The Perfect San Diego Vacation Itinerary

Planning a San Diego trip? Look no further! I have a 3 to 7-day San Diego Vacation Itinerary all mapped out for you. The first three days are what I would consider “quintessential San Diego”. After that, add in the additional days according to what you and your family love to do!

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This post is actually a companion to my Local’s Guide to San Diego Family Vacations. All the activities in this San Diego Vacation Itinerary are explained more in depth in that post, along with restaurant recommendations and hotels. Make sure to check it out; and use these two posts in tandem to create your perfect San Diego family trip! Search for San Diego hotels here.

Day 1: Getting Oriented in San Diego

• Your San Diego vacation itinerary should start with a day of getting to know the town. Get up early and get to Old Town for the trolley tour. You can buy tickets online for a discount or at the kiosk on Twiggs St.

• Get off at the Embarcadero stop and walk to Seaport Village. Stop at one of the museums – Star of India or USS Midway. Then walk around Seaport Village before catching the trolley again. You could eat lunch in Seaport Village or wait until you get to Coronado.

• Get back on the trolley, don’t get off again until Coronado. Walk around the Hotel del Coronado and grab a bite to eat either at Sheerwater or at their Sunset Deck – both are right on the beach. Walk in the sand, stick your feet in the water and check out the sand castles! If you happen to be here during Christmas time, they put up an ice-skating rink right in front of the Hotel del.
• Get back on the trolley and take it to Balboa Park
• Get off at Balboa Park and explore a little. Many of the museums are free with the Trolley pass. Younger kids will enjoy the Botanical Garden (free) or the kids’ rooms at the Museum of Man. Older kids might enjoy the San Diego Museum of Art, the Mingei, or the Museum of Photographic Arts (my favorite museum).

• Catch the trolley back to Old Town. Eat dinner there and walk around. I suggest Café Coyote or Fiesta de Reyes to watch the entertainment. Old Town is  also a great place to buy souvenirs.

Day 2: The San Diego World Class Zoo

• Head to the zoo early, to get there when it opens. If you’re there early enough, you can usually catch them feeding the animals. The zoo personnel are really friendly and will give you lots of insider info about the animals. My favorite route around the zoo is to go counter clockwise, particularly if you have a stroller, it’s an easier route. My kids’ favorites have always been the pandas, the gorillas and the Africa Rocks section. Plan for 3-4 hours at least. Eat lunch in the zoo.
• Right outside the zoo entrance in Balboa Park is a carousel and a mini train ride. Those are fun if you have littler kids.
• The zoo is fun, but it can be exhausting in the summer heat, so I suggest heading back to your accommodations for a rest or some swimming at the pool or beach.
• Go out for a fun dinner somewhere you can walk around. Some good places are Liberty Station, Seaport Village or Coronado.

Day 3: La Jolla hiking/beach day (pack your beach things)

No San Diego vacation itinerary would be complete without some beach time!

• Start with a morning hike in Torrey Pines for fantastic views before it gets too hot. The most family-friendly hike is the Guy Fleming Trail, it’s an easy hike for all ages, but is not stroller-friendly. The website has info about other trails in the Torrey Pines Reserve.
•  Head down into La Jolla for brunch. (see my suggestions in the “Where to Eat” section of my San Diego Guide)
• Stop at the Children’s Pool to see the Sea Lions
• Spend the rest of the day at the beach – either La Jolla Cove or La Jolla Shores

Additional San Diego Itinerary Days

If you have 4-7 days, add in any of these:

Day 4: Take me out to the Ballgame with the San Diego Padres!

• After breakfast, head to Petco Park for a Behind the Scenes Tour. This tour will take you all through the ballpark, into the locker rooms and the press box, etc.
• If it is a game day, make sure you buy your tickets ahead of time. After your tour, stay for the game! If you have really little kids, get tickets to “Park at the Park” where they can play on the playground and run around on the grass while you watch the game on the big screen. If your kids are bigger, there are great cheap seats and even an all-you-can-eat section of the ballpark.
• If it is NOT a game day, or if you don’t feel like staying for the game, head over to the Convention Center (it’s a pretty close walk or car ride) to catch the Coronado Ferry. It’s only $5 per person (children 3 and under are free) and it’s a fun 15-minute ride.

