Things to Do
Balboa Park
Balboa park is an incredibly large park. The San Diego Zoo is in Balboa park. It also has various museums and some restaurants. We recommend visiting the Japanese garden. A lot of time there's local vendors and musicians.
Liberty Public Market
Looking for a trendy place to sample a variety of food? Liberty Public Market is your place. We enjoy going here and getting bao buns and empanadas. On top of food, there's local vendors and a nice view of the water from the parking lot.
Little Italy's Farmers Market
Little Italy's Farmer's Market is a great way to see part of downtown and sample food. They have a farmer's market every Wednesday 9am-1:30pm and Saturdays 8am-2pm. If you're staying downtown, I recommend this. Parking is difficult to find downtown. North Park has their farmer's market every Thursday 3pm-6pm. Ocean Beach has their farmer's market every Wednesday 4pm-8pm. Hillcrest has their farmer's market every Sunday 8am-2pm. Most of the same vendors are at each of these farmer's markets.
Mission Beach
Mission Beach is one of our favorite beaches since there are three parking lots and a board walk. Belmont Park is great for children because it has roller coasters, mini golf, and other activities. Mission Bay Park is close to Mission Beach. This is great if you want to bbq and want to experience the water, but without the waves. It's one of our favorite places to bike around. Ocean Beach has a cool pier and more of a hippy vibe. Pacific Beach is more of a younger crowd. Both of these beaches don't have parking and it can be difficult to find. Coronado Beach is a semi- quiet beach without a boardwalk. If you're just looking for a beach, this is your place. Street parking isn't too hard to find. La Jolla Cove is home to seals and sea lions, check this out if you want to see animals in their natural habitat. PSA The Pacific Ocean is cold. At any given time it's 10 degrees less than the Atlantic.
Polite Provisions
Polite Provisions is one of our favorite bars. They serve elaborate drinks in a "speak easy" kind of vibe. Make sure to go during happy hour (Monday-Thursday), since they're drinks are pricey. If it's breweries you're looking for, don't worry, there are some in every neighborhood.
Holsem Coffee
Holsem is on of my favorite coffee shops because of their different flavor combinations. Lavender mocha, yes please.
Cowles Mountain
We've hiked Cowles Mountain many times. The trail is heavily trafficked and sandy dirt with no shade. The hike is 3 miles total. The peak is the highest point in San Diego that shows panoramic views of the city. The parking lot is normally full, so park along side of the road.
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Old Town San Diego is a beautiful historical neighborhood. On the weekends staff is dressed in antique attire. There are historic landmarks mixed with shops and restaurants. My favorite restaurant in Old Town is Casa Guadalajara because all the dining is outdoors. There are free parking lots that are full on the weekends. There are also various paid parking lots that are reasonably priced. Street parking is doable, just be prepared to walk a lot.