Must-see attractions in San Diego

  • San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, an historic building at 404 Third Ave. in Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego, California, USA.  Built in 1927 as The Chinese Mission Building, this California Mission Revival-style building was designed by the architect Louis Gill and was moved to this site in 1995.   The museum's exhibits share the heritage of San Diego's Chinese community and the essence of Chinese arts and culture.
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    San Diego Chinese Historical Museum

    San Diego

    The historic heart of San Diego’s Chinese community is 3rd Ave. Immigrants were once taught English and religion in the Chinese Mission Building, built in…

  • AHJ0B3 The Centro Cultural de la Raza Balboa Park San Diego California

Centro Cultural de la Raza

    Centro Cultural de la Raza

    San Diego

    The center hosts powerful exhibitions of Mexican and Native American art, including temporary exhibits of contemporary indigenous artwork, dance, theater…

  • 2E5BKXB Young couple silhouettes on the Silver Strand Beach wet sand  watching the sunset at Coronado Island, San Diego Southern California USA.

    Silver Strand State Beach

    San Diego

    Less than 5 miles south of Coronado Municipal Beach, Silver Strand State Beach offers space from the crowds of the main city beaches. The strand’s long,…

  • San Diego, California, United States, North America
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    San Diego Automotive Museum

    San Diego

    This museum has a permanent collection of dozens of cars and motorcycles, perfectly restored and well displayed, with classics including a 1981 De Lorean,…

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    Carlsbad Ranch Flower Fields

    San Diego

    The 50-acre flower fields of Carlsbad Ranch are ablaze in a sea of the carmine, saffron and snow-white blossoms of giant tecolote ranunculus. Take the…

  • Casa del Prado building in Balbao Park.; Shutterstock ID 1519883303; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Casa del Prado

    San Diego

    An ornate reconstruction of a building to honor the 1915 Panama–California Exposition fair held in San Diego. It's not possible to go inside the building,…

  • San Diego, CA / USA - December 25 2018: San Diego History Center building at Balboa Park; Shutterstock ID 1278624472; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update
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    San Diego Model Railroad Museum

    San Diego

    Your (inner) four-year-old child will love this railroad museum; one of the largest indoor railroad museums in the world, it has some 27,000 sq ft of…

  • Ocean Beach, California - December 12, 2017: Romantic couple in a hammock under the Ocean Beach Pier watching a colorful sunset.

    Ocean Beach Pier

    San Diego

    This half-mile-long pier has all the architectural allure of a freeway ramp, but at its end you’ll have a great perspective on the coast. There’s also a…

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    San Elijo Lagoon

    San Diego

    One of the town's main draws is this 979-acre ecological preserve popular with bird-watchers for its herons, coots, terns, ducks, egrets and more than 250…

  • La Jolla, California USA - July 24, 2021: The Athenaeum Music and Arts Library in La Jolla, California.; Shutterstock ID 2013494396; GL: 65050; netsuite: Online editorial; full: POI updates: San Diego; name: Ann Douglas Lott
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    Athenaeum

    La Jolla

    Housed in a graceful Spanish renaissance structure, this space is devoted exclusively to art and music. Its reading room is a lovely place to relax and…

  • Stretch of beach in the northern portion of coastal San Diego County in the city of Carlsbad.
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    Carlsbad Coast

    San Diego

    Carlsbad’s long, sandy beaches are great for walking and searching for seashells. Good access is from Carlsbad Blvd, two blocks south of Carlsbad Village…

  • Surfers at Cardiff State Beach in Cardiff by the Sea, San Diego, California, USA.
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    Cardiff State Beach

    San Diego

    Just south of Cardiff-by-the-Sea, the surf break on the reef here is mostly popular with longboarders, but it gets very good at low tide with a big north…

  • San Elijo State Beach, Encinitas CA

    San Elijo State Beach

    San Diego

    A little north of Cardiff State Beach, San Elijo State Beach has good winter waves and $10 parking all day Monday to Thursday, $12 all day Friday through…

  • MW2T9A the Firehouse Museum, San Diego, California

    Firehouse Museum

    San Diego

    This museum preserves a historic collection of fire-fighting equipment and has exhibits depicting some of San Diego’s ‘hottest’ moments from the late…

  • SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 17, 2018:  The Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater in Balboa Park, North America's longest continually-running puppet theater, with shows beginning in 1945 after WWII.; Shutterstock ID 1027095214; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater

    San Diego

    This theater in the Palisades Building puts on terrific hand and rod puppet and marionette shows for the little ones. There have been puppet shows here…

  • March 19, 2019 San Diego / CA / USA - Landscape in Japanese Friendship Garden during the Cherry Blossom Festival in Balboa Park; Shutterstock ID 1349470580; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Japanese Friendship Garden

    San Diego

    Designed using the simple principles of Japanese gardening, this well-maintained quiet garden includes flowers like the cherry blossom.

