Looking for things to do in San Diego in 2012? Things to do that are fun? Romantic? Free? Outdoors? Kids activities? We have lots of ideas for you. Check out these ideas for the best activities and adventures in beautiful San Diego.
Last updated January 31 2012 San Diego Things to Do.
Balboa Park - Visit lovely San Diego Balboa Park , with its beautiful landscaping and architecture, and home to the San Diego Zoo and many interesting museums. This is one of the most popular San Diego things to do as rated by the locals. Any vacation to San Diego should include a trip to Balboa Park. It's free to walk around and enjoy this treasure, or you can visit one of the San Diego Museums in Balboa Park, such as the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. On Tuesdays several San Diego museums are free on a rotating schedule to San Diego city and county residents, and active military and their families. If you are looking for free activities in San Diego, spend a day in Balboa Park in 2012.
Belly Up Tavern - Visit the Belly Up in Solana Beach for live music and fun. Must be 21 or older. Buy your tickets in advance. Next door is the Wild Note Cafe, a bistro-style restaurant.
Biplane ride - Enjoy the view of San Diego and the Pacific Coast from a biplane, warbird, or other barnstorming airplane.
Botanic gardens - Visit the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas (formerly called Quail botanical Gardens) for a delightful stroll through varied beautiful gardens, including waterfalls and a rain forest in San Diego! My favorite is the bamboo gardens. A new Hamilton Children's garden has just opened here in 2009. This is another of the best San Diego things to do.
Camping - Go camping at one of the many California State Park campgrounds in San Diego area. Reserve early for the 2012 summer season, as the campgrounds fill up within the first 30 minutes. Beach camping is another one of the best San Diego things to do. San Diego Beach Camping
Christmas Activities - Join in the fun festivities during the holiday season with some fun holiday and 2012 Christmas activities in San Diego. Ice skating on the beach in Coronado, Grinchmas and holiday fun at your favorite Southern California theme park such as Christmas at Disneyland, holiday parades and more.
Coronado ferry - Ride the Coronado ferry and explore beautiful Coronado on bicycle.
Cruise - Enjoy a San Diego cruise or a dinner cruises in San Diego harbor. A 2012 San Diego harbor cruise takes 1-2 hours and gives you a delightful tour and view of San Diego Calif.
Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds - Visit an exciting horse race at the Del Mar Racetrack, or the summer San Diego County Fair (June 8 - July 4 2012). Many other Del Mar fairgrounds events are held here throughout the year.
Desert - Visit the deserts east of San Diego, such as Anza Borrego Desert State Park or further north the Joshua Tree National Park. Anza Borrego offers spectacular spring wildflowers in 2012, while Joshua Tree offers great rock climbing, boulder scrambling, and interesting "Dr. Seuss" type trees. Good camping at both in spring and fall. Another awesome San Diego things to do.
Disneyland - A list of southern California activities wouldn't be complete without Disneyland, and its sister park, Disney California Adventure, just 90 or so miles north of San Diego CA. Disneyland is fun for all ages, and the 2012 World of Color show is a must see. We have tips on how you can get cheap Disneyland tickets.
Gas Lamp District - Visit San Diego historic Gas Lamp Quarter, for a night out on the town. Great restaurants, events and age 21 and up parties. San Diego Gas Lamp District
Farmers Market - Shop at a local San Diego farmers market for fresh fruit and produce. Many offer organic choices, tasty freshly prepared food, plants, arts and crafts and a whole lot of fun.
Flower Fields - Each spring you can enjoy the spectacular 50 acres of Flower Fields overlooking the Carlsbad, California coastline. The fields are planted and will open March 1 2012 through Mother's Day celebration on May 13 2012. Carlsbad Flower Fields
Fishing - Fishing in San Diego CA is popular from many piers, such as Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach. This is great for some San Diego family fun, because a fishing license is not required to fish from a pier. San Diego sport fishing tours are common from Point Loma for an exciting deep sea fishing San Diego trip.
Geocaching - What is geocaching? San Diego has meetups for geo caching, a modern-day treasure hunt using a GPS device. You can join a group hunting trip, or create your own private geocaching adventure.
GoCar GPS Guided Tour - Take a GPS guided tour in a fun story telling car, the GoCar. Tour the sites of Old Town, Balboa Park and the historic San Diego Gaslamp Quarter at your own pace.
Golf - San Diego is famous for its Mediterranean climate, which makes it perfect all year around for golf. There are many San Diego golf courses, including the world-famous Torrey Pines golf course on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
San Diego Halloween Events 2012 - If you are looking for things to do in San Diego this Halloween, see San Diego Halloween activities.
