With lively neighborhoods, an internationally renowned craft beer scene, and one of the world’s most beautiful urban parks, there’s a whole lot of San Diego to explore beyond its famous beaches. Experience this dynamic city as you prowl the vibrant Gaslamp Quarter and see the exotic animals at the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park.
Stay in a stylish Gaslamp Quarter hotel
To find the most happening spots in San Diego, sometimes you have to look up. That’s certainly true at the Pendry San Diego, where the rooftop Pool House lets you bask in the city’s perfect weather by day and a cool lounge scene after dark. Stop into Provisional, the hotel’s combination restaurant and marketplace, for all-day dining and to shop for housewares.
Explore San Diego’s hottest entertainment district
Proving that the hip and historic are hardly incompatible, the Gaslamp Quarter combines beautifully restored 19th-century buildings and 21st-century nightlife. Dine on chef Leyla Javadov’s innovative (and healthy!) cuisine at Café 21, which features live music every day. Or check out the action on all three levels at The Tipsy Crow, a sports bar, pub, and club all in one.
Stroll El Prado in Balboa Park
Lined with museums housed in elaborate Spanish Colonial Revival buildings inspired by landmarks in Spain and Mexico, El Prado is the romantic heart of Balboa Park. The dazzling films at the San Diego Natural History Museum’s The Subaru 3D Experience will transport you into the planet’s most spectacular natural settings. Or lose yourself in an exotic world of cycads, orchids, and ferns at the historic Botanical Building. (And don’t forget to take a selfie along its lily pond.)
See the menagerie at the San Diego Zoo
Sure, you’ll find lions and tigers and bears, but the San Diego Zoo also has its beloved koalas, viewable at eye-level from an elevated walkway as they munch on eucalyptus. Catch glimpses of African penguins, baboons, crocodiles, and leopards at the newest exhibit, Africa Rocks, and for one of San Diego’s best views, ride high on the Skyfari Aerial Tram—also a great way to get across the zoo’s lush and verdant 100 acres.
Eat chicken fried by a celebrity chef
Proving that there’s more to the Little Italy district than pasta, former Top Chef winner Richard Blais takes fried chicken and eggs to a whole new level at The Crack Shack. Hang out on the patio at this rustic chic spot and play some bocce, then bite into such irresistible sandwiches as the Coop Deville (fried chicken, pickled chilies, lime mayo on brioche) or The Royale (chicken sausage, egg, and smoked Cheddar on an English muffin). And don’t forget the deviled eggs.
Raise a glass at Ballast Point
Celebrated for its West Coast–style Double IPAs, San Diego is consistently ranked as one of America’s top craft beer cities. Order up a flight and taste your way through some of the city’s best brews at Ballast Point’s Little Italy brewery, tasting room, and restaurant. Make a reservation in The Kettle Room, where the prix fixe menu features dishes perfectly paired with Ballast Point beers.