We Had Just 3 Days in San Diego—Here’s How We Made Every Minute Count

Only have 3 days in San Diego? Don’t worry—you can still experience a lot of what makes this Southern California city so amazing!

San Diego is packed with beautiful beaches, family-friendly attractions, incredible food, and fun things to see and do. While you certainly can’t fit everything into a three-day trip, with a good plan, you can experience many of the highlights without feeling like you’re constantly rushing from one place to another.

We recently spent 3 days in San Diego with our family, and we were surprised by just how much we were able to fit into our trip. We had an absolute blast and found some amazing places that we think your family will love too!

One way to save money is with the San Diego 3-Day Pass, which includes many of the attractions featured in this itinerary at a reduced rate.

In this post, we’ll show you exactly how we would spend 3 days in San Diego, along with tips on the best time to visit, how to get to downtown San Diego, and the top attractions and activities to add to your itinerary.

Ready to start planning? Let’s dive into our perfect 3-day San Diego family itinerary!

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Best Time to Visit San Diego

There is no bad time to visit San Diego!

Weather in San Diego

The weather is perfect all year round in San Diego!  The Highs in San Diego from December to May are in the ’60s, and from June- November it is in the ’70s.

My favorite time to visit San Diego is in August because the ocean water is warm.  I also like to visit in December because when it is snowing at home, 60 degrees feels like heaven!  We have visited California in Feburary many times and it is also a great time! 

I think San Diego has the best weather compared to anywhere else in the USA.  So, no matter what time of year you decide to go on a San Diego getaway, the weather is not a problem!

What is the Best Time to Visit the Beach in San Diego?

The best time to visit the beach in San Diego is June – September.  The ocean water is warmer.

What is the Busiest Time to Visit San Diego?

The busiest time to visit San Diego is June-August.  Many people love spending their summer vacation in San Diego.

Hopefully, this helps you decide when you want to plan a weekend in San Diego.  It is always a great time to visit San Diego!

How Many Days Should I Spend in San Diego?

In this post, we are going to focus on 3 days in San Diego and create a San Diego itinerary based on that number. However, as you explore all the activities in San Diego, you can decide if you would rather make it a 4-5 day San Diego itinerary.

3 days in San Diego is a good amount of time to touch the surface, but you could easily spend a week in San Diego exploring all the sites.

Getting to San Diego

Getting to San Diego is easy.  You can easily drive or fly.

Flying to San Diego

San Diego has a major airport that is close to all the San Diego attractions. It is the San Diego International Airport, or SAN.

Getting Around San Diego

You can rent a car or take an Uber from the airport.  It really depends on what you include in your San Diego itinerary.  If you plan to spend a full day at a site, you may not need to rent a car.  You can just take an Uber from site to site or take public transportation.

If you are more adventurous and want to explore as much as you can in a short amount of time, a car would be the better option.

Driving to San Diego

Los Angeles is the closest major city to San Diego.  It takes about 2 hours of driving time. It is a little road trip worth taking.

San Diego GO Card 

Before you begin planning your San Diego itinerary, be sure to look at the San Diego Go Card.  It may save you a lot of money!  Many of the attractions listed below are included on it. 

Where to Stay in San Diego

If you have younger kids, I highly recommend staying at the Castle or Legoland Hotel.  It is incredible.  There is great food and amazing games, and it is completely themed.  This is the best family resort I have EVER stayed at.

If staying on a beach for your San Diego getaway is more what you had in mind, the Hotel del Coronado is a historical hotel located right on the beach.  It is an iconic San Diego location with ocean views.

We also like to stay at Marriott Hotels.  There are a lot of really nice options in San Diego.

San Diego Itinerary Day 1

Some of the San Diego attractions listed in this post could take a full day to enjoy. Legoland and SeaWorld are examples. 

If you are planning on doing one or more of these activities, allocate an entire day. The San Diego Zoo is another full-day option, but I included it in Day 3 of the San Diego itinerary

Day 1 – San Diego Itinerary 

Choose one full-day activity for the first day.

• Legoland
• SeaWorld
• San Diego Safari Park (or Zoo)

You can easily see how these locations alone could be a 4-day San Diego itinerary.  But you only have 3 days in San Diego, so pick the attractions that sound the best to you.  

Let’s learn about more of these locations so you can decide which one to add to your San Diego itinerary

SeaWorld San Diego

If I had only 3 days in San Diego, SeaWorld would be on my list.  We recently went and had a phenomenal time!  My kids loved it!