Hang-glide - Hang-glide or paraglide above Black's Beach Torrey Pines cliffs at the Torrey Pines Gliderport. You can fly solo or tandem, or just watch and enjoy the awesome sport. Stop by on a weekend to just watch and enjoy the beautiful views. Even as a spectator sport, this is one of the best San Diego things to do.
Hiking - There are many great Hiking Trails in San Diego in the parks and beaches and along the lagoons. We like Torrey Pines Preserve and Elfin Forest for some nice elevation gain. This is one of the best free things to do in San Diego - outdoors and great exercise!
Home Exchange - Looking for a great vacation deal? Try home exchange, a growing trend where you change homes with someone anywhere in the world. Hotel rooms are expensive, stay in a loft in Manhattan, a ski condo in Aspen, or a beach house in San Diego. It's free. Home Exchange.
Horseback riding - Are you a horse lover looking for San Diego things to do? Try horseback riding at Imperial Beach or Fiesta Island, and enjoy riding a horse on the beach.
IMAX Film - For a movie treat, try a 360 degree IMAX movie at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park.
K1 Speed Kart Racing - Test your driving skills at K1 Speed in Carlsbad, an indoor kart racing track. Great activity for when you are looking for San Diego things to do on a rainy day.
Subscribe to 2012 aBeach4U San Diego Beach Lovers Newsletter - If you like our ideas for fun things to do in San Diego, why not subscribe to our E-zine monthly newsletter? Just fill in the box below to join our E-Zine mailing list.
Kite Flying - On a windy day fly a kite at the one of the San Diego beaches or parks for some San Diego family fun. Choose a beach or park that is not too crowded but has good wind.
Laser Tag - What a blast! Visit Ultrazone Laser Tag for a fog filled, dark, indoor laser tag adventure. Always fun, especially with a group of friends. One of the best San Diego family attractions.
Legoland - Legoland California is here in Carlsbad, in north San Diego county. Great San Diego kids activity for ages 3 - 10, and lego builders of all ages.
Maritime Museum - Explore the historic ships in the Maritime Museum of San Diego in the harbor. The Star of India and more.
Museums - Visit one of the San Diego Museums in Balboa Park, such as the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. On Tuesdays several San Diego museums are free on a rotating schedule to San Diego city and county residents, and active military and their families. If you are looking for free activities in San Diego, this is a great way to spend a Tuesday.
Mystery Cafe Dinner Theatre - Enjoy a dinner theater and murder mystery at one of the San Diego Mystery Cafe Dinner Theatres. One of the exciting things to do in San Diego.
Paintball - Try your luck and skill on the battlefield, getting shot with colorful paint balls. Younger paint ball enthusiasts will prefer Mr. Paintball USA, but if you want to compete with the hard core marines, try Camp Pendleton Paintball Park.
Photography – Bring your camera and take advantage of the beautiful Pacific Ocean, Anza Borrego desert, Palomar Mountain, Point Loma, San Diego Botanic Garden (Quail Botanic Gardens) and other interesting places in San Diego. If you get some really good photos, maybe you can sell them on istockphoto.
Picnic – For an all time favorite San Diego things to do, bring a picnic lunch to one of the lovely parks.
Playgrounds – Small children love the playgrounds in the park, or better yet, a park near a beach. Most of the top beaches in San Diego have adjacent playgrounds.
Rides - Belmont Park in Mission Beach has a roller coaster and rides right next to the boardwalk and beach. This is great San Diego family fun, and is not too expensive. Nearby SeaWorld is an aquatic theme park. In north San Diego county, Legoland California is a popular theme park.
Rocky Horror Picture Show - On Friday nights at midnight, see the actors and Rocky Horror Picture Show at La Paloma Theatre in Encinitas Cali. The second Friday of each month is lingerie night. Rocky Horror Picture Show
Run - Run along the many miles of sandy beach, San Diego parks, or hiking trails. You won't be alone, as our fitness culture makes this one of the popular San Diego things to do. Best San Diego Walking and Running Beaches
Sail - San Diego sailing is fun in Mission Bay, where sail boats can be rented, or check out one of the San Diego sailing schools for lessons.
Scenic drive – For a romantic and fun San Diego scenic drive, take the 59-mile scenic drive that originates at Broadway and Harbor drive at the Embarcadero. Enjoy the rest of the day at the Embarcadero, full of more San Diego things to do.
Scuba dive – Scuba diving San Diego CA can be done in La Jolla inside the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park, at Point Loma, or in north San Diego county at the Encinitas Marine Life Refuge.
Seaworld – Visit SeaWorld San Diego and enjoy the dolphin and whale shows, rides and summer fireworks. Sea World is located in Mission Bay Park.
