San Diego is its Eucalyptus trees. San Diego is its beaches. San Diego is a place where you don’t need air conditioning (except for that one week, when you lie on your bed under a ceiling fan in perfect stillness). It’s a place where people wear skate clothes year-round and the pop-punk radio station broadcasts from across the border. And in all that San Diego is, it is for visitors.
Growing up in Vista, seasons were marked by the school year and the holidays. The only notable change in weather came in late spring: May Gray and June Gloom, foggy mornings. I knew I should appreciate the Mediterranean climate, but I also couldn’t imagine what anything else was like. All I knew was cheery, mild sameness.
Which is to say, to come from outside of California is to savor it. When we leave Tucson’s broiling summers, the tension of waiting for the monsoon’s humidity to break with a storm, to get a lungful of salty air off the Pacific Ocean, the 400-mile drive feels like a miracle performed.
I don’t think a visit to San Diego needs a more complicated itinerary than going to the closest beach with a cooler full of cold drinks, deli sandwiches and chips (maybe a boogie board or two). But while you’re there, you might as well have a few ideas to kick around.
San Diego is a big region, and visitors might choose to stay anywhere from the U.S.-Mexico border to Camp Pendleton (and traffic is so heavy that downtown recommendations might not be relevant to those visiting Oceanside). So, I’m breaking down suggestions of things to do and places to eat by stops along the coast.
These suggestions come partially from my editor Gloria Knott’s previous edition of this guide. They also come from my personal experience growing up in San Diego, which is a bit outdated (I moved away for good in 2014), and the recommendations of my family and friends who still live there. If I missed one of your favorite spots, please let me know at elueders@tucson.com.
Oceanside
#ThisIsTucson food writer Ellice Lueders' all-time favorite San Diego-area restaurant is Curbside Cafe.
Curbside Cafe
Vista, inland to Oceanside, is my hometown, and signifies where most of San Diego actually lives: away from the beach. I have so many favorites (Pepper Tree Frosty, The Wave Waterpark and The Yellow Deli all harbor really sweet school-age memories for me), but because I know y’all probably aren’t vacationing in Vista, I’m going to keep it short and sweet.
If you’re going to Vista, this is the spot to soak up the vibes of its cute, retro main street. Also, isn’t their fruit cup ridiculously gorgeous?
Location: 307 Main St.
Primo Market
My cousin Andy would always bring Primo’s ceviche to family kickbacks, and it was always decimated by the group. It’s a perfect spot to grab some snacks before heading to the beach. You can also get fresh-grilled carne asada at their inland location near Boomers.
Locations: in Oceanside, 606 Morse St. and Vista, 1535 W. Vista Way
Angelo’s Burgers
This is an old-school surfer joint where my best friend worked during high school. We’d get their salty, juicy steak fries and dip them in syrup at picnics, but it’s probably best known for its California burritos and burgers.
Locations: in Oceanside at 621 North Coast Highway; 1050 S. Coast Highway; 2035 S. Coast Highway
Privateer Coal Fired Pizza
Recommended by my cousin Andy, who lives in south Oceanside, this coal-fired pizza restaurant is a go-to for date night. This style of pizza was popularized in New Haven, Connecticut, where its extra-hot oven created a perfectly crunchy exterior and soft, chewy interior.
Location: 1706 S. Coast Highway
Note: My favorite coal-fired spot in San Diego is URBN Pizza, which started in my hometown, Vista, but has since expanded to Encinitas, Del Mar, North Park and El Cajon.
The Flying Pig
Their goat cheese and garlic confit was the highlight of my 18th birthday dinner. At the time, I didn’t get the chance to try their locally-brewed beers on tap, which is a highlight of the comfort food restaurant’s offerings.
Location: 509 Mission Ave.
The Hill Street Country Club
This community-centered gallery hosts art exhibits, movie screenings and dance parties.
Location: 530 S. Coast Highway
Oceanside Harbor
The shopping village at Oceanside Harbor is a little bit of a tourist trap (not that there’s anything wrong with that!) but it’s a nice place to walk around. The nearest beach has a lot of play structures, climbable jetties and sites for bonfires, making it a great spot to camp out for the day with the kids.
My favorite landmark is the Oceanside sign you’ll see while walking around the harbor. You can also walk to the pier.
