7 Things You Can’t Afford to Miss in San Diego! (2024) | Travel Guide

My family has been in San Diego for 8 generations, so it's in my DNA. All 7 listed are great tourist sights to visit, but if you want to get off the beaten trail a bit, I can recommend a few other great options. Mission Bay park is a beautiful mix of natural and man made paradise filled with white sand beaches, water activities, walkways, lots of palm trees and little shops. Kind of a kitschy tiki vibe, or a trip to Hawaii without the flight. It also neighbors the best local surf culture communities that are legendary. Mission/Pacific Beach are party central with the classic Belmont Park between them. Go to Mission Baja Tacos, order a fish taco, and you'll thank me. Ocean Beache is like going back in time, same funky place I grew up in and unspoiled with no chain stores allowed there, not even a Starbucks. Along with Point Loma, they are the old soul of San Diego stretching back to Juan Cabrillo landing there in 1542. Go out to the Cabrillo National Monument at the end of the point for the history, and the best panoramic view of SD you can imagine. And if you want to thank me some more, hit Sunset Cliffs for it's name sake to top the day off.