Where to Stay in San Diego – Ultimate Neighborhood Guide by a Local

by Maria Haase

Best Places To Stay in San Diego for Tourists

Are you planning a trip to sunny San Diego and are overwhelmed with the question of where to stay in San Diego? With 1.3 million residents, San Diego claims the title of the second-largest city in California, so choosing one of the best and centrally located San Diego neighborhoods as your home base during your visit is important. Well, you have come to the right place.

Greg and I are San Diego locals and we are sharing our best places to stay in San Diego for visitors – including hotel recommendations for each San Diego neighborhood. Whether you are looking for a beautiful beach resort in San Diego, a boutique hotel in La Jolla, a chic hotel in the Gaslamp Quarter, or the best vacation rentals in San Diego, we got you covered.

San Diego downtown cityscape from Point Loma. — San Diego, California, USA downtown cityscape from Point Loma.

Where to Stay in San Diego, California

San Diego is a pretty big city, but it is split up into many smaller neighborhoods, which makes it easier to navigate. Each of the San Diego neighborhoods that we recommend to tourists has a unique vibe and feel to them. Depending on your itinerary and personal preferences, we’ll help you find the best place to stay in San Diego.

Best San Diego Neighborhoods for Visitors

Gaslamp Quarter/Downtown

Urban and busy, the center of San Diego is vibrant and offers a lot to locals, tourists, and business travelers alike. The Gaslamp Quarter offers excellent restaurants and nightlife and is within walking distance to the San Diego Convention Center. It is the perfect spot to explore all the things to do in San Diego.

If you don’t have a car, we highly recommend you stay downtown, as many attractions are within walking distance and most others can be reached with public transport or a quick shared ride.

Main attractions in and near Gaslamp Quarter/Downtown:

Hotel Recommendations Downtown/Gaslamp

US Grant San Diego | Omni San Diego Hotel | SpringHill Suites Downtown/Bayfront | Horton Grand Hotel

Cityscape of San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter with colorful buildings and palm trees — Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego

Little Italy

As the name suggests, this is San Diego’s Italian quarter. You will find great restaurants, a bustling Farmer’s Market and a fun piazza to hang out with the locals, tasty food at the Little Italy Food Hall and lots more – all within walking distance to many of San Diego’s main attractions. Hotels here are mainly 3 star, small boutique hotels.

Little Italy is within walking distance to Downtown/Gaslamp Quarter, so this is another great option if you don’t have a car. There aren’t many top San Diego attractions in Little Italy itself, but since it is within walking distance to Downtown and has a really fun atmosphere, Greg and I think it is a great neighborhood to stay in while you visit San Diego. Read our full guide on Little Italy here>>

Main Attractions in Little Italy

Piazza Della Familia | Little Italy Farmer’s Market | Restaurants & Bars | Firehouse Museum | Waterfront Park

Hotel Recommendations Little Italy

Best Western Plus Bayside Inn | Urban Boutique Hotel | Porto Vista Hotel | La Pensione

Old Town

Old Town is the historic part of San Diego, with a strong Wild West vibe. It is often called the birthplace of California and you can definitely still feel it the historic importance.

If you are looking for some good Mexican food, Old Town also has some great offers for you. There are over 25 restaurants in just a 1-mile radius.

The top attractions in Old Town San Diego are mainly historic in nature. The main sight is the San Diego Old Town State Historic Park – an open-air museum that takes you back to the Wild West of California. Another must is the Whaley House, known as one of the most haunted places in the US. Read our full guide on Old Town here>>

Top Sights in Old Town

Hotel Recommendations for Old Town

Cosmopolitan Hotel | Courtyard Marriott Old Town | Best Western Plus Old Town

North Park

This is San Diego’s Hipster neighborhood. You’ll find trendy restaurants, taprooms, vintage thrift shops and dive bars galore.

There aren’t many tourist attractions in North Park, but you are surrounded by fun eateries, shops, and breweries along 30th Street and Adams Avenue. Balboa Park and the Zoo are just around the corner from North Park and Downtown/Gaslamp Quarter is only about 10 minutes by car.

Coronado

While technically an independent city, Coronado is a great place to stay, if you are looking for something a little more exclusive and quiet. Don’t stay here if you have a full itinerary that takes you all over the city. There are only three ways to get to Coronado: The Coronado Bay Bride, the loooong detour via the Silverstrand, or the ferry from Downtown.

However, the great restaurants, galleries, stunning views of downtown and top-notch hotels still make it one of the top places to stay in San Diego.

Top Things to Do in Coronado

Take the San Diego Ferry to Coronado | Coronado Ferry Landing Park
Hotel Del Coronado | Centennial Park (great view of Downtown San Diego) Downtown Coronado (Orange Ave) | Coronado Beach/Coronado Dog Beach

Hotel Recommendations for Coronado

Hotel Del Coronado|Coronado Island Marriott
Read our full guide on the best Hotels in Coronado here
Read our recommendations on the best vacation rentals in Coronado here

Happy Caucasian Family in Front of Hotel Del Coronado, U.S.A., on a Sunny Afternoon. — Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego

Mission Beach/Mission Bay

If you are looking for the SoCal beach town vibe, this is the spot. It is the perfect spot for travelers who want to be directly on the water, take surfing lessons, or visit Sea World, while being within a short drive from Downtown, the Airport, and La Jolla.

