San Diego is a vibrant place, even when judged beside California’s myriad other top cities. Its theme parks are well known by kids and families the world over, but it’s also got superb beaches, an impressive array of grown up cultural attractions, and buzzing nightlife. It also has a really fantastic array of accommodation — with something to match every kind of traveller. And while there are great places to stay all over the city, there are some neighbourhoods that will really suit particular travellers. This is why we've put together our where to stay in San Diego guide, to help you navigate the individual districts of this fascinating but diverse city.
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San Diego’s sunshine makes it a great year-round city break pick, especially for families — the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, Legoland and the Birch Aquarium are some of the big names, plus there's the green of Balbao Park which spreads through the centre of the city, and the wildness of the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is just outside. There’s a great food scene, an ever expanding calendar of art and cultural events, and an exciting collection of permanent museums and galleries. For some the city's architecture is the reason to visit.
San Diego’s Downtown area is where many people start looking for accommodation. It’s well connected to the rest of the city, surprisingly close to the airport, and close to the bay. There’s lots of accommodation here, too, with plenty of variety — from historic inns and boutique stays to slick luxury hotels, and lots of family friendly hotels boasting big pools! Within the wider Downtown are are different neighbourhoods each with their own character: East Village is hip, great for food; the Gaslamp Quarter is quite arty and closer to the marina; while Little Italy is livelier of an evening, and has fantastic views of the bay; as does Cortez Hill, which is right by Balboa Park. On the other side of the park is Hillcrest, convenient for the zoo, and with a fantastic foodie scene.
If you’re hoping to make the most of San Diego’s beaches, La Jolla — to the north of Downtown, along the coast — might be where to stay. It’s close to some of the city’s most popular beaches and is quite peaceful. Pacific Beach boasts a lively boardwalk lined with bars and eateries. Point Loma is another low key option, while Coronado is upscale.
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The Downtown San Diego area encompasses several smaller neighbourhoods, so if you search for accommodation in the area you’ll turn up boutique options in the arty Gaslamp Quarter, big hotels with marina views, family friendly picks close to the The Children’s Museum, Balboa Park or the San Diego Zoo, or more romantic hotels — maybe in Little Italy — perfect for enjoying the Downtown area’s lively evenings.
Downtown is where you’ll find Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres; San Diego’s Embarcadero (or marina or cruise ship dock), which has the Maritime Museum of San Diego and the USS Midway Museum; the Rady Shell in Jacob’s Park, which is the home of the San Diego Symphony; and some of the most glamorous of the city's rooftop bars.
Get around on foot, bike, taxi or tram!
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East Village is the largest neighbourhood in Downtown San Diego, centred around Petco Park, and then spreading out 130 blocks, with restaurants and craft beer bars, fitness studios, an art gallery or two, industrial warehouses, modern high-rises and Victorian-era townhouses. It’s also one of the newest neighbourhoods as far as residents are concerned: until the 1990s it was largely warehouses, but the coming of Petco Park changed all that. This is a great place for indy shopping, eating and drinking
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San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter covers only sixteen blocks, but it is one of the most charming looking parts of town, where streets are lined with Victorian era storefronts, Art Deco treasures, mature trees and an excellent collection of boutiques. This is the part of town for sidewalk dining and rooftop bars, and after hours there’s a friendly and fun atmosphere and a very cosmopolitan vibe. The neighbourhood has its own museum: the Gaslamp Museum at the David-Horton House, a park with an interactive fountain, several well-known theatres, and over one hundred restaurants.
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La Jolla is a rather glamorous part of San Diego, to the north of centre, right on the ocean. In fact it’s got ocean on three sides, with the steep slopes of Mount Soledad on the fourth. This is a neighbourhood of high-end shopping and fine dining, and magical ocean views, with an upmarket village atmosphere. The heart of La Jolla is pedestrianised and decorated with murals. It has a renowned playhouse, a Museum of Contemporary Art, an aquarium and oceanarium, and The University of California San Diego. As well as being close to some of the most beautiful beaches in San Diego, if you stay here you’re near the hiking trails of the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, and the spectacular views of the Torrey Pines Golf Course.
