Your friend is in San Diego, but they only have one day free. Who only has one day free? It doesn’t matter. Maybe they are there for a conference, or a wedding, or a long layover, or a funeral. It doesn’t matter. They are there for one day and they call you and you are excited to hear from them (or not, in which case press ignore on your phone and stop reading this itinerary) and you happen to be free that day and they say, “I want to see what this whole San Diego thing is all about”.

So… what are you going to do with them? You’re definitely not taking them to SeaWorld.

It can seem overwhelming to explore San Diego in just one day, especially trying to show some of the best parts, but that is what this itinerary is for – this is an all-encompassing San Diego day trip that highlights what we feel are some of the best parts of the city. San Diego has culture, beaches, good food, and a certain… je ne sais quois vibe. Instead of trying to describe it, just show it.

The Itinerary

1. Pick Up Your Friend
2. Get Breakfast At The Harbor Breakfast Cafe
3. Grab A Coffee At Cafe Bassam
4. Walk Over The Quince Street Bridge
5. Explore Balboa Park
6. Grab Lunch At Panama 66
7. Go to Ocean Beach
8. Hike Sunset Cliffs And Watch The Sunset
9. Get Tacos For Dinner At La Dona
10. Call It A Night
11. Map to this itinerary

Morning

Pick Up Your Friend

Pick your friend up, be a good host, wherever they are, pick them up. They are definitely in Gaslamp. Go pick them up from Gaslamp. While Gaslamp has some decent restaurants and bars, we feel San Diego, the real San Diego, is best represented in the other parts of the city.

Get Breakfast At The Harbor Breakfast

Harbor Breakfast is a lovely, open-air, white and sea blue cafe in Little Italy nestled on a busy corner near the harbor. Enjoy the bay breeze coming up the block while you sit and people watch on the tree-lined street. This is homey cafe has the small-town feeling that is still on offer in a low key city like San Diego, yet it is settled in one of the busier neighborhoods in the city which offers the urban flare that you won’t get in a small town.

Harbor Breakfast offers standard breakfast fare like eggs and bacon, bagel sandwiches, eggs benedict, and challah bread French toast, but their highlights are their specials. Try the shrimp diablo or their chilaquiles for something with a bit more kick. The service is friendly and the atmosphere inside is warm and cozy with simple, homey decor. This place keeps it pretty simple and that is part of the charm. It is consistent, tasty, and leaves you plenty full.

Alternative

If you want a breakfast experience that is more extravagant go to Morning Glory in Little Italy. Be warned – this place opens at 8AM, but on the weekend the line will start forming at 7AM and will be a few dozen people long within 45 minutes. Make reservations or get to Morning Glory cafe early. It is a very Instagrammable restaurant (beware of the all-seeing eye when you walk in), but the food is legitimately good. Morning Glory has an exciting menu including their famous soufflé pancakes. You can even grab a bottle of Dom Perignon from a vending machine (yes, you read that right).

Grab Coffee At Cafe Bassam

Bankers Hill in San Diego is one of the more refined neighborhoods in the city. We hesitate to say “elevated”, but you could call it that too, as evidenced by the glimmering new apartment complexes, trendy restaurants, and chic cafes. But this is not a bad thing, Bankers Hill is a great walking neighborhood. Honestly, it might be one of our favorite neighborhoods in San Diego. The streets are quiet and tree-lined and it is within walking distance to plenty to do in the city.

Cafe Bassam in Bankers Hill is an eccentric and old school coffee house that serves great coffee, wine, and beer, alongside a few snacks. It looks as if this was once an old library or antique store that was converted to a coffee shop, but they never removed the antiques or the books. The place has character and an old world vibe that feels more like a European coffee house than a newer coffee shop with white-washed walls and lots and lots of succulents. We dig it.

Walk Over The Quince Street Bridge Above Maple Canyon

The Quince Street Bridge, located at the corner of Quince Street and Fourth Avenue, stretches over the beautiful Maple Canyon in Bankers Hill. This is an old (c. 1905) wooden bridge that traverses one of San Diego’s famous urban canyons and provides great views, both into the canyon and of the surrounding neighborhood. We suggest you hang out for a bit on the bridge – sip a coffee and listen to the sounds of nature right in the middle of the city. If you’re feeling up for it, walk down into the canyon itself on the Maple Canyon Trail. The entrance to the trail is on the western side of the Quince Street Bridge and to the right, here.

The urban canyons in San Diego are such a unique part of the city that surprises many visitors, as well as some locals. There is a whole network of them, many of which you can hike through, traveling from neighborhood to neighborhood without ever setting foot on a street. They are kind of like the Venice Canals, but instead of tetanus-infested waters these are forested canyons ripe with birds, coyotes (only at night), owls (also only at night), and wildflowers.

Learn more about the canyons of our city with San Diego Canyonlands.

Also, the Quince Street Bridge is part of the Seven Bridges Hike in San Diego, which is a great afternoon activity and shows you some of the other canyons throughout the city.

Afternoon

Explore Balboa Park

Balboa Park is rightfully described as the crown jewel of San Diego. Significantly larger than Central Park, Balboa Park is home to seventeen museums, dozens of miles of trails, several large beautiful gardens, two public golf courses, two dank restaurants, and of course the world famous San Diego Zoo. Balboa Park is the true epicenter of San Diego.

