9 Best Things to Do in Downtown San Diego, California

No visit to San Diego is complete without a trip to this urban oasis. Home to many of the city’s main attractions, Balboa Park combines museum complex with themed gardens to create an enchanting Southern California landscape. Just a short walk or trolley ride from Downtown, the park has hosted many international exhibitions and is one of the largest urban green spaces in the entire country. Many of the park’s attractions, such as the Desert Cactus Garden and the Zoro Garden, are free to the public.

The Spanish Village had its origins as an artists’ colony for the California Pacific International Exposition during the 1930s. It is now occupied by more than 200 artists, who practice everything from enamel painting to photography. Thirty-seven working artist studios and galleries are free and accessible to the public every day of the week and many art classes are offered as well. Located in the middle of Balboa Park, the Spanish Village is an authentic and unique destination for art lovers.

A prominent shopping area located on the Pacific Ocean, Seaport Village has 14 acres (five hectares) of fine dining, unique stores and live musical waterfront entertainment. Its centerpieces include an antique hand-painted carousel from 1895 and a long waterfront boardwalk offering unparalleled sunset views.

A collaborative effort between San Diego and its sister city, Yokohama in Japan, this serene garden has been open for 100 years and was originally the site of an authentic Japanese teahouse. Cherry blossoms, koi ponds and bonsai trees line the winding paths of this unique part of Balboa Park. Once you’ve explored the garden to its fullest, take a seat on the modern tea pavilion and soak up that California sun.

This vibrant and unique neighborhood is one of a kind in California. Originally San Diego’s Italian neighborhood and a worldwide center of the tuna fishing industry, Little Italy retains its Italian heritage with a variety of restaurants, art galleries and a weekly farmer’s mercato. It is also the site of ArtWalk, the largest art festival on the West Coast.

This aircraft carrier, the largest ship in the world when it was christened in 1945, is permanently harbored in San Diego and is one of the most popular attractions in the city. It really is the perfect day out, with visitors free to explore the ship’s living quarters, ready rooms, flight control towers, brig and many aircraft. Enjoy!

This elegant 16-block Victorian neighborhood is a San Diego hub for fine dining, cosmopolitan art galleries and rooftop bars. It is also the site of Copley Symphony Hall, home of the San Diego Symphony and Lyceum, which shows off-Broadway musicals and plays. Additionally, the San Diego Film Festival takes place here every fall. Make sure to stop by the Altitude Sky Lounge to sip cocktails 20 stories above the ground and enjoy the view that comes with it.

Located in one of the most stunning buildings in Balboa Park, this anthropological museum hosts exhibits ranging from Ancient Egyptian mummies to artefacts from the original peoples of San Diego, the Kumeyaay American Indians. The museum is also home to the California Tower, a 200ft (61m) structure that makes for a great vantage point.

The San Diego Zoo is not only one of the best zoos in the country, but in the entire world. With a safari park, an arboretum, an aviary and habitats for its thousands of animal species, the zoo sprawls across the entire north end of Balboa Park with easy access to and from Downtown. The zoo is one of the only places in the world to see giant pandas in captivity and has the largest population of koalas outside of Australia.