San Diego walking tour & city guide

Downtown and the Gaslamp Quarter

The Gaslamp Quarter is San Diego's historic downtown district, a grid of Victorian-era buildings now filled with restaurants, rooftop bars and clubs. It is busiest at night, when the streets fill with people heading out, as the nightlife video shows. Nearby, Petco Park is home to the San Diego Padres baseball team.

Along the harbor, the waterfront walk passes Seaport Village and the USS Midway Museum, a giant aircraft carrier you can explore from the flight deck to the engine rooms. Little Italy, just north of downtown, is known for its excellent restaurants and Saturday farmers market.

Balboa Park and the beaches

Balboa Park is one of the largest urban cultural parks in the US, with Spanish Colonial Revival buildings, gardens and more than a dozen museums. It is also the home of the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

The coast is San Diego's greatest treasure. Pacific Beach is lively and youthful, with a busy boardwalk, while Coronado Beach, in front of the historic Hotel del Coronado, is wide and golden. In La Jolla, sea lions and seals lounge on the rocks of La Jolla Cove and the Children's Pool, and sea caves line the cliffs.

Tips for visiting

San Diego is a great place to visit at any time of year, though the ocean is coldest in winter and early summer can bring morning clouds. A car or rideshare is useful for reaching the beaches, while the downtown areas are easy to walk. The Mexican border at Tijuana is only about 30 minutes away.