Mentioned by La Jolla Mom
10 Best Beaches in La Jolla for Families, Surfing, & More
"Watch the pandas cuddle and the polar bears swim, then go next door to Balboa Park for lunch at Panama 66, a sculpture garden-restaurant with hot sandwiches and a terrific tap list. Your first stop for an afternoon of museum-hopping is to peruse the minor masterpieces at the San Diego Museum of Art. Study humankind at the San Diego Museum of Man, marvel at aeronautic engineering in the San Diego Air and Space Museum, then catch your breath in the Botanical Building."
"Like no place else in the country, Balboa Park offers a magnificent combination of art, architecture, history and agriculture in one expansive park. Spanning approximately 1,200 acres, Balboa Park was once known as City Park and was founded more than 125 years ago. Today, the park is home to 15 museums, theaters, marvelous gardens, restaurants, shopping and the world-famous San Diego Zoo."
"It’s located in Balboa Park which also features a lot of great museums, such as the Science Center and Natural History Museum. If you have little kids you can also consider visiting the carousel and miniature railroad."
"Belmont Park opened for business in 1925 and remains San Diego’s oldest and only beachside amusement park. Things to do at Belmont Park include a ride on the historic Giant Dipper roller coaster, miniature golf, laser tag, arcade games, and a handful of other rides. It’s free to enter and walk through the midway full of pay-to-play carnival games and you can also grab a Dole Whip, giant ice cream cone, hot dog or other quick-service treats."
"Perched steps from the sand of Mission Beach, Belmont Park is fun for Dole Whip, carnival games, rides and more. Play arcade games, ride the historic Giant Dipper roller coaster and dine at one of the ten places to eat. Head here also for a little bit of beachside shopping for swimwear and funky souvenirs."
"This oceanfront amusement park offers thrilling rides and a boardwalk where you can soak in the sun at the beach or go surfing or swimming in the ocean. The most famous ride is the Giant Dipper roller coaster. Keep fit while indulging in activities like rock climbing, rock wall, zip line, and sky rope."
"Located in the southwest corner of San Diego, the Tijuana Estuary is a wetlands area with beach, dune, mudflat, salt marsh, riparian, coastal sage scrub, and upland habitats that are free to explore. Start at the Visitor Center to learn about the trails, flora and fauna (many are rare or endangered), and various things to do during your visit. Kids can earn junior rangers here and they offer a variety of environmental education resources online."
"At the southernmost tip of San Diego is one of the most serene places that few people know about. Where the Tijuana River meets the sea is where you’ll find the Tijuana Slough with over 2,000 acres of wetlands. Over 370 bird species have been observed there with 5 of them being endangered species that are regularly seen."
"Way down in sometimes-forgotten Imperial Beach is found a favorite landscape for many people in San Diego. This Tijuana Estuary is connected to some couple of parks. You are going to find amazing places such as Tijuana River County Open Space Reserve and Border Field State Park."
"This whopping 5,800-acre natural preserve is inside San Diego’s city limits to the northeast, and is the sixth-largest municipal park in the United States. Snaking off into this rugged wilderness of scrubby hills and canyons are 60 miles of marked hiking, cycling and horse riding trails. One route will take you to the summit of Cowles Mountain, the highest point in San Diego at 486 metres and with a panorama of San Diego County that merits the climb."
"A hike in Mission Trails Regional Park is one of the best things to do in California. The whole preserve spans more than 7,000 acres, and depending on where you enter, you can see everything from bare, rocky cliffs to green fields bursting with life. Outdoor enthusiasts will love the wide range of activities offered at the park."
"This is also another big place that packs plenty of alternatives for your landscape photography. The paths here are quite romantic with amazing views of the hills. And the sky usually reflects attractively of the peaceful lake."
"With a reputation of making some of the best bread in San Diego, Con Pane also serves up breakfast and lunch favorites in addition to baked goods. The lunch menu is small, but it will be hard to fight the urge to pair a sandwich with a chocolate croissant, cookie or similar. Pets are welcome on the patio outside and kids order favorites like peanut butter and jelly that literally oozes out the sides."
"Next up is Midway District's Con Pane Rustic Breads & Cafe, at 2750 Dewey Road. With 4.5 stars out of 1,291 reviews on Yelp, the bakery, which also offers coffee, tea, sandwiches and more, has proven to be a local favorite."
"Although they claim to be “just a neighborhood burger joint,” Burger Lounge serves up more than your average fast food stop. Focusing on simplicity, their ingredients are locally-sourced, fair trade, organic, and small batch. Even though the food is simple, the menu is highly customizable and you can eat there or takeout."
"Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by Burger Lounge (@burgerlounge)"
"Jyoti-Bihanga is a casual spot with an inventive menu of vegan and vegetarian fare run by local students of spiritual master Sri Chinmoy. The tranquil eatery offers a creative menu of delicious food for lunch and dinner from Monday to Saturday and an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet on a couple of Sundays every month. Tuck into whole-wheat blueberry pancakes, challah French toast, tofu scrambled eggs, and French biscuits for Sunday brunch, fresh salads, homemade soups, wraps and sandwiches for lunch, and a variety of entrées, sides, and desserts for dinner."
"Trendsetters and tastemakers have flocked to Miso Harney Sushi since the day it opened without slowing down. The ultra-cool vibe inside is set off by the rich red walls and marble counter tops.[Learn more]"
"Harney Sushi’s funky, experimental vibe puts it at the top of any list of best sushi in San Deigo. The creative, exciting menu features some riffs on classic favorites and new takes on what sushi can be."
"Located at the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa in Mission Beach, this restaurant has a lot going for it: views of Mission Bay, on-point service and seafood for days. Best to kick things off with some sushi and—better yet—to go with the togarashi-seared tuna roll, with crunchy tempura shrimp, crab and spicy garlic ponzu; and the diver scallop roll, with crab, zippy green Sriracha and cucumber. A post shared by Oceana Coastal Kitchen (@oceanacoastal) on Jan 7, 2017 at 5:30pm PST"
"A post shared by CharollSushi (@charollsushi) on Apr 18, 2019 at 4:30pm PDT. Held at the Catamaran Resort Hotel, this Champagne Brunch isn’t to be missed. Held on Sundays only, you can enjoy your choice of champagne or mimosas alongside a freshly prepared entree as well as your pickings off the all-you-can-eat seafood and cold foods bar."
"Location: 3999 Mission Blvd, San Diego, CA 92109Phone: (858) 539-8635Website. It just doesn’t get any prettier than this. Located at the Polynesian-themed Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa in Pacific Beach, this magnificent restaurant overlooking Mission Bay serves up delectable ocean-inspired modern California cuisine."