ByMarie Tutko
Published February 12, 2024
San Diego may be known for its 70 miles of golden coastline, but California’s second largest city after Los Angeles isn’t just about sand and surf (though that doesn’t hurt). Throughout town, visitors find local treasures, such as rare plants, multicultural celebrations, and a vibrant arts scene. To maximize your time, we consulted San Diegans ranging from a chef to a nature expert and a scientist for their favorite spots. Here’s what to see and do.
Find giant fan palms in Balboa Park
San Diego’s 150-year-old cultural crown jewel is home to 18 museums, hiking trails, and an array of gardens and open spaces, plus the San Diego Zoo. To escape the crowds, head to Palm Canyon (cross the wooden footbridge by the Alcazar Gardens and down the stairs), where a short loop trail leads to towering Mexican fan palms. A handful of the 450 palms have been here since 1912. The canyon’s upper trail connects to the Kate O. Sessions Cactus Garden, with views of the Cabrillo Bridge and parts of downtown San Diego’s skyline. In the spring, the garden blooms with Matilija poppies, a white-and-yellow flower native to California and northern Mexico that resembles a sunny-side-up egg.
Relive history in Old Town
The site of the first European settlement in California, Old Town is a colorful enclave of 19th-century adobe buildings, historic parks, and Mexican restaurants. Built in 1857, the Whaley House Museum is the two-story Greek Revival home of businessman Thomas Whaley, which previously housed the city’s first theater, a courthouse, and a general store at different times through the city’s history. Daytime tours are self-guided; guided evening tours play up the house’s reputation as haunted. While you’re in the neighborhood, stop by Bazaar Del Mundo, a hub of shops showcasing artwork, jewelry, and gifts from Mexico.
Be inspired by Chicano culture
Located in the Barrio Logan neighborhood, Chicano Park, a National Historic Landmark, is home to more than 80 outdoor murals painted onto concrete pylons beneath a freeway. Dating to the 1970s and ’80s, the artworks depict various aspects of Mexican and Mexican American culture. Nearby, Logan Avenue is populated by indie boutiques, such as cute-as-a-button gift shop Simón Limón. Grab a pint of horchata ale at Border X Brewing, the first Latino-owned brewery in San Diego, or stop by ¡Salud! for tacos. A short walk north of Chicano Park, Las Cuatros Milpas has been serving comfort fare tortillas, tamales, and rice and beans for 91 years.
Hike scenic trails at Torrey Pines
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve draws nature lovers to its numerous hiking trails, sandstone cliffs, and scenic beach—but the celebrities are clearly the Torrey pines. “Outside of the reserve, these extremely rare, wind-twisted trees are only found in Del Mar and on Santa Rosa Island off of Santa Barbara,” says Jim Varnell, a longtime volunteer with the San Diego Natural History Museum. He recommends the easy, half-mile Parry Grove Trail that begins just north of the Torrey Pines Lodge Visitor Center at the top of the hill and ends with a descent down 118 stone steps to a sheltered grove of pines. “There’s spectacular ocean views and possibly even the chance to spot some migrating gray whales,” he says.
Visit a titan of modern architecture
The Salk Institute, named after the polio vaccine inventor Jonas Salk, is one of the most significant examples of modern architecture in the U.S. Designed by Louis Kahn in the 1960s, the campus’s 29 concrete and teak buildings have a seamless, futuristic aesthetic, with a central courtyard that opens to a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. “The way they used concrete sets a precedent for architecture today,” says National Geographic Explorer Keolu Fox, a genome scientist and assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. “The forms, functions, and lines are a perfect example of the concept of ‘make it simple, but not too simple.’” Docent-led tours also take visitors to Dale Chihuly’s large-scale glass sculpture “The Sun.”
Get crafty with local artisans
At woman-owned Ceramic Heights, in the El Cerrito neighborhood, popular “Muddy Time Saturdays” provide an hour on the wheel, two balls of clay, and instructors who help as much or as little as needed. “All of the instructors are super-friendly, and they teach you how to enjoy the creative process and to not worry about being perfect or making a mistake,” says Claudia Rodríguez-Biezunski, a fashion designer and owner of Sew Loka, a sewing studio and boutique in Barrio Logan. On the first Friday of every month, the Visions Museum of Textile Art at Liberty Station in Point Loma has free fiber arts classes. Other courses cover a variety of textile arts, including quilt-making and crocheting.
Explore world-class design
In 2024, San Diego celebrates its being named a World Design Capital jointly with Tijuana, Mexico, less than 20 miles from downtown. (The San Ysidro Port of Entry is the busiest land-border crossing in the Western Hemisphere.) Events in San Diego include designer talks, exhibitions, film screenings, and more September 18-25.
Kayak sea caves
The waters between La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores are part of a nature preserve where the sandstone bluffs are pockmarked with caves—most of which can only be accessed by sea. Book a guided tour or rent a kayak from one of the many outfitters in La Jolla Shores to paddle past the striking archway of Clam Cave. Along the way, look for seals, sea lions, birds, and friendly leopard sharks (during the summer). If time is limited, check out the second largest sea cave, Sunny Jim’s Sea Cave, on foot—via the Cave Store gift shop. There, a tunnel descends more than 145 (often slippery) steps to a platform with views of the cave and the La Jolla coastline ($10 admission for adults; $6 for children ages 3-17).
Taste the city’s multicultural culinary heritage
San Diego’s food scene is culturally diverse and draws from local bounty. Restaurants celebrating Filipino culture are particularly gaining recognition. “The next generation of talented and now experienced chefs are stepping into their own stories and are ready to share them with the world,” says Phillip Esteban, the chef and owner of fast-casual White Rice, which has multiple locations throughout the city. One such culinary star can be found at upscale Animae, in the Marina District, where James Beard Best Chef California semifinalist Tara Monsod serves creative takes on Filipino dishes, such as lechon kawali, with apple paté, fig, and shiso.
Esteban’s other local favorites are Callie, a nationally acclaimed Mediterranean restaurant, and Juan Jasper Kitchen and Wine, a neighborhood spot with its own butcher shop next door. For fresh seafood, Esteban enjoys the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market, a weekly open-air market near Seaport Village, where local fishers sell the day’s catch highlighted in dishes like ceviche and fish and chips.
Marie Tutko is a writer based in San Diego, California, and a former editor at San Diego Magazine.
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