If you’re taking a family trip to San Diego to enjoy the warm, beautiful weather and all this Southern California city has to offer, you might also want to find some day trip options.
Making day trips from your original destination might be something you do in the middle of your trip. You might also have your luggage stored and take a day trip before you head to the airport for a red-eye flight after you check out of your hotel.
The following are some of the best day trips from San Diego that are fun, accessible, and family-friendly.
Los Angeles is around two hours north of San Diego, and it’s a massive sprawling city that’s home to the entertainment and music industries, but it’s more than that. Los Angeles offers so many great family options.
You can visit Hollywood, or you can go to Griffith Park and Observatory. There’s also Universal Studios and Rodeo Drive.
The biggest issue when taking a day trip to Los Angeles is deciding where you’ll go when you have a relatively short period of time.
Catalina Island offers two ferry ports from Orange County, so if you’re coming from San Diego, you can be on the Island in a few hours.
In addition to the boat companies that will take you to Catalina, helicopters also make the trip. During the ride over to Catalina, you may spot whales or dolphins.
Once you get there, it’s beautiful and most of the island is owned and protected by the Catalina Island Conservancy. You can rent a golf car to see the island or you could take a glass-bottom boat tour. The island is home to the Zip Line Eco Tour and the Catalina Island Museum. There’s also the Wrigley Museum and Botanic Garden.
Palm Springs will transport you to a different era. Located in the Sonora Desert, which is in the Coachella Valley, Palm Springs is beautiful and is very family-oriented. Palm Springs is around 2 ½ hours north of San Diego, near Joshua Tree State Park.
While the summer months can be very hot, from January to May, the weather is fairly mild and temperatures are usually in the 70s and 80s.
Once you’re there, take a ride through the canyon on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, or visit Knott’s Soak City with your kids.
You can take a trip along the Baja California coast and stop at Mexican towns including Tiajuana, Rosarito Beach, and Puerto Novo.
Tiajuana is especially popular for quick getaways to Mexico, and the food and culture are great, although there is a fairly high crime rate to be aware of.
La Jolla is just around 20 miles from San Diego, and it’s truly stunning. La Jolla is known for some of the best beaches and coastal views you’ll find anywhere in the world.
This seaside community also has idyllic restaurants and fantastic shopping.
For boutique shopping, head La Jolla Village. Along with the high-end boutiques, there are outdoor cafes so you can people watch. If you’re in La Jolla Village at sunset, go to George’s Modern California for views that will take your breath away.
The La Valencia Hotel is a bit of history often known as the Pink Lady. It was built in 1926, and it features courtyards, hand-painted murals, and Spanish mosaics.
The coastline of La Jolla showcases 350 cliffs and sandstone coves, and you can go to the Children’s Pool, which is one such shallow cove that has sea lions and seals regularly hanging out.
Much of daily life in La Jolla is focused on the ocean and water sports, and the temperatures are fairly warm year-round, which facilitates this love for the outdoors.
Carlsbad is an easy day trip from San Diego because it’s the city’s neighbor. Legoland California is the primary tourist attraction in Carlsbad, but there are plenty of other things to do as well.
Carlsbad is known as the Village by the Sea and it offers seven miles of beaches, including the popular and family-friendly Carlsbad State Beach. You can swim, kayak, or windsurf here.
This is where the Carlsbad Seawall is located, which is a four-mile paved path. Carlsbad is good for a family day trip because it’s very walkable as well. You can walk all around the Village of Carlsbad and enjoy shops and dining without ever having to get in your car, and from there, it’s just a two-minute walk to the beach.
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