17 Fun Things To Do In San Diego For Couples (2024)
Are you looking for romantic things to do in San Diego? This is the article for you.
San Diego is one of the best destinations for couples, with the abundance of beautiful beaches, amazing restaurants, and interesting museums and landmarks.
To help you plan the perfect couples getaway, this article will cover the best activities San Diego has in store for couples. From sunset cruises to hikes by the ocean, there’s truly something on here for everyone.
Here are 17 fun things to do in San Diego for couples.
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1. Visit Sunset Cliffs Natural Park
Head to Sunset Cliffs Natural Park to hike by the ocean and enjoy the best sunset view in San Diego. Sunset Cliffs is a gorgeous park located on the Point Loma peninsula, with rugged cliffs, tide pools, and a sandy beach.
This is a really beautiful and quiet place to walk around, or set up a picnic on the beach. To get to the tide pools, you can park along Ladera St., and walk down a steep staircase to the shore.
Keep in mind it’s busiest around sunset, so I recommend arriving at least 30 minutes beforehand so you can find easy parking.
2. Visit the Cabrillo National Monument
The Cabrillo National Monument is located on the edge of the Point Loma peninsula, overlooking San Diego Bay. It’s home to the Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo statue, Point Loma lighthouses, and Point Loma tide pools.
This is a very scenic and quiet place to walk around, and you’ll have a spectacular view of the San Diego harbor throughout.
Once you arrive, you can park by the visitor center, and walk to the statue and Old Point Loma lighthouse. There’s also a variety of hiking trails starting by the visitor center.
After, you can drive down the hill from the visitor center to get a view of the New Point Loma Lighthouse, and explore the tide pools. Entrance to the national monument is $20/vehicle for a 7 day pass.
3. Have A Date Night In Little Italy
Head down to Little Italy to savor authentic Italian dishes and dessert. Little Italy is a small district of patio cafes, amazing Italian restaurants, and a piazza with a water fountain.
The air smells like fresh baguettes as you walk around, and you’ll see Italian flags line the street. This is the perfect place to go for a date night out, and you can even go on a food tour if you’re a foodie couple.
4. Go On A Sunset Cruise
Go on a sunset cruise to relax and watch the sunset over the San Diego Bay. You’ll get to pass by the Old Point Loma lighthouse, Coronado Island, and potentially spot dolphins and whales in the water.
This is a small group cruise of 6 people, with snacks, drinks, and beers included on board.
5. Explore Old Town
Head to Old Town to shop, see historic buildings, and enjoy delicious Mexican food and live music. Old Town is a charming historic neighborhood with museums, restaurants, artisan shops, and a variety of souvenir vendors.
It’s the site of the first European settlement in California, and it has many historic buildings including the Old Adobe Chapel, El Presidio Real (historic fort), and Whaley House (most haunted house in America!).
On Fridays-Sundays, there’s live music on the Fiesta de Reyes stage in the heart of Old Town. You can enjoy this music while dining at Casa de Reyes, an excellent Mexican restaurant, right in the center of the plaza.
6. Kayak At La Jolla Cove & The 7 Sea Caves
If you’re an adventurous couple, go kayaking through the La Jolla cove and seven sea caves. You’ll get to paddle in double kayaks over kelp beds, and see everything from sea lions to seals and dolphins.
With an expert naturalist as your instructor, they’ll point out all of the fascinating wildlife surrounding La Jolla Cove so you won’t miss anything.
If you’re not a fan of kayaking, you can also explore one of La Jolla’s caves by land. Sunny Jim’s Sea Cave is a sea cave connected to a gift shop by a manmade tunnel, that’s accessible by walking down 144 wooden stairs ($10/person entrance fee).
For more details, check out our guide to visiting Sunny Jim’s Sea Cave.
7. Visit The San Diego Zoo
Spend the day at the San Diego Zoo to see red pandas, elephants, and over 600 species of animals. The San Diego Zoo is one of the best zoos in the United States, so it’s a must-see for animal lovers.
You can also visit the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, just 45 minutes north of San Diego Zoo. Here you can go on a safari tour in the back of an open-air truck, by foot, or even in a hot air balloon! The safari park has expansive savanna habitats, where you can see everything from white rhinos to African elephants.
