San Diego, a city that literally has my heart! San Diego is no less than heaven on Earth from its genuinely loving people, its beautiful landscape, to its gorgeous sunshine weather. Can the mountains on one side and the breathtaking beaches on the other, get any better than that? No wonder why my heart desired and chose San Diego as the perfect place for my first solo trip. Can’t deny it was truly worth it!
Planning and when to visit?
My 7-day itinerary and things to do in San Diego required research and planning on the places I was excited to go. Even though a week is less to explore all the places that San Diego offers, keeping in mind my budget, one week was enough for me to cover all the places on my Itinerary. In case of the budget is not an issue for you then I would highly recommend 7 to 10 days if you’re planning to visit.
Known for its sunshine weather, you can visit San Diego anytime but according to my research, the best months to visit are from April to May and September to November. You would want to avoid June and July due to its gloomy weather.
Tip: San Diego airport is only 10 minutes driving distance from downtown. Also, people in San Diego are really sweet and happy to give you any recommendations regarding the places, so don’t afraid to ask any local or Uber/ Lyft drivers.
Where to stay?
The city offers tons of lovely accommodations, from its extraordinary Airbnbs to its luxury hotels. While deciding on my stay, I found out that there wasn’t much difference in the prices of the hotels and Airbnbs so I decided to go with the hotel. I avoided booking my stay in Gaslamp Quarters (the main downtown) due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the beggars have set up homes on the streets of downtown which can get pretty unsafe.
Tip: On my first day at 5 PM in the bright daylight, a beggar started to follow me. I got freaked out and booked an uber to go somewhere else. My friend advised me that as far as I don’t look them in the eye and don’t pay them any attention I will be fine and after following the advice it actually worked every time. Besides that San Diego is a pretty safe state.
If you are planning to book an Airbnb I would recommend booking in the following areas: (Also, I have allocated an Airbnb to each area to make it easier for you to plan your stay).
La Jolla (if you want to get away from the city vibes)
If you are planning on booking a hotel which I would highly recommend especially if you’re on a solo trip, I would urge you’ll to book a hotel in the following areas:
Bay/ Harbor Front – Best Western Plus Bayside Inn Hotel, Wyndham hotel, Marriott Vacation Club Pulse, and Westin (you can click on each hotel to find out more about the location and the prices)
Tip: I personally chose to book Best Western Plus Bayside Inn Hotel as it was affordable and located only 5 minutes away from the Bay Area (walking), 5 minutes walking from Little Italy (a beautiful small lively neighborhood), 7 minutes away from the airport (drive) and 11 minutes away from the downtown (drive). And if you are a Starbucks person, it is located right across from the hotel.
Choosing Best Western Plus Bayside Inn Hotel worked out best for me as I loved the hotel and its location, the staff were really helpful, and the hotel was very close to the places I wanted to explore. Did I mention the price was unbeatable compared to other hotels!
HarborIsland – Hilton, Sheraton Hotel & Marina, and Best Western Plus Island Palm hotel and Marina. (These hotels are very close to the airport)
Mission Beach – San Diego Mission Bay Resort, Paradise Point Resort & Spa, and Blue Sea Beach hotel.
Tip: Hotels near the beach are going to be priced double!
Gaslamp Quarters – I know I mentioned that the beggar situation in this area is really bad but if you still want to stay close to the bars, pubs, and delicious restaurants then I would recommend:
Hotel Indigo, Hotel Z A Staypineapple hotel (what’s cool is the interiors and colors of this hotel are actually like a pineapple), Moxie, and Solamar.
La Jolla – La Jolla Cove Suites, Holiday Inn Express & Suites, and The Shoal.
How to travel?
Public transports i.e. trolleys (for main places downtown), buses, and trains (Metropolitan transit system) are available but not consistent. Due to the Covid pandemic, I avoided using public transport. Traveling by Uber or Lyft is far more reliable. The only problem I faced with Uber is that the app took a long time to connect with a driver and most of the time I would have to pay double just so they would connect me with a driver faster.
But I realized Lyft was not only the most affordable option but also quicker compared to Uber. You can also rent out scooter bikes which are half the price of Uber or Lyft and fun to ride around the city. You’ll find scooter stations everywhere on the streets of San Diego.
How about renting cars?
