Eat

Sushi Ota
Our favorite

Pacific Beach · 17 min

Unassuming strip-mall spot that many call the best sushi in San Diego. Try the uni, and get there early.
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Tacos El Gordo
Our favorite

Chula Vista · 15 min

Tijuana-style street tacos with separate lines for each meat. Come with a group and split up.
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Born & Raised
Our favorite

Little Italy · 19 min

A beautiful 1920s Art Deco steakhouse with standout service and drinks. Splurge-worthy.
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Craft & Commerce
Our favorite

Little Italy · 18 min

Upscale industrial-farmhouse dining with a great beer list and well-presented food.
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Nate’s Garden Grill

City Heights · 9 min

Small, quaint and close, with great vegetarian options, beers on tap and live music most nights.
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Carnitas’ Snack Shack

Embarcadero · 17 min

Great sandwiches (try the triple-threat pork) and local beer on the harbor.
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Tuetano Taqueria

Old Town · 15 min

Michelin-recognized birria and roasted bone marrow from Chef Priscilla Curiel.
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Breakfast Republic

North Park · 13 min

Generous breakfast plates, indoor and outdoor seating. No reservations; go early.
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World Famous

Pacific Beach · 26 min

Brunch with an unbeatable ocean and boardwalk view.
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Bay Park Fish Company

Bay Park · 18 min

Locals’ spot for fresh fish; part dive bar, part five-star.
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Pokez Mexican Restaurant

East Village · 12 min

Inexpensive, huge portions, with lots of vegetarian and gluten-free options.
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Siesel’s Meats

Bay Park · 18 min

Incredible butcher with a great deli for sandwiches on the go.
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Station Tavern & Burgers
Great with kids

South Park · 12 min

Kid- and dog-friendly burger joint with great tots and a play area.
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Oscar’s Mexican Seafood

Pacific Beach · 27 min

Fish tacos blocks from the beach.
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Super Cocina

City Heights · 11 min

Cafeteria-style home cooking from all over Mexico, affordable and delicious.
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El Comal

North Park · 11 min

Cozy homestyle Mexican known for thick corn tortillas, gorditas and pozole.
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Lucha Libre Taco Shop

Mission Hills · 13 min

Fun, quirky taco shop known for its California burritos.
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One Door North
Great with kids

North Park · 14 min

Dine inside a tent, with a kids’ menu and s’mores. Campfire-inspired comfort food.
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Crack Shack
Great with kids

Little Italy · 13 min

Fried chicken and eggs in a breezy outdoor space with a bocce court.
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Drinks & nightlife

Prohibition Lounge

Gaslamp Quarter · 13 min

Underground speakeasy-style lounge with live music.
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False Idol
Our favorite

Little Italy · 15 min

Tiny, immersive tiki bar hidden inside Craft & Commerce. Reservations strongly recommended.
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Gaslamp Quarter

Downtown · 10 min

Endless bars and restaurants, and great people-watching. Take the trolley; parking is hard to find.
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Noble Experiment
Our favorite

East Village · 13 min

Secret-door cocktail bar where the bartenders build drinks around what you like.
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Young Blood

East Village · 13 min

A speakeasy within a speakeasy with a guided three-cocktail experience.
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Polite Provisions

Normal Heights · 13 min

Apothecary-inspired cocktail bar with a lively neighborhood crowd.
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Raised by Wolves

University City · 23 min

An extravagant cocktail room hidden behind a bottle shop in a shopping mall.
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Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens

Liberty Station · 18 min

Grand-scale San Diego beer experience: gardens, bocce and around 40 taps.
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Ballast Point Brewing

Little Italy · 14 min

A San Diego craft-beer institution in Little Italy.
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Pacific Beach nightlife

Pacific Beach · 10+ min

Younger, laid-back surfer vibes. PB Ale House is the mecca.
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See & do

San Diego Zoo
Our favoriteGreat with kids

Balboa Park · 18 min

One of the world’s great zoos, in the heart of Balboa Park.
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Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

