3 Best Day Trips from San Diego
California’s car culture gets a bad rap: That commitment to driving makes for an easy escape to dynamic, scenic towns and cities nearby. And with San Diego’s location near the Mexican border, you can even work in an international excursion. Our three picks for the special places worth visiting within a short drive of SD? The upscale culture of Newport Beach, the culinary and artistic pursuits of Tijuana, and the simple living of Julian. Don’t forget your passport! These are the very best day trips from San Diego. Just don't leave during rush hour.
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GettyNEWPORT BEACH
This tiny Southern California enclave has set the stage for TV shows about the rich and famous (Real Housewives, The O.C.), but in the last few years, Newport Beach has become pretty...cool. Alongside jaw-dropping real estate and Bentley fleets, there now are minimalist cafés, indie boutiques, and Manhattan-trained chefs turning out cuisine on par with big city restaurants. Here, the best sights, tastes, and sips in Newport Beach.
Courtesy Pelican HillhotelThe Resort at Pelican Hill
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Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020The Resort at Pelican Hill, located in the ultra-exclusive Newport Coast zip code, has a luxurious Tuscan vibe, well-manicured hills overlooking the Pacific, beautiful villas and bungalows, and Roman aqueduct-style architecture. At 504 acres, it's huge—so huge that you'll likely need your car to get to your room. It's also surrounded by 50,000 acres of protected green spaces. You'll want to leave plenty of time to relax by The Coliseum Pool, the resort's crown jewel.
GettyactivityBalboa Island
This small island community, home to retirees and families, offers restaurants, shops, and plenty of outdoor activities, from stand-up paddleboarding to kayaking. Fans of Arrested Development will want to visit Sugar 'N Spice, the frozen banana stand that's been open since 1945 and inspired the Bluth family business. After you've indulged in the house specialty—chocolate-dipped frozen banana pops topped with sprinkles, nuts, Oreo bits, or Health crumbs—take a stroll and ogle the multi-million-dollar homes. Parking is notoriously tough here, so we recommend leaving the car in Newport Beach and catching the ferry.
GettyactivityUpper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve (Back Bay)
Known as Back Bay, this Newport Beach nature reserve is an expansive and serene salt marsh and marine habitat located just a few miles from Newport Boulevard, the bustling main drag. There are plenty of easy dirt and concrete paths for hiking and cycling; adventurous water-lovers can also try their hand at stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking in the bay. Bird-watching is a big deal here; the 752-acre reserve is home to 35,000 migratory birds, including the magnificent peregrine falcon.
Courtesy Kit CoffeebarKit Coffee
$$MacBook-toting 20- and 30-somethings flock to this modern, clean-lined cafe, which serves up an array of drinks (classic espresso drinks, iced matchas, kombucha) and a bunch of fancy toasts. Don't sleep on the soft scramble with chives and shaved Parmesan, the cilantro bacon with tomato jam, or the brûléed matcha. The real standout, though, is the avocado toast, with colorful pickled veggies make it prime fodder for the 'gram.
Courtesy Knife & Spork Public RelationsrestaurantLido Bottle Works
$$Set within the Lido Marina Village retail complex, this hybrid bottle shop and gastropub is housed in a cool, all-black building facing the marina. Decor is polished, with warm woods, black accents, and brass flatware; there's a small patio that overlooks the bay. You'll see date-nighters and friend groups, all of whom flock here for chef Joel Harrington's farm-to-table small plates, like charred eggplant hummus, curried beef meatballs with mint yogurt, and a can't-miss burrata with roasted squash, candied pistachios, and pomegranate.
Courtesy Pirate Coast Paddle CompanyactivityPirate Coast Paddle Company
Don't let the humble facade of this charming beach shack fool you—the outfitter runs well-oiled tours and rentals for kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), and more. They'll hook you and your friends up with boards, life jackets, lockers, and an outdoor shower—all you have to do is bring a towel and SPF. Don't miss their guided SUP Glow Night tour ($45), a one-hour excursion led under the night sky; you'll stand atop LED-equipped boards that illuminate the bay, offering sneak-peaks at the marine life below.
shopDaydream Surf Shop
Surfboards, coffee, home decor, and sunny SoCal vibes come together in this welcoming shop located in, of all places, an office park. There's usually dreamy electronic music playing throughout the airy space, providing a soundtrack whether you're popping in to pick up ceramics or candles or settling in for coffee at the bar. You can browse through hand-thrown mugs and vases made by California ceramicists, as well as surfer-cool apparel and surfboards of course. Sip on a coffee made from one of their carefully chosen roasters, like the Fair Trade-conscious Onyx Coffee Lab out of Arkansas. Then take a seat in the cafe area, outfitted with custom, handmade furniture.
