LOCAL’S CURATED GUIDE TO SAN DIEGO
SAN DIEGO LOCAL’S CURATED GUIDE
Written By Lisa DevennyThe best spots in San Diego for incredible food, memorable sight-seeing, unique shopping and, of course, delightful cocktails and coffee.
After 7 wonderful years (and counting) of living in sunny San Diego, I have spent a decent amount of time in just about every pocket of this gorgeous city. I started to wonder recently, am I considered a “local”? How many years do you have to live in a place in order to be considered a local?
Regardless of my “local” status, I do consider myself knowledgeable about a lot of the different areas in San Diego. Because of that, people who are planning trips to San Diego are CONSTANTLY asking me for recommendations on activities, restaurants and where to stay.
Enter, this San Diego blog post. Packed full of my favorite places and things to do in every neighborhood, I hope this is a helpful starting point for planning your next vacation (or staycation!) in San Diego. Reach out if you have any specific questions, I’m happy to help!
WHY VISIT SAN DIEGO
This is a silly question. I don’t think anyone has ever NOT enjoyed a visit to San Diego. There are so many unique areas with any activity you could imagine for any age group. Many different gorgeous beaches and bays to choose from, healthy fresh and unique food options, history and culture, vibrant welcoming people. Oh and I almost forgot to mention the PERFECT weather – sunny and 75 degrees for what seems like most of the year.
WHEN TO VISIT
I would recommend visiting San Diego in September, October or November. Those months are what is considered “local’s summer” because the weather is still phenomenal but all the summer tourists are gone, so the beaches and attractions are less crowded. I would avoid coming in May or June because those are the two months of the year the sun isn’t always out. There is a well-known saying about San Diego’s “May Gray and June Gloom” that has proved true pretty much every year I have lived here so far.
WHERE TO STAY
Where you stay when visiting San Diego depends on the type of vacation you are looking for. If you want a beach vacation, I would book an Airbnb in Mission Beach or Pacific Beach, such as my good friend’s Family Beach House just a couple blocks from the ocean AND bay. If you are more of a hotel person, I would recommend the Hampton Inn near the airport or the Hilton in Mission Valley. There are a TON of other great hotels and airbnbs around the city as well. I would stick to the neighborhoods I list below when searching for lodging.
the ultimate to-do list, by neighborhood
LITTLE ITALY / DOWNTOWN
ACTIVITIES
Saturday Morning Farmers Market - TONS of local vendors along W Date St on Saturday mornings - MAP LINK
Two Hour Harbor tour - HIGHLY RECOMMEND - ferry-style boat takes you up and down the bay and a guide tells you all about San Diego - GROUPON LINK
RESTAURANTS
Herb & Wood - fun date night (best gourmet GF pizza in SD in my opinion) - YELP LINK
Queenstown Public House - brunch is great, quaint atmosphere - YELP LINK
Nolita Hall - casual, fun atmosphere for food and drinks - YELP LINK
Underbelly - incredible interior design, incredible ramen (another location in North Park) - YELP LINK
Coasterra - right on the San Diego bay, fancy Mexican food, amazing coconut margs - YELP LINK
Kettner Exchange - fancy dinner, lively bar - YELP LINK
NIGHTLIFE
You & Yours - female-founded distillery with gorgeous interior design - YELP LINK
Altitude Sky Lounge - rooftop bar with great views - YELP LINK
Rustic Root - fun upstairs bar for apps / drinks - YELP LINK
Moonshine Flats - rowdy country bar with ample space and live country music most nights - YELP LINK
Shout House - dueling piano bar, make reservations ahead of time - YELP LINK
Pacific Beach
ACTIVITIES
Pangaea Outpost – store with lots of local sellers, homemade Etsy-like things and clothes, unique gifts and souvenirs - MAP LINK
Walk the Pier - take a stroll to the end of the pier for sunset - MAP LINK