Plan A Trip To SeaWorld San Diego

Going on a SeaWorld San Diego vacation was really the highlight of our entire trip!

If you want to plan your trip to SeaWorld, be sure to check out our detailed post on everything to know about SeaWorld San Diego.  SeaWorld appeals to all ages, from toddlers to Grandma and Grandpa.

The shows are incredible.  Our favorite shows were the sea lion and otter show and the orca encounter.  We loved seeing the beautiful animals and learning all about their habitats and how they were rescued or trained.

Also, we loved the rides. My kids had a blast and want to go back to SeaWorld San Diego. It is the perfect place to go if you only have a weekend in San Diego.

Legoland California Resort

Legoland California is in the San Diego area (Carlsbad) and is a great place to go if you have little ones under the age of 10. 

My little kids love this park!  There are some great rides at Legoland. Most of the coasters are junior coasters.  Their Ninjago ride is a fun interactive ride that is really worth giving a try.

Legoland is included in the San Diego 3-day pass.  This is a great option if you are planning on adding many activities to your San Diego itinerary!

Our Experience

Here is a Legoland tip: Stay at the Legoland resort!   The best part for us was staying in the Legoland Resort Hotel.

The hotel is the most themed hotel I have ever stayed in.  We stayed in a pirate-themed room.  It was awesome.  The hotel offers fun games, scavenger hunts, and dance parties.  It was really an amazing experience staying there.

Day 2 San Diego Itinerary

On Day 2 of your San Diego itinerary, I suggest exploring San Diego a little more!

Day 2 San Diego Itinerary

• USS Midway (Visit Marina District)
• Gaslamp Quarter
• Old Town San Diego
• Beach

Let’s explore these San Diego attractions a little more!

Old Town San Diego

Old Town San Diego State Historic Site is a great way to spend half a day!   This area features historic buildings from the early days of San Diego, from the years of 1820 to 1870. It is in the heart of San Diego.

Mormon Battalion Museum

We went to the Mormon Battalion Museum, which is a fabulous place for kids.  You get to pretend you are in the American army marching to the Mexican-American War. 

After watching a video and demonstration of what kinds of weapons and supplies the soldiers wore, you get to pan for gold.  Also, you get a free old-timey photo to take home.

Old Town San Diego City Center 

After the museum, we headed to the center of Old Town and walked through many historic sites and buildings that have historic exhibits. There is an Old Town San Diego Trolley Tour available that will lead you around the area.

In Old Town, people dress in clothes from the period and demonstrate different activities such as soap and candle making.  There are also street stores that sell souvenirs.

If you go at the right time of the year, street performers will sing some lovely mariachi tunes for you.

Eating in Old Town San Diego

The highlight for us was eating the Mexican food in this area. There are lots of restaurants to choose from.  We ended up going to Cafe Coyote.  I really liked it!  They have a musician who sang to me because it was my birthday!

I highly recommend adding a national historic landmark to your San Diego itinerary, especially if this is your first time in San Diego!

USS Midway Museum

The Marina District is where the USS Midway Museum is located, a historic aircraft carrier.  It is located really close to the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego, which is a shopping and restaurant district.

We loved the USS Midway Museum.  I knew my 4-year-old boy would love seeing all the planes and being on a ship.  My older kids loved using the audio guide and learning about how the navy ship operated and seeing the aircraft carriers.

USS Midway Museum Video Presentation

Once you enter the ship, head to your right, and there is a video offered for you to watch about World War II.  It really opened our eyes to the sacrifices that our military makes for us to enjoy our freedoms.

I recommend checking this museum out.  I would love to go again on a less busy day.

San Diego Harbor Cruise

Also in the Marina District is the option to take a harbor cruise. This would be a great opportunity to explore this area!

Gaslamp Quarter

Located in the downtown area of San Diego is Gaslamp Quarter.  This area is a great place to get lunch and enjoy some shopping.

I probably wouldn’t want to do this activity with children.  To me, it would be stressful, as we saw lots of homeless people just outside of the shopping area.

But if I were on a couple’s getaway,y this would be a great romantic spot to enjoy the waterfront area of the San Diego Marina District and have a romantic dinner. Plus, there are great tours in this area. 

We did not fit this in on our 3 days in San Diego trip, but we could have easily substituted this in, in place of one of our beach adventures, or by not sleeping in.

