We love the Balboa Park Carousel and always stop if it's running when we're at Balboa Park or the…read morezoo. It has such a charming, historic old-school feel. Some of the animals go up and down while others stay stationary, so there are options for younger kids too. It's $4 per person, but you get plenty of time going around, so it feels worth it. Such a fun little Balboa Park tradition!

This carousel is so cute. Kids and adults both will enjoy! Tickets are $4 each! The inside animals…read morego up and down, the ones on the outside do not move. Benches located on the outside of the carousel where you can watch! The worker at the carousel booth wasn't very pleasant though. When we asked how much tickets were he just lifted up one finger, we thought ohh a dollar, guess that was him pointing up to the sign that says $4. He definitely looked like he hated his job and didn't want to be there.

Kellogg Park in La Jolla is absolutely beautiful and has some of the best coastal views in the…read morearea. The location is stunning, right along the water with incredible ocean scenery, dramatic cliffs, and plenty of spots to sit and take it all in. On a clear day, the views are unreal and it really does feel like a postcard version of Southern California. That said, it is extremely crowded. Between tourists, families, photographers, and people stopping to watch the seals and sea lions, it can feel packed, especially mid day and on weekends. Parking can be challenging and the constant foot traffic takes away a bit from the peaceful, relaxing vibe you might be hoping for. If you don't mind crowds or are visiting for the first time, it's still 100 percent worth seeing. Just be prepared for lots of people and limited personal space. Go early in the morning or closer to sunset if you want a slightly calmer experience. Beautiful park, incredible views, but the crowds knock it down to four stars.

Beautiful park. Lots of people. Nice big parking lot. You can sit in the grass and/or go to the…read morebeach side. The views here are really pretty. I wasn't aware that this place was here, but I had just finished an appointment in the area and figured I'd check it out. Glad it did. I found a table to do some writing and update my planner. There is also a playground for the kiddos. I came during a busier time in the late afternoon so parking was busy, but there was always someone leaving so snagging a spot wasn't too much of a hassle. Nice place to relax!

I love this little spot. It has the best views. It's a cute little fishing pier. One of my favorite…read morefishing pier in San Diego. I came here as I was waiting for my dog to get groomed down the street. It's so peaceful here and it's right next to Rady Shell so sometimes you can hear some of the concerts while you're just hanging out. San Diego is just truly the best city in the United States. there's ample parking in the little parking area. It's about $2.50 per hour. there's a bait shop where you can also buy food and drinks. Great place.

This is one of the best parks I have been too!!…read more This park is home to the Rady Shell, an open-air amphitheater that hosts all kinds of concerts and events!! There is a paved path that hugs the outer rim of this park, great for walkers and runners. And along the path are great views of the San Diego Bay. There are also some basketball courts here, water fountains and a restroom. You can walk out on the dock for even better views also. Located along the Embarcadero in San Diego, I will give Marina Park South the slight edge over Marina Park North, which is located only a short distance away!!

Centennial Park is located in Coronado ( San Diego ). It has lots of greenery space for sitting or…read morepicnicking. There is a concrete pathway for walking and biking around. It's my FAVORITE picturesque walkway. It is very picturesque during the sunset overlooking the downtown San Diego skyline! The beautiful lights and shadows. Don't get me wrong, it's pretty any time of day. Sunset is my favorite. If you're wanting to go for a walk, this is a beautiful area to do so. There's park benches along the way so you can rest if need be. Nearby is the Coronado Ferry Landing! From there, the pathway leads you to local shopping and restaurants! There's public restrooms as well. Oh! Metered parking! Overall, a GREAT place to come and enjoy the day. It's pet friendly as well.

Soaking up the serenity at Centennial Park! This spot is hands down one of the most beautiful, and…read morerelaxing places in Coronado. Between the stunning rose garden, the immaculate grounds, and those jaw-dropping, unobstructed views of the San Diego skyline across the bay, it's pure perfection. Plus, you're just steps away from incredible dining and treats at the Coronado Ferry Landing. Grab a bite, find a spot on the grass, and just unwind! Ride on...

Africa Rocks is a beautiful area. The entry shows a big…read moresign with all kinds of plants and rocks. The whole area is so well maintained and preserved. The trail takes you to see an awesome waterfall! It may be man made, but it's still fun to see. The trail takes you through to explore the baboons, leopards, penguins and more. There's birds of all sorts all around. They are very interesting and beautiful. It's a nice walk in this area. We preferred the early morning views. When we came back through a few hours later, it was a very hot walk! Overall, we loved this area!

Located inside the San Diego Zoo, this area of the park represents all things Africa!!!…read more Upon entering this section, you're greeted with a magnificent waterfall, with an aquarium located underneath it! I saw plenty of birds here, along with Baboons, Leopards, crocodiles, penguins, and Lemurs!! This area was definitely a major highlight in the San Diego Zoo!!!