Courtesy Hotel JaoquinhotelHotel Joaquin
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2019Until last fall, anyone seeking a cozy place in Laguna Beach would have gotten as far as the imposing Monarch Beach Resort before realizing they should have hit Malibu instead. But now, pull up to this Californian dream of an inn—a space that exists somewhere between bungalow, motor lodge, and your best friend’s beach house—to find a suntanned crowd sipping beers on sofas by the fire in the indoor-outdoor living room. The vibe is relaxed, even by Southern California standards. Owner Paul Makarechian, who has a string of small hotels on the West Coast, wanted Joaquin to be a place to drop in to: barefoot, rule-free. Staff are cheery; guests will know everyone’s first name by the end of the weekend—including George, Joaquin’s resident adventure guru, who is likely to stop by during dinner to see who wants to go kayaking on the Pacific the next day.
Anne WatsonrestaurantTaco María
$It doesn't look like much upon first glance—a (very) small restaurant tucked into a shopping center, but Taco Maria is a Michelin-starred ode to traditional Mexican cuisine presented with an elevated eye. The vibe is minimal and rustic, yet stylish. While "taco" is sometimes synonymous with hyper-casual fare, there's nothing basic about Taco Maria's menu. Their tortillas—made with heirloom blue corn masa that's ground in-house—are delicious in themselves, but also serve as the perfect canvas for flavorful, inventive ingredients like shiitake mushroom chorizo and local black cod with charred scallion aioli. If you can swing it, save up (money and appetites) for the four-course prix-fixe menu, which can span from a Dungeness crab tostada and scallops with squid ink crumbs to sweet corn tamales and lamb birria. Aim for a seat at the bar so you can see the chefs in action.
GettyTIJUANA MEXICO
Forget everything you thought you knew about Tijuana. The border city has had its fair share of crime and corruption in the past, but now its culinary and cultural scene is booming. There are authentic markets alongside cold-pressed juice cafes, impressive graffiti art, museums dedicated to Baja history, and boutiques stocked with high-end home decor. We're ready to say it: This is a cool kid city.
© BIEN MediahotelOne Bunk Tijuana
$Stylish and serviceable, One Bunk marks a new kind of hotel for Tijuana, one that's perfectly on par with the city's thriving food and art scene—and the travelers who want to explore it. The nine guest rooms are sparsely decorated, yet comfortable, with small bathrooms and cool, colorful touches. Downstairs in "El Lobby," a hip crowd of 20- and 30-somethings hangs beside mid-century furniture, contemporary art, and a light fixture made of vintage tennis rackets. There's also an on-site barbershop and a location of Object, a contemporary boutique specializing in clothing and decor by Mexican designers.
Justin Sullivan / GettyshopMercado Hidalgo
Tijuana's oldest open-air market, known as Mercado Hidalgo by locals, is a busy U-shaped complex around a parking lot with nearly 80 stalls selling produce, spices, cheeses, piñatas, Mexican candy, and more. It has the bustling vibe of an international market—without the pressure of vendors yelling out to you. Most don't speak English, so you'll either have to know Spanish or get by by pointing and smiling. This isn't a luxury market—everything is fairly cheap, from the produce to the piñatas.
Denis Kabanov / GettyactivityTijuana Cultural Center (CECUT)
You'll only need an hour or so to get a good feel for CECUT (Centro Cultural Tijuana), where paintings, sculptures, and photos—ranging from classical to contemporary to ballsy—depict Baja's history from the early Native Americans to the 1910 Mexican Revolution to today. It's not extremely comprehensive, but, with traditional gallery spaces, performing arts stages, botanical gardens, a small aquarium, and an IMAX theater housed in an impressive dome-shaped structure (dubbed La Bola), it's not skimpy either. The space is friendly for fluent and non-fluent alike: most signs are in English and Spanish.
