10 Mistakes Tourists Make in San Diego (From a Local)

If you are planning a trip to San Diego, I want you to have the best time possible and enjoy your time here to the max. But when I talk to San Diego tourists who didn’t enjoy their trip, it was mainly because of one of these mistakes. Don’t ruin your trip and avoid these mistakes when you plan your San Diego trip:

Not Researching May Gray and June Gloom

May Gray and June Gloom refer to a weather pattern common in Southern California that happens in the late spring/early summer. Mainly during May and June, the marine layer (a fog/high cloud layer) stays over the coastal areas for much of the day, often only disappearing in the afternoon and coming back at night. It can get quite chilly when the fog rolls in. Further inland, the marine layer burns off much quicker, and it can get warm much faster.

I personally love this time of year. The overcast sky makes exploring much less tiring and exhausting. It isn’t the best for photos, though, and the beach is obviously more fun when the sun’s out. However, just plan on doing the sightseeing, sporty or indoor stuff for the morning and then head to the beach in the afternoon. Or head inland for a hike or the San Diego Safari Park. The sun breaks out much faster the further east you go.

Here is a picture from my balcony as the Marine Layer was rolling in at night during June Gloom:

Assuming San Diego Only Has 1 Climate

San Diego County has lots of microclimates, and the temperature will highly depend on where exactly you are. While the coastal regions are usually the coolest and are most affected by the marine layer, just a few miles inland can be blazing hot and sunny.

Suburbs like La Mesa and El Cajon get very hot in the summer, often reaching temps in the 100s in the summer. Keep that in mind if you are planning outdoor activities there, especially hiking. San Diego also has a lot of canyons and hills. While canyons running east-west can bring cool ocean breezes inland, the canyons running north-south often feel hot and stuffy.

The mountains in East County, including Julian and Laguna Mountain, often get snow in the winter, while people at the San Diego Beaches are relaxing in the sun.

Plan where to stay in San Diego based on what you plan to do, your preferred temperature, and, of course, when you are visiting.

Expecting the Pacific to Be as Warm as the Gulf or Caribbean

The Pacific Ocean in San Diego is comparatively cool to other oceans, even in summer. The current pushes cool water from the north down to San Diego, making the water chilly.

Be prepared for cooler ocean temps and to potentially wear a wetsuit for water activities, such as surfing or kayaking. The average surface temperature in San Diego in July-September is between 68-72ºF, considerably cooler compared to 82-88ºF average temps in the Gulf of Mexico, for example.

If you love warmer water, plan your trip for late August or early September and swim in Mission Bay, which has average temperatures between 72-76ºF

Cramming Too Many Neighborhoods Into One Day

San Diego’s traffic is not as bad as Los Angeles, but if you are not planning your days correctly, you could end up spending more time in your car than out exploring and enjoying your trip to San Diego. I’ve seen people plan Balboa Park in the morning, La Jolla for sunset, and Coronado for dinner. Don’t do that.

Just downtown alone has so many things to do; it would keep you busy for weeks. Same goes for La Jolla and other neighborhoods. If you can, spend more time in one area and take your time to explore without the stress of lots of driving, finding parking, getting oriented etc.

If you only have 1 or 2 days in San Diego, don’t add things randomly to your itinerary, but look at a map, look at realistic driving times, and plan accordingly.

Renting a Car When You’re Mostly Downtown

If you are planning to stay mainly in downtown, with just 1-2 regional trips, for example, to La Jolla, I recommend NOT renting a car. Most downtown hotels charge $50-100 per night for parking. Public parking lots are not much cheaper, and street parking rarely allows for long-term parking, except for overnight.

When you add in the cost of the rental car and gas, that pays for almost unlimited public transport and quite a few rideshare rides. And you don’t have to worry about drinking and driving, finding parking everywhere, and getting lost. Even going up to La Jolla from downtown will only cost about $25-40 one-way (not during surge pricing), so unless you are zipping all over the county during your stay, I don’t recommend renting a car in San Diego.

Staying in the Gaslamp Expecting a Relaxing Vacation

The Gaslamp Quarter is a lot of fun and has some fantastic hotels (check our guide to our favorite Gaslamp Quarter Hotels here). There are dozens of amazing restaurants, activities, museums, bars, and clubs.

