San Diego is a great starting point for a trip along the Californian coast, or a warm up to crossing the boarder into Tijuana, Mexico. I have visited twice, once in March 2018 and most recently June 2025.
Where to stay in San Diego? The Pearl Hotel
Based in Point Loma, The Pearl Hotel has got a lovely 1950’s vibe and the rooms are spacious and have little touches such as a DAB radio and cotton robes. The pool is small, but it’s enough for a dip if you get good weather. Very cute restaurant, Ponyboy, serves Weds-Sun, with a happy hour 4-5pm daily where you can get $1 oysters, mini hot dogs, fries, and pot roast sliders, plus $7 beer, $10 wine and $14 cocktails.
Getting around San Diego
Public buses are pretty much always empty and cheap. Google maps works a treat, and you can tap on/pay by your regular bank card.
The trolley public transport system also reliable and cheap, but couple of things I found weird/had to watch other people to work out; 1) you have to walk across the tracks to get to the other side/platform, as a rule, 2) tap on machines are just floating around near the platforms, look out for it. I couldn’t see how to ‘tap off’ on the other side so assume this is a one charge all day vibe?!
Trolley Tours – Very cute way to get your bearings around the city. Hop on, hop off style and fully narrated, I found it great value and a good way to get over to Coronado Island. (Ubers are pretty expensive here). I had a discount code through booking my accommodation through Agoda, saving 20%.
Food & Drinks
The Template – 5032 Niagara Ave, San Diego, CA 92107 – Hipster coffee venue close to Ocean Beach Pools with psychedelic toilets featuring black lighting which makes everything white, purple…Very chill, very vibes, very San Diego.
Better Buzz – various locations across SD. Recommend Best Drink Ever®classic americano + signature creamy vanilla.
Morning Glory – ‘Grammable cafe, overlooking India Street in Little Italy (somewhat confusingly). Pink velvet neon punk is how i’d describe the venue, with very decent waffle pancakes and Irish coffee. I arrived around 10am and waiting approx 20 minutes for a table.
The Invigatorium – Coffee shop and bar, 631 Ninth Avenue, 92101. Sit next to a glittered lifesize Ronald McDonald whilst sipping your coffee, staring at a dragon eating a cockroach cushion. No, I am not high. Lovely cuppa here.
Kansas City BBQ – This is the bar used in the Top Gun movie, and if I am honest – a bit of dive! The food was unremarkable, but it was a great setting with so much memorabilia. It’s also walking distance to the Kissing Statue (more on that below).
Touristing
Sunset Cliffs – A must do if you have the weather for it. I decided to do this on my first night (even though I was super jetlagged) and was so glad I did, as I was rewarded with a phenomenal sunset. I took an Uber from my hotel as the walk was all uphill (no thanks) and would only take 6 mins in a car, so got dropped at the Sunset Cliffs Car Park.
Unconditional Surrender statue – Also known as the ‘Kissing Statue’, this is a 25-foot statue in San Diego, officially named ‘Embracing Peace’, based on the iconic 1945 V-J Day photograph by Victor Jorgensen, capturing a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square to celebrate the end of WWII
Old Town – The Old Town was not something I had come across before (and not during a previous visit either) so I was intrigued to check it out. It was pretty, and pretty odd at the same time. It was very quiet and lacked atmosphere and this was where I saw the Trolley Tours departing so decided to take the chance to hop on out of there and hit Balboa Park whilst the sun was shining! If you are a mad-keen history buff, or have a lot of time to kill during your trip then go for it. Otherwise, skip.
Balboa Park – I was blessed with a swathe of sunshine one afternoon so hot-footed it to Balboa Park. There is a lot to see/do here, but I wandered around the Sculpture Garden and the Casa Del Balboa, plus the Japanese Friendship Garden. If I’d had more time and sunshine I would 100% have spent longer here.
What will the Weather be like in San Diego in June?
Think it will be sunny in California in June? Think again. San Diego suffers from an affliction I was unaware of called ‘June Gloom’, which tells you everything you need to know. It often follows ‘Grey May’, and you can expect persistent morning overcast skies, fog, and cool temperatures along the coast.
In fairness, I had a few hours of belting sunshine on one day, but it didn’t last. If you see the sun, run outside as fast as you can and enjoy it!
The Ultimate Tourist 