Location: La Jolla (12 Miles / 20 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Dawn – Dusk
Cost: None
Features: Park With Panoramic Views of San Diego County and the Pacific Ocean; Includes Views to Mexico and Los Angeles Mountains
‘Scenic Vistas’ Theme
Coast of La Jolla
Location: La Jolla (12 Miles / 20 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Features: One of the Most Beautiful Settings Anywhere; Great Views from a Large Seaside Park; Up-close Look at Seals
La Jolla Shores
Location: La Jolla Shores (12 Miles / 20 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Features: Beach area offers Playground, Calm Surf, Kayaking, World-Class Ocean Swimming, Scuba Diving, Panoramic Views, Long Walks
Kayaking in La Jolla Shores
Location: La Jolla Shores (12 Miles / 20 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
When: Year-Round
Cost: Tours start at about $50; Rentals start at about $25
Features: Kayak Tours of the Ecological Reserve; Kayak Rentals; Kayak Fishing; Snorkeling
Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Location: La Jolla Shores (14 Miles / 20 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 9AM – 5PM
Cost: $11 ($7.50 for Kids ages 3-17 and $9 for Seniors 60+)
Features: Educational Aquarium Operated by the World Renowned Scripps Institute of Oceanography
Paragliding at Torrey Pines Glider Port
Location: Torrey Pines (15 Miles / 20 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 9AM – 5PM
Cost: $150
Features: Paraglide or Handglide above Oceanside Cliffs
Torrey Pines Golf Course
Location: Torrey Pines (15 Miles / 20 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Year-Round; Dawn – Dusk
Cost: North Course Starts as Low as $129 and South Course as Low as $199; Discounts for Juniors, Twilight Play, Nine-Hole Play, and San Diego City Residents
Features: Two Courses Nestled on Seaside Cliffs Overlooking the Pacific Ocean; Home to Annual PGA Tournament & 2008 U.S. Open; Luxurious Resort Facilities
Torrey Pines State Park
Location: Torrey Pines (19 Miles/ 20 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Dawn – Dusk
Cost: $8 per Vehicle / Free if You Park on Torrey Pines Road.
Features: Beautiful Landscape of Canyons and Beach-Side Cliffs; Panoramic Ocean Views; Beach; Hiking Trails; Popular Cycling Route; Dolphins, Whales
Navy SEAL Boat Adventure Rides
Location: Harbor Island (2 Miles West of Downtown San Diego)
Schedule: Year-Round Chartered Tours
Cost: $65 – $75 for Adults ($50 – $60 for Kids)
Features: Naval Tour of San Diego Bay; Wildlife Tours to see Dolphins, Whales, and Mexico’s Coronado Islands; Custom Tours
San Diego Skyline Views from Coronado
Location: Coronado (6 Miles / 15 Minutes South of Downtown San Diego)
Features: Magnificent Views of the City-Skyline, San Diego Bay, and Navy Aircraft Carriers; Shopping; Dining; Ferry Boat
Cabrillo National Monument
Location: Point Loma (9 Miles / 20 Minutes West of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 9AM – 5PM
Cost: $5 per Vehicle
Features: Best Views of Downtown San Diego, San Diego Bay, and the Pacific Ocean; Tidepools; Hiking; Lighthouse Tour; Whale Watching; Visitor Center Exhibitions and Films about Juan Cabrillo, the First European Explorer to Arrive in California.
Junipero Serra Museum
Location: Old Town (4 Miles North of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 10AM – 5PM Weekends
Cost: $5 ($2 for Kids ages 6-17 and $4 for Seniors 65+)
Features: Site of the 1st European Settlement in California
Borrego Springs
Location: Borrego Springs is surrounded by the Anza-Borrego Desert (93 Miles/ 2 Hours East of San Diego Coastal Areas)
When to Visit: October through May
Features: Desert Town Providing Hospitality to Guests of the Anza-Borrego Desert; Includes Resorts, Spas, Stargazing, Adventure Activities, Life-Size Pre-Historic Animals, and Cultural Events.
Borrego Badlands & Fonts Point
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert (100 Miles / 2.25 Hours East of San Diego Coastal Areas)
Best Time to Visit: September – May
Cost: None
Features: Spectacular Scenic Vistas; Hiking
Carrizo Badlands
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert (102 Miles / 2 Hours East of Downtown San Diego)
Best Time to Visit: September – May
Cost: None
Features: Fossils over a Million Years Old; Caves; Hiking; Scenic Vistas
(Read insider details…)
Agua Caliente – Desert Hot Springs
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert (94 Miles / 2 Hours East of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 9:30 AM – 5PM from September 1 – May 31; Closed During Summer
Cost: $5 per Vehicle, Extra for Camping
Features: Indoor and Outdoor Mineral Hot Springs; 142 Camping Sites; County Park; Hiking; Scenic Vistas
Desert Adventures
Location: Borrego Springs (93 Miles/ 2 Hours East of San Diego Coastal Areas)
Time: Most Events Take Place Between October and May
Cost: Starts at $55 per Event.
Features: Desert Jeep Tours; Group Tours on Military Transport Vehicles; Astronomy Nights; Ghosts & Legends; Wine Tasting; Customized Tours
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert (Visitor Center is 93 Miles/ 2 Hours from the Coastal Areas of San Diego)
Visitor Center Hours: 9AM – 5PM; Thursday through Monday From October to May; Weekends from June to September.
