NORTHERN LATITUDES
Visiting San Diego
San Diego has sometimes been referred to as the birthplace of California. It is one of the oldest cities, but also one of the most populous cities of the golden state. San Diego is at the same time, beautiful, interesting and dynamic. All these things make it a nice destination for anyone going to California. Let us introduce to this city:
Summary:
Updated on 7/6/2025
San Diego History in short
Having a bit of context is always interesting when visiting a place, it helps us to better understand our surroundings and appreciate even more the things that we see. Therefore, let’s give a quick glance at San Diego’s history.
The first people to have lived in the area are the Kumeyaay who scattered across the region and built villages. The first European to visit the region was Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo who claimed the bay for the Spanish Empire in 1542. He named the place “San Miguel”. In 1602, a Spanish explorer and diplomat (he actually had a lot of different jobs) surveyed the harbor and named the bay and surrounding area “San Diego” in honor of Saint Didacus of Alcala, also known as San Diego. This is only more than 200 years later that the permanent colonization of San Diego and California began, in 1769. Huge fast forward in time, San Diego became Mexican when Mexico got its independence from Spain, and then American in 1850. The original town of San Diego (known as Old Town) being located at an inconvenient place, a new development was launched, the “New San Diego”. From there, other projects were undertaken to develop the area. In both 1915 and 1935, the city hosted the World’s Fair resulting in the construction of a lot of buildings still standing today. Little return in time, in 1901, the city saw the beginning of the U.S. Navy presence, marking the beginning of a long legacy of military presence in the area. In the later 20th century, the city became an important place in the cannery business, and more in the 21th century, a center of the biotech industry and a very touristic city.
Poster for the 1915 Panama - California Exposition.
Things To Do In San Diego
There is plenty to do there, some of the best things to do in San Diego include.
La Jolla
La Jolla (meaning “The Jewel” in Spanish) is a seaside area known for its stunning ocean views and waterfront shops and restaurants. You can go to La Jolla Village, a walkable village with many things to do, stay at beaches, or even observe the wildlife there (a lot of seals are present in the area). The neighborhood also welcomes the UCSD (University of California, San Diego), the Museum of Contemporary Art of San Diego as well as the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.
​Since the area is very popular, finding parking can be difficult during the hot season. The San Diego Trolley has stops in the area as well.
The San Diego Zoo
What zoo in the U.S. is as popular and iconic as the zoo of San Diego. It is the most visited zoo in the United States, and has the reputation of being one of the best in the world. But why? Well, the zoo was one of the first to have open-air, cageless exhibits that recreate the animal habitats. It houses over 12000 animals of more than 680 species and subspecies. The zoo has features like gondolas providing an aerial view of the zoo called the Skyfari. And all the areas in the zoo are beautiful. The Zoo of San Diego is really a must in this area.
Tickets
There are many options for tickets. The most basic fares are:
1 Day Pass – Any Day
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Adult (Ages 12+) – $76
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Child (Ages 3-11) – $66
The zoo also offers multi day passes as well as passes with access to unique features. If you plan on visiting multiple parks in San Diego, tickets including San Diego Zoo, San Diego Safari Park and SeaWorld San Diego also exist.
SAN DIEGO ZOO HOURS:
From June 22 to August 10
9AM - 8PM
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Rest of the year
9AM - 6PM
We always encourage you to visit the official website of the zoo for the most up to date information.
Balboa Park
New York has Central Park, San Francisco has the Golden Gate Park and San Diego has Balboa Park. The urban park was built in 1868 and is one of the oldest in the United States dedicated to public recreational use, and it is also one of the most iconic places in San Diego. The park is huge and with this size comes a lot of things to do:
Walking along the trails:
Quite a number of trails can be found in Balboa park. The urban trails often offer nice views of the parks. These includes:
San Diego’s 7 Bridges Hike
A loop going through many sights of San Diego. The trail is relatively flat and accessible to anyone. Moreover, since the trail goes through some part of the city, you will find plenty of places to stop for a drink or a snack. Definitely worth it if you want to discover San Diego.
5-mile | Easy
Balboa Park Palm Canyon
An out and back trail taking you through the hidden spots of Balboa Park. If you want to forget that you are in a big city for a short moment, it is for you.
1-mile | Easy
Park Blvd Trails
This is a collection of trails with different lengths that will take you through different parts of the park. The 3.0 and 1.2 mile trails are two easy trails that will respectively take you through the historic 1915 Panama California Exposition section of the park and the 1935 California Pacific International section of the park.