8. Stroll around Balboa Park
Head to Balboa park to stroll around the beautiful buildings, botanical gardens, and water fountains. Balboa Park is home to over a dozen museums, and the colorful Spanish Village art center, where you can shop for local art and jewelry.
Here are some of the most popular museums worth checking out in Balboa Park:
- San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA): Fine arts museum with a restaurant
- Timken Museum of Art: FREE arts museum right next to the SDMA
- San Diego Natural History Museum: Natural world museum with a cafe
- San Diego Air & Space Museum: Aviation and space museum
- Museum of US: Anthropology museum that offers tower tours
9. Visit the Japanese Friendship Garden
Head to the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park to enjoy the quietness of nature. This botanical garden has koi ponds, cascading, waterfalls, arched bridges, cherry blossoms, bonsai trees, and tons of beauty throughout.
It only takes 15 minutes to walk around, and has seating areas where you can sit and relax.
10. Hike Torrey Pines Natural Reserve
Visit Torrey Pines Natural Reserve to hike along the ocean or spend the day out on the beach. Torrey Pines has a long stretch of sandy beach, with beautiful views of the rugged cliffs.
One of the best hikes within the park is the Guy Fleming Trail, a 0.7 mile loop trail that runs along the coast where you’ll have a sweeping view of the ocean from a bluff top.
There’s a $10-$25 parking fee/vehicle at Torrey Pines, which you can avoid by parking along the street at the North Beach Entrance, and walking into the park. However, the best place to park is the Torrey Pines Visitor Center, as it’s right next to the Guy Fleming trailhead.
11. Visit the Birch Aquarium
Head to the Birch Aquarium in La Jolla to see seahorses, seadragons and the world’s smallest penguins. This small aquarium is located in Scripps Institute of Oceanography of UCSD, and is within walking distance to the Scripps Pier, another great place to watch the sunset.
12. Hike Annie’s Canyon In Solana Beach
Annie’s Canyon Trail is a beautiful hike to a slot canyon, just 20 minutes north of San Diego. You’ll get to climb inside of a sandstone slot canyon, and enjoy views of the San Elijo lagoon and nature reserve throughout.
It only takes around 45 min-1 hour depending on your speed, so it’s a perfect morning or afternoon hike.
13. Have A Night Out In The Gaslamp Quarter
For a fun night out, head to the historic Gaslamp quarter to watch a comedy show. The gaslamp quarter is the center for nightlife in San Diego, with lively comedy clubs, restaurants, bars, and dessert shops.
14. Visit the USS Midway Museum
Head to the San Diego harbor to explore the USS Midway, a floating museum of the United States longest serving aircraft carrier. This museum is massive and full of restored aircrafts, flight simulators, exhibits, and a gift shop and cafe.
Right in front of the museum you’ll see the iconic “Unconditional Surrender” statue of a sailor kissing a nurse from WWII. Whether or not you tour the museum, it’s worth visiting to see the sheer size of it up close.
15. Relax on Coronado Beach
Spend the day at Coronado Beach to sunbathe, swim, or dine by the water. Coronado beach is one of San Diego’s best beaches, located on Coronado island. It’s a long 1.75 mile stretch of sandy beach, with plenty of areas to relax away from crowds.
From the beach, you’ll have a view of the popular Victorian style Hotel del Coronado, and there’s many great restaurants on the waterfront.
To get to Coronado Beach, you can drive across the bridge or take the Coronado ferry ($18 roundtrip/person). It’s just a 10 minute walk to Coronado beach from the ferry terminal, and there’s bike rental shops if you want to explore the island by bike.
16. Pedal Around San Diego Bay At Night
Pedal around San Diego Bay on a glow up boat tour while enjoying views of the city lights at night. With a disco ball, bluetooth speakers, and blankets on board, this is a cute and fun activity for date night.
17. Ride the Old Town Trolley
Ride the Old Town trolley to visit Balboa Park, Old Town, Little Italy, the USS Midway Museum, and more attractions within a day. This is the most convenient way to explore town, without having to worry about parking.
The rides are narrated so you’ll get to learn about the area, and it makes 11 stops in total, arriving at each location every 20 minutes.
San Diego Attractions Map
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