24 Hours in San Diego | One Day in this Magical City

San Diego has to be one of my favourite cities in the USA. From the chilled-out vibe to the attractions and scenic Californian views, you can easily find something to keep coming back to. With the location too, a lot of travellers stop by here on their way to LA or further up the coast. If you are one of those, then this 24 hours in San Diego itinerary is for you.

If you want to spend longer here, check out my popular 3 days in San Diego itinerary. That post also covers where to stay and how to get to the city.

24 Hours in San Diego | One Day in this Magical City

Morning

Assuming that you have arrived early and dropped your bags at the hotel, it is time to head out to explore the city. Your first stop has to be the world-famous San Diego Zoo. In all honesty, you could easily spend a day here, but we’ll limit you to the morning. Explore all of the exhibits and come face-to-face with flamingos, hippos and even polar bears.

The zoo is in Balboa Park, which is a large green space North West in the city. I would highly recommend a quick stroll here to take it all in. You could also stop at some of the many attractions here too / instead of the zoo. You’ll find the Natural History Museum, the Comic Con Museum and the gorgeous Botanical Building here.

For lunch, it is a short journey to the famous Little Italy. Here you will find some of the tastiest Italian food in California and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. It is also a fun and bustling area filled with lots of quirky features. If you had the time, you can also quickly explore Amici Park.

Afternoon

San Diego is famous for its Naval heritage and no visit is complete without a trip to the USS Midway Museum. Step onboard the longest-serving aircraft carrier in the USA and go on a tour. It is all narrated by previous Midway servicemen and gives you a fantastic insight into the life of a sailor. There are also really cool flight simulators!

After you have imagined sailing the seven seas and strolled down the seafront, it is time to leave the main city. No 24 hours in San Diego is complete without a trip to the fabled La Jolla. It genuinely was the highlight of my trip to California. The road will take about 20 minutes by Uber and there is not a lot to do when you get to La Jolla. Instead, relax on the beach and immerse yourself in the wildlife. We were lucky enough to see sealions, dolphins and even ospreys up close. You can find out more about our visit to La Jolla here.

Evening

In the evening, you have a few choices. La Jolla is a perfect place to enjoy a picnic and the town has a fair few restaurants. If however you wanted to get back to the main city, I would recommend the Old Town. At night this place comes alive and you can see the old Mexican heritage here. As well as this, the Mexican food in this part of California is arguably the best around. Make sure that you try as many different dishes as you can; you won’t be disappointed.

After eating Mexican food and drinking a shameless amount of margaritas, head back to the hotel. Lay back and reminisce about your 24 hours in San Diego, and plan your next visit.

Final Thoughts | 24 Hours in San Diego

This post covers the things that you simply must do in San Diego with only 24 hours. I hope that you found this useful and helpful. As always, if you have any questions or if I’ve left any must-do activities, just let me know.