Arriv guide · San Diego
San Diego weekend
San Diego, CA · 3-day weekend getaway · 9 places
By ArrivLast checked
Beaches, tacos, and a sunset in La Jolla. You have 3 days, and the airport takes a bite out of both ends before you start. This San Diego plan spends what is left on the things worth queueing for, and skips the ones that only photograph well. A Friday arrival buys you the whole weekend, while a Saturday morning landing turns the trip into a long day with a hotel attached. Take the earlier flight when the fare difference is small. This guide maps 9 hand-picked places across beaches, tacos & food, and neighborhoods in San Diego, CA, grouped the way you would use them once you are on the ground. The map below is the useful part, because it shows how far apart the stops sit, which a plain list of names always hides. Duplicate the trip in Arriv to set dates, swap stops, and plan with your group.
Stays on this map
Hotels and rentals near these pins.
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How to use this San Diego guide
- Follow the day-by-day order as a starting spine, because it already accounts for what sits near what. 3 days is the intended pace, and once you duplicate the trip you can stretch it or compress it to fit the flights.
- Day 1 assumes you are checked in and moving, so the first big block starts on a morning that is already yours. Land the night before if the schedule allows it.
- 6 stops carry a note about reservations, timing, or where to eat after the main event. Read those first, because they are the ones that change what you end up booking.
- The lists are themed on purpose, which is why they hold together as sets: Beaches, Tacos & food, Neighborhoods. Use them when you have finished the scheduled stops and still have an evening to fill.
- Pin the map so you have it on your phone at the airport. Duplicate into Arriv when you are ready to lock dates, add hotels, and share the plan with everyone coming to San Diego.
3-day San Diego itinerary
Tap a stop to see it on the map. Adjust freely once it’s your trip.
Day 1Arrive + Little Italy + Gaslamp
India St, San Diego, CA
Tip — Aperitivo hour in Little Italy
Gaslamp Quarter
4.5
614 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
Tip — Night out in the Gaslamp
Day 2Tacos + beaches + La Jolla sunset
1881 Thomas Ave, San Diego, CA
Tip — Fish tacos for breakfast — trust it
Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA
Tip — Boardwalk stroll
La Jolla Cove
4.8
1100 Coast Blvd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
Tip — Sea lions + sunset at the cove
5319 University Ave, San Diego, CA
Tip — The California burrito origin story, which is the kind of claim you should test before you take a side.
Day 3Market + Balboa + Coronado
2820 Historic Decatur Rd, San Diego, CA
Tip — Graze the market stalls
1549 El Prado, San Diego, CA
Tip — Museums + gardens
Coronado Beach
4.7
Coronado Beach, Coronado, CA 92118, USA
Tip — Last beach hour before heading out
Where to go in San Diego
9 places across 3 themed lists — use these when you want options beyond the day plan.
Beaches
1100 Coast Blvd, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
Sea lions, tide pools, and cliff walks, which is more coastline than most cities manage in one spot.
Coronado Beach, Coronado, CA 92118, USA
Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA
A laid-back boardwalk with beach bars, which is where the afternoon goes if you do not make a plan.
Tacos & food
1881 Thomas Ave, San Diego, CA
5319 University Ave, San Diego, CA
The California burrito origin story, which is the kind of claim you should test before you take a side.
2820 Historic Decatur Rd, San Diego, CA
Neighborhoods
614 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
Historic downtown bars and nightlife, which sit close enough together that nobody needs to drive.
1549 El Prado, San Diego, CA
Museums, gardens, and the famous organ pavilion, which is more than one afternoon can hold.
India St, San Diego, CA
A farmers market on Saturdays, which is worth building the last morning around.
Make this San Diego trip yours
Use this guide to duplicate the itinerary into your trips. Set dates, swap stops, invite your crew — then continue planning on the web or take it on the go in the Arriv app.