San Diego Itinerary - Happiness is a Gamble

The fact that you’re reading this makes me think I don’t have to convince you to visit San Diego, so I won’t even mention the beautiful weather, plentiful beaches, fun people, good food, night life or picturesque views.

With that NOT said, I have seen some other 3-day San Diego itineraries so I wanted to put a new spin on it and provide something realistic for a family with kids. I have the luxury of a mother in law that travels with us so I am going to give you a couple of adult only tips (hoping you can sneak away).

While many people take several trips a year to the San Diego area, this itinerary is for a family that may not be back each year but wants to really enjoy themselves. FYI: I’m happy to offer some budget friendly ideas later.

Day 1 Friday: Arrival & Check In; USS Midway, Maritime Museum, Waterfront Park, Balboa Park,

Day 2 Saturday: San Diego Zoo Safari Park, La Jolla, Gas Lamp

Day 3 Sunday: Pacific Beach, Padres Game at Petco park

Day 1: Arrival, USS Midway, Maritime Museum, Waterfront Park, Balboa Park

Arrival:

I assumed you’re arriving on a Friday because as vacation rental host in SD that’s what we see the most, but this works no matter the day. There are a ton of hotels and vacation rentals. If you want to be close to the beach, I highly recommend the Pacific Beach or PB area but you can stay downtown, Mission Beach, Coronado or La Jolla.

Military Town

I recommend starting at the USS Midway, because there are few places in America that appreciate their service members more than San Diego. According to an SDMAC Military study “San Diego is home to the nation’s largest concentration of military personnel.”

Standing at the base of a once great ship gives me a great sense of patriotism. Get your pictures and selfies but you might end up skipping the tour itself, because often the lines are extremely long. If you get a chance it is worth seeing, but if not no need to cry there is plenty of great stuff ahead.

Next to the Midway is a giant famous statue of the GI and Nurse kissing in Time Square so make sure to get your pictures in front of that. From there, stroll down Harbor Dr toward the Maritime Museum.

Ahoy Matey

San Diego is a coastal city, and if you didn’t make it on the Midway experience centuries of maritime history at the Maritime Museum including a pirate ship.

It is worth the price of admission as it includes all the ships and submarines and you can spend as much or as little time as you like, and the lines are shorter. When you need a break you can entertain the kids at the park across the street.

Play Time

60-90 Minute Tour

Some people will spend an entire day with all Balboa Park has to offer, but if you want to see the sites in less time the park website offers a 60-90 minute tour outline. This includes many of the most popular sites and ends with a relaxing ride on the Carousel.

Dinner Time for the Adults

fire![/su_note]

Day 2: San Diego Zoo Safari Park, La Jolla, Gas Lamp

The Other Zoo:

While most tourists and locals will end up at the world-famous San Diego Zoo I recommend you make the drive for the San Diego Zoo Safari Park because you get an opportunity to experience the animals in a completely different way.

This zoo mimics the wild for the animals much more than other zoos and offers safari trips to feed the animals as well as an up close and personal tour for all ages. Beware, that this is a breeding zoo so if you’re like us you might see some Rhinos making magic happen as you roll by.

If you plan your day properly you will get to see the Cheetah Run which is even more impressive in person. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes though because this is even larger than most zoos.

This zoo is my favorite of the two, but if time doesn’t permit you to make the drive, you will not be disappointed by the San Diego Zoo. No matter which one you go to just make sure to have your phone full charged for all the pictures you will want to take.

La Jolla

On a return trip La Jolla might get its own day or even its own vacation, but with a limited time schedule we are going to visit it on the way back from the Zoo.

The cliffs of La Jolla are world famous for their beauty and the area has some fantastic restaurants. Get your pictures and have a nice lunch/dinner, but as Trip Advisor says watch your step. Assuming you avoid being a bad selfie statistic, you can plan for an adults only evening in the Gas Lamp Quarter.

The Action

The Gas Lamp as it’s called on weekend nights is going to be busy, so if that’s not your speed you might want to skip it and head to the Pacific Beach area or find one of the many local bars that serves craft brews. However, if you want to let your hair down and dance the night away there are lots of places that might look inviting.

If you are so inclined San Diego offers a smaller version of the Las Vegas venue Omnia right in the Gas Lamp. On any give night you might find one of the most famous club performers headlining. But, if that’s a little much for you how about an underground speak easy with live music?

Prohibition is a throwback to the speak easy and the door is marked with the name of a law firm. As you go down the stairs you get the feeling of being transported. Enjoy the rotating cocktail list and live music. If one of these don’t hit the spot there are a lot more options, but if something in gas lamp doesn’t do it for you there is no hope!