Mission Bay Path - bike/walk/run along the “bayside walk” on the paved path on the beach - MAP LINK
Kate Sessions Park - bring a blanket and have a picnic in this grassy park with views of the ocean and bay - MAP LINK
Mt Soledad - drive right up to the top, tallest point in the city limits of SD, incredible 360 views - MAP LINK
RESTAURANTS
Waterbar – bar and restaurant with amazing ocean views - YELP LINK
Amplified - good beer (some GF beer!), outdoor deck upstairs, yummy mediterranean food - YELP LINK
Second Nature - incredibly healthy food that is equally as incredibly tasty - YELP LINK
COFFEE SHOPS
Better Buzz Coffee – another one of my favorite coffee shops (there are multiple locations around the whole city – La Jolla, Mission Bay, Hillcrest, Coronado) - YELP LINK
Palmy’s - Hawaiian-style bungalow made into an incredible aesthetic coffee shop - YELP LINK
NIGHTLIFE
LIBERTY STATION / POINT LOMA
ACTIVITIES
Pigment - really trendy shop with plants, house things, cards, gifts, etc - MAP LINK
Sunset Cliffs - park right along the cliffs, bring a blanket and watch incredible sunset views - MAP LINK
Cabrillo National Monument – on the very end of Point Loma peninsula, beautiful views of the city, $20 per car - MAP LINK
RESTAURANTS
Liberty Public Market - lots of different food vendors and beer garden all in one building - YELP LINK
Ketch - seafood, cocktails, harbor views - YELP LINK
Tom Ham's Lighthouse - seafood, on the water, all you can eat Sunday brunch with seafood included - YELP LINK
Bali Hai - tiki themed, right on the water - YELP LINK
COFFEE SHOPS
Moniker Coffee - my favorite coffee shop ever, they have a bar for cocktails in the evening as well - YELP LINK
HILLCREST / NORTH PARK / SOUTH PARK
ACTIVITIES
Thread + Seed - boutique clothing shop in South Park - MAP LINK
Balboa Park - beautiful gardens and old historic buildings, free to get into the park, museums have entrance fees, cactus garden is amazing - MAP LINK
RESTAURANTS
Alexander's on 30th - cutest Italian date night spot - YELP LINK
Dunedin - New Zealand food and cool indoor-outdoor restaurant vibe (our first date spot) - YELP LINK
COFFEE SHOPS
Better Buzz Coffee - like mentioned above, one of my fav coffee shops, the Hillcrest location is huge and always has seating available - YELP LINK
Communal Coffee - South Park and North Park locations are equally adorable and welcoming - SP YELP LINK - NP YELP LINK
LA JOLLA
ACTIVITIES
La Jolla Cove - walk along La Jolla cove to see sea lions and seals - MAP LINK
The Cave Store - secret entrance down some underground stairs to a cave that opens to the cliffs/waves/ocean, ~$5 admission - MAP LINK
Torrey Pines State Park - easy and safe flat-ish hiking trails along the ocean cliffs, $20 to park at the top of the hill is definitely worth it - MAP LINK
RESTAURANTS
The Mediterranean Room - brunch inside pink old school hotel called La Valencia, amazing views from patio - YELP LINK
Duke's - Hawaiian restaurant, reserve outdoor table if possible - YELP LINK
Caroline's Seaside - hidden gem breakfast spot on La Jolla Shores, upstairs deck overlooking ocean - YELP LINK
I hope you enjoyed reading this blog and it helps you plan an unforgettable trip!
Traveling has always been an important part of my life. I love experiencing new places and being inspired by them creatively – the vibrant colors of Santorini, the lush landscape of Phuket, the quaint fishing towns in Alaska.
Although a travel blog doesn’t directly have anything to do with my graphic design business, Rockfish Design Studio, I started my travel blog to be able to easily share info and photos with anyone who asks for recommendations for destinations that I have traveled to.
Writing is something I genuinely love to do and has always been a creative outlet for me. And sharing helpful info with others has always been my love language. So it’s a win-win situation!
Cheers, Lisa
**All images featured are property of Lisa Devenny & Rockfish Design Studio. Please do not use without written permission.