Looking for ways to stay cool and make the most of your summer in San Diego? From outdoor adventures to indoor attractions, discover more than a handful the coolest activities to beat the heat in America’s Finest City.

Beach Escapes and Water Activities

La Jolla Children’s Pool

Take the family to the La Jolla Children’s Pool this summer to view the harbor seals and panoramic views. This picturesque beach with partial seawall is a protected swim area with lifeguards on duty and is favored by scuba divers for the reef that is just offshore. Along the boardwalk you’ll find grassy park areas and vendors while nearby shops allot you plenty to do if you choose to spend the whole day at the beach. Get in touch to learn about our beach tours in San Diego.

Waterfront Park

Featuring wide grassy areas, play equipment and a stretch of spray fountains, Waterfront Park is a great place for some family fun. Besides basking in the sunshine and frolicking in the fountain, Waterfront Park also hosts Summer Movies in the park for the family and concerts in the park like BayFest, Boots in the Park and other music festivals. Check out their events calendar for more information.

Courtesy of AFAR

Coronado Island

For some summer fun, rent a beach cruiser and take a bike ride along the Silver Strand or down Orange Avenue from Centennial Park, bayside, to the Hotel Del Coronado, viewing the storefronts along the way. Coronado Island with its eateries, niche shops, parks, golf course, and gorgeous glittering-sand beaches has that quaint small-town vibe for summer staycations and visitors to enjoy, including an education walking tour around local landmarks..

Torrey Pines

Nothing like taking a lovely hike with a cool ocean breeze! Whether you’re hiking the cliffs or walking the beach viewing the sedimentary lines in the cliff sides or enjoying a refreshing dip in the ocean, Torrey Pines State National Reserve is one stunning locale to spend a hot summer day in San Diego.

Labor Day Sand Sculpting

Taking a break from all the water sports? Get out there and practice your sandcastle sculpting skills to be ready for the return of the Labor Day sandcastle competitions in the years to come. Unfortunately, the US Sand Sculpting Challenge and 3D Art Expo, named one of the ‘Top 10 in the Nation’ by USA Today, is currently on hiatus due to an extended COVID shutdown and loss of sponsorship while the home to the original sandcastle competition, Imperial Beach’s 2023 Sun & Sea Festival in also canceled this year, however festival officials are looking forward to the event returning in 2024.

Indoor Attractions for Hot Summer Days

Museums at Balboa Park

A surefire way to beat the heat is to head indoors to glacially stroll through the museums at Balboa Park. The site of the 1915 Panama-California Exhibition, the craftsmanship that went into building the park has been maintained to provide the area with various galleries, exhibits, museums, international houses, and even a local artists village. Check out the park directory for hours, a complete map of attractions, and to check out their Explorer Pass. Residents have the benefit of entering select venues free of charge on Resident Free Tuesdays. Check out their calendar to plan your next visit or join us on a private Balboa Park tour.

Courtesy of National Geographic

USS Midway Museum

Board America’s favorite aircraft carrier museum the USS Midway for a cool thing to do this summer in San Diego. Check out the exhibits, galleries, and fun summer activities on board. Learn more about the USS Midway by taking an audio or virtual tour through the carrier before enjoying a bite to eat at Café 41, located conveniently just off the Hanger Deck. Come Independence Day, you’ll want to make sure you have tickets to watch the Big Bay Boom Fireworks show from the USS Midway’s Flight Deck. It’s the event of the season!

San Diego Comic-Con International

The behemoth that is San Diego Comic-Con International brings well over 130,000 popular art culture enthusiasts to Downtown San Diego and the San Diego Convention Center every July. From panels with celebrities, exhibits, fan shops, and much more, the 2.6 million square foot facility really packs it in tight. But wait, there’s more! The surrounding hotels host Comic-Con afterparties, the buildings and trolleys get their windows wrapped with entertainment promos, parking lots are turned into event spaces for the general public, and so on. Even if you do not have an admission badge but love the idea of meeting people in San Diego, Downtown San Diego is a great place to be this July 20-23 to partake in this epic experience.

Entertainment for Hot Summer Nights

Catch a Ball Game at Petco Park

Take me out to the ball game! Cheer on our Padres at one of our home games at Petco Park, conveniently located in the Gaslamp District. Sit and enjoy an evening game and perhaps make it to one of the many give-away nights for some swag. With numerous local eateries and micro-breweries, there’s something for everyone inside the gates. Finally cooling down and don’t want to get up to get something to nosh on? Have it delivered directly to your seat through the MLB Ballpark app.

Courtesy of The San Diego Union-Tribune

Summer Concerts

Conrad Prebys 2023 Season at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park runs from June 30th – September 23rd, featuring music, movies and more at this stunning waterfront venue. Toyota Summer Concert Series at the San Diego County Fair will feature internationally renowned musical artists every summer night of the fair, June 7th – July 4th. Concerts at Petco Park start June 29th in Gallagher Square and will include none other than our very own Slighty Stoopid (who hail from my alma mater, Point Loma High School) and Sublime. Then, there are numerous free concerts throughout San Diego all summer long. You can check out a list here to get more information on times, dates, and locations.

