Discover San Diego
Family Weekend is a great time to explore all that San Diego has to offer! Below we will have some suggestions for things to do while in town, or--for our local families, while stay-cationing!
The following suggestions are provided for your information only. Please enjoy these locations, events and activities at your own risk.
On- and Off-Campus Dining:
San Diego is the perfect place to dine outdoors with nearly perfect temperatures and 270 days of clear skies throughout the year. One of the nation’s top foodie cities, San Diego offers a myriad of dining venues with charming and spacious open-air settings to satisfy every mood and craving.
See the 243 winners that the San Diego Magazine food critic and readers voted the top restaurants in San Diego this year.
Reserve 48 hours in advance! Refund Policy: For their refund policy and answers to other general questions, please check the FAQ page at info https://www.popuppicnic.co/faq
City Tours & Cruises:
Guests can hop on and off
Stops: Old Town Market, Maritime Museum, Embarcadero Marina, Seaport Village, Marriott Marquis and Marina, Gaslamp Quarter, Coronado, Little Italy, Balboa Park
9am – 6pm
Last tour departs Old Town at 4pm finishing up approximately at 6pm
Enjoy this video about the Hop On/Hop Off Tours: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=-hNcpAnd-k4
Ready to see the best of San Diego on sea and land? Your 90-minute, fully narrated SEAL Tour departs from Seaport Village or the Embarcadero. Wind your way through picturesque San Diego streets before splashing down for a cruise through the waters of the San Diego Bay. Experience the history and ecological wonders of San Diego in the comfort and security of our virtually unsinkable Hydra-Terras. Here you will learn first-hand of our rich military history and cruise through the waters that are the playground of the California Seals and Sea Lions.
Tours & Sight Seeing from the San Diego Tourism Authority
From guided sightseeing tours, to whale watching excursions and everything in between, find your perfect adventure in San Diego.
Private City Tour Services. Also includes private tours to Temecula Wineries.
1050 Kettner Blvd, Suite D
San Diego, CA 92101
Inside the Santa Fe Train Depot in the lobby.
See San Diego's best sights! Learn about the city from a local expert guide, and enjoy some quality time out on the bay. Or just come enjoy the fresh air! This professionally narrated tour takes you under the Coronado Bridge, past military ships, waterfront landmarks and marine life, for an up-close, in-depth look at San Diego's scenic beauty and fascinating history. Choose the local fleet, San Diego's longest-running harbor tour company.
Entertaining Areas in San Diego County:
Ever changing. Always amazing. Where culture, science, and nature collide, Balboa Park is home to more than 16 museums, multiple performing arts venues, lovely gardens, trails, and many other creative and recreational attractions, including the San Diego Zoo. With a variety of cultural institutions among its 1,200 beautiful and lushly planted acres, there is something for everyone.
Old Town is the location of the first European settlement in California. It is the oldest neighborhood in San Diego located in the heart of San Diego county with 10 hotels to choose from. Old Town is convenient to everything, located next to a major transit center with access to the train, trolley, busses and taxis. Stay in Old Town and you will be ready to experience San Diego and the adventure that is Old Town. Visit California’s first settlement.
Though the Gaslamp Quarter Association was officially chartered in 1982 by the City of San Diego under State Law, the Gaslamp Quarter’s Merchant Association goes back several decades and the historic commercial district that would become the Gaslamp Quarter began as William Heath Davis’ New Town in 1850. The Gaslamp Quarter’s colorful history, combined with its modern-day, world-class boutiques, galleries, and restaurants, is what makes this urban district unlike any other.
A 14 acre waterfront shopping, dining and entertainment complex recreating a harbor side setting of a century ago. Includes 54 one of a kind shops, 13 casual dining eateries, 4 fine dining waterfront restaurants, and located in close proximity to local hotels. Opened in 1980.
The newly constructed Waterfront Park features large green spaces, interactive fountains, a children’s playground, various picnic areas and garden.
There are, in fact, no real beaches on Point Loma, but it’s one of the best places in San Diego to meditate on waves crashing on the cliffs and explore tidepools in the rocky reefs full of marine life. At the furthest tip of Point Loma, you’ll find Cabrillo National Monument, a tribute to explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo who led the brave expedition in 1542. The monument—with panoramic views of the bay and ocean—is also home to the Point Loma Lighthouse and is the access point to some of San Diego’s most impressive tide pools. Just be sure and check the schedule for low tides.
