Things to do

in San Diego

Balboa Park

Balboa Park is San Diego's crown jewel - a massive 1,200-acre cultural playground right in the heart of the city that's home to world-class museums, the famous San Diego Zoo, gorgeous gardens, and stunning Spanish Colonial architecture. Think of it as San Diego's version of Central Park, but with a distinctly California twist featuring palm trees, year-round perfect weather, and enough attractions to easily fill several days of exploring. It's the kind of place where you can wander from seeing pandas at the zoo to admiring art in a museum to picnicking under jacaranda trees, all within walking distance and completely free to enter the park itself.

Seaport Village

Seaport Village, just steps from the wedding venue and hotels, is San Diego's charming waterfront shopping and dining village - a picturesque 14-acre boardwalk paradise right on San Diego Bay where you can stroll along cobblestone pathways lined with over 50 unique shops, street performers, and waterfront restaurants while enjoying unobstructed views of the harbor and Coronado Bridge. It's the perfect spot for a leisurely afternoon where you can browse everything from quirky souvenir shops to artisan boutiques, grab fresh seafood with your toes practically in the sand, and watch sailboats drift by while street musicians provide the soundtrack. Think of it as a more relaxed, family-friendly alternative to the Gaslamp Quarter - all the charm of a seaside village but with that quintessential Southern California vibe, plus it's walking distance from the USS Midway and downtown hotels.

The Beaches

San Diego County's beaches are like having a 70-mile stretch of coastal paradise where each beach has its own personality - from the family-friendly wide sands of Mission Beach with its bustling boardwalk and amusement park rides, to the dramatic cliffs and tide pools of La Jolla where you can literally swim alongside sea lions and spot dolphins from the shore. You've got everything from the surf culture epicenter of Pacific Beach where beach volleyball and beach bars reign supreme, to the pristine, untouched beauty of Torrey Pines State Beach where you can hike dramatic bluffs and feel like you're in a nature documentary. The best part is the year-round perfect weather means you can enjoy beach days in January just as easily as July, and whether you want to surf, sunbathe, explore tide pools, or just watch the sunset with fish tacos in hand, there's a perfect stretch of sand waiting for you.

Gaslamp Quarter

The Gaslamp Quarter is San Diego's vibrant downtown playground - a 16-block historic district packed with Victorian-era buildings that now house trendy restaurants, craft breweries, rooftop bars, and nightclubs, making it the city's hottest spot for dining and nightlife. By day it's perfect for strolling the tree-lined streets to browse unique shops and grab lunch at everything from gourmet food trucks to upscale eateries, but it really comes alive at night when the whole area transforms into a buzzing party scene with live music spilling out of venues and people hopping between rooftop cocktail lounges, and if you are feeling brave, a ghost walk. Think of it as San Diego's answer to French Quarter vibes, but with a California twist - historic charm meets modern fun, all within easy walking distance of the waterfront, Petco Park, and The Headquarters.

San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo is basically animal paradise - a world-renowned 100-acre wonderland that's home to over 4,000 animals from around the globe, including rare species you won't see anywhere else like giant pandas, Galapagos tortoises, and polar bears. What makes it special isn't just the incredible variety of animals, but how they've created these lush, canyon-filled habitats that make you feel like you're exploring different continents as you wander from the African savanna to the Asian rainforest. It's the kind of place where you'll find yourself mesmerized watching a family of gorillas, then suddenly realize you've been there for six hours and still haven't seen half the exhibits - plus the Skyfari gondola ride gives you this amazing bird's-eye view of the whole experience.

USS Midway Tour

The USS Midway Museum is an incredible experience where you actually get to explore a massive, decommissioned aircraft carrier that's permanently docked in San Diego Bay - imagine walking through a floating city that once housed 4,500 sailors and 100 aircraft. You'll climb through narrow corridors, sit in actual cockpits of fighter jets, and stand on the flight deck where planes once launched into combat, all while getting stories from real Navy veterans who volunteer as docents and share what life was really like aboard this floating piece of history. It's like stepping into a movie set, except everything is completely real and you get stunning views of San Diego's skyline and Coronado Bridge as a bonus.

  • Catch a show at Petco Park, enjoy a Harbor Cruise, visit Coronado Island, indulge in Little Italy, travel north to Los Angeles, enjoy the weather. Ask Logan or Kyle for recommendations based on the things you like to do!

  • Encinitas, Solana Beach, Carlsbad, Oceanside, La Jolla, El Cajon, San Marcos, Vista - all of these cities have their own slice of San Diego County charm and appeal, from restaurants to shops, mountains to beaches, parks to movie theatres.

    If you want to travel outside of modern civilization, check out Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake for cabins and upscale camping.

  • There are many options for transportation in and around San Diego county. Uber & Lyft, taxi, bus, and the Sprinter (train) can take you just about anywhere you might need to go. You can also rent a car at the airport if you’d like to drive around on your own.