Location: 1206-1342 N. Pacific St.
San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park
Though this is inland, in Escondido, you’ll take the 76 Highway that starts in Oceanside to get there. Real ones will know this place as the Wild Animal Park. The major difference between the Safari Park and the zoo is that here, there’s one central, conservation-oriented enclosure that mimics the African savanna, where you can book safari tours in Jeeps to encounter the animals up close.
But the park is worthwhile without these add-ons: my favorite spots have always been the California Nativescapes garden, near the California Condor habitat, and the African Outpost, which has a waterfall, islands with lemurs, a cheetah run and flamingos.
Location: 15500 San Pasqual Valley Road
Carlsbad
Not only does Prager Brothers make artisan pain au levain, they also make savory and sweet treats like pretzels and chocolate croissants.
Prager Brothers Artisan Breads
My Tante Karin loves Prager Brothers as much as I love Barrio Bread. When I checked their original Carlsbad location out, per her recommendation, I couldn’t help but run the gamut of pastries they had on offer. Not only do they make artisan pain au levain, they also make savory and sweet treats like pretzels and chocolate croissants. The trick is to get there early so you have first dibs on their limited, seasonal offerings.
Note: Their original Carlsbad location has a Prager Brothers pizza shop next door!
Locations: 5611 Palmer Way, plus two other locations in the San Diego area.
Pelly’s Fish Market & Cafe
Pelly’s is a great spot to pick up fish sandwiches to take to the beach. I always get the mahi-mahi with what the lady behind the counter recommends: teriyaki and Cajun seasoning. My mom gets the langostino tacos, and my Oma gets the fried fish. We all leave happy!
Location: 7110 Avenida Encinas
Tip Top Meats
If you ever lament Tucson’s lack of German food, Tip Top — a multihyphenate restaurant-butcher-grocery — is the place for you to stock up on German sausages, chocolates, breads, desserts like Bienenstich, jams and home cooking. This is where my family would go to get Sauerbraten (German pot roast) and Rouladen for any special occasion. We bring huge freezer bags filled with ice packs to bring the Weisswurst home to Tucson.
Location: 6118 Paseo del Norte
Vinaka Cafe
Once we got driver’s licenses, my friends and I would go to Vinaka to grab ice cream, sit around and put on intellectual airs. It’s close to the beach and homey in a way not much else in ultra-touristy downtown Carlsbad is. Bonus points if you catch a live band (my friend’s dad played a regular set) at nearby Coyote Bar & Grill.
Location: 300 Carlsbad Village Dr.
Jeune et Jolie
This twice Michelin-starred restaurant is arguably the fine-dining destination of North County. The French-inspired setup is prix fixe: $105 per person for a four-course menu, or order a la carte at the bar and lounge. If I were going to San Diego, I would make a reservation here as soon as I know what dates I’ll be in town.
Location: 2659 State St.
Legoland
I only ever went to Legoland growing up when my cousin was in town, visiting from Rio Rico. He’d always get an obscure Lego set from the gift shop and take me on all the most exciting rides. The boat tour that takes you through the world in Lego miniature is a favorite memory of my childhood.
Location: One Legoland Dr.
The Flower Fields
Nearby Legoland and decidedly more low-key, the flower fields are the kind of place that anyone from a little kid to a great-grandmother would enjoy. Its 55 acres are not only beautiful, but especially photogenic. Bear in mind: the 2023 season is currently over, but the fields will reopen in March of 2024.
Location: 5704 Paseo Del Norte
Encinitas
Swami's serves breakfast burritos, omelets and acai bowls.
Swami’s
I cannot visit San Diego without making a pilgrimage to the original Swami’s in Encinitas. This casual surf shack of a restaurant peddles in smoothie bowls and California-style Mexican food. Named for the beach and retreat across the Pacific Coast Highway from the restaurant, Swami’s is pure, distilled San Diego vibes. I always, always, always get the classic acai bowl, but I know a lot of people like their burritos, too.
Locations: While the original location at 1163 S. Coast Highway 101 is unbeatable in its atmosphere, the local chain has many locations across the city.
Pannikin Coffee & Tea
This cute cafe has delicious scones that go perfectly with their in-house tea blends. When I think of Pannikin, I’m thinking of the updated train station in Encinitas, but they also have an outpost at the airport.
