10 Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
Tourists and locals alike are always looking for things to do in San Diego this weekend. One good way to enjoy this beautiful city is to get out and about and enjoy what the city has to offer. But sometimes a list is ever-helpful in making sure you make the most of it. Here are 10 fun things to do in San Diego this weekend, if you're looking to make the most of a beautiful city.
10 Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
San Diego is the first city that I decided to call home after college. And having spent the majority of my adult life in this beautiful city, there are always a plethora of things to do on the weekends. Over the last few years, San Diego has become a thriving hub of activity for all things food & drinks. The restaurant scene, combined with the breweries, and beaches, it really cannot be beat. Here are 10 great activities for you to enjoy if you feel like getting out and about this weekend!
1 | Drink a Hazelnut Latte & eat a croissant at Extraordinary Desserts ||
Extraordinary Desserts is a culinary delight in San Diego. There are two locations and they are almost always jam packed. The downtown location has an extensive food & drink menu, along with a large dessert section. But one of my favorite experiences is their latte & croissant for an early morning treat. I've was never a real fan of hazelnut. But for some reason, this particular latte at Extraordinary Desserts has me in love with the coffee + pastry combo. This is a great starting off point in San Diego if you're starting off your day early and love a good cup of jo.
2 | Take the ferry to Coronado, rent bikes, and ride around the island ||
Downtown is a big hub for activity in San Diego. They've remodeled the Embarcadero area, so you can walk around the area, enjoy a visit to the city park, then stroll to the ferry at the Embarcadero to pop over to Coronado Island. Ferries leave every 30 minutes and it's a 15 minute ride across the (gorgeous) bay to Coronado. Once you disembark, you can pop over to Bikes & Beyond and rent a bike for a few hours to ride around the island. It's a great way to see the beauty in Coronado.
3 | Walk through Balboa Park near sunset then have dinner at Cucina Urbana ||
One of the ultimate weekend things to do in San Diego is to pay a visit to Balboa Park. The park, which has been open for well over 100 years, has museums, gardens, shops, and a few lovely restaurants. You can sit outside the Museum of Art and enjoy a glass of wine at Panama 66. Then, stroll across the bridge close to sunset and head over to Cucina Urbana for dinner. When Cucina Urbana opened up a few years ago, I knew I found a great spot to sit at the bar, have sangria, then dinner (namely, their fabulous pizza or pasta) and wine. They have a wine 'store' inside the restaurant, so you pay no mark up, only the corkage fee. A reservation is highly recommended, unless you show up right at 5!
4 | Have a champagne cocktail & Oysters at Ironside ||
In the heart of Little Italy, there are some amazing restaurants. One of my all time favorites for eye candy, Ironside, has a great champagne cocktail list and their $1 oysters for happy hour can't be beat. You can always pop over to their sister cocktail bar, Craft and Commerce, or have dinner at Born & Raised. Eating is one of the great things to do in San Diego on the weekends because you can stroll from one end of downtown to the other and eat & drink your day away.
5 | Have brunch at Cafe Chloe |
Keeping that topic alive, I cannot say enough about how darling Cafe Chloe is. They've been open for around 10 years and I think I've been dining there just about that long. Order a glass of rose, their cheese plate, and the Croque Madame. You will not be disappointed. They just opened up a sister restaurant, the creperie Minou, and I love it just as much. The French Onion Soup is amazing and any one of their crepes is worth the order!
6 | Sail on the San Diego bay ||
We are supremely lucky to have better weather September through January than most. So sailing on the bay is a lovely option during that time of year. But really, any time of year is open to sailing season, if the weather strikes just right. Sailing out on the bay is one of the absolutely most amazing things to do in San Diego on any given weekend. For $80 a person, you can sail with Sail San Diego for a few hours with up to a group of 8 people (who can all be your friends!). Snacks and drinks are included.
7 | Pay a Visit to One (or More) Amazing Breweries in San Diego + Food Trucks
Oh breweries, where do I even start!? There are so many to try that you may want to narrow it down to a neighborhood. If I had to choose only one to start, and if you're only in San Diego for the weekend, then I would say North Park, San Diego is your best bet. Start off with a donut (at Nomads) or burger (at The Friendly, trust me, it's good) then stroll on down to Fall Brewing to start. If you're looking for a great place to find lovely shops, great food/food trucks, with it all being walkable, this is your best bet. Head south from there on 30th and you'll find more amazing small brews (like Eppig) and a brand new hard-kombucha brewery, Juneshine.
8 | Hit up the Little Italy farmers market early then head to Queenstown for the weekend brunch ||
The Little Italy Farmer's Market is another little gem in my book. But you have to get there early because it gets really packed. After a quick visit for some local produce, stopping at Queenstown is another favorite. Order the Elvis. Peanut butter, bananas, and waffles..done and done.
9 | Coffee Hop to all my favorite coffee places in San Diego ||
Breweries and coffee shops are stuff that dreams are made of and San Diego has a wide variety for every palate. As far as coffee shops go, I love that in every neighborhood, there are favorites, and each has a story. Coffee spots like
- Bird Rock Coffee Roasters (Bird Rock)
- influx (Little Italy)
- Cafe Madeleine (South Park)
- Communal Coffee (North Park)
- Parakeet Cafe (La Jolla)
- Swell Coffee (Del Mar)
- Lofty Coffee (Encinitas)
are just skimming the surface. I should write an entire post on coffee shops in San Diego. I'll make that a goal one day. In the mean time, here is another grouping of amazing coffee shops in San Diego to try from the Venue Report.
10 | Order a Mona Lisa Sandwich and stroll down to Waterfront Park
I mean, I can't even begin to talk about Mona Lisa without starting to crave their sandwiches. I have their phone number saved in my phone, they're that good. Order whatever you wish, but my all time favorite is a #12 with fresh mozzarella and pepperoncinis.
I'm sure many of you have favorites of your own, from your own cities, or even in San Diego. I'd love to hear what your favorite things to do in San Diego this weekend are! This is a part of an ongoing series of city guides from my travels, so pop over to see where else I've been and what I recommend for what to see, eat, and do! I'm constantly updating this post, so check back in to see what's new.
xx, Conni