San Diego, California
San Diego is our easy California getaway — close enough to reach without much fuss, different enough to feel like a real trip.
Our experience
We've been back seven times since 2023. We've stayed all over: near SeaWorld, in a Kensington casita off Adams Avenue, in Hillcrest, and in a North Park place near University Heights.
We come for the near-perfect coastal climate, the canyons and beaches, and a food-and-coffee scene that keeps getting better in neighborhoods like North Park and Adams Avenue. Balboa Park alone justifies a visit, and Hillcrest gives us a vibrant, friendly home base. It's a city that rewards wandering one walkable neighborhood at a time.
Balboa Park is larger than New York's Central Park and houses 15 museums plus the San Diego Zoo. Much of its ornate Spanish-Colonial architecture was built as temporary plaster for the 1915 Panama–California Exposition — and later rebuilt to last.
Must-sees and must-dos
- Balboa Park — we took the "Secrets and Highlights" walking tour starting at 698 El Prado.
- North Park & Adams Avenue — our favorite neighborhoods for coffee, beer and dinner.
- Hillcrest — the lively heart of the city's LGBTQ+ community.
- La Jolla Cove — sea lions, tide pools and cliffside ocean views.
- Old Town — the birthplace of California, now a historic state park.
- San Diego Modern Home Tour — we joined the 2026 tour for the architecture.
Our pro tip
We pick a neighborhood and stay put — Hillcrest or North Park keep you central and walkable, away from the tourist crush near the water. The marine layer ("May Gray" and "June Gloom") can keep mornings overcast near the coast, so plan beach time for the afternoon and inland exploring for the morning.
Skip the gate lines with SeaWorld tickets on Klook or San Diego Zoo admission on Tiqets.
If a hotel makes more sense for your trip, compare San Diego hotels on Klook before booking.