My Favorite Outdoor Places to go in San Diego
I’ve lived in San Diego for 5 years now. Wow. Honestly, just writing that it feels hard to believe. I moved out here after graduating with a Business degree from Stetson University in Florida in 2018. My plan was to stay a year, at most, until I figured out a ‘plan’ for my life. Well, 1 year led to ‘I want to go to nursing school’, which led to ‘let me apply here in San Diego’, which led to ‘I’ll get my first job as an RN in San Diego’. And here we are - 9 months into my first RN job and 5 years into living in San Diego. Time really does fly.
All of that being said, San Diego is a really fun and active place to live, especially for those who love the outdoors. Because I do travel so much, sometimes I take for granted just how beautiful my home is. It was hard to narrow it down (maybe I’ll do a part 2 soon), but these are my 4 Favorite Outdoor Places to go in San Diego.
Torrey Pines
Whenever I have people visiting from out of town, Torrey Pines is always on our list of places to go. It perfectly blends the ocean and cliffs. Growing up on the east coast, seeing a beach with mountains was not a thing, so one of my favorite things about San Diego is how some beaches have mountains.
Torrey Pines has gorgeous hiking trails that lead to beautiful views of the ocean. The beach loop is my favorite. It takes you up a paved path to the top of the cliffs and then down the cliffs to the beach and you walk on the beach back. There are lots of photo opportunities along the hike, especially on top of the cliffs, overlooking the ocean.
If hiking isn’t your thing, Torrey Pines during low tide allows you to explore tide pools on the shore that are hidden during high tide. There are so many unique tide pools along the beach and tons of fun things to see.
If tide pools don’t interest you either, just beaching it at Torrey Pines is a great option. If you walk a little ways down, the crowds are minimal, which we love! But regardless, I find Torrey Pines to be a lot less crowded than some of the other beaches in San Diego. And of course don’t forget to stay for sunset!
Potato Chip Rock
This is a moderate hike located in Poway, CA, just outside of San Diego. Again, this is a place I love to take people who are visiting from out of town (if they like hiking of course). Potato Chip Rock is on the Mt. Woodson Summit and gets its name from resembling a potato chip. There are two trails that lead to this great photo opp destination. I’ve only been on the shorter, more inclined trail, which is a 5.5 mile round-trip trail that takes 2-3 hours. The longer trail starts on the other side, is 8 miles, and takes 3-4 hours. There isn’t much shade on the way up, so try to do this hike early or not during the summertime to beat the heat. This hike is inclined almost the entire way up, so it’s an excellent workout and your legs will be sore the next day! Once you get to the summit, actually getting on top of the potato chip can be a bit tricky (see pictures below of my friends and me trying to get to the top). But once you’re up there, you get breathtaking panoramic views of San Diego, which makes it all worth it.
Balboa Park
Balboa Park is a historic park in San Diego that has walking paths, gardens, theaters, and museums. I love walking around and exploring the park because there’s always something going on. If you’re a foodie, ‘Food Truck Fridays’ is a fun event in Balboa. There are dozens of food trucks with delicious food, live music, and dancing. The theaters have shows playing all year ‘round - Brandon and I’ve gone the past 2 years to see the musical, The Grinch. There are also 32 international houses that all provide information about different cultures around the world. As someone who loves to travel, I found this part particularly interesting. For a small fee you can explore the Japanese Friendship Gardens. The garden is thoughtfully decorated with water features, bridges, stone work, and koi ponds. And it is SO green, especially for San Diego. The Spanish Village Art Center is home to art studios, colorful tiles, and vibrant courtyards, where local artists demonstrate their talents and share their artwork. Balboa Park also offers a Rose Garden, Botanical Garden, a science museum, and more!
Farmers Markets
Farmers Markets are so popular in San Diego and are held in different parts of the city throughout the week. My favorite one is the Little Italy Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. This one is one of the larger ones and has over 150 vendors selling flowers, artwork, food, and more. This is my favorite place to grab some fresh flowers or a new plant to add to my collection. I also love browsing the different art vendors and seeing their talent. And of course, grabbing a kombucha to sip on is a great way to cool off on a hot morning!
These are just a few of My Favorite Outdoor Places to go in San Diego. I really am blessed to live in such a beautiful place with so many fun things to do outdoors. I’m so grateful to call San Diego home!