Your options for adventures and culture are plentiful in Balboa Park. Some suggestions: try the San Diego Comic Con Museum, the San Diego Museum of Art, the Natural History Museum, the Mingei Musem, or the Fleet Science Center. If you want to keep it outdoors, the Botanical Garden (opening in 2025) or the Japanese Friendship Garden are a good way to spend the time.

If you have the time, the San Diego Zoo is as amazing as people say it is. The botanical diversity throughout the walking paths and trails is so impressive on its own that you kind of don’t even need to see the animals. Ok, you definitely want to see the animals, but the entire experience is beautifully designed, as you truly feel transported to another land. If you do decide on the zoo, just know that tickets are expensive (around $72) and you’ll want a good amount of time there.

Don’t want to check out the museums or zoo? No problem, just go for a stroll. The architecture is exceptional and the gardens beautiful. Take in the view at the California Tower, The Lily Pond, Casa Del Prado, or the Spreckels Organ Pavilion where you might catch a free concert.

We suggest parking near 6th avenue and El Prado which offers a beautiful walk across the Cabrillo Bridge straight into the heart of the park.

Grab Lunch At Panama 66 In Balboa Park

Panama 66 is a great outdoor bar and restaurant that has live music every night, usually jazz or Latin. The patio is surrounded by beautiful columns, with the Balboa Tower in the background, and a grassy lawn and fountain to explore. You’ll often find patrons dancing classic Latin or swing with the live music.

Panama 66 offers a full menu and bar, including sandwiches and burgers, salads, and appetizers. In general, Panama 66 is a fun, lively place to bring friends, family, or even enjoy a moment yourself just listening to the beautiful music, catching the afternoon sun, and sipping a cocktail.

Alternative

Another great neighborhood spot for food and beer near Balboa Park is the North Park Beer Co in Bankers Hill. Head back across the El Prado bridge and north a couple blocks and you are there. North Park Beer Co is one of the best breweries in San Diego and their location in Bankers Hill has a great vibe – think soft yellow lighting, floral green walls, and pub-like furniture. It makes us feel cozy and comfortable and open and airy all at once.

This location also has what we consider one of the best burgers in San Diego. It is a simple backyard BBQ smash burger that your mom would make on a warm summer afternoon while you and your brother were out catching fireflies. Or punching each other in the dick. It’s nostalgic and delicious and the perfect accompaniment to a crispy boy.

Drive To Ocean Beach

Ocean Beach San Diego, not to be confused with Ocean Beach San Francisco, is the quintessential SoCal beach town. It’s what a lot of people imagine when someone mentions SoCal in general – cliffs hanging over the sea, surfers in their old Volkswagen vans, everyone in flip flops, unbuttoned shirts, and bathing suits. Skateboards. Tattoos. The smell of marijuana wafting around. This place is seemingly stuck in the 60s – or perhaps the 90s – it feels kind of like you stepped into a Sublime album – people describe it as funky, but perhaps grungy is a better term. Grungy in a good way. Bottom line, OB is an eclectic place with lots of local So-Cal color and it is our personal go-to beach neighborhood in San Diego.

Newport Ave is the main commercial strip and leads west to the pier. Peruse the scene and get a feel for the place. There are antique stores and surf shops, bars and burrito joints, and plenty of tattoo parlors. Maybe get a “Badfish” tattoo. Maybe buy a necklace from the street vendors near the water.

At the beach itself, there is plenty of space to sit and relax north of the pier and south of the jetty. South of the pier is mostly rocky cliffs so don’t bother. North of the jetty is dog beach which is lovely and wide and has gangs of dogs chasing each other, but it is not as relaxing a place to sit.

Evening

Walk Around Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

Visiting Sunset Cliffs is one of the best things to do in Ocean Beach. It would be a shame to not bring anyone here. Even if they have seen it, go again, because as far as a San Diego sunset goes, this place is the ultimate. You’ll see all the locals and tourists stop what they’re doing during golden hour, migrate towards the cliffs, and enjoy the gorgeous view. It never gets old.

Driving down Sunset Cliffs Blvd, the trails and lookouts along the cliffs will begin at Adair Street. We suggest heading all the way down to the “Stairs Lookout” and park anywhere you can (even on busy days you should find a spot nearby), then walk the trails of the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park and admire the Pacific Ocean views.

There are a few places to hike down to the beaches below. Depending on the tides it is an excellent spot to see some tide pools, maybe check out some cool sea creatures. This area is also a popular spot to explore sea caves, carved out over eons by wind and crashing waves.

Get Tacos At La Dona Restaurant For Dinner

Settle into the vibe of OB (that’s what you’ll call it now) and make your way to La Dona for some delicious tacos. This is a relatively new place (opened in 2020) that has great food, a tiki style beach vibe, lots of places to sit, and tasty margaritas. Owned and operated by chef Gabby Lopez who was born and raised in Tijuana, this place offers some best tacos and Mexican food in Ocean Beach. The menu at La Dona is definitely a step up from the standard fare at other Mexican restaurants and is completely worth it.