7 Best Day Trips from San Diego
San Diego is the kind of place where you could happily do nothing but beaches and tacos for a week. Nobody would blame you. But one of the best things about the city is how much variety sits close by.
In this guide
Within two hours you can be in a desert full of giant metal dinosaurs, a mountain town famous for apple pie, a wine valley or an old Spanish mission. Here are seven of the best day trips from San Diego, from the easy ones to the slightly bigger adventures.
1. Coronado
Coronado is barely a day trip. It’s 20 minutes away across a big curving bridge, or a quick ferry ride from downtown. But it feels like a different place: calm, tidy, a little old-fashioned and very pretty.
The Hotel del Coronado, with its red turret roofs, is the star. It opened in 1888 and you can walk through the lobby and grounds even if you’re not staying. Coronado Beach out front is wide, sparkly and regularly named one of the best in the country. Rent a bike and ride around the island.
2. Carlsbad
Carlsbad is about 35 minutes north, in the North County beach towns. It’s relaxed, with a walkable village, a long beach and a lagoon. In spring, from March to May, the Flower Fields bloom with about 50 acres of brightly colored ranunculus. It’s spectacular.
Carlsbad is also home to Legoland California, if you’re traveling with kids. On the way back, stop in Encinitas, a laid-back surf town with great cafés and the beach at Swami’s. Then hop down to Del Mar or La Jolla for sunset.
3. Mission San Juan Capistrano
About an hour north, Mission San Juan Capistrano is one of the most beautiful of California’s 21 Spanish missions. It was founded in 1776, and the ruins of its great stone church, toppled in an 1812 earthquake, are still standing.
The gardens are lovely, full of fountains and flowers, and the old adobe buildings are a peaceful place to wander. The town is famous for its swallows, which supposedly return every March 19. The train stops right next to the mission, so you can go car-free from San Diego on the Pacific Surfliner, which hugs the coast the whole way.
4. Temecula Valley
Temecula is about an hour north, inland, and it’s Southern California’s answer to Napa. There are over 40 wineries in the rolling hills, and they’re much more relaxed and affordable than up north.
Pick two or three wineries, book tastings ahead on weekends and don’t drive yourself if you’re drinking. Plenty of tour companies run trips from San Diego. Temecula’s Old Town is cute too, with Western-style storefronts and good restaurants. For a splurge, hot-air balloon flights over the vineyards run at sunrise.
5. Julian
Julian is about 75 minutes northeast, up in the mountains. It’s an old gold rush town, and today it’s famous for one thing: apple pie. Julian Pie Company and Mom’s Pie House are the classics, and yes, you should try both.
The main street is short and charming, with old wooden storefronts and shops. Fall is the best time to go, when the orchards are open for apple picking and the leaves change color. Yes, Southern California has fall. In winter, Julian occasionally gets snow, and San Diegans drive up just to see it.
6. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Anza-Borrego is about two hours east, and it’s California’s largest state park. It feels like another planet: vast desert, rugged mountains and huge empty skies. In spring, after a wet winter, the desert can burst into wildflowers.
The town of Borrego Springs is the base, and around it are more than 130 giant metal sculptures by artist Ricardo Breceda. There are dinosaurs, mammoths and a sea serpent that seems to swim under the road. They’re free to visit and fun to hunt down. Skip summer, when it’s dangerously hot. Go from October to April, and drive back through Julian for pie.
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7. Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach is about 75 minutes north, in Orange County, and it’s one of the prettiest beach towns in California. It’s a string of small coves with rocky cliffs, tide pools and clear water.
Start at Heisler Park, which has a lovely clifftop walkway, then walk down to the beaches below. The town has art galleries, good restaurants and a relaxed, artsy vibe. Visit at low tide to explore the tide pools, and stay for sunset. Parking can be a pain in summer, so get there early.
How to plan your day trips
A car makes most of these easy. Traffic on I-5 north can be heavy, especially on weekday afternoons and summer weekends, so leave early. The coastal train is a great option for San Juan Capistrano and the North County beach towns.
If you only have one day, pick based on what you want. Coronado and Carlsbad are easy and beachy. Julian and Anza-Borrego make a great combined loop, from pine forest down to the desert in one afternoon.
What to pack
The weather changes a lot between these trips, even on the same day. The coast can be cool and foggy in the morning, especially in May and June, which locals call “May Gray” and “June Gloom.” Julian is up in the mountains and can be chilly. Anza-Borrego is hot and very dry.
So bring layers, sunscreen, a hat and plenty of water, especially for the desert. Cell service is patchy in Anza-Borrego, so download offline maps before you go. Fill up on gas in town, too. And if you’re heading to Julian, bring cash just in case, plus a cooler for the pies you’ll inevitably buy for later. Trust me.
Common questions
What’s the best day trip from San Diego?
Julian and Anza-Borrego together, for the most variety in one day.
Can you visit Mexico from San Diego?
Yes, Tijuana is just across the border, but bring your passport and check entry rules first.
Is Temecula worth visiting?
Yes, especially if you like wine. It’s relaxed and affordable.
When should you visit Anza-Borrego?
From October to April. Summer is far too hot.
Can you do San Diego day trips without a car?
Some of them. The train covers San Juan Capistrano and North County.