Outdoor Adventures with a Refreshing Twist

Cabrillo National Monument

Take a trip back in time when visiting the Old Point Loma Lighthouse at the Cabrillo National Monument. Learn about the history of the lighthouse, how lighthouses work, and get to know its first residents before trekking down to the new Point Loma Lighthouse that was featured in the original Top Gun. Take a hike down the Bayside Trail or the Coastal Trail which allows you to take a detour to the Tidepools. The Cabrillo National Monument is perched at the top of the point, so you’ll have panoramic views of Coronado, Point Loma, Downtown, the Pacific Ocean, possible whale watching, etc. – as far as the eye can see. Which means, you’ll also have stronger coastal breezes making the temperature feel substantially cooler than the rest of the city.

Courtesy of AFAR

Take a Tour

What better way to take in the beautiful city of San Diego during the summer months than taking in a tour? SEAL Tours get you through town and across the bay in their Hydra-Terra vehicles, all while teaching you fun facts of the area in this 100-minute sightseeing tour. Old Town Trolley Tours provide a hop-on-hop-off convenience for the best way to explore the city at your own pace while still providing amusing trolley conductors that provide fascinating facts along the way. Take one of So Diego’s several walking tours to sample local cuisine and libations in between hearing fascinating facts and historical tidbits about each location. The available San Diego Food Tours take you through locations such as the Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy, La Jolla, and even Old Town.

Del Mar Racetrack

After the fair and beer fest end the racing season begins. The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s annual racing season runs from their inaugural Opening Day ‘Hat Contest’ on July 21st until September 10th. So, get together your most fantastic hat and head over to where the surf meets the turf opening day and check out their seasons calendar for information on food, beer, and wine festival happenings. Del Mar is ‘Cool as Ever’! If you want to learn more about the history of the Del Mar horse racing while indulging in the best food in town, join us on a Del Mar food tour.

Dining and Refreshment Options for Hot Summer Days

Visit a Brewery

Consider beating the heat at a local brewery. Stone Brewing has locations in Escondido and Point Loma’s Liberty Station with indoor dining and park-like outdoor areas for younger kids to run around and big kids to relax. Likewise, Ballast Point Miramar has both indoor and outdoor dining with fire-pits and games to play. Then there’s Karl Strauss Brewing Company in Sorrento Valley with indoor and outdoor dining with a parklike tranquil feel.

Courtesy of Chilled Magazine

Corvette Diner

Get out of the heat all together and enjoy the retro ambiance of the World Famous Corvette Diner, located in Liberty Station. Get your grub on in one of the themed rooms, request your favorite oldie from the DJ, and watch the diner dancers shake a tail feather. The kids will have a blast in the Gamers Garage Arcade while the parents enjoy a cool beverage or a loaded shake.

Amusement and Wildlife Conservation Parks

Amusement Parks

Head to Carlsbad to play at Legoland California this summer. With roller coaster rides, attractions, a water park and everyone’s favorite building blocks, there’s something for everyone in the family. Get Out There 2023, the annual San Diego County Fair, will be running at the Del Mar Fairgrounds from June 7th until the fireworks spectacular on July 4th, and will also be hosting the San Diego International Beer Festival June 18th – 19th. Admission into the fair will be included in the price of the festival ticket. You’ll enjoy fair novelties, rides, games, exhibitions, live entertainment and much, much more! Continuing down the coast, and perhaps the most entertaining park on the beach in San Diego, Belmont Park is bustling with rides and attractions, restaurants and bars, all while being conveniently located on the Mission Beach Boardwalk. Ride the Giant Dipper for a classic wooden roller coaster experience, as it’s the park’s 1925 original feature.

Courtesy of Belmont Park

Wildlife Conservation

Developed from the 1915 Panama-California Exposition’s abandoned exotic animal exhibition, the San Diego Zoo, and then the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, are iconic of San Diego’s historical beginnings. Home to more than 3,700 endangered and rare animals across 660 species and subspecies, along with over 700,000 plants in their botanical collection, the Wildlife Alliance is well-known for its naturalistic habitats, lush-sprawling landscapes, and distinctive animal encounters. Additionally, head over to the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institute of Oceanography to learn about marine life conservation while visiting many of their residents including the Little Blue Penguins and the many Seahorses and Seadragons. Also lending a hand in marine life education is SeaWorld San Diego. Experience one-of-a-kind marine life experiences while learning about the playful animals before heading over to the rides and attractions. Cool off with 75 cent, 7oz beers, now through August 17th to better beat the San Diego summer heat.

America’s Finest City is not short on attractions, events, and cultural happenings any time of year but San Diego summers are the highlight of the year for many. If you’re interested in learning more about the city, taking a tour through So Diego is a wonderful opportunity to start your outdoor adventure with insider information. From there you can continue onto any of the city’s many attractions, then mix in some exciting summer events. With so many things to do in San Diego this summer, the hardest part will be finding enough time to fit it all in.

Written by: Melissa

Melissa hails from San Jose, CA, and has been a San Diego local for five years now after a 10-year long pit stop in Los Angeles. In L.A., she began her writing career crafting digital content for a wide range of clients, including The Real Talk Show, Sharon Osbourne, Hank Azaria, Time Life, and Cardinal Financial. She’s excited to be able to use her passion for writing to introduce people to some of the best spots in San Diego, many of which she has already frequented or has on her ever-expanding list of things to do … In her spare time, she enjoys taking her puppy Milo to all of the best dog beaches in SD, grabbing a glass of wine or a cup of joe at new places, and hosting watch parties for The Bachelor/ette TV show.