Old Town · 19 min

The birthplace of California, with restored adobes and museums.
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Balboa Park
Our favorite

Balboa Park · 17 min

A sprawling cultural park with gardens, museums and Spanish-colonial architecture.
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USS Midway Museum
Great with kids

Embarcadero · 17 min

Explore a real aircraft carrier on the waterfront.
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La Jolla Cove & Coast Walk
Our favorite

La Jolla · 27 min

Sea lions, cliffs and tide pools along a beautiful coastal walk.
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Petco Park

East Village · 13 min

Catch a Padres game in a downtown ballpark.
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Coronado & Hotel del Coronado
Our favorite

Coronado · 18 min

Historic beach resort, wide sands and a village-like downtown. The ferry is a fun ride across the bay.
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Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

Point Loma · 25 min

Dramatic cliffs and one of the city’s best sunset spots.
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Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

La Jolla · 31 min

Coastal cliffs, rare pines and trails down to the beach.
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Cabrillo National Monument

Point Loma · 30 min

Historic lighthouse with sweeping views of the harbor.
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Chicano Park

Barrio Logan · 11 min

Nationally recognized murals beneath the Coronado Bridge.
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Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá

Mission Valley · 16 min

The first of California’s 21 missions.
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Belmont Park & Mission Beach
Great with kids

Mission Beach · 22 min

Classic boardwalk, beach and amusement park.
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Liberty Station

Point Loma · 20 min

A former naval training center turned arts, dining and shopping district.
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Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Great with kids

La Jolla · 29 min

Marine life and tide-pool exhibits above the Pacific.
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SeaWorld San Diego
Great with kids

Mission Bay · 21 min

Rides, animal encounters and shows.
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San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Great with kids

Escondido · 42 min

Big open habitats for African and Asian wildlife.
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LEGOLAND California Resort
Great with kids

Carlsbad · 43 min

A theme park, water park and aquarium for the younger crowd.
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Julian

Julian · 45+ min

A mountain gold-rush town known for apple pie.
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Art, science & theatre

The Old Globe

Balboa Park · 20 min

Professional theatre including Shakespeare in an outdoor venue.
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Lamb’s Players Theatre

Coronado · 18 min

Intimate professional theatre in Coronado.
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Cygnet Theatre

Liberty Station · 20 min

One of San Diego’s strongest professional companies, with adventurous, polished musicals, plays and classics in the new Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center.
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Broadway San Diego

Downtown · 17 min

Touring Broadway shows at the Civic Theatre.
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Natural History Museum
Great with kids

Balboa Park · 18 min

Dinosaurs, local wildlife and rotating exhibits.
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San Diego Museum of Art

Balboa Park · 18 min

European, Asian and American art in the heart of Balboa Park.
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Air & Space Museum
Great with kids

Balboa Park · 17 min

Historic aircraft and spacecraft in a landmark rotunda.
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Museum of Us

Balboa Park · 18 min

Anthropology museum in the iconic California Tower.
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Comic-Con Museum
Great with kids

Balboa Park · 17 min

Pop culture, comics and costumes.
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Fleet Science Center
Great with kids

Balboa Park · 18 min

Hands-on science exhibits and an IMAX dome.
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The New Children’s Museum
Great with kids

Downtown · 14 min

Imaginative, hands-on play for young kids.
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Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

La Jolla · 27 min

Modern and contemporary art with ocean views.
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Hiking, biking & golf

Mission Trails Regional Park
Our favorite

San Carlos · 17 min

One of the nation’s largest urban parks, with many trails.
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Cowles Mountain

San Carlos · 19 min

The city’s highest point, with 360° views.
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Chollas Lake Park
Great with kids

Chollas Creek · 9 min

A close neighborhood lake with a loop path.
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Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve

Mira Mesa · 27 min

Creekside canyon with a waterfall.
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Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

La Jolla · 31 min

Coastal trails and beach access.
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Balboa Park trails

Balboa Park · 17 min

Easy walks and bike routes through canyons and gardens.
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Potato Chip Rock / Mt Woodson

