The Top Things To Do and See in Little Italy, San Diego, CA

Little Italy Farmers Market, San Diego.
Little Italy Farmers Market, San Diego. | © Tim Brown / Alamy Stock Photo
Sierra Brown

California is a large state known for many wonderful things like the Hollywood entertainment industry, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Golden Gate Bridge, and many more. California is a great vacation spot because it has so many exciting things to do and see, things many of us have yet to hear of. However, that doesn’t stop them from being amazing attractions. These restaurants, museums, parks, and more definitely belong on your to-do list.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Waterfront Bar and Grill

Waterfront Bar and Grill is a fun place to go every day of the week for their great food and drinks. While there’s happy hour daily, the fun begins on Tuesdays where chicken and fish tacos are only $2 stop by at 4 p.m. and buy them until they’re gone. Wednesdays are just as great because they are slider night where savory sliders are just $2. Stop by and enjoy a hump day you’ll never forget. The fun continues throughout the week with live DJ’s every Thursday the last Friday of the month, and first and third Saturdays of the month.

Piazza Basilone

Firefighters Museum

The Firefighters Museum is a family friendly place to visit. Adults, children, and seniors can view firefighting memorabilia dating back 100 years. They can see everything from fire boots to an early firefighting apparatus on display. The museum was founded in 1962 and occupies the former home of San Diego fire station number 6. Well known pieces are La Jolla’s first engine, a horse drawn steamer, and piece of steel from the World Trade Center. The museum is also available to rent for any private party and is equipped with a full functioning kitchen, tables and chairs.

Our Lady of the Rosary Church

Considered the ‘Jewel of Little Italy’, Our Lady of the Rosary Church was consecrated in 1925 it was built mainly by a fisherman who emigrated from Genoa, Italy as well as Portuguese immigrants. You can see their influence throughout the church especially by the two statues at the front, of Christopher Columbus and st. Peter, a fisherman. The inside of the church holds beautiful paintings and murals, as well as mesmerizing stained glass windows. The church is small but that doesn’t stop it from being recognized as an architectural gem.

Taste of Little Italy

Local culinary hub

Each year, Taste of Little Italy is in full effect. The neighborhood’s one-of-a-kind restaurants open their doors and allow food lovers to enjoy each restaurant’s most desirable dishes including appetizers, entrees, desserts, and drinks. If you’re planning to attend this event, you’ll need a passport to find your way to different restaurants, who will check off your taste as you go. Taste Passports list participating restaurants and each location’s specific food offering. Traveling from restaurant to restaurant is an easy walk. Each year, about 30 restaurants participate. During Taste of Italy, visitors walk along flower and tree-lined sidewalks and enjoy live music.

Opening hour: 5 pm-9 pm

Watch out for: the different venues of entertainment

Farmer’s Market

The Farmer’s Market is the best place to be on a nice Saturday. There’s plenty of visitors, vendors, and food. Stop by and stroll from booth to booth sampling fresh items like organic fruits and vegetables from over 150 local vendors. While the samples are free, if you enjoyed what you tasted, the items are available for you to buy. There are also plants to view and buy. The Farmer’s Market booms with live music. There’s never a dull moment here, and rain or shine, the artisans will take care of you.

Davanti Enoteca

You get the best of both worlds with Davanti Enoteca, tasty food and a beautiful decor with a lively atmosphere they offer a unique menu with one-of-a-kind meals like their ricotta and honeycomb. The food and atmosphere make it a great place to take the whole family, or maybe that special someone. If the weather is right ask to sit in the patio. They also have a unique dessert menu with cakes brownies and tarts like you’ve never tasted before. This hot-spot is known for its large patio, happy hour, and Italian food so stop by and enjoy it all.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

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