One of the most popular vacation destinations along the United States west coast is San Diego, which has a lot to offer travelers.
Extensive beaches, a vibrant city center and first-class zoos and theme parks Make America’s Most Beautiful City a perfect pick for just about everyone from singles to families (but we’re here to talk about planning the perfect San Diego girls’ weekend).
As the saying goes, girls just want to have fun and there is no better place for a girls’ fun weekend than San Diego!
Trust me, I know – I live here.
There are tons of hotels, spas, nightclubs, and restaurants in San Diego to keep women entertained. San Diego has a scene for all of us. Leave the boys behind and head to San Diego for a vacation you barely remember but will never forget.
How to spend the best girls weekend in San Diego!
How to plan the perfect girls weekend in San Diego
To plan the perfect San Diego weekend, you need to know where to stay and what to include in your itinerary. We have some great recommendations for you.
If you’re flying in, check out these California airports.
Book the ultimate San Diego resort
The Hilton San Diego Resort and Spa sums up everything we love about San Diego. It has a stunning location on Mission Bay so guests are steps from the water and boardwalk, and minutes from the Gaslamp Quarter and the beaches of Pacific and Mission Beach.
This place is ideal for single women who are looking for a bit of holiday romance. Pacific Beach has an off-college bar scene with pubs, nightclubs, and numerous restaurants along Garnet Avenue, while the Gaslamp Quarter is suitable for all ages with lounges, music venues, bars, and dancing.
If you’re looking for a relaxing San Diego vacation, the Hilton Resort and Spa offers a full-service spa, massages and facials, a lovely waterfront pool, on-site dining, and an array of activities, from tennis to sailing.
Enjoy a cocktail with a view
What’s a girls weekend in San Diego without a few cocktails?
Altitude Sky Lounge is a chic cocktail lounge on the 22nd floor of the San Diego Marriott Gaslamp Quarter. Day and night, this place is unforgettable, offering a bird’s eye view of Petco Park, San Diego Bay, Coronado Bridge, and the entire Gaslamp Quarter.
Altitude Sky Lounge is Perfect for an hour long cocktail before a fun evening downtown or a late night break after dancing in the local clubs. With modern peal, fire pits, eye-catching decor, and gorgeous guests, it doesn’t get any better than San Diego’s Altitude Sky Lounge.
Grab a bite with the girls
It’s rare to ask a group of young San Diego locals their favorite places to eat and not hear a mention Urban kitchen. This trendy Italian bistro has California flair, reasonable prices, out of this world food, an extensive wine list, and over the top hipster decor.
Open for lunch, dinner and on the hour. Cucina Urbana on Banker’s Hill is a thriving hotspot that draws locals and visitors alike from all over the city. This popular San Diego restaurant also offers wine tastings on Saturday afternoons.
Shop until the doctor comes
San Diego has all kinds of shopping that you can imagine from bOutique shopping and organic farmers markets to outlet centers and huge shopping malls. My personal favorite center is the Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego. This outdoor mall has well-known upscale stores, an ice rink in the winter, and is adjacent to the Gaslamp Quarter. I also like the Carlsbad Premium Outlet Center in North County, where you can find incredible deals on high-end brand names like BCBG, BEBE, Banana Republic and Sephora.
Check out Balboa Park
Balboa Park in San Diego is the largest urban cultural park in the United States. There are plenty of affordable and even free activities to be found at Balboa Park! Read our guide to free activities at Balboa Park.
Don’t miss Casa Guadalajara in Old Town San Diego for great Mexican cuisine
Old City of San Diego is considered the „place of birth” of California. San Diego is home to the first permanent Spanish settlement in California. It was here in 1769 that Father Junipero Serra came to establish the very first mission in a chain of 21 missions that would be the cornerstone of California colonization. His mission was built on a hill overlooking what is now Old Town San Diego.
At the base of the hill, a small Mexican community of adobe buildings was formed in the 1820s, which gained El Pueblo de San Diego status in 1835. In 1846, a U.S. Navy lieutenant and a navy lieutenant hoisted the American flag in Old Town San Diego Plaza.
Bazaar Del Mundo shops are what you will see first when you get to the corner of this street. This Mexican restaurant is one block away in garish Latin American-style gift shops Historic park of the old town. Not only is House Guadalajara Better than what you’ll find in this area, it’s often less crowded than its peers (although it’s not uncommon to have to wait half an hour or more on a Friday and Saturday night). Mariachi tunes played by strolling musicians enliven the space each evening, and you can also dine al fresco in a quaint courtyard inhabited by a 200-year-old pepper tree.
Bird bath-sized margaritas start with most meals, while food ranges from simple dishes south of the border to gourmet items like tequila lime shrimp and mango chipotle chicken – but the extensive menu has all of the fajita and combo plates that the most people expect.
Start with one or three petizers, especially the one Nachos highest made with crispy blue corn, yellow corn and chipotle tortilla chips and the special nacho sauce; the Chipotle Chicken Taquitos and some of the best Guacamole Dip in the city. You can order tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tamales and chilli relleno à la carte, but the combinations with rice and beans and specialties lure you to Casa Guadalajara. Breakfast is also served on weekends.
This place (like the bazaar) is touristy, but out-of-towers looking for that old Californian feel and reliable Mexican food will find it here. For the first time of the week we had respectably hot and spicy chilli so I was pretty hpy with the meal! Mexican is pretty heavy, however, and I doubt this is the type of cuisine I would be looking for on a regular basis! All in all a nice experience!
Visit San Diego Beaches: What You Need To Know
In summer, the whole world seems to flock to the beaches of San Diego for fun in the sun. Here are some tips to improve your experience a little.
June Gloom
Most vacationers expect a bright summer sun on the beach all the time. However, this is not always the case on the beaches of San Diego. June Gloom is a Southern California term for the low clouds that pass beach areas in late spring and early summer. June Gloom can last well into July and occasionally into August. May Gray, No Sky July, and Fogust are monikers that San Diego residents are very familiar with.
It can be crazy for those who have booked a beach vacation and only see the sun for one day during their entire trip. To avoid this, plan your trip as well as you can in mid to late August or early September.
The Stingray Shuffle
If you are a frequent visitor to San Diego’s beaches in the summer months, you will most likely hear someone mention the „Stingray Shuffle.”
Stingrays love to hang out in warm, shallow water and sting painfully ankles or feet when entering. If you don’t want to spend your day at the lifeguard tower in immense pain and one foot in a bucket of hot water, you need to learn the dance.
Shuffle your feet as you enter or exit the water to alert the rays that people are nearby.
No alcohol on the beaches
Yes, it is true. There is a ban on drinking alcohol on San Diego Beach, which is punishable by a fine of $ 250.
However, it is more than likely that lifeguards will simply force you to turn off all alcoholic beverages the first time they catch you. Smoking, glass containers, rubbish and camping overnight are also prohibited.
No matter what kind of girl you are and what type of vacation you’re looking for, San Diego has it all.
For young women looking for a wild time for mothers looking for a break from the kids, San Diego offers natural beauty, luxury hotels, great restaurants, and a fun nightlife to please even the weary traveler.
We hope you enjoy the perfect girls weekend in San Diego!
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