Mission Bay is especially good for families with young children who want access to family-friendly beaches. Solo/couple travelers who are into watersports and beach culture will also enjoy Mission Beach.

Things to do in Mission Beach/Mission Bay

Hotel Recommendations for Mission Beach/Mission Bay

The Dana Mission Bay |Hilton San Diego Resort | Blue Sea Beach Hotel

La Jolla

La Jolla is one of the top choices when deciding on where to stay in San Diego. La Jolla is known for its stunning beaches, gorgeous villas, and glitzy lifestyle.

You will also find the beautiful UCSD University campus there as well as the famous Torry Pines golf course and state park, which is one of our favorite hiking spots in San Diego.

La Jolla offers excellent dining options, high-end shopping, and more in a laid-back yet sophisticated atmosphere. Take a look at some of the best beach resorts in San Diego, if you want sweeping ocean views and direct beach access.

Read our full guide on La Jolla here>>

Things to do in La Jolla

Hotel Recommendations for La Jolla

Pantai Inn | La Valencia | The Shoal Hotel | Grande Colonial | La Jolla Village Lodge
Read our full guide on the best hotels in La Jolla here

La Jolla Shore with ocean on a sunny day — La Jolla – Southern California

Hillcrest/Bankers Hill

Just north of downtown, this is a great neighborhood if you want to plan to visit the museums in Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo and more. It is a very hip and open-minded community, which hosts the annual San Diego Pride Parade and a great place to hang out. Greg and I used to live in the heart of Hillcrest and we loved it.

This is a great neighborhood if you are looking for small eateries, laid back nightlife and an open-minded crowd. It has a very residential feel, lots of green space and is ideally located if you want to be close to, but not in the heart of things.

Read our full guide on Hillcrest here>>

Best Things to Do in Hillcrest & Bankers Hill

Balboa Park | San Diego Zoo | Restaurants & Bars | Vintage Thrift Shops

Hotel Recommendations for Hillcrest/Bankers Hill

Inn at the Park | Britt Scripps Inn | The Keating House

Ocean Beach

San Diego’s hippie beach town with a super laid-back vibe and fun atmosphere. Cute cafes, surf and smoke shops, local breweries, and a great dog beach make Ocean Beach a fun place to stay in San Diego.

Read our full guide on Ocean Beach here>>

Top things to do in Ocean Beach

Beach & Surfing | Ocean Beach Pier | Cafés and Restaurants | Ocean Beach Dog Beach | Sunset Cliffs

Hotel Recommendations for Ocean Beach

The Inn at Sunset Cliffs | Ocean Villa Inn | USA Hostels Ocean Beach

Pacific Beach

This is a fun beach town where a lot of college kids live and hang out. There are plenty of bars and nightlife options, restaurants and coffee shops to hang out for you.

You are about a 15-20 minute drive from downtown and the main sights of San Diego. Pacific Beach is a popular Spring Break destination and on the weekends, many students like to party along the bars on Grant & Garnett Ave.

Best things to do in Pacific Beach

Beach & Surfing | Nightlife | Cafés & Restaurants | Pacific Beach Pier

Hotel Recommendations for Pacific Beach

Tower 23 | Pacific Terrace Hotel | Ocean Park Inn | Beach Haven

Christmas Tree at Crystal Pier at sunset, Pacific Beach, San Diego, California — Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach, San Diego

North County Beach Towns

From Oceanside to Carlsbad, Del Mar, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Solana Beach, and Encinitas, the coastal beach towns of San Diego North County are all very, very charming. Centrally located between San Diego and Los Angeles, this is a great location if you want to be within driving distance of many attractions but don’t want to stay in a big city.

Best things to do in Coastal North County

Beach & Surfing | Legoland | Premium Outlets | Oceanside Pier

Hotel Recommendations for Coastal North County

Del Mar | Encinitas | Solana Beach | Carlsbad | Oceanside
Read our full review of the Carlsbad Westin Resort & Spa

Why You Should NOT Stay at Hotel Circle

Yes, I know, the name sounds promising, but if you are visiting San Diego as a tourist, I would highly recommend you do NOT stay at a Hotel in Hotel Circle.

This area in Mission Valley/Fashion Valley has two attractions: Mission Valley Mall and Fashion Valley Mall. Other than that, you will find car dealerships, big box stores, chain restaurants, gated apartment complexes, but not a lot of culture and atmosphere.

If you stay there to just sleep, you might be ok, but you won’t get the full San Diego experience. I lived in Mission Valley during college for two years, and except for having the coolest two roommates, I don’t have many fond memories of living there. There are better options in San Diego!

Of course, there are many more great neighborhoods in San Diego, but these are the most ideal for visitors. They are within short driving distance to the top San Diego sights and have good hotels and accommodation options as well as restaurants and things to do within walking distance.

Where to stay in San Diego was written by San Diego native Maria Haase for San Diego Explorer.