San Diego in 5 Days: everything you need to know

San Diego is a coastal city that can be visited all year round, with cultural proposals for all tastes, sandy beaches, cliffs, natural parks and the spirit of the Californian cities, where you can live the most memorable experiences.

Besides enjoying its beautiful beaches, some of the things you can see and do in San Diego are boarding a whale watching cruise, touring historic neighbourhoods with colonial buildings, visiting open-air maritime museums, water sports or having fun in its theme parks. Here is an itinerary to help you plan your next 5-day visit to San Diego.

On your first day in San Diego you can tour downtown, where some of San Diego's best museums are located. The first stop on the itinerary is the Maritime Museum, which is located in Waterfront Park, and the second is the USS Midway Museum, half a mile away.

After strolling along the Embarcadero, you can head to the Gaslamp Quarter, which is considered the historic centre of the city, and then on to Coronado Island, where you can see some of its most beautiful beaches, such as Coronado Beach and the famous Hotel del Coronado.

San Diego Maritime Museum

The San Diego Maritime Museum is an open-air waterfront museum where you can see various antique vessels, such as submarines, sailboats and yachts, and view exhibits on San Diego's naval history. One of the highlights is the 1983 iron sailing ship Star of India, which is considered the oldest ship in the world.

A convenient way to get from one point to another is to take a sightseeing tram, which you can hop on and off as often as you like.

• Location: 1492 N Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101.
• Hours: daily 10am-5pm. Last admission at 4pm.
• Admission: about €20 for adults and €10 for children.

USS Midway Museum

800 metres from the Maritime Museum is the USS Midway Museum which is actually a huge aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum after 47 years of service. There you can walk the runways, see historic planes and helicopters, and tour the ship's facilities, such as the engine room, operations room and galley.

You can also take part in flight simulations and find out what life was like on the ship, where some 220,000 seafarers could have lived. It's a good idea to buy your ticket in advance, especially if you're visiting San Diego in the summer, as it's one of the city's main attractions. Touring the aircraft carrier can take 2 to 3 hours, depending on your interest.

• Location: 910 N Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101.
• Hours: daily from 10am to 5pm.
• Admission: about €30 for adults and €20 for children.

San Diego Pier

As you leave the USS Midway Musseum you will come across the San Diego Embarcadero, a cruise port with some green space, restaurants and souvenir shops. About 300 metres from the museum is the 7-metre-high Embracing Peace statue, known as the Kissing Statue, which depicts a sailor and a nurse in that classic pose.

Gaslamp Quarter

From the Embarcadero it is about 1.5 km to the Gaslamp Quarter, which is considered the historic heart of the city. You can walk there in about 20 minutes or take a taxi in about 10 minutes. On Fifth Ave, near Market St, you will find the famous old arch that reads: Gaslamp Quarter - The Historic Heart Of San Diego.

Gaslamp Quarter is a small neighbourhood that covers about 16 blocks, where there are about 100 historic buildings, which today house restaurants, banks, hotels, bars, etc. Some of these buildings include the Yuma Building, Old City Hall, Keating Building, Louis Bank of Commerce, St. James Hotel and Royal Pie Bakery. This neighbourhood is often the site of San Diego food tours, so it's a good place to have lunch or dinner.

Coronado Island

From the Gaslamp Quarter, you can walk about 20 minutes back to the Embarcadero and take a 20-minute ferry ride to Coronado Island. You can also take a taxi and be there in about 15 minutes, or as a last option a bus which will take about 30 minutes. The island is actually a peninsula that is connected to the city by the Coronado Bridge and the Silver Strand sandbar, where you can also cross.

The ferry drops you off at the harbour very close to Centennial Park, where you have one of the best panoramic views of San Diego and the sea. Coronado Beach, which is about 4.5 km from the park, can be reached on foot in about 30 minutes, by taxi in about 5 minutes, or by bus in about 15 minutes. Coronado Beach is one of San Diego's best and most iconic beaches. If you go by taxi or bus, you can take the bus to Coronado Beach or get off at the port.

Coronado Hotel

Walking south along Coronado Beach, you'll come across one of San Diego's most visited buildings: the Hotel Coronado. Built in 1888, with its distinctive red roof and Victorian style, it's best remembered for its appearance in Marilyn Monroe's film Some Like It Hot.

The hotel hosts many events and festivals, so it's a good idea to check the agenda before you go. Also, if you're in San Diego in the summer, you can go to the seasonal ice rink that runs from November to January in San Diego.

On your second day in the city, I recommend you visit Old Town, the oldest part of the city, where the first European settlements took place. Once you've toured Old Town, you can head to Balboa Park, a large green area with many museums, a zoo and a botanical garden. It's 3 km from Downtown and is a great place to go in both summer and winter in San Diego.

San Diego Historical Park

The tour of Old Town begins at San Diego Historical Park, which is about 7 km from downtown. You can get there by bus (20 minutes), taxi or car (10 minutes). There you can see original colonial buildings such as the Casa de Estudillo, the Casa Machado y Stewart and the Casa de Carillo, which is located in Presidio Park, next to the Historic Park.

