San Diego
All travel Destination Guide

Things to Do in San Diego

Everything you need for an unforgettable San Diego trip — skip-the-line tickets, airport transfers, hotels, car hire and cheap flights, all in one place.

San Diego is one of the world's most rewarding destinations — and planning your trip is simple when tickets, transfers, stays and flights all live in one place. Below you'll find hand-picked San Diego experiences and travel deals from trusted booking partners, refreshed regularly so you always see live availability and fair prices.

Where to stay

Hotels in San Diego: see today's live prices

Browse every hotel in San Diego on Trip.com with today's real prices, guest reviews and free cancellation on most rooms.

See hotels on Trip.com

Best areas to stay in San Diego

Pick the neighbourhood that fits your trip, then compare live hotel prices.

Area photos: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)

Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego
1 Gaslamp Quarter$$$
First-timers & nightlife

Lively nightlife, dining, central location

Walk to Downtown, Petco Park, and the Convention Center, with easy access to the trolley and airport transit.

Hotels in Gaslamp Quarter
Downtown / Little Italy, San Diego
2 Downtown / Little Italy$$$
Foodies & city access

Urban, walkable, restaurant-rich

Little Italy offers great dining and bay views, while Downtown puts you near the trolley, Seaport Village, and major attractions.

Hotels in Downtown
Mission Bay / Pacific Beach, San Diego
3 Mission Bay / Pacific Beach$$
Beach lovers & families

Beachy, casual, active

Stay near Mission Bay Park, beaches, and waterfront paths, with quick drives to SeaWorld and good bus connections.

Hotels in Mission Bay
La Jolla, San Diego
La Jolla$$$
Scenic stays & couples

Upscale, scenic, relaxed

Close to La Jolla Cove, beaches, and cliffs, with easy access to UC San Diego and coastal bus routes.

Browse San Diego hotels
In season now · October

Halloween & ghost tours in San Diego

Spooky walks, haunted history and night tours. Book early, these sell out fast this time of year.

Before you fly

Your San Diego trip checklist

0/3 done
  • Book with Airalo
  • Book with Kiwitaxi
  • Book with Viator

How much does a San Diego trip cost?

Adjust your trip and the estimate updates instantly.

Nights

4

Travellers

2

Travel style

Currency

  • HotelTypical

    4 nights × 1 room

    $1,000
  • Airport transfersTypical

    Return trip × 1 car

    $220
  • Tours & ticketsTypical

    4 days × 2 people

    $600
  • Food & drinksTypical

    4 days × 2 people

    $600
  • Local transportTypical

    4 days × 2 people

    $160

Estimated total

$1,290 per person

$2,580

Typical costs are researched estimates, refreshed monthly. "Live" prices come from current partner fares. Exchange rates update daily.

Things to Do in San Diego

Tours, tickets and attractions

San Diego Sunset Cruise from Mission Bay
ExperiencesFree cancellation San Diego
Viator

San Diego Sunset Cruise from Mission Bay

4.4(334 reviews)· 1h 15m

Join us for our Sunset Cruise departing from the picturesque Mission Bay in San Diego, CA. Experience the unmatched beauty of a California sunset while enjoying the serenity of being out on the water. It's the perfect opportunity to relax and unwind after a long day. Don't miss the chance to visit

from$47
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Tours & Day Trips in San Diego
ExperiencesInstant confirmation San Diego
KKday

Tours & Day Trips in San Diego

Find tours, day trips and attraction tickets in San Diego with KKday — instant confirmation on most bookings.

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Skip-the-Line Tickets in San Diego
ExperiencesSkip-the-line entry San Diego
Tiqets

Skip-the-Line Tickets in San Diego

Museums, landmarks and top attractions in San Diego — instant mobile tickets with Tiqets, skip the queue.

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Things to Do in San Diego
ExperiencesBest-price guarantee San Diego
Klook

Things to Do in San Diego

Book top tours, attractions and activities in San Diego with Klook — instant mobile tickets and a best-price guarantee.

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Top attractions & tours in San Diego
Experiences San Diego
Trip.com

Top attractions & tours in San Diego

Skip-the-line tickets, day trips and tours in San Diego, with instant confirmation.

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San Diego Harbor Dinner Cruise
ExperiencesFree cancellation San Diego
Viator

San Diego Harbor Dinner Cruise

4.1(1,366 reviews)· 3h

Enjoy a 2.5-hour cruise aboard one of San Diego's finest dining vessels. Spend the evening in luxury as you dine on a gourmet dinner , sip on a complimentary cocktail and enjoy the music throughout the night. Upgrade your dinner cruise to include an unlimited bar ($40)option and don't forget your ca

from$126
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San Diego Whale Watching & Dolphin Cruise
ExperiencesFree cancellation San Diego
Viator

San Diego Whale Watching & Dolphin Cruise

4.6(1,772 reviews)· 2h

Set sail from scenic Mission Bay and encounter some of the ocean’s most awe-inspiring creatures on a 2–3 hour whale-watching adventure in San Diego. Time can vary based on the season and locations of sightings. In just 10 minutes, you’ll leave the bay behind and be out in the open Pacific, scanning

from$71
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San Diego: 2.5-3 Hour Whale Watch Cruise with Legacy Whale Watch
ExperiencesFree cancellation San Diego
Viator

San Diego: 2.5-3 Hour Whale Watch Cruise with Legacy Whale Watch

4.6(418 reviews)· 2h 30m

You’ll experience one of the best San Diego whale watching tours aboard the spacious 80-foot Legacy, departing from Mission Bay just minutes from the open Pacific for faster access to whale sightings. You’ll begin spotting seabirds, sea lions, and coastal wildlife before you even leave the bay, then

from$34
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San Diego Hop On Hop Off Trolley Tour
ExperiencesFree cancellation San Diego
Viator

