10 Things You Have to See and Do When Living in San Diego

There’s something you need to know about San Diego: Visit and you’ll want to move; move and you’ll never want to leave. It’s a tough choice to make, but we think it’s worth it for the endless 75 degree and sunny days. Between the beautiful weather, beaches, and people you’ll encounter, these activities and places will show you why the west coast really is the best coast.

Our list of the top 10 things you must do or see in San Diego:

1. Balboa Park
2. San Diego Zoo
3. Slot Canyons
4. Gaslamp Quarter
5. Pacific Beach
6. Mission Beach
7. La Jolla
8. Coronado Island
9. Surfing
10. Sunset Cliffs National Park

1. Balboa Park

Culture, science, and nature collide right in the middle of the city in the 1,200 acres of Balboa Park, featuring hiking trails, fountains, performing arts venues, lovely gardens, and more than 16 museums. It’s a great place to walk around on a date, or a family friendly activity to enjoy with your near and dear.

2. San Diego Zoo

If you like zoos, you’ll love the San Diego zoo and its large, open enclosures. The zoo prides itself on its large, open animal enclosures. The 3,700 animals (of more than 650 species and subspecies) are living their best life. Nestled in Balboa Park, this is one of the best zoos in the country, if not the world. Take the whole day to stroll around the 99 acre property—and be sure to sign up for one of the safaris! This is a great family friendly destination when living in San Diego.

3. Slot Canyon

Considered one of the best hikes in San Diego, Slot Canyon is the product of Mother Nature. Formed from sandstone, the canyons provide hikers with unique view into San Diego geology. Found in the heart of Anza Borrego State Park, consider adding Slot Canyon on your list of must do activities when relocating to San Diego.

4. Gaslamp Quarter

Rooftop pool party, anyone? The Gaslamp is the “premier entertainment district of the West Coast”. Its sixteen-and-a-half historical blocks are packed with entertainment and nightlife in the heart of downtown. This is the place to get a great meal, dance the night away, and/or sing your lungs out to “Sweet Caroline” at the dueling piano bar, The Shout! House. If you decide to rent an apartment in this neighborhood, you’ll have access to some of the best local eats and entertainment. Here are some of our suggestions for dining options in The Gaslamp Quarter.

• Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar
• Cafe 21 Gaslamp
• Lou & Mickey’s
• Rustic Root

5. Pacific Beach

Known as PB by the locals, Pacific Beach is a great ‘hood for everything from surfing to day drinking. The perfect pub crawl includes a stop at Crushed for brunch, a craft brew on the roof of Pacific Beach AleHouse, and a vodka Red Bull slushie from PB Shore Club. Party all night? Get a little hair of the dog at The Silver Fox Lounge, the dive bar that opens at 6am, with an early morning happy hour until 10am. When renting an apartment in Pacific Beach, you’ll have prime access to the San Diego oceanfront and the surfer vibes that come with it.

6. Mission Beach

Spanning nearly two miles of oceanfront, Mission Beach is a community built on a sandbar between the Pacific Ocean and Mission Bay. Take a rickety ride on the Giant Dipper, the historical wooden roller coaster in Belmont Park, a small amusement park in Mission Beach. Catch a wave, or catch a fish in the Mission Bay Jetty Channel. Divers will love living in this San Diego area as it’s home to Wreck Alley, a popular dive spot.

7. La Jolla

La Jolla, which means “the jewel,” is the ritzy, hilly seaside area of San Diego (read: a great place to meet a spouse). Head to La Jolla Cove to see sea lions sunning themselves on the beach. You can even swim and snorkel with them in the cove.

8. Coronado Island

Take the ferry from downtown, or drive over the giant bridge to Coronado Island. The island itself is fun to explore, but the iconic, 125-year-old Hotel Del Coronado is the main attraction. The grand 1888 Victorian property is a stupendous place for a beachfront cocktail at sunset and makes the perfect backdrop for some envy-inducing Instagram selfies.

9. Surfing

Surfing is a lot harder than it looks. It requires a ton of upper body strength. But, you gotta at least try to hang ten–we’re pretty sure they won’t let you out of San Diego unless you do. Hit up Ocean Beach and get a hands-on class from a local instructor. Don’t worry, they’re not going to make fun of you.

10. Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

Speaking of sunsets, Sunset Cliffs Natural Park is the next stop on our tour. This 68-acre regional park extends 1.5 miles along the Point Loma peninsula’s western shoreline in Ocean Beach. Go for the expansive ocean views, cliffs and caves, and cool intertidal area…and obviously the sunsets! On the right day you can see even see dolphins or whales. Could this city be any more amazing?

Far from a sleepy beach town, San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the US and second-largest in California. Which means there is no shortage of fun to be had. So go explore!

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