In this video, we’ll cover all you need to know before traveling to San Diego,
including maps, transportation, where to stay, prices, best apps, best city views, and much more.
Here are our 11 essentials tips:
NUMBER 11: THE MAP OF SAN DIEGO
San Diego sits on the coast of the Pacific Ocean right on the border with Mexico.
It is located 120 miles or 190 kilometers south of Los Angeles.
Let’s start with Balboa Park, a large urban cultural park in San Diego full of beautiful gardens,
fascinating museums, theaters, and other attractions
like the world-famous San Diego Zoo, Japanese Friendship Garden, etc.
Little Italy, a popular neighborhood in downtown San Diego offers authentic Italian restaurants,
bars, retail shops, home design stores, and galleries.
If you continue towards the seaside, you will find the Waterfront Park,
Maritime Museum of San Diego, and the USS Midway Museum,
a decommissioned aircraft carrier, which is now a museum, located at Navy Pier.
If you continue south, you will get to the Seaport Village, a unique shopping area with miles
of walking paths, and will finally get to Embarcadero Marina Parks.
If you turn east, you will get to another beautiful San Diego neighborhood, The Gaslamp Quarter,
referred to as the historic heart of San Diego, a historic downtown district
and the city’s center of entertainment and nightlife.
You can’t miss Coronado with a fantastic view of the San Diego skyline,
home to beautiful beaches, and the historic beachfront Hotel del Coronado established in 1888.
Another beautiful spot to visit in San Diego is Point Loma with the Cabrillo monument.
Right before you enter the national park, there is Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery,
a federal military cemetery.
Shelter Island and Harbor Island Park also offer some of the most beautiful views towards
the San Diego skyline.
Let’s continue towards the north where you’ll find Sunset Cliffs.
If you are in the neighborhoods, don’t miss the Liberty Station,
formerly a U.S. naval base, now the site of the well-known Liberty Public Market,
home to an impressive foot market hall, restaurants, and arts and crafts area.
Don’t forget to visit Old Town San Diego,
a historic neighborhood, consisting of reconstructed homes
and craft shops in the 1800s Mission-style,
recreating the life of the Mexican and early American periods.
And don’t miss Spruce Street Suspension Bridge, built-in 1912
to provide pedestrians with a link to new trolley lines across a deep canyon.
SeaWorld San Diego, an aquatic theme park, and Mission Beach, a popular place for surfing,
sunbathing, and other outdoor activities are located north of San Diego.
Right after Mission Beach, you will find La Jolla, a charming community with beautiful seaside.
To get a better sense of distances, a 1.4 mi. or 2.2 km walk from Little Italy to Gaslamp Quarter
takes about 30 minutes.
San Diego International Airport is located only about 2 mi.or 3 km from downtown San Diego.
If you're arriving by train, you'll most likely arrive at the Santa Fe Depot Station.
NUMBER 10: WEATHER AND CLIMATE
San Diego has a Mediterranean climate with consistent weather throughout the year,
with little to no extreme weather or rainfall.
Temperatures in winter are generally mild, ranging between 48 °F and 66 °F or 9 °C and 19 °C.
There’s not a lot of rain except for the El Niño, which produces rainfall and storms.
The coldest month is January, with an average of 42°F and 6°C.
In the spring, the weather is pleasant with the warmer temperature and less rainfall.
The temperatures range between 42 °F and 68 °F or 6 °C and 20 °C.
Summer is nice and hot with little rain.
There can be a blanket of fog during May or June,
often called the "May Gray" or "June Gloom."
Temperatures range between 65 °F and 78 °F or 18 °C and 26 °C.
August is the hottest month with an average temperature of 78°F or 26°C.
Weather in the fall is still warm in September and part of October,
but then quickly becomes colder.
Temperatures range between 54 °F and 77 °F or 12 °C and 25 °C.
Of course, these are all just averages.
The weather and temperatures can be different when you visit,
so remember to always check the weather forecast before you travel.
NUMBER 9: BEST TIME TO VISIT
The best time to visit San Diego is in March and April in the spring
and definitely before May to avoid the "May Gray."
August and September are also great months to visit
because the weather is warm and you can avoid the tourist crowds.
Summer gets lots of tourists and higher prices, but the weather is still pleasant.
The cheapest time to visit San Diego is in the fall
when there are a few tourists and the prices of accommodation are lower.
And how can you figure out the best days and hours to see the attractions?
Just check Google to see how crowded a specific location
is at a particular time of day.