Day 3: Pacific Beach, Padres Game at Petco park

Sand in your Toes:

If you aren’t an experienced beach goer make sure to give yourself plenty of time, and although there are many beaches I prefer Pacific Beach. Because there is no drinking allowed on the beaches in San Diego you don’t have to worry about crazy partiers, but you will have to worry about getting run over by a scooter. Find yourself a piece of sandy real estate and enjoy the weather.

If you get thirsty or hungry don’t worry there are shops along the boardwalk that sell drinks, food, etc. And if you can catch one there are ice cream guys walking up and down the beach but warned that they are pretty quick! Don’t forget the sunscreen, a hat and towel because if you buy it on the board walk, convenience will always cost you more.

It’s ok to leave the beach for lunch and to head right back. There are some restaurants within walking distance that know they are catering to people with sand between their toes. For many people setting up at the beach is a small project so make sure to get your money’s worth during the day.

Take me out to the Ball Game

Whether you are big into baseball or not if you get a chance to see a game in Petco Park I highly recommend it. The architects did an amazing job of bringing the outside of the park into the park.

Walking out, I was legitimately confused as to whether I was still inside the park or if I had walked out of the park. While most stadiums stand out from their surroundings, Petco blends in perfectly to the cityscape.

The open-air stadium is a great way to watch a game, and on top of that they have some great food options. The traditional hot dogs are traded for a market type set up with hot dogs, hot meals, a deli and even a Beyond Meat Burger that was delicious.

You might even find yourself buying some Padres swag like we did just because you had such a good time. And this is a great way to rub shoulders with the great people of San Diego. As the cap to a great trip, there aren’t many ways to beat it.

Well, I hope that if you followed my 3-day suggested itinerary you had a great time and didn’t blow the budget you had set aside. While my family vacations are for my kids, I always try to make sure the adults get to enjoy things also, so I hope that we were able to find something for everyone.

I would love to hear what your favorite part was, and about any other cool things you found along the way that you would like to share. San Diego is a place that will continue to grow on you, and each time you venture out you discover new exiting things. Thank you for taking the time to let me share My San Diego with you.

Day 1 Friday: Arrival & Check In; USS Midway, Maritime Museum, Waterfront Park, Balboa Park, Day 2 Saturday: San Diego Zoo Safari Park, La Jolla, Gas Lamp Day 3 Sunday: Pacific Beach, Padres Game at Petco park

Day 1: Arrival, USS Midway, Maritime Museum, Waterfront Park, Balboa Park Arrival: I assumed you’re arriving on a Friday because as vacation rental host in SD that’s what we see the most, but this works no matter the day. There are a ton of hotels and vacation rentals. If you want to be close to the beach, I highly recommend the Pacific Beach or PB area but you can stay downtown, Mission Beach, Coronado or La Jolla. Military Town I recommend starting at the USS Midway, because there are few places in America that appreciate their service members more than San Diego. According to an SDMAC Military study “San Diego is home to the nation’s largest concentration of military personnel.” Standing at the base of a once great ship gives me a great sense of patriotism. Get your pictures and selfies but you might end up skipping the tour itself, because often the lines are extremely long. If you get a chance it is worth seeing, but if not no need to cry there is plenty of great stuff ahead.

Ahoy Matey San Diego is a coastal city, and if you didn’t make it on the Midway experience centuries of maritime history at the Maritime Museum including a pirate ship. It is worth the price of admission as it includes all the ships and submarines and you can spend as much or as little time as you like, and the lines are shorter. When you need a break you can entertain the kids at the park across the street. Play Time

From the museum walk over to the Waterfront Park and let the kids tire themselves out while mingle with the locals and other tourists enjoying the day. If this isn’t a full day of activity for you then you can venture to Balboa Park Next. If you have parking near the playground you might consider taking a ride share to Balboa Park and use the Tram round the Park. 60-90 Minute Tour Some people will spend an entire day with all Balboa Park has to offer, but if you want to see the sites in less time the park website offers a 60-90 minute tour outline. This includes many of the most popular sites and ends with a relaxing ride on the Carousel. Dinner Time for the Adults

If you tired the kids out enough today (and your kids are old enough to get away from) try having dinner in Little Italy. Although not Italian one of my favorite places is “King and Queen Cantina” because it has a second story with glass all the way around and some views of the neighborhood. Enjoy the food and treat yourself to a drink that includes fire!