4/1/26 update: We…read morevisited here after going to the USS Midway Museum. I would recommend walking over here since you already paid for the parking at USS. There are also parking spots closer to the statue, not sure if it's free. You can also go to Seaport Village for lunch or dinner. This statue gets busy during the afternoon and evening. If you want nobody photo bombing your picture, aim for the early morning before 10 am or go late at night. This is open 24 hrs.

Stopped by the Unconditional Surrender Statue in San Diego which was located to the left of the USS…read moreMidway. Pros: -free! -there's a paid parking lot next to the statue. -there are a few benches if you want to sit and stay a while and enjoy the water/views Cons: -n/a

Great place to run stairs. Reward for those that make it to the very top is sweeping panoramic…read moreviews of San Diego Bay and Downtown. Some local gyms have organized workouts here

This was a very cool bridge to cross, and I only wish I could've spent more time around it…read more Underneath on the San Diego side is home to really lovely and meaningful murals. You can see Tijuana in the distance while on it, too. I would have loved to take a boat tour under it as well. Maybe one day I'll be back!

Other people here have discussed the architecture and history of the Coronado Bridge, so I'm going…read morein a different direction: I'm going to tell you a little bit about fishing it. I've uploaded a nautical chart from the now-defunct SDFish forum that highlights three highly-productive areas. Depending on the season and the weather, the north side of the bridge, all the way from the moored boats to the west to Cesar Chavez Park on the east side, is loaded with sand bass and "spotties", and, less frequently, rockfish, mackerel, barracuda, leopard sharks and rays, bonito, corbina, croaker, and white sea bass. And, if you're lucky, you'll hook bonefish and halibut, though I've had my best results targeting those fish on the south side of the bridge. There, you'll occasionally pick up bonefish, near Glorietta Bay, and farther down, near the salt ponds, in the shallow flats and eelgrass beds at the southern end of the Bay. Some people fishing bonefish get free bait by pumping ghost shrimp out of the muddy banks of the Coronado Municipal Golf Course, but I buy them from a bait shop, or use a damned lure. The catch I prize the most, though, is California Halibut. Fun to catch, fantastic on the plate, our halibut aren't as large as the more famous Pacific Halibut, but catching those other ones is like hauling a Volkswagen Beetle up from the bottom of the sea, so F that. Our halibut gather on the flat south of the Coronado Bridge's eastern terminus. I do well fishing for them with live bait or jigs, anything that will catch their eye. Bounce along the bottom and you'll be fine. So, here's the tricky thing about all of this: the US Navy would really rather that you go somewhere else, away from the Bridge and from their operations along either side of the Bay. You can't post up underneath and plunk against the Bridge's piers, which is, of course, where the fish are. You can, however, can drift under the span, motor back, and drift again, which works. You just have to stay 25 feet away from the structure. While on the Bay, you also can't come within 100 yards of any Navy vessel, and you must operate at a minimum speed within 500 yards of such a vessel. Take these rules seriously, or the Navy security guys will show up, screw up your fishing, and make credible threats of fines and punishment. They're nice people, but they're not fvcking around. Finally, if you don't have a boat, that's no problem. Seaforth Boat Rentals in Coronado (Glorietta Bay, near the Hotel Del) rents everything from skiffs to power boats. Order ahead, go pick up your boat, and you'll soon be under the Bridge, enjoying a day's action. Tight lines and fair winds.

Very stunning and beautiful place! It was $20 for our vehicle to enter and was completely worth the…read moreentrance fee! Things start to close between 4:00-4:30pm (some of the trails you must start before 2pm) and they will start to escort people off the monument shortly before 5pm! So plan accordingly if you want to visit more than one location or do a hike. The park rangers are super helpful and kind so don't be afraid to approach them if you have any questions or just want to know more about the area!

I've been here a few times and love this National Monument. Some people that have reviewed this…read moreplace didn't think too much about the tidepools but I disagree with their reviews. I came here recently with Environment California as they were having a guided tidepooling event so I signed up. By attending the event, you also get the $20 entry fee waived so thats really nice. I came earlier than the tidepooling event around 10:30am and had an our to check out the visitor center and then made my way to the tidepool area. If you come earlier, parking is not an issue. But, when I left around 2pm, parking is pretty difficult. My suggestion is to come early. Low tide was from 12pm - 4pm on the day I came and the science educator and the lead from Environment California both did a great job explaining the wildlife in the tidepools and the importance of marine protection areas. I had a great time here looking at all the fun little organisms that live in the tidepools. I saw all sorts of hermit crabs, a Hopkins rose nudibranch, a crab that was eating a kelp pod, and so many snails and mussels and little fishes, tadpoles! The 2 hours flew by and I thoroughly learned so much and also met some great people fighting for marine protection. I would definitely come back here again to look at the amazing ecosystem and get a dose of sun and nature. And never mind all the birds I saw too! I was completely overwhelmed and at one point had a hard time fumbling between binoculars and phone to take videos and photos! I love this place, definitely will come back!!

