Are you wondering what to do with just 4 days in San Diego? This itinerary will hit all the highlights and ensure that you see the very best that San Diego, California has to offer.
San Diego is the perfect place to visit any time of year! Its location in southern California means it has mild winters and plenty of perfect sunny days.
I have family that lives in San Diego and have been visiting since I was little, and it is still one of my favorite places to go.
I recommend that you explore a different area of San Diego each of your 4 days so that you can get the full experience.
San Diego has great beaches, fantastic food, interesting history, and amazing views. No matter what your interests are, you will not regret exploring San Diego.
San Diego 4 Day Itinerary
Day 1: Old Town San Diego
Begin your time in San Diego with a little taste of history by exploring Old Town. I love learning about the local culture anywhere I go such as traditional rope swinging in Iceland or climbing Mayan temples in Mexico, and you get lots of California history and culture in Old Town.
There is so much to see and do around Old Town, you are in for an exciting day. Parking can be a little tricky, but after driving around for 10 minutes, we were able to find a parking spot in the free lot.
Start with a visit to Old Town San Diego State Park. This is a free state park to visit and has lots of little buildings to explore. Step into the San Diego Union Newspaper Museum, and learn about early life in San Diego at La Casa de Estudillo or La Casa de Machado y Silvas, or mosey through the many shops spread throughout the park.
Walk back a few blocks to San Diego Ave and find lunch at one of the many restaurants. My personal favorite is Old Town Mexican Cafe. I have eaten there multiple times and have loved everything I’ve gotten. Most recently, I ordered the Molcajete, and it was delicious.
Across the street is the Whaley House, supposedly the most haunted house in San Diego. You can pop in for a tour, or wait until dark for the late tour.
I was not impressed with the tour, but the rest of my group enjoyed it…but I do not like spooky things at all. I did like learning about the history of the house and the area from the tour guide, so it almost redeemed itself.
Head up the hill and stop at the Mormon Battalion Historic Site for a free tour. Learn about the Mormon Battalion, pan for some gold, and enjoy some air conditioning. This is also a good option if you happen to be there on one of the few rainy days.
Day 2: San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park
You can not go to San Diego without exploring Balboa Park! Balboa Park is 1,200 acres of cultivated green space. It houses 16 museums, 65 miles of trails, and my personal favorite, the San Diego Zoo.
Balboa Park is enormous and you could spend a week just exploring everything in the park, but I have two favorites that you just can’t miss. When you first get there, stroll around El Prado. This area has the most striking array of architecture to enjoy as you walk around.
My favorite area to visit is the Japanese Friendship Garden, similar to the one in San Francisco. This doesn’t open until 10:00, so enjoy the beautiful buildings, flowers, and ponds around El Prado first and then make your way to the Japanese Garden. The whole area is so peaceful and intricately planted.
Then you will want to head over to the world-famous San Diego Zoo. My first visit to the zoo was when I was in grade school and they had two pandas on loan from China. Unfortunately, the pandas have since been returned to China, but the zoo has so many amazing animals and exhibits to see.
Make sure to take advantage of the Skyfari Aerial Tram. This will get you from the back of the zoo in the Northern Frontier area to the front of the zoo…and vice versa.
This is perfect for the end of the day when you are tired from walking around, or for the middle of your visit for a well-deserved break.
If you are not interested in zoos, you can spend the afternoon exploring one of the other fascinating museums in Balboa Park, such as the San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego Museum of Art, Space Center-Balboa Park, or the Women’s Museum of California.
If you plan to visit multiple museums instead of going to the zoo, you should check out the Balboa Park Explorer Pass. This pass allows you to get into 4 museums in one day for one discounted price.
Day 3: Whale Watching/Beach and USS Midway
San Diego is situated right on the coast and is a great place for whale watching. I missed out on whale watching while visiting the Westman Islands in Iceland, but San Diego proved to be an amazing experience.
You do not want to miss out on this opportunity to view these majestic animals in their natural habitat! Gray whales migrate past San Diego in the winter and spring. If you visit in the summer or fall, you have the chance to see blue whales, humpback whales, fin whales, and minke whales.
I went on a morning whale-watching tour with Flagship Cruises in January and it was fantastic. We saw at least 11 gray whales and over 400 dolphins.
It was a phenomenal experience, and the best part is that the captain of our ship was very conscious of the whales. He made sure to stay out of their way and even tried to tell other whale-watching tours to follow the rules and give the whales their space.
We were out on the water all morning and it couldn’t have been a better trip. They said it was the best tour they have ever had…and I was lucky enough to be on it.
The dolphins were playing with the whales and playing with the wakes of the ship. We even got to see a group of 5 whales swimming together. I highly recommend Flagship Cruises because they give a great tour while being conscientious of the wild animals.
If you don’t want to splurge on whale watching, another great way to enjoy the ocean is a nice morning at the beach. There are many fantastic beaches around San Diego to choose from.
La Jolla Cove is known for its clear water, which is great for snorkeling and swimming. Mission Beach has beautiful sand, beach volleyball courts, and lifeguard towers. Cardiff State Beach is great for boogie boarding and surfing.
**Note: If you want to go to Cardiff State Beach, pair it with Torrey Pines as they are close together and do the whale-watching with Cabrillo National Park.
The whale-watching tour is just down the pier from the USS Midway Museum. Before heading over to explore this extraordinary aircraft carrier, stop and grab lunch at one of the many places along the Embarcadero. I got nachos from Carnitas’ Snack Shack and found a little table by the water to eat at.