Here you’ll also find a full working marina, with daily sport fishing and seasonal whale watching excursions; Liberty Station, located at the former Naval Training Center, now a thriving arts district with historic architecture, great shops, restaurants and community events; and Sunset Cliffs Park, a seaside park with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and stunning cliff rock formations.
Climbing out of his boat and onto shore in 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo stepped into history as the first European to set foot on what is now the West Coast of the United States. In addition to telling the story of 16th century exploration, the park is home to a wealth of cultural and natural resources. Join us and embark on your own Voyage of Exploration.
Torrey Pines Golf Course & Golf in San Diego
Torrey Pines: Welcome to the nation's foremost municipal golf course
situated atop cliffs towering above the Pacific Ocean in San Diego, California.
With a dramatic coastline boasting incredible views, it's no surprise that La Jolla is one of the most popular beach destinations in California. Surrounded on three sides by the sea and backed by the steep slopes of Mt. Soledad, La Jolla's natural beauty, abundance of activities and upscale village lifestyle ensure that it lives up to its nickname as "the jewel" of San Diego.
Little Italy is filled with patio cafés, restaurants, pubs, art galleries, shops, hotels, and the beautiful Amici Park.
Liberty Station provides a portal to the past, an experience for the present, and a promise for the future. As we become San Diego’s Town Square, we invite our guests to collect memories—and enjoy their community.
Liberty Station (formerly the Naval Training Center, San Diego) welcomed its first Navy recruits in 1923. With the end of Cold War, the Navy gradually wound down activity at NTC and officially closed in 1997. Then the grounds gradually transitioned into the Liberty Station we know today. The City of San Diego gained ownership of the property in 2000, repurposing the site into a center for commerce, history, and arts.
Coronado’s timeless charm inspires you to wander to bliss, experiencing cashmere-soft sands, lush parks, one-of-a-kind boutiques and atmospheric dining. If you long to escape and feel your wellbeing soar, your heart will love Coronado.
Amusement Parks & Museums:
The San Diego Zoo is a zoo in Balboa Park, San Diego, California, housing over 12,000 animals of more than 650 species and subspecies on 100 acres of Balboa Park leased from the City of San Diego.
The San Diego Zoo was a pioneer in the concept of open-air, cageless exhibits that recreate natural animal habitats.
With more than 4 million visitors in 2018, San Diego Zoo is the most visited zoo in the United States. Travelers have also cited it as one of the best zoos in the world.
Over 60 rides, shows & attractions located in Carlsbad, CA
The USS Midway was the longest-serving aircraft carrier in the 20th century. Named after the climactic Battle of Midway of June 1942, Midway was built in only 17 months, but missed World War II by one week when commissioned on September 10, 1945. Midway was the first in a three-ship class of large carriers that featured an armored flight deck and a powerful air group of 120 planes.
On April 11, 1992 the Midway was decommissioned in San Diego and remained in storage in Bremerton, Washington until 2003 when it was donated to the 501(c)3 nonprofit San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum organization. It opened as the USS Midway Museum in June 2004.
Home of the San Diego Padres!
Belmont Park (www.BelmontPark.com) is San Diego’s only beachfront amusement and entertainment complex. Visitors can enjoy traditional and contemporary amusement park rides including the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, play laser tag, visit the arcade, climb the Sky Climb Rock Wall, Dine at Draft or Cannonball, enjoy a round of golf at Tiki Town Mini Golf, glide on the Zip Line or play midway style games - to name a few. The Park features a wide array of cuisine including oceanfront restaurants Beach House Bar & Grill, Draft and Cannonball as well as quick service concepts Belmonty's Burgers, Hot Dog on a Stick and Dole Whip.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps is the public exploration center for the world-renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California San Diego.
Perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Birch Aquarium features more than 60 habitats of fishes and invertebrates from the cold waters of the Pacific Northwest to the tropical waters of Mexico and beyond. An oceanographic museum showcases research discoveries by Scripps Oceanography scientists on climate, earth, and ocean science and includes interactive elements.
Events & Shows in Town During Family Weekend:
San Diego International Film Festival
Join them in Balboa Park at MOPA, in Mission Bay at The Catamaran Resort, Downtown San Diego on board the USS Midway and Online in the Festival’s Virtual Village.
[email protected] (619) 818-2221
Activities:
Transportation:
- MTS (Metropolitan Transit System) - San Diego Trolley & Bus System
- Uber
- Lyft
- Zip Car
- Amtrak
- Airport Shuttles
All content and events subject to change.