Shop – Our lovely outdoor shopping malls make shopping in San Diego Cal a popular thing to do. San Diego offers shops along some of the beaches such as Mission Bay, and Seaport Village in San Diego Bay. In north San Diego county, I recommend Carlsbad Premium Outlets, also known as the Carlsbad Outlet Mall, just north of Palomar Airport road on Paseo del Norte.
Sightseeing Tour - Take a sightseeing tour to see the top attractions in the city of San Diego CA, or take the La Jolla Coast Walk. A fun San Diego tourism activity.
Skateboard – Skateboard along one of the cement San Diego beach boardwalks, such as Mission Beach or Carlsbad Tamarack Beach, or in one of the skateboard parks, such as the Encinitas YMCA. Maybe you'll see Olympic champion Shaun White practicing there.
Skydive - San Diego Skydiving is an extreme adventure thing to do in San Diego. See Wind Tunnel for an alternative.
Spa - Relax and enjoy a facial, massage, or other San Diego spa treatment a a day spa.
Sunset – Looking for some free things to do in San Diego? The California beach sunset is beautiful over the Pacific Ocean, and can be viewed from most beaches. It's fun to arrive at a beach front bar 30 minutes before sunset to watch the beautiful color changes, or on a San Diego family vacation have the kids guess how long it will take for the sun to set.
Sunset Cruise - Enjoy a sunset cruise in San Diego, a nice way to spend a romantic San Diego evening.
Swim - Swim in the Pacific Ocean, Mission Bay, or one of the nearby San Diego swimming pools, such as the Coronado pool. Or for an exciting adventure, join an open water swim race, popular in the clear water between La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores.
Tidepools - On your San Diego family vacation, explore the San Diego Tide Pools at Cabrillo National Monument, La Jolla, or North County. These are best explored during fall and winter on certain days with minus tide. This is a great San Diego things to do at the beaches during the winter.
Universal Studios Hollywood - If you are on vacation in Southern California, a trip to Universal Studios LA, about 2 hours north of San Diego, is a fun day excursion.
USS Midway - Explore the USS Midway Museum, a real aircraft carrier in San Diego Bay. Includes exhibits and restored aircraft on this floating naval ship museum.
Valentine Romantic Things to do in San Diego - On Valentine's day, or any other romantic occasion, there are many romantic San Diego things to do. From dining in the dark to air adventures, put some romance in your life with our Valentines Day Ideas.
Water Park – If you are looking for San Diego things to do during the summer, try a San Diego Water Park, such as Soak City Water Park in Chula Vista CA (south San Diego), (shown in photo above), The Wave Waterpark in Vista (North San Diego), the brand new Legoland Water Park or Sea World in Mission Bay Park.
Water Ski – Water ski Mission Bay California or the Carlsbad lagoon. Bring your own boat and water skis or rent.
Whale Watching – San Diego whale watching is popular from December to April on whale watching cruises. You can also see them from land, for example from Point Loma or the cliffs at Torrey Pines State Preserve.
Wicked Musical - see this hot new musical about the witches of Oz. Wicked is playing in San Diego Jun 20 - July 15 2012. Get your tickets now. Wicked and other Cheap Tickets
Wind Tunnel - Try a simulated sky diving experience in the Perris Wind Tunnel.
Wine Tour - Tour wine country. California Overland offers a Julian backcountry wine tour in an open army style truck. Or try a jeep wine tour through Temecula Valley wine region.
Wild Animal Park - Visit the SanDiego San Diego Wild Animal Park, now called the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, one of my favorite things to do in San Diego. For some extra fun kids activities in San Diego, try the Roar and Snore campover.
Windsurf – San Diego windsurfing is most popular in Mission Bay Cal, with its calm waters and light wind.
Zoo - Visit the world famous San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park, one of the best zoos in the world. We can also tell you how where to get discount tickets and coupons for the San Diego Zoo and other SoCal attractions. This is one of the the most popular San Diego things to do.
Disneyland - Take a great Southern California vacation to the happiest place on earth. See the new World of Color Show at California Adventure. Get your cheap Disneyland tickets.
Legoland Coupons - See the San Diego Padres Swinging Friar and more lego art at Legoland. Pick up your discount Legoland coupons before you go.
Universal Studios - See King Kong, Water world and more at Universal Studios Hollywood with this special deal. Get your Universal Studios Discount Tickets.
San Diego Tide Pools - Tide pool season is back at the San Diego beaches. Enjoy the beaches at low tide and explore some San Diego Tide Pools.
San Diego Whale Watching - Whale watching season is here. See them from sea or land. Whale Watching in San Diego.
Get Our Newsletter
Subscribe to aBeach4U Ezine, our electronic newsletter titled aBeach4U San Diego Beach Lovers, and receive seasonal updates on beach activities and things to do in San Diego and Southern California.
