How to Spend 24 Hours in San Diego

My 2 month trip to the US feels like a lifetime ago now. It’s coming up to five years this Autumn, how crazy is that. I’m hoping next year, I’ll be heading back to California which I honestly think is my favourite place in the world. One of the places I really fell in love with California was San Diego. It was actually here that I decided to stay in California a whole lot longer than originally planned. The sunsets, the beach, the food, the general vibe just hit all my tick boxes.

I actually only spent 2 nights in San Diego and although I would have loved to have spent longer there, you can still see and so so much in even 24 hours.

how to spend 24 Hours in san diego

The first stop in San Diego would be Balboa Park. This park is home to sixteen museums, attractions and beautiful gardens. To be honest, you could spend the whole day here. The place is pretty huge and when I visited, we had a little road train to travel through the park and get from different spots. One of the places we did visit was the Air & Space Museum. I love anything to do with Space and found it absolutely fascinating. Throughout Balboa Park are different gardens such as the Japanese Botanical Gardens and Rose Gardens. It’s a very peaceful place to just wander about and explore.

Also at Balboa Park is the San Diego Zoo. Sadly, I didn’t visit when I was in San Diego but it looks like a pretty amazing Zoo. The San Diego Zoo is included in the San Diego Explorer Pass so if you do a few of the top San Diego attractions you could end up saving a few pennies! The zoo is actually home to Penguins, Koalas, Elephants and Hippos!

You really can’t visit San Diego without going to Belmont Park. This big amusement park is right by Mission Beach and certainly isn’t one to be missed with the huge wooden rollercoaster. A Ride & Play pass at Belmont Park is also included in the San Diego Explorer Pass meaning you can go all the rides! We went on the Big Dipper rollercoaster and I’ve got to say it was pretty thrilling but a little bit bumpy. It also gives some pretty spectacular views over the coastline too. There’s a fair few rides at Belmont Park and even a little crazy golf which is a lot of fun!

Mission Beach really is such a gorgeous place, there’s a few restaurants and bars along the coastline which is the perfect spot for a bite to eat. If you’re lucky you might even spot some dolphins out to sea. It’s truly a magical place and also a great spot for watching the sunset.

If you’re looking for a thrilling afternoon activity, you could hire a boat around the marina. We did this and really was so much fun! There are a few places which you can hire these pontoon styled boats. They don’t go too fast but it’s such a fun activity to drive the boat around the marina are and take in the sights.

Another great activity would be to go Kayaking in La Jolla. La Jolla is gorgeous area within San Diego and I couldn’t recommend visiting enough. It’s slightly more upmarket but honestly the most stunning coastline. You can rent a Kayak for 90 minutes and take in the beautiful sights along the ocean. La Jolla would also be the most incredible place to view the Californian sunset?

The best place to spent the evening in San Diego would be in the Gaslamp District. When in San Diego, I actually stayed in this are and there were so many bars and restaurants around. It was quite the lively area and the perfect place to have a nice meal and a few drinks afterwards. One place I would really recommend is the Coin-Op Games Room which is an arcade style bar. You can grab some food, drinks and play a few games. I was literally obsessed with playing pinball and space invaders! It’s a lot of fun!

There really is quite a lot to see in San Diego but this would be my ideal 24 hours in the area. I’m hoping *fingers crossed* to go back next year as it really is just such a gorgeous area of California. The beaches are just stunning!

Have you been to San Diego before?