Poway · 27 min

A popular hike with wide views.
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Coronado Golf Course

Coronado · 19 min

A scenic municipal course on the bay.
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Silver Strand Bikeway

Coronado to Imperial Beach · 20 min

A flat, scenic bike path along the bay and ocean.
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Balboa Park Golf Course

Golden Hill · 13 min

Close, historic public course.
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Torrey Pines Golf Course

La Jolla · 30 min

Famous clifftop public course, host of the U.S. Open.
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Riverwalk Golf Club

Mission Valley · 18 min

A 27-hole public course along the San Diego River.
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Shopping

Seaport Village
Our favorite

Marina · 21 min

Waterfront shopping and dining with bay views.
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Liberty Station

Point Loma · 20 min

Boutiques, dining and an arts district in historic buildings.
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North Park, 30th Street

North Park · 12 min

Independent shops, bars and restaurants along University Ave. and 30th St.
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Fashion Valley

Mission Valley · 18 min

Large open-air mall with major retailers.
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Newport Avenue

Ocean Beach · 22 min

Antique stores and beach-town character.
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University Town Center

University City · 25 min

Big mall with department stores and dining.
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Moniker General

Liberty Station · 20 min

A beautifully curated design and lifestyle store.
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South Park

South Park · 11 min

Walkable neighborhood of boutiques and cafés.
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Prospect Street & Girard Avenue

La Jolla · 27 min

High-end boutiques and galleries.
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Del Mar Plaza & Village

Del Mar · 31 min

Coastal village shops and ocean views.
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Essentials

Marketplace at the Grove

College Grove · 9 min

Our closest cluster of stores: Walmart, Target, Sam’s Club, Ross, Starbucks and more.
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Vons Supermarket

College Area · 13 min

Where we prefer to buy groceries, with lots of organic choices.
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Trader Joe’s

College Area · 15 min

Park in the garage off Lindo Paseo and they’ll validate.
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Whole Foods

North Park · 17 min

Usually busy and parking can be a challenge.
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Walgreens Pharmacy

Encanto · 7 min

Closest pharmacy.
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Speedway Express

Encanto · 4 min

Closest gas station, open 24 hours.
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Around San Diego

Eat

Sushi Ota

Tacos El Gordo

Born & Raised

Craft & Commerce

Nate’s Garden Grill

Carnitas’ Snack Shack

Tuetano Taqueria

Breakfast Republic

World Famous

Bay Park Fish Company

Pokez Mexican Restaurant

Siesel’s Meats

Station Tavern & Burgers

Oscar’s Mexican Seafood

Super Cocina

El Comal

Lucha Libre Taco Shop

One Door North

Crack Shack

Drinks & nightlife

Prohibition Lounge

False Idol

Gaslamp Quarter

Noble Experiment

Young Blood

Polite Provisions

Raised by Wolves

Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens

Ballast Point Brewing

Pacific Beach nightlife

See & do

San Diego Zoo

Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

Balboa Park

USS Midway Museum

La Jolla Cove & Coast Walk

Petco Park

Coronado & Hotel del Coronado

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

Cabrillo National Monument

Chicano Park

Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá

Belmont Park & Mission Beach

Liberty Station

Birch Aquarium at Scripps

SeaWorld San Diego

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

LEGOLAND California Resort

Julian

Art, science & theatre

The Old Globe

Lamb’s Players Theatre

Cygnet Theatre

Broadway San Diego

Natural History Museum

San Diego Museum of Art

Air & Space Museum

Museum of Us

Comic-Con Museum

Fleet Science Center

The New Children’s Museum

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

Hiking, biking & golf

Mission Trails Regional Park

Cowles Mountain

Chollas Lake Park

Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

Balboa Park trails

Potato Chip Rock / Mt Woodson

Coronado Golf Course

Silver Strand Bikeway

Balboa Park Golf Course

Torrey Pines Golf Course

Riverwalk Golf Club

Shopping

Seaport Village