Location: 510 N. Coast Highway 101
VG Donuts and Bakery
Every time I visit San Diego, I mark one day of the visit as the day I will get up obscenely early, before the crack of dawn, to get to VG Donuts and Bakery in Cardiff-by-the-Sea right when they open. The fresh doughnuts here, matched with a sunrise over the Pacific, are a truly transcendental experience.
Note: My uncle holds Leucadia Donut Shoppe in similarly high esteem. I love that spot, too.
Location: 106 Aberdeen Dr.
Potato Shack Cafe
Potato Shack is a normal diner with a cute gimmick: pancakes the size of manhole covers. It’s tucked away off the main drag of Encinitas, and it’s a sweet little spot to share a meal with your partner or your whole family. Then you run down to the beach!
Location: 120 W. I St.
Blue Sky Ecological Reserve
California chaparral is one of the rarest and most endangered habitats in America, and Blue Sky is a gorgeous reserve of chaparral. Located inland from Encinitas, in Poway, this is one of my favorite places to hike in San Diego. Trails will lead you through oak forests, along one of the few active streams in San Diego, and up some elevation to the Lake Poway reservoir. The riparian smell is unbeatable, and you’ll go home thinking about it.
If you’re feeling less active, you can also drive up to the other side of the lake and have a picnic! If you’re feeling more active, the trail system at Blue Sky links up to a route to the infamous Potato Chip Rock.
Location: 16275 Espola Road
Del Mar
Iceskimo
Pictured, left to right at Iceskimo: vanilla ice cream in a chocolate bubble waffle, and ube ice cream in a plain bubble waffle with Oreo crumbles and mini mochi.
My editor Gloria visited San Diego in April — and she still thinks about Iceskimo daily. She went to the Taiwanese dessert shop every day during her vacation, ordering a bubble waffle filled with ube ice cream, mini mochi and Oreo crumbles (and an ube hot chocolate on one colder night).
But what the shop actually specializes in is a very delicate shaved snow — much softer and creamier than your average shaved ice. Pick your flavor, then whisk down the topping bar.
Location: 12925 El Camino Real, plus two other locations in the San Diego area.
Jake’s Del Mar
Located right on the beach with surfboards hanging on the wall, this spot is known for their coastal brunch and dinner offerings. And if you’re looking for something especially scenic — the most-used word in Jake’s Google reviews is sunset.
Location: 1660 Coast Blvd.
Del Mar Fairgrounds
The Del Mar Races and San Diego County Fair both happen at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. If you happen to be in town while these things are in full swing, it’s worth the trip. Though many of the vendors and rides at our Pima County Fair are available at the San Diego fair, too, this time they’re by the beach: one of my favorite San Diego memories is riding the Ferris wheel and getting incredible ocean views.
Location: 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd.
La Jolla
Harry’s Coffee Shop
Dubbed La Jolla’s oldest diner, Harry’s Coffee Shop has been around for more than six decades, inspired by the diners and coffee shops in Brooklyn, New York. The menu features classic diner favorites — BLTs, patty melts and milkshakes — and all-day breakfast.
Location: 7545 Girard Ave.
Michele Coulon Dessertier
Recommended by one of my former editors, this quaint dessert shop has a big roster of sweets, from cakes and tarts to macarons, brownies and chocolate-covered strawberries.
Location: 7556 Fay Ave.
Cody’s La Jolla
Start your day with brunch at Cody’s. Blueberry pancakes and crab cake benedicts among beachy views.
Location: 1025 Prospect St.
La Jolla Cove
Snorkeling, scuba diving and more of what you simply cannot find in Tucson. You might even spot a sea lion in this picturesque seaside area.
Location: 1100 Coast Blvd.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
This aquarium overlooking the Pacific Ocean featuring seahorses, penguins, jellyfish and a sea turtle. It typically takes about an hour and a half to wander through the 60 habitats.
Location: 2300 Expedition Way
La Jolla Playhouse
Arguably the highest-brow venue for plays in San Diego, the La Jolla Playhouse is where you are most likely to catch the first showing of a Broadway show or an up-and-coming playwright’s early work. Other great venues are The Old Globe and the Civic Theatre (though I’ll always have a soft spot for my hometown Moonlight Amphitheatre and the intimate New Village Arts).
