San Diego is a popular city in California best known for its beautiful beaches, laid-back vibe, and many popular attractions.
I won’t sugarcoat it, if you only have five days to spend exploring San Diego, it’s going to be a very busy five days!
But, if you’re interested in gorgeous beaches, exploring the world-famous Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo, eating and drinking at the best neighborhoods, seeing the La Jolla seals and sea lions soaking up the sun, and watching a sunset on top of a cliff, it’ll be worth it!
If this sounds like something you’re interested in, use this 5-Day San Diego itinerary so you don’t miss all the city has to offer.
Here is your perfect 5-day San Diego itinerary!
Day 1: Balboa Park
I recommend you start your 5-day San Diego Itinerary by visiting Balboa Park, San Diego’s most popular attraction. San Diego’s urban public park has museums, theaters, gardens, hiking trails, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo. It has lovely landscaping and Spanish colonial-style buildings to admire as you walk around.
Most activities in the park are free or low-cost, which is always a nice bonus!
When I visited San Diego, I made the mistake of trying to explore the entire San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park on the same day. I thought I could visit the zoo early in the morning and then spend the afternoon in Balboa Park. Big mistake!
Balboa Park has so many things to see and do, that ideally you should take a few days to see it all. However, assuming you don’t have a few days to dedicate solely to Balboa Park, at least allow one full day in your itinerary for this beautiful park!
Address: 1549 El Prado San Diego, CA 92101
Day 2: San Diego Zoo
Start your day early and arrive just as the zoo opens (9 am) to get the best experience possible. The animals are more active during the mornings, especially when the weather is cooler. By the middle of the day, you may find it harder to see the animals because they are napping.
It’s easy to see why the San Diego Zoo was voted one of the best zoos in the world. It has more than 4000 animals in large natural habitats!
Spending a full day at the zoo is easy to do. Although you could try to visit for 3-4 hours, there is just so much to see that I recommend spending the entire day there (6-7 hours).
In the evening, head over to the nearby Little Italy neighborhood for some delicious Italian eateries.
Tip: If possible, visit the zoo on a weekday since it will be less crowded than the weekends.
Address: 2920 Zoo Dr, San Diego, CA 92101
Day 3: La Jolla
Set aside an entire day to explore the seaside community of La Jolla. There is so much to see and do here that it deserves an entire day! Exploring La Jolla is one of the best things to do in San Diego.
I recommend starting at Better Buzz Coffee for coffee (try their “best drink ever”) and croissants.
With coffee in hand, head over to the Children’s Pool to see where colonies of seals have lived since the 1900s.
Continue walking along Coast Blvd to La Jolla Cove to see where the sea lions live. You will see hundreds of sea lions!
For another unique experience, continue walking along Coast Blvd. into The Cave Store and into Sunny Jim’s Sea Cave, the only sea cave in California that is accessible by land.
Afterward, head toward the back of The Cave Store, where you will find the La Jolla Coastal Wall Trail. It’s a short hiking trail with incredible views.
By this time, you’re probably hungry, so have lunch with a nice view at Duke’s in La Jolla. If you want a cocktail, order their lavender colada, it’s amazing! The coconut shrimp, crab wontons, and their dessert Hula Pie made with macadamia nut ice cream were all delicious!
If you have a car, continue your adventure in La Jolla and head to Torrey Pines Gliderport. It’s the perfect place to watch a San Diego sunset from on top of a cliff!
Address: 909 Prospect St #100a, La Jolla, CA 92037 (Better Buzz Coffee as starting point)
Day 4: Beach Day (Coronado Island)
Coronado Island is a fun and easy day trip from downtown San Diego.
Drive into Coronado Island via Coronado Bridge but take a ferry back to downtown San Diego. This way, you can get awesome views of San Diego’s skyline from the water.
Once in Coronado, start your morning with breakfast at The Henry.
After breakfast, walk over to explore the famous Hotel Del Coronado. Many movie stars and presidents have stayed at this historic beachfront hotel since 1888. Some of the most famous guests have been: Marilyn Monroe, Katharine Hepburn, Thomas Edison, Babe Ruth, Frank Sinatra, and many others.
After you check out the lobby and the gift shops, head straight to the sand!
Have a relaxing day at Coronado Central Beach, and pay attention to the sand because it literally sparkles gold (due to a mineral in the sand called mica).
After you’ve soaked up all the sun, walk around the cute little town. Walk to Orange Ave, it’s lined up with shops and restaurants. If you have comfy shoes, walk about 30 minutes to Ferry Landing to take the ferry back to downtown San Diego.
If walking isn’t your thing, take an Uber, and always remember to check the Ferry schedule ahead.
Address: 1031 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA 92118 (The Henry restaurant as starting point)
Day 5: Baseball Game
If there is an afternoon San Diego Padres game, take yourself and some friends to a fun day of eating nachos and watching a baseball game at the Petco Park ballpark in downtown San Diego.
After the game, walk over to the Gaslamp Quarter neighborhood for food and drinks.
If you’re a fan of the movie Top Gun, there’s a unique experience about a 10-minute walk from Gaslamp Quarter. You can visit the actual bar where a memorable scene from the movie was filmed.
Kansas City Barbecue Restaurant is a small and casual restaurant. They are self-proclaimed the “Top Gun Bar” because this is where they filmed the scene in which Maverick (Tom Cruise) and Goose (Anthony Edwards) play “Great Balls of Fire” on the piano.
I can’t comment on the food, but it’s a decent spot to grab a drink and enjoy all the movie memorabilia.
After you’ve taken your photos playing the piano, walk another 10 minutes over to Seaport Village for shops and eateries by the water. It’s a cute area to walk, buy souvenirs, and then sit and enjoy the views of the boats sailing out on the water.
Address: 100 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101 (Petco Park as starting point)
Have you been to San Diego before? What would you include on a 5-day San Diego itinerary?
Leave a Reply