After enjoying your lunch near the ocean, make your way to the USS Midway and spend the afternoon exploring the ship. Walk below the deck and see the different rooms in the aircraft carrier.
It is a fun way to learn about history and very interesting to see how aircraft carriers function. There are lots of stairs and it is a large ship to explore, so make sure to wear good walking shoes.
Day 4: Cabrillo National Monument and Torrey Pines
On your final day in San Diego, you will get to explore more of the natural beauty of San Diego. The last time I visited San Diego, we were gifted extra time to explore because our plane was delayed. We got to visit Cabrillo National Monument for the first time and I’m so glad we didn’t miss out!
When planning what order to explore on Day 4, make sure to check out when low tide will be, because that will be when you want to visit Cabrillo National Monument so you can fully explore the tide pools.
When I went to the Cabrillo Tide Pools, we weren’t planning on going (remember, the plan was to be on a plane at that point), so I didn’t do this research before going and we went when it was closer to high tide and we didn’t get to see very many creatures.
Cabrillo National Monument has so much to explore, you could spend the whole day there (other than there aren’t any food options). Plan your visit around the timing of the tide pools.
Parking by the tide pools can fill up fast, so be prepared to wait or do a little extra walking. I couldn’t find parking when we went, so we parked farther down the road and walked along the Coastal Trail. The trail was easy and it is also a good vantage point to see whales and dolphins!
Stop at the Visitor Center to learn about the discovery of San Diego. Explore Old Point Loma Lighthouse and learn about life as a lighthouse keeper.
Visit Battery Ashburn and learn about the importance of Point Loma in defending San Diego. Enjoy the most amazing view across the bay of San Diego from the Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo Statue.
If you have more time or plan to spend the whole day at Cabrillo National Monument, hike the Bayside Trail for stunning ocean-side views.
After you’ve explored Cabrillo National Park, head back into town for a bite to eat. As you leave, you will pass by the cemetery with its rows and rows of white headstones.
After you eat lunch, head north until you get to Torrey Pines State National Reserve, a beautiful area full of hiking, nature, and impressive cliffs.
There is something serene about watching the waves crashing into the cliffs. I loved the picture-perfect cliffs in Torrey Pines that are so different from the cliffs at Dyrhólaey in Iceland, but just as beautiful.
We saw lots of people parking outside the park and walking in so they didn’t have to pay the entrance fee, but we decided to pay and drive through. The hike up to the Visitor Center is only 1 mile, but it is uphill the whole way.
Torry Pines has 8 miles of trails winding through the hills and down to the cliffs. The trails are easy to follow and they have a good variety of beginner hikes and some that are more difficult.
The views are amazing and I was told you can see whales and dolphins from the lookouts. I didn’t see any while I was there, but that was okay because we saw so many up close on our boat tour.
Torrey Pines is the perfect stop if you are planning to continue north along the coast for the two-hour drive to spend some time exploring Los Angeles.
How to Get Around San Diego
San Diego is a big city that is spread out. You can easily use public transportation to get to Old Town, Balboa Park, Whale Watching, and the USS Midway.
You can use public transportation to get to Cabrillo National Monument, but it takes twice as long as driving.
Over the years of visiting San Diego I have used rideshare, such as Uber or Lyft, but spending 4 days in San Diego, I recommend renting a car so you can easily get around and make the most of your short time in this spectacular city.
Where to Stay in San Diego
I usually stay with family when I visit San Diego, but on a few special occasions, we have stayed in hotels.
For a unique experience, stay at the Hotel de Coronado on Coronado Island. There is so much history in the building and it is right on the beach, which is an added bonus.
FAQ about visiting San Diego
Is 4 days in San Diego enough?
Yes. You can see the highlights of San Diego in 4 days, but I recommend longer if you have time. There is so much to see and the weather is amazing.
How many days do you need in San Diego?
4 days is enough time to see the essentials in San Diego. There is so much to explore that you could spend a whole week and not get bored. If you have only a day or two, I recommend Old Town and Cabrillo National Monument.
Is San Diego worth visiting?
Yes! San Diego is an amazing place to visit. The weather is great, the beaches are beautiful, and there is plenty of culture and history to explore.
When is the best time to visit San Diego?
San Diego has delightful weather year-round. I love going in the winter to escape the cold weather at home, but it is only warm enough to get in the ocean if you have a wet suit.
Where is San Diego?
San Diego is located in southern California, just 17 miles away from the Mexican border. On my last visit there, my phone welcomed me to the Mexican mobile network while out whale watching.
It is located right along the coast. In fact, you can easily walk to the ocean from the airport and watch the sailboats come in and out of the harbor.
When to Visit San Diego
San Diego is delightful to visit anytime as it stays in the 60s-70s in the winter and 70s-80s in the summer. There are plenty of activities to do year-round, making it the perfect place to explore anytime you come.
In Short: San Diego Itinerary 4 Days
San Diego is a dream to visit! There are so many fun things to explore during your 4 days in San Diego. Hopefully, this itinerary has given you some good ideas and makes you excited to spend some time in “Sunny San Diego”.
If you don’t have as much time to experience San Diego, you can easily pare down the list to the things that sound most interesting to you.
Author Bio:
Elizabeth is the mother of two children, wife to an amazing husband, and the creator of the Tall Adventure Fam Blog. She decided that traveling was more fun than therapy, and now she travels with her family as much as possible. She decided she wanted to share their travel experiences so other families could see what is possible as weekend-warrior travelers and get out and enjoy the world around them. She loves exploring around her home in Utah and loves adventures in new places.
Please visit:
Our Sponsor