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With its long boardwalk (3.2miles), sandy beaches, and lively bars, cafes and restaurants, Pacific Beach is an obvious choice for a lively beach break — especially if you’re partial to a rooftop bar as the sun goes down, or eating fresh seafood just steps from a gorgeous sandy beach! If you’re interested in catching some waves try the Tourmaline Surf Beach, but if you’re learning try North Pacific Beach, which is great for families and has a number of surf schools. Families might also appreciate the Kate Sessions Neighbourhood Park, and Pacific Beach’s proximity to SeaWorld, Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo.
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Hillcrest is a friendly neighbourhood (just a few minutes from Downtown San Diego in one direction, and Balboa Park in the other) known for its Spanish-style and Craftsman homes and buildings, international foodie culture, Sunday farmers’ market, and being the heart of San Diego’s LGBTQ community. The pedestrianised streets make it easy to get around here, and add a village-y feel to its twelve lively blocks. Shop for great vintage finds, independent bookshops, and cool kids clothing and homeware stores. Also great for art house films and smaller museums, galleries and theatres.
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Point Loma is a high-end neighbourhood on a peninsula overlooking the bay — it’s got a lively boating culture, fascinating tide pools, and is known for its seafood. Point Loma is also close to the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park with its famous cliff walks and sunset views, and is just across the water from Coronado. Point Loma’s old naval base, Liberty Station, has been converted into an arts centre and shopping destination — most of the area's hotels are close to Liberty Station — while to the south are the parks and beaches. As well as the tide pools, the shops and the sunsets, Point Loma’s attractions include the old lighthouse — which was once the tallest in the US, and is now a lighthouse museum.
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Luxurious Coronado is almost an island, but remains tenuously tethered to the mainland by the San Diego-Coronado Bridge and a narrow isthmus of land. This upmarket area is known for its five star hotels, charming old mansions and million dollar homes, but it’s also a great place for a special meal, a spot of boutique shopping, stand-up paddle boarding, and people watching in charming cafes. And the sunsets are legendary. Coronado also has a string of beautiful sandy beaches. Around Coronado’s ferry landing (the ferry takes you across the bay to Seaport Village on the edge of the Downtown area) there’s a collection of shops, galleries and restaurants. Coronado also has its own Museum of History & Art, and an impressive golf course.
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Chula Vista is only seven miles from Downtown San Diego, but in the other direction it’s only seven miles from the Mexican border! It’s got its own look, feel and taste, with a big leaning towards Mexican food, and a lot of green space — Chula Vista has 560 acres of parkland including the Otay Valley Regional Park, which has miles of hiking and walking trails. Chula Vista is also home to Aquatica SeaWorld, San Diego’s largest water park; a zoo and aquarium on the waterfront, next to the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
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Imperial Beach is one of the southernmost neighbourhoods of San Diego, in the South Bay region, just five miles from the Mexican border. The neighbourhood boasts four miles of sandy beach, much loved by surfers (the Boca Rio beach break is one of the best surf spots in town), beach volleyball players, fisher-folk, and horse riders. Most of the fishing takes place off the Imperial Beach pier, which is one of the area’s best known landmarks, with wonderful views of the Los Coronados islands, and often, the sunset. Imperial Beach is actually connected to Coronado, by a narrow isthmus, seven miles long — this is a wonderful place to walk or cycle, and is great for camping and birdwatching as well. Imperial Beach, and the Tijuana River National Estuary area around it, boasts a plethora of endangered birds, attracted to the spread of salt marsh around the river mouth. To get more of a picture of this incredible biome visit the Living Coast Discovery Centre — which is like an aquarium and zoo rolled into one.
