would probably say the Taco Stand – but Hodad’s has great burgers, I hear!