Things to Do in Southern California: Your Ultimate Guide
Updated: Sep 24
I spent a summer in Southern California, just north of San Diego, and the region has so much to offer. Here is your ultimate guide to things to do in Southern California, including San Diego, Encinitas, and Carlsbad, plus the best places to eat and for nightlife, beaches to visit, and general tips.
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Things to do in San Diego, Southern California
You probably only need a day or two in San Diego itself, but it’s a good place to base yourself.
Little Italy
The Little Italy area of San Diego is great. It has amazing food and cute streets with restaurants, shops, and cafes. I can recommend Scoops for good ice cream!
Coronado Island
Coronado Island is such a beautiful place to walk around. The town is adorable and there is also a great beach with views out over the Pacific.
Old Town San Diego
You need to visit Old Town San Diego. It’s very small but has amazing Mexican food, some authentic shops, and it's a great atmosphere, especially in the evenings. If you want to eat here, you’ll need to book in advance, especially on a Tuesday (Taco Tuesday!).
Mission Bay
Mission Bay has a lot of kayaking, boating, and other watersport experiences which is a lot of fun. It’s also a beautiful place.
County Fair
If the County Fair is on, this is a fun experience. It’s stereotypically American but if you’ve got the time, it would be worth the trip. There are rides, fairground games, and farm animal exhibits too.
Hike Annie’s Canyon Trail
Unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to hike the Annie’s Canyon Trail, but everyone I met recommended it to me. If you are able to, definitely check it out. The same goes for Potato Chip Rock.
La Jolla Cove
La Jolla Cove is a great beach and you can also see sea lions here if you get a kayak.
Nightlife: Downtown San Diego and Pacific Beach
Downtown San Diego has great nightlife. I’d recommend going to the Gaslamp District and Sixth Avenue for the best bars, clubs, and speakeasies. Pacific Beach is also a great area for nightlife. Most clubs you’ll have to pay (around $20) to get into, especially past midnight. Mavericks and Waterbar were great, with Waterbar being right on the beach. Firehouse is also really popular, but you can just walk around the area and see what vibe you’re looking for.
Things to do in Encinitas, Southern California
Encinitas is a laid back beach town north of San Diego and I loved it here. There is so much to do and it’s a very relaxing vibe too.
Dave’s Rock Garden
Dave’s Rock Garden is a small plot of land which Dave bought and converted into a little garden full of painted rocks. It will only take you around 10 minutes to walk around, but it’s a lovely stop and such a nice story.
Meditation Gardens
The full name of this garden is the Self-Realization Fellowship Meditation Gardens. It’s a beautiful place full of koi ponds, trees, and waterways. It also has amazing views of the ocean at the top of the hill too. It will only take you around 20 minutes to visit, but is perfect for taking some downtime, reading, or just resting.
Fletcher Cove/ Solana Beach
Fletcher Cove is also a great beach in the Encinitas area. It’s very popular for surfers too and has good views.
Moonlight Beach
Moonlight Beach is right in Encinitas so does get busy during the day, on weekends, and on holidays, but is great for sunset and you can walk down it a bit to avoid the crowds.
Shopping
The main street of Encinitas is full of boutique shops and surf shops which makes for some fun shopping.
Hike around Torrey Pines
There is a large hiking area around Torrey Pines nature reserve just south of Encinitas. None of the hikes are very strenuous or long, but the views of the coast and the ocean are incredible. You can head down to the beach too.
Leucadia Farmer’s Market
The Leucadia Farmer’s market is open on Sundays and has so many great stalls for food, clothing, and much more. It’s definitely worth a visit.
Nightlife
The nightlife in Encinitas matches the laid back vibe of the town. It’s bars rather than clubs, and they’re all on one street, which makes it a lot of fun. Home and Away is a good place to start as it often gets shut down early, but Shelter, Saloon, and 1st Street Bar are great.
Things to do in Carlsbad, Southern California
Further north of Encinitas is Carlsbad. It has a similar vibe to Encinitas but is a bit busier.
Kayaking
Kayaking in the lagoons in Carlsbad is very popular, as is kayaking on Lake San Marcos. This is more inland but is also a beautiful lagoon.
Carlsbad Beach
Carlsbad Beach was one of my favourites. It gets busy but it’s big enough to still enjoy. The ocean here was also so warm which made it great for swimming.
Nightlife
Carlsbad has a very similar nightlife scene to Encinitas. The Alley is a good bar but does have a $10 cover charge. It has karaoke nights on Wednesdays which are good fun too.
The Best Places to Eat in Southern California
There are so many incredible places to eat in this area, so you won’t go hungry! I didn’t try them all by any means but these are some of my favourites.
The Best Places to Eat in Encinitas
Taco Stand: It’s one of the most popular spots for a reason, and a great place to try famous SoCal burritos. Be prepared to queue but it’s 100% worth it! Veggie and vegan friendly options too.
Baked Bear: for amazing ice cream sandwiches with so many flavours. You can choose cookies or brownies as the ‘bread’. Vegan friendly options too!
Urban plates: the food here is so good and there are so many options for everyone
The Best Places to Eat in Carlsbad
Gonzo Ramen: a really nice, casual ramen place with super friendly staff that did sake bombs with us! Vegan friendly ramen too
Mendocino Farms: amazing healthy food with vegan options
Park 101: this one has a fun outdoor place and is a good place to watch live sport too
Barrel Republic: this is a brewery but has good food as well
The Best Places to Eat in La Jolla
Charminar Indian: this place honestly had some of the best Indian food I’ve ever had (and I’ve been to India)
Torrey Pines
More Places to Eat in Southern California
Here are some other places that came highly recommended but unfortunately I did not have time for:
Monarch, Del Mar: sunset views but be prepared to wait for a table!
Skydeck food hall, Del Mar
Blue Ocean, Carlsbad: sushi with veggie/vegan options
Draft republic, Carlsbad
Dogleg, Carlsbad
Union Tap & kitchen, Encinitas
The Roxy, Encinitas (live music most nights)
Top Tips for your Southern California Trip
You will need a car to get around. There is no public transport at all, and the distances are too great to walk or cycle.
SoCal is a really crowded area of California, so you’ll always have people on beaches, at restaurants, and everywhere else. It’s something to get used to, but be prepared.
It is a very expensive area. For reference, what would have been a £20 - £25 grocery shop in England would cost me $60 in SoCal. Buying groceries is still a lot less than eating out, but something to keep in mind when budgeting
If you go over the 4th July be prepared for a lot of traffic to get to beaches or any other places to see fireworks. We ended up finding a parking spot by Del Mar beach and just watching from there which was great, but getting around Mission Bay (big fireworks here) will be a nightmare! I guess this is something to be aware of anywhere but can only speak to this area
I hope this helps you plan your trip to Southern California. It’s a very fun place with plenty to do, so I am sure you’ll enjoy it. As always, look after the places you visit, and leave only your footprints behind :)
Have a look at some of my other posts on the USA:
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