Renting a car totally depends on the places you want to cover. If you cover just neighborhoods, downtown, and few beaches around, you don’t really need a car. But if you are planning to go to faraway places like Coronado Island, Laguna Beach, Los Angeles (it’s only 2 hours away from San Diego), and La Jolla, you need a car.
According to my 7-day Itinerary, I only needed a car for two days. I would highly suggest Avis if you are planning to book a car. They are fast, they make sure your car insurance is fully covered, and they are super helpful.
Tip 1: Having a car can get expensive if you’re on a budget. The car is not expensive to rent but its insurance makes it a little expensive. Also parking in downtown is costly, finding parking can be hard and it depends on your hotel too. My hotel charged me $20 dollars per night for parking.
Tip 2: Avis is located at the airport and it accepts both credit and debit cards. You need to be at least 25 years old in order to rent a car and obviously not to mention but a valid driver’s license. I would suggest booking the car a few weeks prior to your trip as it gets expensive if you are trying to book at the last minute.
Alrighty, now that we are done covering the main topics of traveling let’s get to the fun part of planning our Itinerary and things to do in San Diego.
7-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Exploring bay/ N Harbor drive, Explore Gaslamp Quarters, and Sunset Cliffs.
Day 2: Mission Beach, and Jet Ski.
Day 3 : San Diego Zoo and Pacific Beach
Day 4 : Laguna Beach
Day 5 : The Flower Fields, Paragliding over the coast at Torrey Pines, Hike from Torrey Pines to Black Beach.
Day 6 : Brunch, Explore Little Italy, and Dinner/hookah.
Day 7: Brunch, Happy Head Spa, Extraordinary desserts, Dinner at King and Queen Cantina, Explore Embarcadero & Seaport Village.
Now our Itinerary is all planned out, let’s discuss the places that we are going to visit!
Day 1: Exploring bayside / North Harbor drive, Sunset Cliffs, and Gaslamp Quarters.
I checked in the hotel at 4 PM! After freshening up I grabbed a Starbucks coffee and decided to head to Bay/ North Harbor drive for a walk. Yachts, cruises, and ships you’ll get to spot out here. There are lots of incredible bayside restaurants like Ketch Grill & Tapes, Brigantine Seafood & Oysters if you’re into seafood, and Claim Jumper for Mexican cuisine. There is also a Museum called Star Of India inside a cruise at Harbor Drive, it is the oldest ship and it is known for its California Historic Landmark. You can also read a book and chill at the park across Harbor Drive or scooty around the bay.
North Harbor Drive:
Star of India 
Restaurants at North Harbor Drive:
After walking at the Harbor drive, I decided to go to San Diego’s most famous site known as Sunset Cliffs. As the name says it all this place is really famous for its gorgeous sunsets. If you are with your friends, partner, or yourself you can get a beach mat and just sit on the cliff watching the breathtaking sunset. It’s perfect for a small romantic date with a partner or with yourself!
Time to walk around Gaslamp Quarters and have dinner! Gaslamp Quarters is known for its nightlife, bars, and restaurants. It offers the city’s finest food culture and its rich draft beers. Don’t forget to grab pizzas at the famous Basic Bar & Pizza and eat Mexican food at El Chingon.
Day 2 : Mission Beach and Jet Ski
Today is a fun sun day! Spend some time at Mission beach and then head to SD adventures for Jet Ski. I would describe Mission Beach as laidback and more like a family beach. You will see lots of kids playing around and parents having a good time. Belmont Park (the famous amusement park) is right next to Mission Beach if you want to have some fun sitting on a roller coaster and enjoying other rides. You can also bike and have a good walk at the Mission Beach Boardwalk. There are lots of good Mexican restaurants right by the beach to fill your tummy after relaxing at the beach.
Jet Ski is a must-do outdoor water activity while in San Diego. Located in the Sheraton hotel, SD Adventures is known for its water sports. It’s an amazing sport that enables you to get the entire Jet Ski to drive alone for either 75 minutes or 2 hours. Don’t worry if it’s your first time their instructor John goes over every detail regarding the rules of Jet Ski, the directions, and the areas which are forbidden to ride in. He will patiently answer all your questions once he is done explaining.
Prices
The cost for Jet ski for 75 minutes is $99 and for 2 hours it’s $179. But make sure to check for coupons and book through Groupon it will be cheaper. One thing to note is that if you have planned to do this activity on the weekends they won’t accept Groupon coupons you will have to book directly through the website.