Of course, we recommend going early during the week and/or in the morning.
San Diego is not a big city.
Many travelers stay in San Diego for three days to see the main attractions
and soak in the atmosphere.
If you want a more relaxed experience, you can stay an extra day or two.
NUMBER 8: WHERE TO STAY AND PRICES
If this is your first time in San Diego, choose to stay downtown
where you’ll have many of the best sights, bars, and restaurants just minutes away.
For nightlife, stay close to the Gaslamp Quarter.
If you’re on a budget, stay in the Old Town, outside the city center.
By the way, an area just outside Old Town
is called the Hotel Circle and offers great prices of accommodation.
If you’re traveling with the family, Mission Bay, near SeaWorld is a good option.
A mid-range hotel double room in San Diego costs between $150 and $250 per night.
For budget hotels, the average is $75.
Hostels cost around $25 to $35 per night on average.
Alternatively, you can rent an Airbnb apartment that sleeps up to four people for about $130.
Again, these are the average prices, and the ranges for different hotel categories are
quite extensive and in the summer, or during the weekends,
accommodation can be more expensive.
However, with a little research online, you can get better deals, especially if your dates
are flexible and don’t travel in high season.
Check out our video on the best apps for booking your stay.
NUMBER 7: TRANSPORTATION
FROM AND TO THE AIRPORT
To get to and from San Diego International Airport you can use:
Bus, MTS Trolley, Amtrak Intercity & Coaster commuter train,
Airport Shuttle, Taxi, Limousines
Uber or Lyft, and car rentals.
ARRIVING BY TRAIN
You can travel to San Diego by train from numerous cities with Amtrak.
If you’re arriving from outside San Diego, you’ll arrive at Santa Fe Depot Station
located in downtown San Diego.
ARRIVING BY CAR
You can use Google Maps to get driving directions to San Diego.
Parking in the city center is limited, especially during the day,
so it might be challenging to find a spot.
Laws and regulations are strictly enforced when it comes to parking.
Parking meters are active from 8 am to 6 pm and costs $0.25 per 12 or 15 minutes.
In many open space parking places, you can only park for up to two hours.
You can also park in one of the parking garages for $1 per hour and from $20 to $25 per day.
Alternatively, you can book one of the many hotels in the city that offer parking.
GETTING AROUND THE CITY
Although San Diego is not that big the sights are spread out throughout different neighborhoods,
so using public transportation a convenient option.
You can use the following modes of transportation:
Bus, trains, trolleys, ferry, Uber or Lyft, taxis, bikes
car rentals and other forms of transportation
If you use public transportation such as the bus and trolley,
you will pay $2.50 for a one-way ticket.
You can get a Compass Card for a $2 fee.
The card can be reloaded, or you can use it to buy a day pass, which costs $6.
You can pay for your ticket on any bus farebox or trolley ticket vending machines.
Check out our travel guide for more information and prices.
By the way, our travel guide is a mobile-friendly .pdf document that you can store on your phone
for offline use. It covers the top 10 things to do in San Diego, plus ten additional attractions,
maps, links, opening hours, and other information
that will help make your trip to San Diego stress-free.
NUMBER 6: GENERAL INFORMATION
Here are some other things you should know
for a pleasant and smooth experience in San Diego.
DRINKING WATER: It is perfectly safe to drink tap water in San Diego.
Drinking water fountains are available throughout the city.
TOILETS: Public toilets are available in San Diego.
If you want to see where public toilets are located,
you can use an app on your phone. More about that later.
FREE WiFi: You can get free WiFi at plenty of outdoor and indoor hotspots
all over the city, including restaurants, fast food places, cafés, bars, and hotels.
CROWDS & LINES: San Diego is a popular destination, so be prepared to wait in line,
especially in the summer months and around big tourist attractions.
The same goes for restaurants and other public places.
Even if you can't avoid all the crowds, you can do some things to make your trip
to San Diego a more pleasant experience.
You can: avoid peak seasons
avoid traveling during rush hours, get up early in the morning to explore the
city without the crowds, use Google Maps or similar apps to check how
crowded a specific location is at a particular time of day
SAFETY: San Diego is generally a very safe place for tourists.
A few areas are better avoided by night,
but they are usually not located near tourist attractions.
Typical for all major cities around the world, beware of pickpockets. Car break-ins are also
relatively common. Watch your valuables and use common sense.
For emergency services, dial 911.