San Diego Hop On Hop Off Trolley Tour

4.7(2,884 reviews)· 2h

Discover San Diego at your leisure with a unique tour around "America's Finest City". Create your own itinerary to see the most popular sights of San Diego and Coronado at your own pace hopping on and off with the options that best suit your interests.

from$57
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San Diego Harbor Cruise
ExperiencesFree cancellation San Diego
Viator

San Diego Harbor Cruise

4.5(3,354 reviews)· 2h

Take a 1- or 2-hour relaxing harbor cruise through the bay of San Diego, featuring unforgettable views of San Diego's skyline. This fully narrated tour will take you to all the places you want to see with time to spare! Enjoy live commentary that will give you a background, history and highlights of

from$37
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Taste of Little Italy in San Diego
ExperiencesFree cancellation San Diego
Viator

Taste of Little Italy in San Diego

5.0(1,075 reviews)· 3h 30m

During this tour, you will learn about the rich history, culture, and architecture of the area from one of our highly trained guides throughout the way. Taste samples and enjoy specially created dishes at locally owned restaurants. The tour lasts 3 hours long.

from$93
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Taco Tuesday Hop to Tijuana from San Diego
ExperiencesFree cancellation San Diego
Viator

Taco Tuesday Hop to Tijuana from San Diego

4.8(132 reviews)· 6h

The Tijuana city it’s waiting crossing the border from San Diego, since 1889 has been growing and in the different neighborhoods of the city you can find different kind of tacos. The taco can be adapted to the occasion and the hour of the day. Early in the morning the mexican breakfast  it’s the bir

from$83
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Airport Transfers in San Diego

Get from the airport to your hotel, hassle-free

Airport Transfers in San Diego
TransferFixed price, no surge San Diego
Kiwitaxi

Airport Transfers in San Diego

Pre-book a private airport transfer in San Diego with Kiwitaxi — fixed price, flight tracking and no surge pricing.

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Where to Stay in San Diego

Hand-picked stays and live rates

Hotels in San Diego
HotelLive hotel prices San Diego
Trip.com

Hotels in San Diego

Browse every hotel in San Diego with today's real prices, guest reviews and free-cancellation options.

from$67
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Car Hire in San Diego

Compare rental cars at great prices

Car Hire in San Diego with GetRentacar
CarFree cancellation San Diego
GetRentacar

Car Hire in San Diego with GetRentacar

Compare rental cars from local and global suppliers in San Diego, with free cancellation on most bookings.

from$32/day
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Cheapest car hire in San Diego

Live rates at San Diego International Airport, from US$41/day. Change the dates to compare every partner.

3 days
Cheapest
Toyota Yaris

Toyota Yaris

Small car · or similar

3.8
41Automatic
  • Includes Additional Liability Insurance
  • Instant confirmation
  • 0 excess
Europcar

Europcar

via Trip.com

US$41/day

≈ US$123 for 3 days

View deal
Nissan Versa

Nissan Versa

High-end · or similar

52Automatic
  • Instant confirmation
  • Unlimited mileage
  • Full to Full
U-Save

U-Save

via Trip.com

US$41/day

≈ US$123 for 3 days

View deal
Jeep Compass

Jeep Compass

Compact SUV · or similar

3.8
54Automatic
  • Includes Additional Liability Insurance
  • Instant confirmation
  • 0 excess
Europcar

Europcar

via Trip.com

US$44/day

≈ US$132 for 3 days

View deal
Toyota Camry

Toyota Camry

Full-size · or similar

3.8
53Automatic
  • Includes Additional Liability Insurance
  • Instant confirmation
  • 0 excess
Europcar

Europcar

via Trip.com

US$46/day

≈ US$138 for 3 days

View deal
See all 35 cars and 5 partners

Compare car & bike rentals for San Diego

5 trusted brands side by side. Check two or three to get the best deal.

QEEQ

Best for: Lowest price search

Cars · Worldwide

Low-price search

Economybookings

Best for: All-inclusive pricing

Cars · 30,000+ locations

No hidden fees

GetRentacar

Best for: Flexible bookings

Cars · 10,000+ locations

from $32/day

Free cancellation

Trip.com

Best for: Big-brand airport rentals

Cars · Worldwide airports

Free cancellation on most cars

Localrent

Best for: Islands & local deals

Cars · Europe, Asia & islands

Local prices

Find the cheapest eSIM for San Diego

Real plan prices from each brand, cheapest first, for plans that last your whole trip.

Prices checked under 1h ago on each brand's site. Prices may change at checkout.

San Diego travel FAQ

What are the best things to do in San Diego?

The most popular San Diego experiences are skip-the-line attraction tickets, guided city tours and day trips. You can book them above with instant mobile tickets from trusted partners like Tiqets and Klook — no printing required.

How do I get from the airport to my hotel in San Diego?

A pre-booked private transfer is the easiest way to reach your San Diego hotel. You'll find fixed-price, meet-and-greet airport transfers in the section above, so there's no haggling with taxis when you land.

When is the best time to visit San Diego?

San Diego rewards visitors year-round, but the shoulder-season months usually offer the best mix of pleasant weather, thinner crowds and lower prices. Compare live hotel and flight prices above to find the cheapest dates for your trip.

Do I need a visa to visit San Diego?

Visa rules depend on your nationality and how long you stay, so always check your government's official travel advice before booking. Many travellers can enter visa-free or with a quick electronic authorisation.

How many days should I spend in San Diego?

Most travellers spend 3–5 days in San Diego to see the highlights without rushing. Booking your tours and transfers in advance helps you make the most of every day on the ground.

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