Tip: You do not need any prior experience on JetSki. It was my first time having the entire Jet Ski by myself it was a little scary at first, to be honest, but trust me it was super duper fun!
Day 3: San Diego Zoo & Pacific Beach
The world-famous San Diego Zoo located right in Balboa Park. Known for its unique and wide variety of animals, your trip is not complete without visiting it. You do need an entire day for this activity. The zoo is 100 acres wide and has a variety of animals to look at. Yes, you heard me right 100 acres of land. Visiting the zoo is totally worth it, from giraffes to penguins to bears to chimpanzees to Anaconda to the Koala Bear, believe me, they have it all!
KOALA (he’s sleeping) 
GIRAFFE 
ZEBRA
If you are wondering if I finished looking at all the animals you are wrong 🙃. I certainly did not in fact after spending 4 hours I got tired of walking and did not have the energy to walk. They have lots of food places in each era to keep you entertained throughout your journey of exploring the zoo. There are also cute little boutique stores for animal toys and souvenirs to buy for friends and family.
RHINOCEROS 
PENGUINS 
FLAMINGOS
Tip: San Diego zoo and San Diego Safari park are in two different locations. The distance between the two is around 35 minutes by car. If the San Diego zoo is 100 acres wide then San Diego Safari park is 1800 acres. The difference between the two is that in the Safari Park you will see all the animals in their natural habitat roaming around freely and in the San Diego zoo the animals have their own little space.
I did a mistake buying two tickets together as I wasn’t aware of it being so far apart and mainly of its large acres of land. But if you want to visit only one that’s totally fine.
I did not visit the Sea World because most of the shows were shut during Covid, so I didn’t believe it was worth going to.
Pacific Beach
My favorite beach of all! Not only does it have the most breathtaking sunsets but the beach is full of youngsters and amazing bars/ restaurants at the boardwalk. You will also spot amazing surfers here, they are truly incredible with the way they surf!
You can have your evening walks here, bike around, or spend time in the restaurants, I can assure you that you will have an amazing time!
Day 4: Laguna Beach
This is the day I rented a car to go to one of the most talked-about beaches; Laguna beach located in Orange County, California not far from Los Angeles and about a 1 hour 45 minutes drive from San Diego. It is the prettiest beach in California. It is a laid-back beach and perfect to spend a day getting tanned in the sun. You will also come across cute boutiques, restaurants, and cafes near Laguna Beach. It’s absolutely a cute little lavish town you can also go to Laguna beach for a weekend getaway. You will absolutely love the drive because of the mountains and nature.
Tip: You can park at the meters and pay by downloading the parking app mentioned on the meters.
If you go to Laguna Beach don’t forget to visit Urth Cafe, known for its fine teas, health-conscious food, bubble teas, exquisite desserts, and pastries. Located about 7-minute walking distance from the beach if you are a vegan you are going to adore this place! Make sure to try out their cappuccinos as it is the smoothest one I have ever had anywhere. I am fond of the exterior and the interior of this cafe as it’s so cutely structured.
Day 5: The Flower Fields, Torrey Pines Gliderport, and La Jolla Beach
The Flower Fields, a must place to visit especially if you’re traveling around springtime. This place is only open from March to May 9th. So if you are visiting San Diego during these times make sure to visit Flower Fields. The flowers are very astonishing and you will see all the vibrant colors of these blossoming flowers. You will actually feel like you’re in heaven surrounded by all these divine flowers.
Tip: Try out its mouth-melting chocolate strawberries and pineapple/ strawberry ice cream located at the ice cream booth.
Now comes the adventurous part, Paragliding over the coast! You have to paraglide if you are in San Diego. The view from the top is very peaceful and purely bliss. There is also an option for videos and photos if you are planning to do paragliding.
Tip: Make sure you call Torrey Pines Paragliding on the day you are planning to do the activity because they fly depending on the wind. So due to weather purposes make sure they are flying on the day you are planning to go.
Prices:
Paragliding costs $175. If you want to get your pictures taken it costs $35, video $35, and both $65.
You can also hike from Torrey Pines to Black Sea beach famously known as the nude beach. It’s like a 40 minutes trail but the scenery of the magnificent view of the trail and rocky mountains is truly candid. You can also spot Dolphins at times from this beach.