restaurantVerde y Crema
$$$Named after the former union site for transit drivers of Tijuana's green-and-white Tijuana buses, this hip restaurant has a leafy exterior that looks like an entrance to a swanky tropical club. Look for the pink neon cursive sign that reads, rather fittingly, "Restaurant." Inside, you'll find a fashionable crowd of upscale couples and large groups of friends sampling the modern Mexican menu, communal style. Don't miss the Korean tacos, which come with carne asada and kimchi.
shopMiles & Louie
Located in an upstairs unit in Plaza del Zapato, Miles & Louie is a bespoke leather brand launched by three Tijuana natives in 2012. The dark space is small and no-frills with an industrial feel. The brand specializes in men's leatherwear, including belts, shoes, and wallets. Given the expert craftsmanship and customization options, everything here feels like a real steal. For instance, a beautiful pair of men's leather shoes cost between $125 and $178.
Denis Kabanov/AlamyactivityPasaje Rodríguez
Although Pasaje Rodriguez was once an American tourist trap filled with bad souvenirs and lackluster shops, today it lives on as a hip, artsy alley with chic cafes, stylish boutiques, and breweries. The alley, which is less than 1/10th of a mile long, is bedecked in plenty of photogenic murals. Be sure to grab a coffee at La Lola and take in the art as you sip and stroll.
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Tacos El Franc
$You might recognize this open-air taqueria from the Netflix series, *Taco Chronicles*. Tacos El Franc sits on a busy street, with cars honking and whizzing by. Chefs ladle vibrant salsa from giant vats, slicing al pastor fresh from the spit, and hungry locals devour two, three, or even five of the street-style tacos in one sitting. Carne asada is the crowd favorite, with its juicy chunks of beef tucked into a soft housemade corn tortilla and topped with a light dollop of salsa, guac, cilantro, and onions. We're also suckers for the adobada (marinated pork). But while those may be the safe bets—a product of being close to San Diego, where carne asada and adobada reign supreme—we recommend rounding out your order with something more traditional like cabeza or lengua. Tacos El Franc opens at 4 p.m. and keeps its grill fired up as late as 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, which means you might be there for a casual dinner or a late-night second dinner to prevent that next-day hangover.
Courtesy Nook HotelhotelNook Hotel
$This corner building was once a hotel in the 1950s but morphed into restaurants and bars over the years. Now it's a trendy, 17-room boutique just a block from the city's bustling thoroughfare Avenida Revolución. The exterior still has some midcentury retro flair, but inside, Nook is all modern, clean, and minimalist. There's exposed brick, a mural by artist Alonso Delgadillo, and maps depicting the border region. Rooms are almost austere. Think clean lines, muted colors, original artwork, and skylights in some rooms. What Nook lacks in its room decor, it more than makes up for with Elvira, the hotel's onsite restaurant and cocktail bar. You can snack on salads, a cubano, and fried pickles, but the beverage menu is lengthier, with classics (gin and tonic, negroni), mezcal, tequila, and of course mojitos and cuba libres.
- restaurant
Telefónica Gastro Park
$What started as an empty parking lot full of Tijuana-bred food trucks has since evolved (in a new location) into a sophisticated, indoor-outdoor, hipster-cool food hall. If you're craving it, Telefónica Gastro Park most likely has it—tacos, ceviche, gourmet hot dogs, ramen, dessert, coffee, or plant-based street food by Tijuana's Veggie Smalls. You can find a healthy option or two, but all the menus veer more comfort food than lean cuisine. The main liquid draw is the craft beer, particularly Tijuana-brewed Cervecería Lírica. Located inside—you can't miss the funky, colorful bar with its black subway tile cash wrap counter—they have nearly a dozen options to choose from.
Courtesy Cine TonalábarCine Tonalá
$$After successful locations in Mexico City and Bogota, the team behind this indie art theater-meets-cocktail bar opened a third outpost in a former Tijuana warehouse on the city's (very) bustling Avenida Revolucion in 2016. The ground floor is lined with brick walls and colorful art, as well a theater screening hipster-approved movies. You'll see young, cool Tijuana locals, as well as a strong contingent of tourists and San Diegans who have popped over the border for the day. The drink menu is small, with a mix of classics—Old Fashioneds, margaritas, mojitos, and some of their own creations. If you prefer beer, make sure to try one of the locally brewed craft options. The bar is open until 2 a.m. most nights, but it is best enjoyed at dusk for pre-dinner drinks.