NUMBER 5: FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS
TRAVEL ADAPTERS If you're coming from outside the United States,
you will probably need a special U.S. travel adapter to charge your phone and other devices.
The power plugs in the United States are Type A and Type B.
We recommend purchasing a travel adapter before traveling to San Diego. In fact, it is worth
buying a universal adapter so you can use it in other countries too.
CURRENCY United States use U.S. Dollars. At the time
of making of this video 1 USD is worh approximately 0.90 EUR or 0.77 GBP.
It’s better to have your money exchanged before you travel.
Also, always check the exchange rate before traveling.
Most hotels, stores, and restaurants in the city accept major credit cards like Visa and MasterCard.
But make sure you have some cash with you just in case.
ATMs AND MONEY EXCHANGE
In San Diego, ATMs typically charge a $3 fee.
You can check with your home bank if they have an agreement with a U.S.
to see if you can avoid paying ATM fees.
It's also best to withdraw as few times as possible to avoid multiple ATM fees.
You can choose to exchange your foreign cash at currency exchange offices, but commission
varies widely, so always compare the exchange rate on your phone
to the board displayed in the exchange office.
PREPAID SIM CARDS AND POCKET WiFi You can purchase a prepaid SIM card to access
the internet on your phone. Some options provided by local carriers are T-Mobile, Three, and AT&T.
You can buy one that includes the internet before you get to the city and have it delivered to you.
Alternatively, you can consider renting a pocket WiFi or a mobile hotspot.
See our travel guide for more information.
NUMBER 4: BEST APPS
Your phone can be your best buddy in San Diego.
Here are some great apps you can use:
Balboa park official app: An interactive guide to the park’s museums, art venues, gardens, and zoo
Little Italy San Diego: A helpful tool for exploring the Italian community in the city
Groupon for promo codes and savings alerts for nearby dining and other deals
TripAdvisor and Yelp for reviews of restaurants, hotels, museums, tours, etc.
SpotHero or ParkWhiz to find and book parking near your destination
Uber/Lyft for getting around the city
Moovit: To find an updated schedule for your public transportation.
Google Maps or Apple Maps for walking, public transportation, driving, etc.
Google Maps also lets you download maps, which is a great option
if you don’t want to use roaming.
SitOrSquat or Flush for finding public restrooms
Tap to find the nearest drinking water refill station
WiFi Map or WiFi Finder, which helps you find WiFi throughout San Diego
NUMBER 3: FOOD AND PRICES
San Diego has plenty of dining options and offers a great variety of international and
traditional dining. We suggest using Yelp or TripAdvisor to find nearby places with
good reviews. Try to avoid restaurants at or next to major tourist sites; you'll often
get a much higher price-quality ratio at local places away from the main attractions.
An inexpensive restaurant meal costs about $15 on average,
and a three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant is about $40 to $80.
Being close to the ocean and the border of Mexico,
the city offers a variety of amazing food like the famous fish tacos.
A small dish of fish tacos is around $4.
As for drinks in bars, a coffee costs from around $4, a bottle of water about $2,
same for a bottle of soda,
a pint of beer from $5 to $8,
a glass of wine and cocktail goes for about $7 to $12.
Of course, prices are higher in front of the famous tourist places.
There are plenty of great cheap eats in San Diego.
Check out our guide for maps with the best cheap eats.
TIPPING: You should tip in bars, restaurants, and hotels in the United States.
The standard rate is between 15% to 20%.
It’s also normal to give about $2 to $5 tip to hotel staff, attendants, etc.
and from 10-20% for your Uber driver.
NUMBER 2: CITY PASSES & EXPLORING THE CITY
If you want to save on attractions, you can choose from either
Go San Diego Pass or the Southern California City Pass.
Both options offer free entry to some top attractions,
various kinds of discounts, and more.
Check our travel guide for current prices and links.
A great way to discover San Diego, is by a walking tour, organized by professional guides.
Some providers even offer free walking tours.
However, at the end of the tour, it is recommended to make a donation.
You can also explore San Diego by a boat tour,
a guided sightseeing tour, or other themed tours.
There are plenty of options to choose from.
Check out our travel guide for the list of providers and links.
NUMBER 1: BEST VIEWS OF THE CITY
You can enjoy amazing views of San Diego from one of the following places:
Embarcadero Marina Park
San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge
San Diego Skyline Viewpoint
Harbor Island Park
Cabrillo National Monument in Point Loma
Find more impressive views of San Diego in our travel guide.
And now don’t forget to check out Top 10 things to do in San Diego.
Just click here.