Day 3 San Diego Itinerary

3 days in San Diego isn’t enough…..for everything, but don’t worry, you can pick and choose what makes sense for your trip. Here are my suggestions for Day 3.

Day 3 San Diego Itinerary

• Beach
• Balboa Park
• Zoo or Safari Park
• Little Italy
• Seaport Village

Let’s explore these activities in more detail to help you decide if you would like to add them to your San Diego itinerary.

San Diego’s Best Beaches

We were able to go to two beaches on our 3 days in San Diego. When you don’t live near an ocean, the beach and the Pacific Ocean are a treat.

Coronado Island

Driving out to the Island of Coronado was something we had always wanted to do, and so we decided to go for it. 

We wanted to see the famous Hotel Del Coronado and check out the sunset.  If this is something you may be interested in, there is a Coronado tour available.

Our kids had so much fun running around that we decided we needed to make another stop at the beach the next day.

Carlsbad State Beach

The next day, we headed to Carlsbad State Beach.  It was an incredible ocean beach!  This was another high point on our trip. 

Even though it was December, my kids were playing in the ocean in their swimsuits with no problem.  Coming from Utah, it felt like summer!

La Jolla Cove and San Diego Beaches and Trolley Tour

If you are interested in seeing all the amazing pristine beaches in California, the San Diego beaches trolley tour may be a great option. 

I really wanted to go to the popular spot of La Jolla, but we just didn’t have enough time.  There is a kayaking area where you can explore caves and see tide pools. 

La Jolla is also the area where you can get great views of the sea lions and seals lying on the beach all year round. It is one of the best places to visit in San Diego.

Balboa Park San Diego

Balboa Park is a great place, and honestly, you could spend an entire day here because there are over 15 museums in this location. 

The San Diego Zoo is in the Balboa Park area of San Diego. If the zoo is not for you (because of prices, crowds, or animals that are simply not your thing), there is still plenty to do in the area.

A guided tour of Balboa Park may be a great option if you want to spend more time in this area and learn all about it.

Museums at Balboa Park San Diego

We wanted to get a taste of this amazing place, so we spent about two hours at the San Diego Natural History Museum and the surrounding area.   Having an ASTC Museum Pass allows us free entry to many museums when we are traveling out of state.

There are actually two museums in the area included with this pass.  The Natural History Museum and the Fleet Science Center.  Obviously, if you wanted to explore different museums in the area, there are plenty to choose from.

Some people simply come here to enjoy the free parks, playgrounds, and walking trails located all around Balboa Park.

San Diego Zoo and Safari Park

The World famous San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park may be the main reason you are heading to San Diego.  The Zoo has earned a reputation for being the best zoo in the country.

There are so many choices with only 3 days in San Diego, we opted not to go to the zoo or safari park on our 3-day trip, but we have been in the past.

The San Diego Zoo has the famous panda bears, and they really do a great job making your experience at the zoo incredible.

Safari Park

The safari park is located in a separate location from the zoo and is an entirely different park.  (And when I say a separate location, I don’t mean next door.  The San Diego Safari Park is about 30 miles north of the zoo!)

Once you are in the park, you can walk around.  But the highlight is boarding a bus that circles the central safari area, where you can see animals in areas intended to resemble the animals’ natural habitats.  The bus tour reminded me of the safari ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida.

Little Italy San Diego

Little Italy is a great spot for adults.   It is located about 1 mile from Balboa Park. This is an amazing neighborhood to enjoy great food!

We didn’t have enough time to stop in Little Italy this last trip.

Getting Treats In San Diego’s Little Italy

We were debating if it was a good stop with kids.  Some local friends told us it was an expensive area and that we should just take the kids to a local ice cream store instead of getting gelato.

One thing I did find out was that there are amazing Italian pastry shops and fun Italian bakeries that would probably have been worth the stop.

Also, I did see that there is a Little Italy San Diego app that kids can use to get a tour of the area.

3 Days in San Diego Itinerary

This is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints San Diego Temple. It is so beautiful!

During our three days in San Diego, we didn’t do all of the activities listed above (we were traveling with another family and had 10 kids with us), but we fit in

• An Amusement Park (SeaWorld)
• Two Beach Excursions
• Old Town San Diego
• USS Midway
• Balboa Park

You could easily do the zoo instead of an amusement park. Or you could spend more time in historic and shopping areas if amusement parks are not your thing.

Yes, you can’t do it all in three days. But if you plan it right, you will be surprised at how satisfying of a trip it will be for you!

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