42 Things to do in San Diego

La Jolla Cove at Sunset

Hosting guests from England recently gave me the idea of coming up with this post and naming it 42 Things to do in San Diego.  Since I had the honor of playing their Tour Director and we drove through all parts of San Diego County, it made me appreciate the beautiful part of the country in which we live.  So often in our toot sweet lives we forget to take a moment to play tourist in our own backyard!  And, even though it’s January, it is still relatively mild weather compared of other parts of the country making their visit near perfect from a weather perspective!

We did many things over those few jammed-packed days and I printed a list of possible attractions to visit so that our guests could maximize the short time they had for this toot sweet visit (they arrived late at night on January 2nd, one left on January 5th and the other two left to return to England on January 8th).  There is so much to do and see in San Diego that coming up with a list of 42 was actually limiting!  So, without further ado, here’s my list of 42 Things to do in San Diego (in alphabetical order, so no order of preference) with links to their respective websites (if available) for further information:

1. Anza-Borrego Desert
2. Balboa Park
3. Beaches – San Diego County has lots of beaches; stay tuned for a future post for more details
4. Belmont Park
5. Birch Aquarium at Scripps
6. Cabrillo National Monument
7. Casinos – there are 10 Indian Casinos in San Diego County and several in development.  Stay tuned for a future post with more details.
8. Coronado Ferry Landing
9. Del Mar Thoroughbred Races (seasonal:  runs mid-July through the first part of September)
10. Gaslamp Quarter
11. GPS GoCar Tours
12. Hornblower Cruises
13. Horseback Riding
14. Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay (seasonal:  in the late spring and early summer)
15. Japanese Friendship Garden
16. Knott’s Soak City
17. La Jolla Sea Caves Kayaks (seasonal: mid-April to mid-October)
18. LEGOLAND
19. Missions – there are several missions in San Diego County including Mission #1 in the California Mission system founded by Father Junipero Serra in the 1769, Mission San Diego de Alcala.  Stay tuned for a future post with more details.  To read about my recent trip to the Mission San Juan Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano (north of San Diego) and to see pictures of this beautiful mission, read my post Operation Swallow Adios.
20. Museums – there are so many museums in San Diego County!  Many in Balboa Park – stay tuned for a future post on museums
21. Old Town and Old Town Trolley Tours
22. Palomar Mountain Observatory
23. Petco Park
24. Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
25. Qualcomm Stadium
26. San Diego Botanic Garden
27. San Diego County Fair – Del Mar (seasonal:  runs mid-June through July 4th)
28. San Diego Harbor Excursions
29. San Diego Symphony and Summer Pops
30. San Diego Zoo
31. San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park (formerly known as the San Diego Wild Animal Park)
32. Sea World
33. Sedway Tours
34. Shopping – there are lots of shopping centers around San Diego County.  Stay tuned for a future post…
35. Sunset Cliffs
36. Surfing
37. The Flower Fields (seasonal:  March to May)
38. Theaters – there are many wonderful theaters in San Diego County offering fabulous opportunities to see live productions.  Stay tuned for a future post on this too!
39. Torrey Pines State Natural Preserve
40. USS Midway Museum
41. Wave House Athletic Club
42. Whale Watching

So, there you have it!  42 Things to do in San Diego and San Diego County.  We are having way too much fun in glorious, spectacular, amazing San Diego County!  Here are some pictures to enjoy from various outings to some of these locations over the years:

USS Midway, San Diego Air & Space Museum and Petco Park in Downtown San Diego

I took the photos above in 2008 while living in downtown San Diego during the rebuilding of our house (see the 20-part series, Any Way the Wind Blows, about the loss of our home in a wildfire).  All of these locations were minutes from our condo!

San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park

The lion at the San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park is magnificent and he loves to show off!

Butterfly Jungle at the San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park

Above picture left to right:  Princess P, Me (Carole), Princess P, Princess P with Uncle Joe (The Captain) and Aunt Elizabeth (The Quartermaster) from Pirate Prerogative.

Sea World San Diego

Ali, Sam and Bert at Carlsbad State Beach

Our English guests (Ali, Sam and Bert) enjoying a day of beach combing in San Diego, January 2013.  San Diego is beautiful in January!

Ali, Sam and Bert at Carlsbad State Beach

San Diego beaches

Photo above – left photo: Samuel (left) and Samantha, Tiffany’s sister and my niece (the two Sam’s) at Pacific Beach in 2009.  Center photo:  Bert and Ali at Coronado Beach; Hotel Del Coronado in the background – January 2013.  Right photo:  Sam and Gail (my sister and Tiffany’s mother) at a restaurant in Seaport Village overlooking  the Seaport Village boardwalk.

Princess P at the Beach – circa 2008 – with a friend and her pugs, Sid and Samson.

Harbor Seals at the Children’s Pool in La Jolla

Above photos taken January 2013.  The Harbor Seals have taken up residence in the Children’s Pool in La Jolla.

La Jolla Cove at Sunset

Samantha, Tiffany’s sister and my niece, at the Beach, circa 1994

Princess P dreaming of a carousel ride – circa 2008

Carousel Fun – Tiffany and Princess P – circa 2010

Princess P – circa 2009

Del Mar Fair – 2012

Above photo collage:  Princess P and Princess Sweetie Pie celebrating Princess P’s 5th birthday at the Del Mar Fair.

Bert and Ali trying on Mexican Sombrero’s in Old Town shops in San Diego – January 2013

Touring and Shopping in San Diego

Above photo collage:  left – Ali touring La Jolla in January 2013.  Top right – Samuel and Samantha (the two Sam’s) hanging out at Belmont Park in 2009.  Bottom right – Chris and Tiffany shopping at Seaport Village in 2011.

And, if this list of 42 isn’t enough, there’s always skydiving!

Skydiving over San Diego

A Day of Skydiving in San Diego County

Ali and Bert Skydiving

If you missed my post on 42 San Diego Restaurants to Savor, check out that link.  Do you have a favorite San Diego County adventure not included in this list?  We’d like to hear about your adventures, too!