I would say La Jolla Beach is my least favorite out of all. Maybe I visited at the wrong time because I have heard a lot of good things about this beach but it was just too crowded and dirty which I didn’t really expect. At the time I honestly thought it’s better to avoid such a crowd, especially during COVID.
Day 6: Explore Little Italy and an evening walk at Embarcadero
San Diego is famous for its cute little neighborhoods. Little Italy is a small lively cute neighborhood right a few minutes away from the NorthHarbor view. It’s worth going here because this place is designed just like Italy. From its amazing bars to restaurants to singers singing and playing music to its antique small houses everything will remind you of Italy.
Little Italy
Brunch: You can have your breakfast at Lofty Caffe! (Little Italy). From its freshly roasted brewed coffee to its organic snacks and bakery, you will gladly enjoy every sip and bite off it. Make sure to taste its Turkish tea (one of the most talked-about teas in San Diego).
Lunch/ Dinner: There are lots of restaurants in Little Italy but one of my favorite Italian restaurants is Sorrento, their Italian cuisine is really delicious and you just won’t get enough of it.
Also, if you’re a spiritual person, you’ll be very fond of this little store known as Conscious Lifestyle located in Little Italy as well. It has everything from amazing oracles, tarot decks, crystals, singing bowls, spiritual books, to the statues of Gods and Goddesses. I was in there for two hours because I was so confused as to what to buy and what not to buy as there were so many things appealing to my eye. The employees working there were also very sweet and helpful. They assisted me to overcome my confusion over buying and helped me figure out the things I needed with their little meditation techniques.
Earth’s Elements 
Dessert: There are a lot of options in Little Italy when it comes to desserts. You can have gourmet pops from pop pops, ice cream from Salt & Straw, and IDessert.
CUSTOM ICE CREAM DESSERT
Then head over to Embarcadero for an evening walk. It is a waterfront park ending in Seaport Village. You can see lots of boats, cruises, and yachts. You can also rent one of the yachts and sail while experiencing the beautiful sights of San Diego. It also has lots of cafes, restaurants, and boutiques for souvenirs. Moreover, you can see the entire downtown and Coronado bridge from Embarcadero.
Coronado Bridge 
Day 7: Brunch, Happy Head Spa, Extraordinary desserts, Dinner at King and Queen Cantina
It’s our last day so we gotta make the best of it ;). First comes our amazing Brunch at Richard Walker’s Pancake House! It offers delightful brunch options and has something yummy for everyone. As the name suggests it is famous for its flavorful pancakes, make sure to stop by and have some delicious breakfast to fill your tummy.
After brunch, time for some therapeutic spa. It’s our last day and what best way to release all the tiredness from walking and traveling. Happy Head Spa is just 5-minute walking distance from Richard Walker’s Pancake House. It’s an Asian spa place and they know everything about the points of our pain. The way they massage is very unique from the rest. I really love the interiors of the spa place and one hour of foot and body massage is only for $49! You can’t beat that.
In the evening head over to San Diego’s favorite dessert place known as ExtraOrdinary Desserts located right next to Little Italy. This place has lots of vegan cake options too. Known for its elegant way of presenting mouth-watering cakes, pastries, and cookies, this place is a must! ExtraOrdinary desserts also sell their own bakery recipes if you are interested in baking your own unique cake and pastries.
Tip: This place shuts by 8:30 PM so make sure you grab your pastry before that.
The last dinner of our trip a few minutes away from Extra-Ordinary Desserts there is a famous Mexican Restaurant known as King and Queen Cantina. This restaurant is the best Mexican Restaurant in San Diego as it has delightful options for everyone whether you like seafood or you’re a vegan.
Tip: If you guys are into hookah make sure you guys check out Tabac, it’s a Turkish Hookah cafe located in downtown (Gaslamp Quarters) and try out the flavor chai tea latte hookah its absolutely delicious!
Vegan Enchiladas 
Last but not least I hope you all enjoyed reading the 7-day itinerary and things to do in the San Diego blog. I am in love with the city as it has something unique to offer for everyone. The city will serve you with unconditional love and I promise the experience that you have in this city will truly be worth it. Let me know which one was your favorite place to visit in the comments below!
Love and Light,
Krisha
Disclaimer: None of the content from this blog has been sponsored. Everything written in this blog is at my own expense, through my own research.