The Gaslamp Quarter is known for its thriving nightlife scene all within walking distance from the aforementioned hotels. That also means it will be very lively until the wee hours of the morning. Clubs close at 2 AM in San Diego, but people tend to linger and congregate in the streets afterward.

Realistically, even with the best noise insulation in your room, you will hear some of the street noise. That will most likely not bother you if you are part of the party crowd and actually makes this the best area to stay in San Diego for you. However, if you are looking for a relaxing vacation with peaceful and quiet nights, I do not recommend staying in the Gaslamp Quarter. I would recommend staying in La Jolla or North County. If you plan to stay downtown, I would recommend the hotels along the Waterfront, for example, the InterContinental Hotel or the Hilton San Diego Bayfront.

Staying in Hotel Circle or the Suburbs to Save Money

Hotel Circle in San Diego may sound like the perfect place to stay in San Diego. However, I do not recommend it. Yes, you will find lots of relatively affordable chain hotels, but it is not a nice area of San Diego to stay in for tourists. Your hotel will most likely be next to a car dealership or strip mall, surrounded by several freeways, and it is not walkable.

While hotels are slightly cheaper than downtown, you then have to add car rental fees and parking wherever you go to explore.

The same goes for the suburbs of San Diego like Poway, Chula Vista, or Escondido. Unless you have a specific reason to go there, like visiting family, it is not worth the savings.

I recommend staying in downtown San Diego and saving money by skipping a rental car and using public transportation and a few rideshares.

Skipping Public Transport in San Diego

If you are staying downtown, public transport in San Diego is easy, cheap, and sort of efficient. Hey, I am German, so my standards in that regard are quite high. No, but seriously, don’t make the mistake of driving between locations downtown. You will spend more time driving and looking for parking than it will be worth it. And don’t get me started with the horrendous event parking fees ($10/hour on metered spots) that you will have to pay during events at Petco Park (which are almost daily).

A ride on the bus or trolley will cost you $2.50/per ride and will take you all over town. Just download the Pronto App or, even simpler, tap your credit card at the purple scanners at the trolley stop or when you enter the bus. From downtown, you can get to most places rather quickly.

If you are planning to go to North County, you can even take the Coaster, which will cost between $ 5 and $ 6.50 and gets you all the way to Oceanside and many cute beach towns along the way.

It is also super easy to get from the Airport using Public Transport and often much quicker than waiting for a rideshare. After you collect your luggage, take the escalator or elevator upstairs, use the crosswalk, and look for the 992 stop. It runs every 15 minutes between 4:15 AM and midnight, and it takes about 10-12 minutes to get to downtown.

Eating Only at Chain Restaurants

San Diego has many fantastic restaurants and a thriving food scene. Many of these restaurants are family-owned or small local chains and have fantastic food.

Yes, chain restaurants are “safe” and can offer a certain feeling of comfort. You know what you get. But usually, what you get is mediocre at best. San Diego’s restaurant scene is highly competitive, so if one restaurant isn’t up to par, it will not last long. So read some reviews and try something new and local instead of going for the same old same old that you can have at home as well.

Here are some of my recommendations for many San Diego neighborhoods:

Best Restaurants in Downtown San Diego
Best Restaurants in La Jolla
Best Restaurants in Coronado

Not Bringing Your Passport (and Global Entry / SENTRI)

Downtown San Diego is only 14 miles from the Mexican Border. Why not take advantage of that proximity and explore South of the border? Mexico is such a beautiful country. I love the people, the food, the scenery, and everything else about this country.

Every couple of weeks, I hop in the car or the trolley and go. Sometimes just to Tijuana, sometimes further south to Rosarito, Ensenada, or Valle de Guadalupe (my favorite wine region).

BUT…

I only recommend doing this if you have Global Entry (walking) or SENTRI (driving) and, obviously, your passport. If you don’t have this, your wait at the border can be very long. Last time I crossed on foot a few weeks ago, the regular line had approximately a 5-6 hour wait time, while the Global Entry line was completely empty and I only had 3 or 4 people in front of me. It took me less than 15 minutes to cross back into the US. This was an extreme case, but a 1-3 hour wait without Global Entry is “normal”.

I hope these common mistakes and what to do instead help you plan your trip to San Diego a little better. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter for weekly new San Diego travel tips.

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Last Updated on August 17, 2026 by Maria Haase

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