  • University of California San Diego

    La Jolla

    UCSD was established in 1960 and now has more than 30,000 students and a strong reputation, particularly for mathematics and science. It lies on rolling…

  • Self-Realization Fellowship Retreat

    San Diego

    Yogi Paramahansa Yogananda founded his center here in 1937, and the town has been a magnet for holistic healers and natural-lifestyle seekers ever since…

  • Whaley House

    San Diego

    Two blocks from the Old Town perimeter sits the city’s oldest brick building (circa 1856), officially certified as haunted by the US Department of…

  • Longshadow Ranch

    San Diego

    A nice stop if you’ve got children in tow; the kids can look at Clydesdales at this 'Old West'-style tasting room, while mommy and daddy sip. They have…

  • San Diego Botanic Garden

    San Diego

    This 37-acre garden has a large collection of California native plants as well as flora of different regions of the world, including Australia and Central…

  • Hillcrest Farmers Market

    San Diego

    More than 150 vendors tout their wares at this friendly Sunday market, with an emphasis on fresh local produce, arts, crafts, flowers and gifts. Plus…

  • Leoness Cellars

    San Diego

    Twenty minutes' drive from Front St, this winery offers award-winning viognier and melange de rêves, plus sweeping views from its sort-of-Teutonic tower.

  • Wilson Creek

    San Diego

    This place makes almond champagne (infused with almond oil in the fermentation process) and a chocolate-infused port.

  • Ocean Beach Farmers Market

    San Diego

    If you’re here on Wednesday afternoon, stop by the farmers market to see street performers and sample fresh food.

  • La Jolla Historical Society

    La Jolla

    This place has vintage photos and beach memorabilia, plus regular exhibitions from classic cars to architecture.

  • EGX26Y View of the Junipero Serra Museum building in the morning. Presidio Park,  San Diego, California, United States.

Presidio Hill

    Presidio Hill

    San Diego

    In 1769 Padre Junípero Serra and Gaspar de Portolá established the first Spanish settlement in California overlooking the valley of the San Diego River…

  • Balboa Park with buildings reflected in still water.

    Casa de Balboa

    San Diego

    The Casa de Balboa has a fabled past. A Spanish renaissance-style structure was built in this very spot for Balboa's 1915 exposition. It burned down in…

  • The Spanish Village Art Center in Balboa Park

    Spanish Village Art Center

    San Diego

    This cluster of exuberantly painted cottages built in 1935 to resemble a traditional Spanish village is now home to 37 artist studios and galleries…

  • Marston House
Rose garden in San Diego architectural building structure in the center.; Shutterstock ID 101095612; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Marston House

    San Diego

    In the far northwestern corner of Balboa Park is the former home of George Marston, philanthropist and founder of the San Diego Historical Society. Built…

  • Oceanside Pier at Sunset
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    Oceanside Pier

    San Diego

    This wooden pier extends more than 1900ft out to sea. Bait-and-tackle shops rent poles to the many anglers who line its wooden fences (per hour/day $5/15)…

  • Oceanside, CA - July 2, 2022: Main building for Oceanside Museum of Art with glass windows and walls.; Shutterstock ID 2177606593; GL: 65050; netsuite: Online editorial; full: POI updates: San Diego; name: Ann Douglas Lott
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    Oceanside Museum of Art

    San Diego

    This museum underwent a recent revamp and it now stands at an impressive 16,000 sq ft in a modernist, white shell. There are about 10 rotating exhibits a…

  • El Campo Santo Cemetery in San Diego Old Town, California, USA. September 24th 2016; Shutterstock ID 1418869535; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    El Campo Santo

    San Diego

    Continuing east, after San Diego Ave forks right at Conde St, you’ll find this cemetery which dates from 1849. It is the resting place of some 20 souls, a…

  • House of Pacific Relations International cultural cottages set in Balboa Park in San Diego, CA - stock photo

House of Pacific Relations

    House of Pacific Relations

    San Diego

    Here are 15 cottages from the 1915 exposition, inside which you will find furnishings and displays from various countries, plus about 15 cottages built…

  • Boutiques with round roofs in Cedros shopping district, San Diego
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    Cedros Design District

    San Diego

    A cluster of furniture, interior and design shops, plus a few restaurants, entertainment venues and galleries.

  • San Diego, California, USA – August 3, 2017: Horizontal view of the 1910 Balboa Park Carousel in motion ; Shutterstock ID 1365376670; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Carousel

    San Diego

    A traditional carousel dating back to 1910, offering 5-minute rides on colorfully painted animals.

  • SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA/USA - FEBRUARY 03, 2018:  Many people play with their dogs near the rock jetty at the water's edge of Dog Beach, one of the first official leash-free beaches in the U.S.; Shutterstock ID 1048968695; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Dog Beach

    San Diego

    Your pooch can go leash free at this sandy spot in Ocean Beach. A large parking area is available.

  • Salk Institute

    La Jolla

    In 1960 Jonas Salk, the polio-prevention pioneer, founded the Salk Institute for biological and biomedical research. San Diego County donated 27 acres of…

  • Batiquitos Lagoon

    San Diego

    One of the last remaining tidal wetlands in California, Batiquitos Lagoon separates Carlsbad from Encinitas. A self-guided tour lets you explore area…