• When you get off at the Coronado Ferry Landing, just a few steps away is everything you need to enjoy an afternoon/evening in Coronado:
  • Lunch (or dinner) at Village Pizzeria – it’s got space for large parties and is very family-friendly. If you prefer something more upscale, try Il Fornaio.
  • Rent bikes (or if you have small children, rent a surrey!) and ride around the island – it’s a very pretty path, and most of it is not near the street.
  • Dip your feet in the bay, let the kids play on the sand and enjoy the sun.
  • Watch the sunset over the bay with an ice cream or a fancy coffee.
  • Head back on the ferry and make your way home.

Day 5: Take a family day trip from San Diego

There are so many great spots in Southern California, that your San Diego vacation itinerary should include at least one day trip. In my Guide, I outline several day trip choices from San Diego. My favorite to do with kids is San Juan Capistrano:

• Catch the Amtrak Surfliner at Santa Fe(downtown) or Old Town train station. The ride to San Juan takes about an hour and a half and it’s a pretty ride. There are discounts for military, also there are midweek discounts.
• When you get off the train, walk through the historic Los Rios district, directly across the tracks. Eat brunch or lunch at the Ramos House – a fun restaurant to sit outside under a giant tree!
• Make your way over to the Mission, where you can take an audio tour. Kids will like the hands-on experiences such as panning for gold.
• After the Mission, walk down Camino Capistrano to check out the antique shops and boutiques.
• There’s also a petting zoo within walking distance on Los Rios. It’s really cute and smaller kids will love it.
• Take the train back to San Diego.
• When you debark downtown, you’ll be blocks from Little Italy where you can have a great dinner! If you want authentic Italian, try Civico 1800 or Buon Appetito. For upscale dining (not Italian), go to Prepkitchen. For seafood, try Ironside Bar and Grill. If you’re looking for budget but still delicious, have the pizza at Da Napoli. If you’re not into Italian, go to my favorite ramen place – Underbelly! All of these restaurants are along India St. within blocks of each other. I know there are tons of choices, but these actually are all my favorite restaurants in Little Italy.
• After dinner, walk up to Pappalecco for the best gelato (and coffee!).

Day 6: Hit up an Amusement Park (there are lots of choices)

• Sea World: This is the best choice if you want to stay in town. There are rides and shows, and it appeals to all ages.
• Legoland: It’s about an hour away and you’ll need to drive. Legoland has a younger age appeal – I would say about 2 to maybe 8 years old, depending on the kids. If your older kids are into legos and like tame rides, you could take it up to age 10.
• Disneyland: You can do Disney in a day from San Diego, but I don’t recommend it if you have kids that still need to nap (unless they’re really little and can nap in a stroller or baby sling). It’s about a 2 to 2.5-hour drive. Get up VERY early to beat the crowds.
• San Diego Zoo Safari Park: If you don’t want to do the whole amusement park thing, try the Safari Park in Escondido. It will take you 45 min. to an hour to get there. It’s super fun for kids of all ages. If you’re going in summer, be prepared for it to be significantly hotter in Escondido than San Diego. Bring hats, sunscreen, etc.
• Belmont Park: If the big-ticket parks are not in your budget, head over to Mission Beach and spend a few hours at Belmont Park. There’s no entrance fee, you pay per ride. There are a lot of restaurants within walking distance in Mission Beach. For breakfast or brunch, try The Mission Restaurant on Mission Blvd. When you’re done at the park or your kids have had enough, you’re already at the beach to spend the rest of the afternoon in the water.

Day 7: Time for a little oceanography!

Do you have little ones who love science, the ocean, and hands-on fun?