Cost: Free (Except for $6 per day parking at 3 Campgrounds)
Features: Sonoran Desert Meets the Peninsular Mountain Ranges Creating the Most Diverse Desert Landscape in the World and offering Hiking, Camping, Horseback Riding, Desert Wildflower Viewing, Stargazing, and Geological Exploration.
McCain Valley Recreation
Location: Boulevard (67 Miles / 1 Hour East of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Open Year-Round
Cost: Free for Day-Use; $6 for Camp Site
Features: Less Crowded and Cooler Desert Area for Off-Road Vehicle Enthusiasts, Hikers, Horseback Riders, Birdwatchers, and Campers
Glamis & The Imperial Sand Dunes
Location: Imperial Sand Dunes Recreational Area (150 Miles / 2.5 Hours East of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Open Year-Round (October – May are the Main Months)
Cost: $25 per Vehicle and Up. (See Fee Information Below.)
Features: World’s Most Popular Sand Dunes; Off-Roading; Hiking; Horseback Riding; Camping
Fly Sailplanes Above the Mountains and Desert
Location: Warner Springs (75 Miles / 1.5 Hours Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 9AM – 5PM (Weekday reservations strongly recommended)
Cost: Rides start at $125 for 20 Minutes. ($160 for 2 people)
Features: Glide over the Mountains and Desert on a Sail Plane
William Heise County Park
Location: Julian (57 Miles / 1.25 Hours Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Dawn – Dusk
Cost: $3
Features: Good Place for a Hike with Mountain and Desert Views
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
Location: Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (14 Miles South of Julian and 48 Miles / 55 Minutes Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Dawn to Dusk
Cost: $6 per Vehicle; $15+ for Camp Sites
Features: Mountains, Meadows, and Woodlands Ranging from 4,000 – 6,512 Feet Above Sea Level; Mountain Top Vistas; Trails for Hiking, Biking, and Horseback Riding; Campground & RV Sites
Cleveland National Forest
Location: Cleveland National Forest (1 Hour Drive from the Coastal Areas of San Diego)
Cost: Most Visitors Will Need An Adventure Pass – $5 per Day or $30 per Year.
Features: Mountains, Meadows, Views of Ocean and Desert; Scenic Drives; Eagles; Falcons; Trails for Hiking, Biking, and Horseback Riding; Campground & RV Sites
Mountain Horseback Riding in Julian
Location: Julian (62 Miles / 1.25 Hours Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Time: Reservations Can Be Made for Weekdays and Weekends.
Cost: Starts at $50 per Hour.
Features: Ride Horses in San Diego’s Mountains; Enjoy Mountain Views, Peaceful Meadows, Wildlife, and if you are lucky, Catch a Glimpse of the Ocean on a Clear Day.
Palomar Observatory
Location: Palomar Moutain (78 Miles / 1 Hour and 45 Minutes Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Generally open 9AM – 4PM (Closed on December 24th and 25th)
Cost: None
Features: Home to One of the World’s Most Powerful Telescopes; Took Clearest Pictures Ever of Outer Space in 2007; Images Used in Google Sky; One of America’s Finest Scientific Achievements.
SeaWorld San Diego
Location: Mission Bay (6 Miles Northwest of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Hours vary by day. Ranges from 10AM – 5PM during Winter to 9AM – 11PM during Summer.
Cost: Several options starting at $65 ($55 for Kids ages 3-9). Parking is $12.
Features: Shamu, Shows, Amusement Rides, Aquariums, Dolphins, Polar Bears, Penguins, Sesame Street Rides
San Diego Botanic Garden
Location: Encinitas (26 Miles / 30 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 9AM – 5PM (8PM on Summer Thursdays)
Cost: $12 ($8 for Seniors, Students, & Military and $6 for Kids 3 – 12)
Features: Most Diverse Plant Collection in the World; Meandering Trails; Ocean Views; Children’s Garden; Special Events
National Museum of Making Music
Location: Carlsbad (32 Miles / 35 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 10AM – 5PM (Closed on Mondays)
Cost: $7 ($5 for Students 4 – 18 and Seniors 60+)
Features: History of Music; Huge Collection of Musical Instruments; Music Exhibitions and Events
Balboa Park Golf Course
Location: Balboa Park (3 Miles East of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Year-Round; Dawn – Dusk
Cost: $36 – $45; Discounts for Juniors, Twilight Play, and San Diego City Residents
Features: Municipal Golf Course offering Great Views of the City Skyline and San Diego Bay; Golf Club Rentals Available
Maderas Golf Course
Location: Poway (32 Miles / 40 Minutes Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Year-Round; Dawn – Dusk
Cost: $170 – $210; Discounts for San Diego County Residents
Features: One of the Top Luxury Golf Courses in San Diego
Steele Canyon Golf Course
Location: Jamul (19 Miles / 25 Minutes East of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Year-Round; Dawn – Dusk
Cost: $99 – $139; Discounts for San Diego County Residents
Features: Gary Player Designed Golf Course in a Picturesque Canyon Setting; Golf Club Rentals Available
Four Seasons Aviara Golf Resort
Location: La Costa (34 Miles / 45 Minutes Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Year-Round; Dawn – Dusk
Cost: $215 – $235
Features: #1 Golf Resort in Southern California; Arnold Palmer Design with Ocean Views; Great Resort, Spa, and Restaurant.