You can also see other historic buildings such as the Blacksmith Store, Temple Beth Israel, the Whaley House, a museum with strange stories, the 1868 Immaculate Conception Church, and craft markets. Halloween celebrations are often held in the Historic Park and are not to be missed if you visit San Diego in October.

• Location: 4002 Wallace St, San Diego, CA 92110.
• Hours: daily from 10am to 4pm, or until 5pm in summer.
• Admission: free.

Whaley House

About 100 metres from the Historic Park is the Whaley House, an 1857 house that serves as a historical museum, where you can tour its rooms and garden, which recreate the 19th century way of life.

It is considered the oldest brick structure, and the first commercial theatre, as well as the most haunted house in the United States, due to reported paranormal occurrences.

• Location: 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Dr, San Diego, CA 92106.
• Hours: daily from 10 am to 4:30 pm. Sunset and evening visits must be booked.
• Admission: about €13 per person during the day, about €20 at sunset and about €90 at night.

Carrillo House

Just outside the Parque Histórico is the Casa de Carrillo, the oldest surviving adobe house in the city. It was built by Commander Francisco María Ruiz for one of his soldiers, Joaquín Carrillo, around 1808.

• Location: about 100 ft NE of Juan St at Wallace St, Presidio Golf Course, San Diego.

Balboa Park

From Old Town you can take a bus for about 30 minutes, or a taxi for about 7 minutes to Balboa Park, a huge green space where there are about 16 museums, a zoo, a Botanical Garden, the iconic Old Globe theatre, cultural centres and restaurants. In addition to green areas and beautiful gardens, the park is home to colonial-style buildings and many curiosities.

Below are some of the most interesting attractions in the park, but I recommend you visit the Balboa Park website to read the complete list and choose the ones that interest you. Remember that with the San Diego Explorer Pass you get discounts and free admission to many of Balboa Park's attractions.

• Hours: All day.
• Admission fee: free. Some attractions have a fee.

What to see in Balboa Park

• Visitor Center: the recommended place to start your tour and get information about the park and its attractions. It is located in the Hospitality Center.
• California Tower: it was built in 1911-1915. It is located in the centre of the park and offers a great panoramic view of the city. It is convenient to book in advance because it has an admission cap every 40 minutes from Wednesday to Sunday.
• Miniature train: You can take a ride on this miniature train, an ideal activity if you are going to San Diego with children. Admission costs about €3 per person and is located near the zoo.
• San Diego Zoo: covers about 40 hectares and is open daily from 9am to 9pm.
• Spreckels Organ Pavilion: has one of the largest organs in the world, which was donated to the city in 1914. It offers free outdoor concerts.
• House of Pacific Relations International Cottage: is a theme park that houses 32 replicas of country houses of different origins.

Balboa Park Gardens

The Botanical Garden displays over 100,000 plants and has free admission. It's a must-see if you visit San Diego at Christmas, when it's lit up in a very special way. Also not to be missed are the Alcazar Garden, which overlooks the California Tower; Zoro Garden, a garden dedicated to butterflies; and Palm Canyon, home to some 450 palms of 58 different species.

Balboa Park Museums

One of the most interesting museums to visit in Balboa Park is the Timken Museum of Art, which features an original Rembrandt painting and works by 19th-century European and American artists.

Other notable museums in this park include the Comic-Con Museum, ideal for fans of this art form; the Air and Space Museum, for those more interested in science; the Automobile Museum, where a variety of cars and motorbikes are on display; and the Railroad Museum, where you can learn about the history of this mode of transportation.

On your third day in San Diego I suggest a trip to Point Loma, home to Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, Cabrillo National Monument and Point Loma Lighthouse. It's a tour of San Diego's naturally beautiful north shore, which is always included in a 5 or 7 day stay in San Diego.

Point Loma

Point Loma is a neighbourhood of the city of San Diego located on the San Diego Peninsula, which has protected natural areas and beaches. It is also a historical site, as it is where the Spaniards entered San Diego. To get there, you can take a bus from Downtown (1 hour and 15 minutes), or go by car/taxi (about 15 minutes). It is about 14 km from downtown San Diego.

At the tip of the peninsula is the Cabrillo National Monument, which honours Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first European to arrive on the peninsula. Entrance costs about €20 per person and you can get there by bus. About 300 metres from the memorial is the Point Loma Lighthouse, located about 130 metres above sea level, which is one of the best places to spot whales.

• Location: 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Dr, San Diego, CA 92106.
• Hours: daily from 9am to 5pm.
• Entrance fee: about 20 € per person.

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery has been declared a California Historical Landmark because it is the resting place of war veterans. It is located 2 km from Cabrillo National Monument and has a beautiful view of the ocean.

• Location: 1700 Cabrillo Memorial Dr, San Diego, CA 92106.
• Hours: Sunrise to sunset.

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park and Scenic Spots

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, as the name implies, is a prime spot to watch the sunset in San Diego and discover marine wildlife. From the Cabrillo National Monument visitor centre it is about 7 km to the park, which can be reached by bus in about 30 minutes or by taxi in about 15 minutes.