• Cabrillo Monument and Tide Pools:
  • All the way at the end of Point Loma, you’ll find the Cabrillo National Monument. It’s run by the National Park Service, so if you have an annual pass, you’ll get in free. Otherwise, it’s $20 per vehicle.
  • There is a visitor’s center with exhibits and/or films about Juan Cabrillo, the first European to reach California in the 1500s, local military history and local oceanography and whale watching.
  • Walk up to the Old Point Loma Lighthouse – the view is spectacular.
  • Make sure you go at low tide, so you can explore the tide pools! They are teeming with marine life, and kids will love to walk around the rocks and see what they can find.
• After Cabrillo, stop at Liberty Station for a fun lunch. Liberty Station is part of the repurposed old Naval Training Center. Now it houses shops, restaurants and park space. There are so many choices for food!
  • Kids will love the Corvette Diner, a 50s style diner with an arcade, jukeboxes and dancing servers! Amazing milkshakes.
  • If you’re not into the diner scene, try Liberty Public Market – it’s full of delicious food stalls featuring everything from fresh seafood, to Thai, to tacos.
• After lunch, let the kids blow off some steam at one of the big playgrounds at Liberty Station. There’s tons of room there, and a walking path that takes you by some of the bay.

Other Things to Add to your San Diego Vacation Itinerary

There are so many things to do in San Diego, that I can’t fit them all in a 7-day itinerary. However, if you’re looking for something that’s not included, check out these other ideas:

Arts/Theatre: Balboa Park

• The museums at Balboa Park offer something for everyone: arts, photography, culture, anthropology, botanical gardens and more.
• The Old Globe Theatre has 3 playhouses, showing everything from Shakespeare to The Grinch.
• Little ones will love San Diego Junior Theatre, housed in the Casa del Prado, because the performers are all 8-18 years old! They do children’s plays and musicals, all geared towards little kids so they don’t mind little voices or squirmy kiddos!

On the Water:

If you want to take advantage of San Diego’s awesome waterfront location, try some of these activities:

• Whale Watching: There are tours out of the Embarcadero area. The only one I’ve ever used is Hornblower Cruises. Make sure you’re prepared if your kids get seasick. Also, they give you a rain check if you don’t see any whales!
• Harbor Tours: Hornblower Cruises also offers harbor tours that don’t go way out into the open ocean like the whale watching tours.
• Surf/paddleboard/kayak lessons: Almost all the beaches offer surfing lessons. In Mission Bay you can find paddleboard and kayak lessons. Or, if you’re already accomplished, you can just rent them for the day!

Hiking: 

I know I mentioned Torrey Pines, but if you are an avid hiker, there are so many more places in San Diego that you will love. Here are a few favorite choices, all of which can be found on the All Trails app.

• Cowles Mountain – This is one of the highest points in San Diego. It’s a moderate hike and not too long, but lots of elevation gain. It’s a completely marked trail all the way up.
• Potato Chip Rock – (Mt. Woodson) People love this hike because at the end it’s a great photo op. It’s a difficult hike and it it’s over 7 miles, so it’s not for the faint of heart. I’ll be honest, I’ve never done it, but I love the pictures from my friends who have!
• Sunset Cliffs – This easy trail is under two miles and has gorgeous views. Good for all ages.

Breweries/Wine-Tasting:

San Diego has a huge craft beer scene, as well as great wineries not too far away.

• Several breweries host tours, such as the Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido. There are also companies that provide tours of several breweries. One of the most popular is Brewery Tours of San Diego.
• Some of the craft beer locations in San Diego are kid-friendly and even provide a play area. Try Waypoint Public, Pizza Port or Station Tavern.
• Temecula and Escondido both have wineries and wine tours, and they’re both about 45 minutes to an hour away. There are also companies that will pick you up in San Diego and take you on a tour of wineries (so you don’t have to drive!).
• There are a few kid-friendly wineries. My favorite is Longshadow Ranch in Temecula. There are animals, places to play, places to picnic and they even do some family friendly events like live music or barbecues.

Budget Options:

A great way to save money on your SD trip is to purchase the Go San Diego Card. It gives you a deeply discounted entrance to most of the places I’ve named in this post, and many more. Places like the zoo, Belmont Park, most museum in Balboa Park, the Hornblower Cruise and much, much more are included in this card. If you’re planning to be in San Diego any length of time, this card will definitely save you money!

For more budget options, check out my post on Free ThIngs to do in San Diego!

San Diego really has it all, whether you’re coming for a family vacation, a romantic getaway or a girls’ trip. Make sure to check out my companion post for more San Diego vacation ideas!