Balboa Park
The 1,200-acre cultural heart of San Diego — 17 museums, gardens, the Old Globe theaters and Spanish Revival architecture along El Prado. Free to enter; museums ticket separately.
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Belmont Park
A beachfront amusement park on the Mission Beach boardwalk, home to the 1925 Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster. Free to enter; rides ticket separately.
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Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Scripps Institution's public aquarium on a La Jolla bluff — tide-pool touch tanks, a two-story kelp forest and big ocean views.
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Cabrillo National Monument
The tip of Point Loma, where Cabrillo landed in 1542 — sweeping harbor views, a historic lighthouse and some of the county's best tide pools.
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Chicano Park
Under the Coronado Bridge in Barrio Logan, the world's largest collection of outdoor Chicano murals — a National Historic Landmark.
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Coronado Beach
Wide, gold-flecked sand regularly ranked among the country's best beaches, in the shadow of the Hotel Del.
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Hotel del Coronado
The 1888 beachfront 'Hotel Del' — a red-roofed Victorian landmark worth visiting for the beach, shops and history even without a room.
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La Jolla Cove
A postcard cove where sea lions and seals haul out on the rocks — snorkeling, kayaking and clifftop views over the ecological reserve.
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Legoland California
A Lego-themed park in Carlsbad built for younger kids, with rides, an aquarium and a water park.
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Liberty Station
A former naval training center turned arts, food and shopping district, with galleries, a public market and walkable waterfront paths.
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Maritime Museum of San Diego
A fleet of historic ships on the harbor, anchored by the 1863 Star of India — the world's oldest active sailing ship — plus submarines you can climb through.
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Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial
A hilltop veterans memorial with one of the widest 360-degree views in the county, from the coast to the mountains.
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Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
California's 'birthplace' — preserved and reconstructed 1800s buildings, living-history museums and Mexican restaurants. Free to wander.
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Petco Park
Home of the Padres and one of the best ballparks in baseball, in the East Village — with year-round tours and Gallagher Square events in the offseason.
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San Diego Botanic Garden
37 acres of gardens in Encinitas, from a bamboo grove to a hands-on children's garden and a seasonal light show.
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San Diego Zoo
One of the world's great zoos, in Balboa Park — more than 4,000 animals across 100 acres, from a walk-through Africa Rocks to lush canyon habitats.
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SeaWorld San Diego
The Mission Bay marine park with coasters, animal habitats and shows — a full-day, ticketed outing.
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Seaport Village
Waterfront shops, snacks and buskers along the bay — an easy, free stroll between the Convention Center and the Embarcadero.
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Sunset Cliffs Natural Park
Dramatic seaside bluffs along Point Loma made for sunsets, tide pools and clifftop walks. Free, and busiest right at golden hour.
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Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Rare Torrey pines, sandstone canyons and miles of clifftop trails above the Pacific. Arrive early — the lot fills fast.
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USS Midway Museum
Tour a real aircraft carrier on the downtown Embarcadero — flight deck, restored aircraft and self-guided audio aboard the longest-serving U.S. Navy carrier of the 20th century.
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Waterfront Park
A 12-acre bayfront park in front of the County Administration building, with a long interactive fountain kids play in and lawns facing the harbor.
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Whaley House Museum
An 1857 Greek Revival home billed as one of America's most haunted — daytime history tours and evening ghost tours.
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