David H. Carriere/GettyJULIAN
San Diego may be synonymous with beaches and sun-worshipping surfers, but the county is also home to a historic mining town that oozes mom-and-pop charm. There are the reasons that keep people coming back to Julian—the famous apple pie, quaint walkable Main Street, oak-lined hiking trails winding through the Cuyamaca Mountains. But there’s also a burgeoning crop of family-owned eateries and more types of locally crafted alcohol than you’ll have time—or liver capacity—for. It's also one of the few places in the county to see snow come winter.
AlamyactivityStonewall Peak Trail
In just an hour you can drive from some of San Diego's most pristine beaches to nearly 25,000 acres of oak forest, meadows, and babbling streams at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. Once home to the Kumeyaay Indians, the Park feels like a world away from the bustle of the city and has more than 100 miles of hiking trails. The 4-mile out-and-back Stonewall Peak trail takes you past oaks and sycamores on a rocky trail with multiple switchbacks. Once you hit the historic Stonewall Mine—named after Stonewall Jackson—you'll have climbed nearly 1,000 feet in elevation and on a clear day, can see 360-degree views of Lake Cuyamaca, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and Palomar Mountain. This is a relatively easy (and well-marked) trail to navigate. But summertime can bring high temps and sometimes, rattlesnakes, so if that's your season of choice, start early. Winter months can get icy (it's that high up), so take care that it's not too slippery.
Courtesy Nickel Beer Co.activityNickel Beer Co.
Located a 15-minute walk from the hubbub of Julian's Main Street, this craft beer spot is set among pine trees and mountain vistas. The inside bar is quaint and cabin-y, but the more popular outdoor patio is the main draw. Unlike many spots in Julian, you'll see plenty of locals. Tom Nickel—who cofounded the eponymous brewery with his wife Lindsay in 2013—started home brewing at age 18, worked at local breweries for nearly a decade, and was named the World Beer Cup Small Brewing Company Brewmaster of the Year in 2004. So it makes sense that Nickel does almost everything and, as rarely happens, does it all very well—from stouts and IPAs to blondes and Belgians. There are some unique options too, like an Apple Pie Ale made with local fruit. Try a tasting flight for some variety, served with cups tucked into their signature cupcake tins.
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Quecho Elevated Mexican Eatery
$$This family-run eatery prides itself on homestyle Mexican cuisine. You won't find bone marrow sopes or octopus ceviche here— the menu veers more classic, with crowd favorites made with super fresh ingredients (you can tell from the gratis chips and salsa they dole out). That means street-style tacos with grass-fed carne asada, quesadillas with organic chicken, and a homemade flan made with local chocolate. The Molcajete Mixto is a fun shared plate—your choice of meat with Oaxacan cheese, rice, and beans served in the classic stone mortar alongside corn tortillas. When you're in California, you never need a reason to eat Mexican food—even when it's in a folksy old mining town. But Quecho is ideal whether you want to replenish after a long hike or grab an antojito before hitting the road.
AlamyrestaurantJulian Pie Company
$Like pizza in New York or cheesesteaks in Philly, everyone has their own favorite apple pie in the historic mining town of Julian, CA, but Julian Pie Company is a sure bet if you're popping into town for the day. You can taste the apple pie in different forms: original, no added sugar, apple with cherries, apple with peaches, apple with mixed berries, and the list goes on. Apple-haters can dig into peach, blackberry, and other options. Opt for a crumb-packed crust if you prefer your pie on the sweeter, more buttery side. There's real tradition here: Julian Pie Company is a family-owned business, slinging pies for more than 30 years (they also own a nearby apple orchard that's 17,000 trees strong).
Courtesy Calico CideryactivityCalico Cidery
It may be a small town, but even little ol' Julian can feel frenetic with tourists on weekends. If that's not your thing, pop over to this charming, family-run cider house set in a barn on the grounds of its apple and pear orchard. It's welcome and laid-back. If one of the great staffers doesn't welcome you in first, the bar pup probably will. Cider rules in this house, er, barn. You can get a taster, half pour, full pour, a flight of three or four, or a growler. Made with the family's own organic apples and pears as well as a native yeast, their hard ciders clock in at a potent-for-a-cider 5–6% ABV. Overall, flavors lean a bit dry—you won't find sugary pours here. That's because these ciders are carefully crafted by a seasoned oenologist with a degree in pomology (no, really) and his father, an engineer who has grown Julian apples for more than 30 years.
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