Up to the Sky

Travel adventures. The places I have been and things others should do.

1 Day in San Diego, California

San Diego

1 day itinerary for San Diego, California.

Balboa Park, California

Are you planning a day trip to San Diego and wondering how to make the most out of your day? Look no further! San Diego is a beautiful city with a lot to offer, and so much to do that its hard to fit it into one day. Here is a guide that will help you maximize your time and see the best of this sunny city.

During this trip I flew into Palm Springs, then drove to Laguna Beach and San Diego. There is so much to do and explore in Southern California.

Where to stay:

If you’re looking to explore the city, it’s best to stay in one of the many neighborhoods within San Diego. The Gaslamp Quarter and Little Italy are both very popular areas for tourists. Both areas are filled with plenty of dining and shopping options. When traveling with family, staying near Sea World or the San Diego Zoo would be a good option.

We decided to stay in the Gaslamp Quarter area at Hotel Indigo San Diego- Gaslamp Quarter. This hotel is located in the perfect location. It is located right across from the Padres baseball stadium. There was a game going on while we were there and could watch it from our window. The heart of the Gaslamp Quarter is a 6 minute walk from the hotel. Little Italy was about a 39 minute walk or a 7 minute drive from the hotel. The hotel itself is very nice and I recommend staying there.

Cost: $345 per night

One day Itinerary:

  • On our drive from Laguna beach to San Diego we stopped by the Flower Fields which is gorgeous and I highly recommend. For lunch we stopped at the Windmill food hall.
  • Next we stopped by La Jolla Cove, which is right on the coast. The drive to the cove from the flower fields makes you want to pack up and move to Southern California.
  • Balboa Park was the next destination. This is located within the city of San Diego and has so much to explore.
  • Then we went and checked into our hotel. Then we got ready and headed down to the Marina.
  • We walked to Marina and headed towards little Italy. Once we arrived to Little Italy we got dinner which was amazing!
  • Little Italy is about 1.6 miles from the Gaslamp quarter. We did walk there from Little Italy. We decided ice cream was needed once we got to the Gaslamp quarter.
  • Then we finally made it back to hotel.

Things to Do:

  • The Flower Fields: The flower fields is a must see! There is 55-acres of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers of all different colors! It cost $23 per person and the tickets have to be purchased online.
  • Balboa Park: Within the park you will find plenty to explore such as the San Diego Zoo, multiple different museums , and different gardens. It is a gorgeous location that you should explore.
  • La Jolla: This is such a cool location. It is located right on the beach. When we were there we saw many sea lions along coast. There are different areas that are closed to access the beach, but there was one area that was open and we could get very close to the sea lions but you should be careful and not get too close.
  • Little Italy: There are so many different amazing Italian restaurant to explore.
  • Gaslamp Quarter: There is tons of different bars, restaurants and shops to see. We were there during the night and the nightlife was very active.
  • Marina: you can walk all along the marina coastline. You will see multiple boats anything from yachts to sail boats. You will also find the USS Midway Museum as well.

Where to eat:

  • Civico: You need to eat here!!! The food was amazing. The bread is to die for and the pasta is all homemade. This was my favorite restaurant the whole trip.
  • Windmill food hall: This is a food fall with 13 different restaurants to try. It is located right next to the flower fields and a good place to stop. There is something to try for everyone.
  • Cali Cream: This ice cream was worth the calories. It is homemade ice cream with tons of different flavors.

Things to know:

  • San Diego has so much to offer and see. It is hard to do everything in one day. So pick the things you want to do the most and try to map out your adventures.
  • We did have a rental car for our whole trip. The rental car was $400 for 7 days. I do recommend getting a car if your budget allows; it makes it much easier to explore all the areas you want to see.
  • I felt like San Diego was a very safe city to explore and walk around. At least the areas we explored I felt was safe.

Skylar Vanfossen

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