You can start your coastal tour at Ladera Street and continue north, where you will find several scenic spots such as Sunset Cliffs Cave, Luscomb's Point, Sunset Cliffs Beach and Sunset Cliffs. Up to Ocean Beach there are about 3-4 km of beaches with cliffs and scenic views that you can explore as far as your feet will take you. You can also head south, where there is a 1.5 km trail to the beach.

Ocean Beach

Ocean Beach is a bohemian neighbourhood with a beach of the same name. It's a place to swim, sunbathe, surf or walk along the promenade, and then head into the neighbourhood for craft markets and murals, and a snack in one of the bars and restaurants.

If you have time, you can visit Dog Beach, a dog-friendly beach about 2km away. A good way to explore this neighbourhood and the waterfront promenade is by bike, as there is an extensive bike path. Bike rentals are included in the tourist cards, such as the Explorer Pass.

Also, if you decide to visit the Ocean Beach neighbourhood, don't forget to check the events calendar, as there are often concerts, shows and various events, ideal for enjoying the night.

On your fourth day in San Diego, I suggest you take a morning grey whale watching tour, which is one of the best things to do in San Diego. On the way back, after lunch, you can go to Mission Bay, where there are beaches and theme parks, and plenty of options to enjoy the day.

Whale Watching

Cruise ships depart from the San Diego Embarcadero, although many tours offer transfers from your hotel. San Diego cruise tours usually start early in the morning and last about 4 hours, so you'll be back around noon. From the Embarcadero to Mission Bay is about 7km and can be reached by bus (1 hour) or taxi/car (15 minutes).

Grey whales are one of the largest cetaceans in the ocean and migrate from Alaska to Baja California every year to breed, so you can see the whales in their habitat, especially if you visit San Diego in January. If you prefer not to take a cruise, though, you can watch the whales from Sunset Cliffs or Point Loma, but don't forget to bring binoculars.

Mission Bay

Mission Bay is located about 7km from the San Diego Embarcadero. It is a bay that has been artificially enclosed, and contains islands, wetlands and marshes. Here you can enjoy a day at the beach, take sailing lessons and enjoy water sports such as stand-up paddle boarding, kite surfing and water skiing. They also offer sunset cruises in and around San Diego Bay.

Mission Bay Theme Parks

In Mission Bay you can go to one of San Diego's two theme parks: SeaWorld and Belmont Park. Sea World is an amusement park with adrenaline rides and a marine zoo, which also hosts concerts and events; and Belmont Park is a historic amusement park (1925) where you can pay for each ride you take part in or buy a full-day pass.

SeaWorld

• Location: 500 Sea World Dr., San Diego, CA 92109.
• Hours: daily from 10am to 10pm generally.
• Entry fee: around €90 per person for access to all attractions.

Belmont Park

• Location: 3146 Mission Blvd, San Diego, CA 92109.
• Hours: daily from 11am to 10pm generally.
• Entry fee: about €40 per person for a full day pass.

On your fifth day in San Diego, you can visit the Torrey Pines Preserve, where you can walk on nature trails, and then visit the La Jolla District, a seaside neighbourhood with beautiful beaches to enjoy the afternoon.

From downtown San Diego it's about 25km to the Torrey Pines Preserve, but you can get there by underground in an hour and 20 minutes, or by taxi in 20 minutes. If you take public transport, it will drop you off 1.5km from the visitor centre, which is open from 9am to 5pm.

Torrey Pines Nature Reserve

Torrey Pines Nature Reserve is home to a species of pine tree that you can only see on the San Diego coast, the Pinus torreyana. It is also home to one of the last remaining marine ecosystems called salt marshes, which provide shelter and food for many marine animals. The visitor's centre offers one-hour guided tours to learn about the park and its ecological importance, but the numbers are limited.

In the Reserve, you can choose from 12 trails of varying difficulty to get to know the park, the cliffs and its beaches. Remember to bring plenty of water, sunscreen and food.

• Location: 12600 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037.
• Hours: daily from 8am until half an hour before sunset.
• Entry fee: about €10.

La Jolla District

Before heading back to Downtown San Diego, you can stroll through the La Jolla District, where 11 km of coastline and beaches, promenades, art galleries and some of the city' s best restaurants make it an ideal place to embark on a foodie tour. Popular beaches include La Jolla Shores Beach, La Jolla Cove, Children's Pool Beach and Black's Beach, a nude beach on the reserve.

From the Torrey Pines Reserve, you can go to the Village of La Jolla, an hour's bus ride away, to explore this coastal district, where seals and dolphins can often be seen swimming in the ocean. It's also a great place for water sports. To get back to downtown San Diego, you can take a bus for about 40 minutes, or taxi/car for about 15 minutes.

This is the itinerary I propose for your 5-day stay in San Diego, with suggestions both in nature and in the city. And if you have some extra time, here are a few last suggestions: visit the Little Italy neighbourhood, where you can find restaurants, cocktail bars, bars and nightclubs very close to the city centre; visit the Legoland theme park, the Lego universe that is an hour away from the city; or watch a baseball game in San Diego.