Welcome to America’s Finest City! If you’re here on vacation then you will want to make the most of your time here. Read on for the top 5 things to do while on vacation in San Diego that will really give you a feel of what this town is all about!

Beaches, beaches, and more beaches

Let’s be honest, you can’t come all the way to San Diego and not experience our beaches at least once! From Oceanside to Coronado, and everywhere in between, San Diego boasts miles and miles of golden coastline. There’s a beach for everyone! Want to mix a little bit of shopping with your sunbathing? Head to Mission Beach or Pacific Beach to get the best of both worlds. Looking for the best family-friendly beach for the little ones? Coronado Beach has you covered. There’s plenty of room to build sandcastles and the waves are usually very gentle thanks to its unique location. And if you’re looking to explore some tide pools and check out the local marine life, La Jolla’s tide pools are the place to go! Starfish, anemones, fish and even the occasional octopus!

The San Diego Zoo and Safari Park

Both parks are great to spend the day at, although if you want to do both, you will need to take a couple of days as they are quite far from each other. The San Diego Zoo has an amazing array of animals from all corners of the globe. My person favorite is the monkey exhibit where you can watch capuchins swing like acrobats around their enclosure. Don’t forget to ride the gondola if you can. It takes you high above the zoo and gives you an amazing bird’s eye view of everything.

The Safari Park is a much more spread out zoo, and I prefer it over the zoo because most of the enclosures are larger, allowing the animals to roam around more. most of the animals get to roam around. The new Walkabout Australia exhibit allows you to get up close and personal with the local wildlife, and you can even take a hot air balloon ride to get a great view of the surrounding area.

Balboa Park

Balboa Park is a mecca of museums and beautiful gardens. Built for the Panama-California Exposition in 1915, the park serves as a tranquil escape for San Diegans and tourists alike. There are more than 15 museums dotted around the park, including the Air & Space Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Fleet Science Center, and the Museum of Us (formerly the Museum of Man). If you’re a nature lover like myself, you’ll want to check out the Botanical Building which is filled with orchids, cycads, and hundreds of other tropical plants. Don’t forget the Japanese Friendship Garden. This terraced paradise has immaculately landscaped walkways and some of the biggest koi that I have ever seen!

La Jolla

Restaurants, shops, and sunbathing seals! La Jolla has it all! Explore several miles of beautiful coastline and enjoy lunch at one of the many ocean-facing restaurants. One of the most unique experiences in La Jolla is Sunny Jim’s Cave. Built in 1902, the cave was supposedly used by smugglers during the prohibition era to sneak in all sorts of contraband. There are 145 stairs to climb down (and up!) to reach a platform that overlooks the ocean, and the view is definitely worth the hike!

Old Town

Looking for an authentic taste of Mexico without crossing the border? Old Town San Diego is the place to be! With nearly 20 different restaurants serving everything from huevos rancheros, to tacos, to some of the best margaritas this side of the border, this quaint little town is the perfect place to dine, shop and take in a little local history too!

Capture Those Memories!

You’re here for the vacation of a lifetime so why not capture the memories with a photoshoot. Book your session now!