The Gardens of Balboa Park
Do you like plants? If you do, Balboa Park offers a wide variety of gardens. These includes:
The Botanical Building – This is one of the most popular sites of Balboa park, the building was built for the 1915-1916 exposition and was recently renovated. It displays a vibrant collection of flowers as well as many other plants. It is free and open daily from 10AM to 4PM.
The Kate O.Sessions Cactus Garden – A free garden of cactus and succulent plants developed for the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition.
​Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden – This stunning rose garden displays approximately 1600 roses of more than 130 varieties. It is free and open 24/7. The garden is usually in bloom from March through December.
Balboa Park's Botanical Building
A tips to pay for your attractions in Balboa Park
If you are interested in visiting multiple things within Balboa Park, know that the park offers a pass allowing you to enter most of the activities within the park without having to pay for each one individually.
If you are only visiting the city, the most interesting fares may be:
Parkwide Pass
Include one admission to each participating museum. Valid for 7 days.
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$72 for Adults (age 12+)
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$48 for Youth (age 3-11)
Limited Pass
Include one admission to four participating of your choice. Valid for 1 day.
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$60 for Adults (age 12+)
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$39 for Youth (age 3-11)
An annual pass also exists. To see the participating museums, you can view this website.
Visit One of the Museums
Do you like museums? If you do, you will be delighted to learn that San Diego is home to over 90 museums. Here are some museums that you may like:
Japanese Friendship Garden of San Diego
Theoretically not entirely a museum, but it is still an interesting place to visit. The San Diego Japanese Friendship Garden was made as an expression of the friendship between San Diego and the Japanese city of Yokohama. The place also has a related museum. So, if you like the beautiful Japanese flora, this may be for you. Moreover, the garden holds the Cherry Blossom Festival once a year.
Tickets Pricing:
Tickets Pricing is:
General - $16
Student - $14
Senior (65+) - $14
Active Military - $14
You may visit the website of the garden for all information.
San Diego Air & Space Museum
After the flowers and trees, the flying machines! San Diego has a rich history in the domain of aviation. Did you know that the famous Spirit of St. Louis was built in San Diego? Well that is one of the many things you can learn at SD Air & Space Museum.
More information on the website of San Diego Air & Space Museum.
Tickets Pricing:
Adults (12+) - $35
Youth (3-11) - $22
Seniors 65$/Student/Retired Military w/ ID - $29
Children 2 and under / SDASM Members / Active Duty Military Free
USS Midway Museum
The USS Midways was launched in 1945 and stricken in 1997. In 2004, the aircraft carrier opened as a museum. The museum consist of the actuarial carrier and a collection of aircraft.
All information on the website of the museum
Tickets Pricing:
Adults (13+) - $39
Youth (4-12) - $26
Veterans (proof of service required) - $26
Mission Bay
Mission Bay Park is the largest aquatic park of its kind in the United States. The area was first a tidal marsh named “False Bay”. With time recreational development was undertaken, and the marsh was converted into what we know today as Mission Bay Park. Today the park offers beautiful scenery and a bunch of different activities. You will have the choice between a list of things like walking around the marinas, enjoying the beach or participating in aquating activities like scuba diving and more.
The access to the area is free, and there is plenty of parking to park your car.
Map of Mission Bay Park in San Diego
Sunset Cliffs Natural Park
Sunset Cliffs Natural Park is a great place to enjoy magnificent views at sunset. But not only! In Sunset Cliffs, you can explore tidepools, sea caves and natural arches. All of that for free!
You can park for free along the streets, or in one of the dirt parking lots. The park is open 7/24.
Old Town State Park
San Diego is often referred to as the birthplace of California. Old Town State Park is the representation of that statement. This state park consists of restored original historic buildings of the first Spanish settlement of California, museums , unique retail shops and restaurants. All of that to immerse you in the origins of the golden state. And all of that is free!
HOURS: Visitor center and select museums are open from 10AM to 5PM, 7 days a week.
Parkings are available and free for up to 4 hours. Train stations stop right next to the site as well.
More information on the Old Town official website.
Seaport Village
Seaport Village is a waterfront shopping and dining complex adjacent to San Diego Bay in downtown San Diego. The complex houses more than 70 shops, galleries, and restaurants of waterfront property. Its visit to the waterfront is really pleasant. More information here
Getting around San Diego
How to get around San Diego? Let us introduce you to the transit system of San Diego. The San Diego transit system includes buses, trains, trolleys and more. It is operated by the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS).