Crystal Pier is one of the most beautiful spots in San Diego! The ocean views are incredible,…read moreespecially at sunset. Walking along the pier and seeing the cottages over the water makes for a unique experience. A must-visit when you're in Pacific Beach. Please check out my video : https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8sEBT8t/

On a little weekender, on the first day, I told my baby I wanted to walk out to the end of a pier…read moreand do some sunset, beach, drinks type stuff at some point over the weekend. We lucked up on Crystal Pier. My sweet baby's selection. More of a locals hangout. Parking is competitive and paid parking is a grip, but we had a beautiful time! The common theme among every person there was the pause to take it all in. Great vibe! Lots of restaurants. Great walking path up and down the beach. All kids of people. Dog walkers, surfers, people in the sand laying, playing volleyball, all kings of things. By the time the sun was ready to slip away, we were in the perfect spot at the end of the pier. We lucked out of the best weather imaginable. The lightest cool breeze, not overly humid and clear. What a special time!! Holding hands. Sweet kisses. I loved it. Romantic. Refreshing. Relaxing. All the things I love and a fantastic way to start our evening.

Anything about nature has to be 5 stars. The ocean, the waves, the tide coming in and out, the…read moreocean spray. This visit to the tide pools was more of a walk along the trails. The views and trails are spectacular. Portions of the trail can be steep with large steps, take your time while you're trekking along. You will need to visit during low tide if you will explore the actual tide pools rather than traveling on the trails. Tide pools are best accessed from the 1st / main parking lot. I opted to park at the farther north parking lot and explore the trails heading south. If you review the map you can see the first parking lot with restrooms marked, then if you take the fork to the right, there are 2 more smaller parking lots. The walk from the farther north parking lots, to the mail parking lot is a distance so best to decide before you get there if you need to use the restroom. The entrance road is Cabrillo Road, and it makes a sharp turn towards the farther parking lots. To get to the Point Loma Tide Pools and the trails you are entering the Cabrillo National Monument and there is a fee for admission; I opted to purchase an annual pass for a small amount more than the daily fee. There are several different National Park Passes; if you like to visit many, consider the America the Beautiful pass and you can save a lot. I do recommend the Point Loma Tide Pools and trails, you can visit the Tide Pools and Cabrillo National Monument with your 1 admission price and there are so many things to see. Use caution and review the signage at the tide pools/trails, keep kids close and don't stand at the edge for photos and turn your back to the ocean. You'll be able to set up a great shot even if you're not near the edge. There are plenty of plants and squirrels around, remember you're in a National Park so nothing should be disturbed while you're there. Keep it nice for years to come. Add this to your places to see when you are in San Diego. Even has a local, I hadn't been here (that I can remember) and I've been back a few times since my first visit in March 2025. fthathteoi ncntehthe ht ajdhtgthae ihatie hait he inghggti nadh

Yes, you should absolutely visit the Point Loma Tide Pools but know before you go:…read more 1. Only come during low tide. There are two low tides and two high tides a day. The information is available online. I believe the tide pools are closed during high tide and for very good reason. 2. The tide pools are located within the Cabrillo National Monument park which means you will have to pay to visit them. This isn't like going to the beach for free. We paid $20 and you can visit both the tide pools and the monument/lighthouse, if you like. 3. Yes, parking is tough but the lot is fairly large and the spots turn over regularly. Apparently, there are two lots. I completely ignored the "LOT FULL" sign and found an open spot in seconds. 4. Wear shoes appropriate for climbing on and over rocks. This isn't like going to the beach and dipping your tootsies in the water. If you have decent balance, even better. You don't want to fall on these rocks. This ain't "a day at the beach." This is straggling over rocks to find sea life in tide pools. This is a spectacular location for tide pooling. You will probably see crabs, including lots of hermit crabs, anemones, small fish, and maybe even medium-sized fish. We even saw an absolutely enormous sea hare (or sea slug). It was black as night and easily half the size of a small cat. We also saw a brittle star, which is a type of small, squiggly star fish. You could spend an hour to two hours here and this is a must-do attraction if you live in San Diego or are visiting. You cannot find this kind of tide pooling just anywhere.

Our 1st Annual Family Summer Event at Fiesta Island in San Diego, CA was a success!!…read more We had the perfect weather the kids and doggies enjoyed swimming in the warm water. The adults enjoyed kayaking and paddle boarding. We could see large fish jumping! It was cool to see. We got to Fiesta Island at 7:30am on a Saturday. It was already getting busy. We were able to secure a large enough space for a family of 65 people. We stayed until 9:30pm and could see the SeaWorld fireworks and drones show from there. It was so awesome!! If you haven't been to Fiesta Island, I recommend stopping when in the area. Happy Yelping :)

This island is kind of dirty and trash kinda everywhere, but the location and water make it worth…read moreit. You can drive right up to the water on most the island which is so nice. There's scattered porta potties and fire pits, as well as some trash cans. But for the most part you are on your own. So bring everything you need. On part of the island it's a no wake zone so there's lots of calm sections. On the other there's boats and jet skis allowed, so it's choppier. Pick your side for what you want! Overall it's not the nicest part of the bay, it's more dirt and oil grime then sand. BUT the drive up and personal space is hard to beat.