Wow what a great park. We stopped by to check out the out the play ground, and there was also a…read morehuge panda event. Which resulted in the playground being loaded with children and families having fun and relaxing in the cool breeze. There are ton of play activities for the kids: blue climbing mountain with slides, cool spaceship looking merry go rounds, swings, climbing, obstacle courses, etc. There are tons of tables, benches, and lots of shady areas for picnics or relaxing while the kids play. It was awesome to find this playground ride down the road from where we were staying. Too bad this is our last full day in San Diego.

This is a big park with a lot of grass area, a fountain, basketball and pickle ball courts, plus an…read moreoff leash dog park. What more can you ask for? What about great views of the harbor and city skyline on the other side? Yup it has that too. I come here many times with my dogs, as the dog park is a decent size for medium dogs to run around in. The dog area may not have grass, but it has dirt, and is usually kept clean. I actually prefer the dirt compared to artificial turf. Something to note is that there is only one park, so big dogs are combined with small ones. Theres a small obstacle course for dogs to jump and run through. And for the humans, there's also a few benches on the side to sit at.

The wife and I came here in 2018 and liked it so much that we returned. Thus, I decided to update…read moremy review. This time in 2025, I avoided food poisoning and did not go back to the restaurant that made me deathly ill in 2018. It is still open and still serves gelato. My impression this time was much more favorable. There are so many restaurants to choose from, it is hard to imagine how we made our choices last time. It's a pizza lover's dream. I think you could eat pizza at a different restaurant every day for half a year. There are cute little shops and food stores that sell Italian foods and pasta. The Little Italy is quite large, I think larger than the one in NYC, so you can spend a lot of time walking, eating and drinking, and people watching.

Little Italy was *truly* the perfect spot to stay as first-time visitors to San Diego. We were…read morecentral to so much by staying in the La Pensione. The farmer's market was right outside on Saturday, and there were dozens of top-tier restaurants and bars within short walking distance. I'm so glad we stayed in this neighborhood over Gaslamp, as that was on my radar too but sounded like it may have been too wild. We didn't have a car, so parking wasn't a problem, and public transportation was close by. It was also easy to call for a Lyft. I also appreciated how close it was to the airport. I'd absolutely stay in Little Italy again in the future if the price permits!

I spotted this tree that spoke to me while riding on the way to breakfast at Hash House. After…read moreleaving breakfast, we came back to Balboa Park it was a peaceful and grounding experience before heading to the airport to return home. That moment honestly made me decide the park was a must-visit. I ended up stopping by afterward just to walk around, release some stress, and enjoy the calm energy. I even found myself just sitting in a tree, hugging two or a few, and taking in the quiet; especially in the Trees for Health Garden, which felt fitting for the whole experience. It was a simple but meaningful stop that added a peaceful pause to the end of the trip before heading back to the airport. I even met a squirrel that I chat with; I named him James. While I was chatting with him, he even place his paw on his chest as if he was asking me "are you speaking to me?" It felt great speaking to my own little grandma Willow tree moment.

Yes - park and museums are lovely, but for me, I just didn't love Balboa Park…read more Didn't hate it but if you are someone with just a weekend in town, I think there are better options for afternoon activities in the zillions of things there are to do in SD. All I'm saying is don't get fooled making this a top of your list, must do-thing. Go if you REALLY want to, but don't feel like you missed out if you made a different selection.

Sunset Cliffs is a San Diego institution! I frequently go for walks in this area. A lot of of it…read moreis parallel to the street but at the end there is a nice open park with a few trails that butt up to Point Loma Nazarene university. It is especially beautiful right now in the spring... All the flowers are starting to come out and everything is green. This is also a great area to come out with a picnic and watch the sunset. And if you don't bring a picnic, there are lots of great taco and brunch spots in Ocean Beach for after your walk!

I love Sunset Cliffs! It's one of my favorite spots for photoshoots. Parking has never really been…read morean issue for me, and the area is so big that you can walk around, explore, and take photos without feeling crowded. The views are absolutely gorgeous--especially around sunset--and there are so many beautiful backdrops. I've had so much fun running around with friends here capturing photos. Overall, it's such a peaceful, scenic spot and definitely one of my go-to locations!

Love this San Diego landmark. My friends and did an urban hike here around Balboa to this 375 foot…read morelong bridge. You can also drive to this bridge and park nearby.

Fun bridge if you're in the area. Neighborhood street parking is easy. The bridge ends are wobbly…read more The oldest suspension bridge in San Diego, it's sturdier than expected but still cool. I couldn't appreciate its 70 foot height but fortunately the natural area is respected, didn't see any garbage or human made etchings. Quince Street Bridge is a few blocks away, so might want to check that out too and do a hike underneath.