Trolley
The San Diego Trolley is a light rail system serving San Diego County in California. It is operated by the San Diego Trolley, Inc. a subsidiary of the MTS. The trolley serves 62 stations using four primary lines:
Blue Line
Goes from UTC to San Ysidro.
Green Line
Goes from El Cajon to 12th & Imperial.
Copper Line
A shuttle train that goes from Santee to El Cajon where it joins the Green and Orange lines.
Orange Line
Goes from El Cajon to Courthouse.
Silver Line
This is a bit special as it uses vintage trolleys and operates only during specific holidays. It makes a loop around downtown San Diego.
Most of these lines have connections with the Bus, and some of them either have service to the Airport or a connection to Amtrak.
Please refer to the paying section for information on fares and payment options.
Bus
There are 85 fixed-route services, ten rapid bus transit routes and finally the MTS Access paratransit service. These can take pretty much everywhere around San Diego. As just mentioned, there is three type of bus service:
Fixed Route
These are 85 normal routes taking you in San Diego and the adjacent cities.
Rapid Transit Bus
These are buses using specific systems and having fewer stops to get people to their destination much faster. There are ten of these serving major points around San Diego.
“MTS Access” paratransit service
Provide point-to-point service upon request to passengers registered with MTS as being qualified for assistance in reason of disabilities.
Please refer to the paying section for information on fares and payment options.
COASTER
COASTER is a train service that goes through San Diego County. A good option for anyone who lives in San Diego County, but outside the places served by other types of transit. 30 routes are offered from Monday through to Friday (2 mores on Friday), and 20 on Saturday and Sunday.
The COASTER is based on a zone system. Each station is located in a zone for which you will pay access.
More details on fares in the paying section.
Paying for your transit in San Diego?
Like in other cities, you will have multiple ways of paying for your transit in San Diego.
Fares
One Way Fares for Adult:
MTS Trolley – $2.50
MTS Bus & MTS Rapid – $2.50
MTS Rapid Express/ Premium - $5
MTS Rural – $8
Reduced Fares*:
MTS Trolley – $1.25
MTS Bus & MTS Rapid – $1.25
MTS Rapid Express/ Premium - $2.50
MTS Rural – $4
MTS Access – $5
The one way tickets can be purchased on buses (exact change is required) and at Trolley ticket machines.
Passes Fares for Adult:
Regional Adult Month Pass – $72
Adult Fare 1-Day Pass – $6
COASTER Adult Passes:
COASTER Adult Month Pass
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1 Zone – $140
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2 Zone – $161
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3 Zone – $182
COASTER Adult 1-Day Pass – $15
Passes Reduced Fares*:
Regional Reduced Fare Month Pass – $23
Reduced Fare 1-Day Pass – $3
COASTER Reduced Passes:
COASTER Reduced Fare Month Pass – $58
​COASTER Reduced Fare 1-Day Pass – $7.50
All month passes are valid for a full calendar month.
*Reduced fares are offered for Senior Citizens (65+), Medicare Recipients, People who with disabilities who qualify, Youth ages 6-18. Visit this page for more information on how to get reduced fares.
How to pay?
To pay for your transit, you can use the classic methods like contactless Credit/ Debit Car or contactless mobile wallet. You will only need to tap it on any PRONTO validator. You can also buy the good old paper tickets at rail station ticket machines, or you can pay with cash, but you will need the exact sum on the bus (no change given) – and ticket machines give only up to $5 of change.
PRONTO
MTS also offers the possibility of using PRONTO. This system of payment can either be a card or an app that you can use to pay for all your MTS transit. Using PRONTO offers multiple advantages like fare capping* or special transit passes.
You can buy a physical PRONTO card at an MTS Transit Store, Ticket Machine or Trolley Stations or Transit Center in San Diego, or order one online that will be sent to you. A PRONTO card costs $2 and an additional minimum of $3 needs to be loaded on the card. If you purchase the card at a retail location, the minimum required load is $5. Using the PRONTO app has the same benefits, but is free.
*Fare Capping is a system ensuring that you will never pay more than the cost of a day for your transit. In San Diego transit’s case, you will never pay more than the price of a day pass $6 in a day, or a month pass ($72) in a month. This even if you do not have a pass.
How to go from Los Angeles to San Diego?
Many like to visit both Los Angeles and San Diego in southern California, and they wonder how to join the two. Of course, you can drive from one city to the other or take the plane. But did you know that you can take the train? Indeed, Amtrak operates the Pacific Surfliner going from San Luis Obispo to San Diego passing by Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.
