Our Favorites
$ In 'n Out Burger www.in-n-out.com/
$ Epic Wings 'n Things www.epicwingsnthings.com/
$$ Atypical Waffle Co. www.atypicalwaffle.com/
$$ Tasty Noodle House www.tastynoodlehousesandiego.com/
$$$ True Food Kitchen www.truefoodkitchen.com/
$$$ Parma Cucina Italiana www.parmaitaliankitchen.com/
$$$ Raki Raki Ramen www.rakirakiramen.com/
If you do not mind the price tag on the menu:
$$$$ Juniper and Ivy https://www.juniperandivy.com/
$$$$ George's at the Cove www.georgesatthecove.com/
SAN DIEGO ZOO
Undoubtedly the zoo's most famous inhabitants are the Giant Pandas. But pandas are far from the only thing you can see. Besides California Condors, koalas, warty pigs, and an albino boa constrictor, more than 4,000 rare and endangered animals live on the zoo's 100 acres.
The San Diego Zoo often shows up on top zoo lists and is active in animal conservation. The zoo put its first animal on display in 1916, a Kodiak bear named Caesar. Today, it's is a far cry from the zoos of yesteryear, with animals in the most natural settings possible.
SAN DIEGO SAFARI PARK
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park offers a different kind of animal experience. Its name is the clue, and it indeed provides a more safari-like experience. Lots of large animals live in the same big, open areas here; predators are kept away from prey, but otherwise much as they would in their natural habitat.
SEA WORLD
Shows are central to the Sea World experience, and there are many of them, but you'll also have opportunities to see marine creatures close up. In a few cases, you can even touch and feed them.
BALBOA PARK
Initially built for temporary use during the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition, Balboa Park became the city's most-loved park. Families and individuals of all ages and interests can likely find something to enjoy at Balboa Park. In Balboa Park, you can take a walk, ride a bike, see a Shakespeare play, ride a carousel, or go to the San Diego Zoo.
CORONADO ISLAND
Coronado t's a narrow strip of land between the San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean, barely a few blocks wide. What Coronado lacks in size it makes up for in fun, with a beach that's been named among the best in the country, a classic hotel, and a compact, lively little downtown. Coronado's laid-back temperament makes a nice break from the busier parts of San Diego across the water.
Stroll along the beach, stop at the Hotel Del Coronado for an ice cream cone or a drink in their bar or hang out downtown.
HARBOR CRUISE
Water plays a prominent role in San Diego. Downtown faces it. Point Loma and Coronado surround the large, calm bay. With its oceanfront location, there's a lot to see along its shores, and much of it is best explored by boat.
LA JOLLA COVE
La Jolla is San Diego's most upscale prime beach town. In Spanish, La Jolla means "the jewel," and its location on the cliffs overlooking the ocean certainly makes it a gem of a place to visit.
USS MIDWAY AIRCRAFT CARRIER
The USS Midway was the longest-serving U.S. Navy carrier of the 20th century and largest ship in the world from 1945 to 1955, carrying more than 4,000 people. The ship is impressive enough by itself, but you'll also find more than 25 aircraft on display, a fraction of its theoretical capacity of more than 100.
LEGO LAND
You'll find life-sized traffic cops, dinosaurs, and a dizzying collection of other creations made from Lego blocks all over the place, but they're just the decoration that surrounds the park's rides. At Legoland, little ones will find rides just for them, with age limits that keep the bigger kids from running all over them—and the adults get a kick out of all the great big Lego creations.
Legoland takes its inspiration from those cute little brick toys that snap together to build all kinds of fun things. It's one of several Legolands worldwide.