Location: 2910 La Jolla Village Dr.
The Che Cafe
This is just one of many great music venues in San Diego. Other favorites include the Casbah and The Rady Shell.
Location: 1000 S. Scholars Dr.
Downtown
Sundzu previously called Tucson's Reid Park Zoo home but now lives at the San Diego Zoo.
Point Loma Seafood
This casual, cult-classic fishmonger spot has great views of the harbor (that are best from the second-story patio).
Location: 2805 Emerson St.
Filippi’s Pizza Grotto
Tucked behind a small market in Little Italy, Filippi’s Pizza Grotto is a traditional Italian spot home to red-and-white checkered tablecloths and old photos hanging high on the wall. My editor Gloria was a fan of the cheese ravioli and her boyfriend swears by their pizza.
Location: in Little Italy, 1747 India St., plus other locations in the San Diego area.
Bang Bang
Apparently you enter Bang Bang through a corridor that looks a lot like a New York City subway — and then you’re transported to a sushi bar. It’s one of those experiences that Tucson doesn’t yet have, though the vibe of Portal Cocktails inside Fourth Avenue’s Ermanos might come close.
Location: 526 Market St.
Balboa Park
While dining in Balboa Park is pretty limited to the Prado and the restaurants inside of the zoo, there is lots of dining nearby in the trendy North Park, Hillcrest, Golden Hill and Barrio Logan neighborhoods.
Location: See the Google Maps page here.
San Diego Zoo
On pretty much any list of things to do in San Diego, the zoo will come out on top. It’s easy to get lost as you wind your way through the 100 acres, spotting red pandas, penguins and gorillas along the way.
Location: 2920 Zoo Drive
Ruben H. Fleet Science Center
If you have kids, take them to the Fleet and watch an IMAX movie with them about the ocean or deep sea creatures. If they’re anything like me, they’ll remember it for the rest of their lives. The science museum is fun too, with lots of hands-on exhibits.
Location: 1875 El Prado
Mission Beach
Hodad’s
No-frills burgers, fries and shakes galore at this Mission Beach-area stop. The bacon cheeseburger is popular — and was what Guy Fieri tried when he visited Hodad’s in 2007 for an episode of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” The eatery even has a burger inspired by Guy, called the Guido Burger, with pastrami and other fixins.
Location: 5010 Newport Ave. and in downtown, 945 Broadway
The Baked Bear
Now with dozens of locations all over the country, The Baked Bear got its start in San Diego. Choose from more than 10 cookie or brownie flavors and even more flavors of ice cream to customize your perfect ice cream sandwich.
Location: 4516 Mission Blvd., plus many other locations in California.
The Mission
Breakfast spot The Mission has been around for nearly three decades and was recommended to us twice. I hear their chilaquiles are incredible, and the restaurant displays local artwork on the walls
Location: 3795 Mission Blvd., plus two other locations in the San Diego area.
Taco Surf
Surfboards hang from the ceiling of this spot known for its carne asada and burritos (they have more than two dozen of ‘em on the menu, with almost as many taco options).
Location: 4657 Mission Blvd.
Belmont Park
Founded in 1925 as a way for John D. Spreckels to promote his electric railway while also boosting real estate sales, Belmont Park is now home to rides, bumper cars and games along Mission Beach. There are a few places to eat and drink, too.
Location: 3146 Mission Blvd.
Old Town
Cafe Coyote
If you want the hardcore tourist experience, Cafe Coyote is the pulsing heart of the scene. The two-story plaza building is ripe with patios and eye-popping drink specials. It will most likely be packed with people, but that’s why you came here.
Location: 2461 San Diego Ave.
El Agave Restaurant and Tequileria
The hidden gem of Old Town is El Agave Restaurant and Tequileria, tucked away on the second floor of a chiropractic office. Its strengths, atmosphere and tequila selection, are highlighted in the same stroke: the restaurant is covered floor-to-ceiling with tequila bottles like a shimmering, moody mosaic.
Location: 2304 San Diego Ave.
Casa de Reyes
Somewhere in between is the more relaxed, but still centrally located Casa de Reyes. Their sprawling patios show off an eclectic style more than the sheer, luring loudness of Cafe Coyote.
Location: 2754 Calhoun St.
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