California
Los Angeles and San Diego, two easy-to-pair Southern California cities with beaches, hikes, and some of the best Mexican food in the country.
Los Angeles
| Name | Info | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Griffith Observatory | free · sunset views | Iconic hilltop building with telescopes and a planetarium, and one of the best free sunset/skyline views in the city. Gets crowded on weekends, so aim for a weekday or early evening. |
| Getty Center | free, but book a timed entry ahead | World-class art collection plus gardens and architecture on a hilltop campus with a tram ride up. Admission is free but you need a reserved timed ticket, and parking has its own fee. |
| Griffith Park hikes | free · moderate | Trails ranging from an easy 2.5-mile loop near the Observatory to the tougher 5-mile Hollywood Trail loop, with some routes leading up toward the Hollywood Sign. Start early in warmer months to beat heat and crowds. |
| Runyon Canyon | free · easy-moderate, dog-friendly | A quick, popular hike right off Hollywood with a 360-degree payoff at the top and a decent shot at a celebrity sighting. Several loop options from under a mile to over 3 miles. |
| Venice Beach & Boardwalk | free · people-watching | Skate park, muscle beach, street performers, and vendors along the boardwalk, with the canals a few blocks inland for a quieter contrast. Good for a couple of hours, not a full day. |
| Santa Monica Pier | free to walk · $ for rides | Classic pier with an amusement park, arcade, and the Pacific Park ferris wheel, plus the beach right below it. Pair with a walk down the Third Street Promenade. |
| Grand Central Market | $-$$ · downtown food hall | Historic market downtown packed with stalls covering everything from Thai food to oysters to breakfast burritos. Good one-stop option when a group can't agree on cuisine. |
| Leo's Tacos Truck | $ · al pastor, multiple locations | Mexico City-style al pastor tacos carved off a trompo, topped with pineapple, from a well-loved fleet of trucks around the city. Cash-friendly, no-frills, and reliably good late at night. |
| Mariscos Jalisco | $ · seafood tacos, must-try | Jalisco-style truck famous for deep-fried shrimp tacos (tacos dorados de camarón), consistently named among the best tacos in the city. Expect a line, especially on weekends. |
San Diego
| Name | Info | Details |
|---|---|---|
| La Jolla Cove | free · sea lions & snorkeling | Small cove ringed by sandstone cliffs where you can snorkel alongside garibaldi fish and watch wild sea lions haul out on the rocks nearby. Children's Pool Beach just south is the easiest spot to see the sea lions up close. |
| Balboa Park | free to walk · museums cost extra | Huge cultural park with Spanish Colonial architecture, gardens, and a cluster of museums, plus the San Diego Zoo on its northern edge. Easy to spend a half or full day just wandering. |
| San Diego Zoo | $$$ · book ahead | One of the most respected zoos in the country, known for its pandas, expansive habitats, and canopy bus tour. Located inside Balboa Park, so easy to combine with a park visit. |
| USS Midway Museum | $$ · aircraft carrier | Retired aircraft carrier turned museum on the downtown waterfront, with a self-guided audio tour through the flight deck and berths. A solid rainy-day or midday option with real shade indoors. |
| Sunset Cliffs Natural Park | free · sunset spot | Dramatic sea cliffs and tide pools along Point Loma with some of the best sunset views in the city, no ticket or reservation needed. Watch your footing near the edges, especially after rain. |
| Gaslamp Quarter | $$-$$$ · nightlife & dining | Downtown's historic entertainment district, packed with restaurants, bars, and live music in restored Victorian-era buildings. Livelier at night, especially on weekends. |
| North Park breweries | $-$$ · craft beer crawl | Walkable cluster of taprooms including North Park Beer Company and Belching Beaver, in a neighborhood widely considered ground zero for San Diego's craft beer scene. Good area to brewery-hop on foot between dinner stops. |
Food
| Name | Info | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Oscar's Mexican Seafood | $ · fish tacos, San Diego | Local chain with locations in Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, and Hillcrest, often cited as some of the best fish tacos in a city that takes them seriously. Order the classic Baja-style battered fish taco with cabbage and crema. |
| The Taco Stand | $ · San Diego institution | Long-running favorite in La Jolla (with other locations around the city) known for its adobada and fish tacos made fresh to order. Expect a short wait at peak times, worth it. |
| Mitch's Seafood | $$ · Point Loma | Waterfront seafood spot near the harbor known for standout fish tacos and fresh catch plates. Good option if you want table service instead of a taco-stand line. |
| Grand Central Market | $-$$ · downtown LA food hall | See LA section, listed again here as an anchor stop if food is the main goal of a day downtown. |
| Leo's Tacos Truck | $ · al pastor, LA | See LA section. Worth repeating: this is the al pastor to seek out if you only try one truck. |
| Rubio's Coastal Grill | $ · San Diego original | The chain that popularized the Baja-style fish taco in the US, started by a San Diego founder who brought the recipe back from Baja California decades ago. Casual and consistent if you want a reliable, no-wait option. |