Fun Things to Do in Quarantine in San Diego

Being quarantined in San Diego isn’t so bad.

We’ve all seen better days when it was no big deal to lay out at the beach, picnic at the park, or work up a sweat as you charge up Cowels Mountain. Or how about grabbing a cold and refreshing cocktail with your friends at your neighborhood bar, or finding your Zen at your favorite yoga studio? All of these things never seemed like a luxury to me, and they aren’t, but when you’ve been forced to stay indoors or be in the vicinity of any other people other than the people you live with, the once mundane or normal seems like the ultimate luxury today. This is quarantined life in 2020. 

Luckily this quarantine is not forever, and soon enough the city will open again. Until then, however, we need to stay sane, get some sunshine, and be optimistic. Besides, there is no better place to be quarantined other than in San Diego, if you ask me. We’ve got the weather, and we’ve got so many beautiful neighborhoods and sights that can still be enjoyed in a car, on a bike, or by foot. We’ve also got some remarkable businesses ran by extraordinary people that are doing their best so that we can still enjoy delicious food and drink, and have some fun! 

It’s no surprise to me that our community has stepped it up, and I’ve never been more proud to be from San Diego. I do believe we are a city of passionate and happy people who are eager to make something out of life and feel the sunshine. Our motto, after all, is “Happy Happens.”

Here is a list of some of the local things I’ve found to do to support the local community as well stay busy as we are quarantined.

1.Bike Riding

You’ve probably been too busy and overwhelmed by your day to day to really take the time to explore our amazing city on bike, but you know what?  We have a perfect city for biking.  We have very bike-friendly paths and terrain, especially near and around Downtown.  Here are my favorite bike routes that I’ve been frequenting during this quarantine. 

Harbor Island, Point Loma, and Shelter Island. 

Get ready for a nice little workout, some great seafood, local drinks, and amazing views!!!

  1. Park at NTC near Oggi’s Pizza
  2. Head over Nimitz Bridge aka Halsey Rd, and stay to the right to get to Spanish Landing.
  3. Ride along Spanish Landing Park, to Harbor Island.
  4. Ride all throughout Harbor Island.  You’ll enjoy the gorgeous views of Downtown!
  5. Head back to where you started, and continue on N. Harbor Drive
  6. Turn into the parking lot for the Point Loma Marina, and continue towards the waterfront sidewalk, and follow it along the water heading to Shelter Island.
  7. Enjoy a to-go drink or bite at either Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern (order a burger or the chicken sandwich, or any of the salads), Mitch’s Seafoods (the ceviche with tortilla chips is incredible!), or Point Loma Seafoods (get halibut sandwich, hands down).  You can find a bench to sit near any of these restaurants.
  8. Continue to Shelter Island, and ride all the way to the Friendship Bell, and take in the beauty of San Diego!
  9. Head back to your car. 

Embarcadero, Gaslamp, and East Village

Checking out Downtown, San Diego during quarantine is both creepy and amazing.  You’ll never get another chance of seeing our bustling downtown so empty.  

  1. Park near the Maritime Museum
  2. Ride along the waterfront towards the USS Midway, and all the way into Seaport Village.
  3. Continue on the path, passing the convention center to Bayside Hilton.
  4. Cross Harbor Drive, and backtrack to get onto 5th Ave via the Gaslamp Quarter sign.
  5. Go through the Gaslamp on 5th Ave., and turn right on E St.   
  6. Right on 8th Ave to Petco Park.
  7. Left on J St, right on 10th Ave, right on Park Blvd. 
  8. Get on the bike path parallel to the Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade, and take it to Kettner.
  9. Grab some beer to go at Stone.
  10. Grab a bite from Isola, Davanti Enoteca, or Kettner Exchange to enjoy at home.

Other bike-friendly and fun paths to take are Mission Bay, North Park and South Park, and La Jolla, or check out our blog on best bike paths in San Diego. Just get on your bike, and go! Make sure to tell me where you end up exploring so I can get some more inspiration. 

2. Local Fitness Pros Are Going LIVE

We are a pretty fit city, and thanks to our local trainers and studios, we can still see and interact with local trainers in real-time with these live workouts happening regularly.

  • TabuFit – Tabu is a master yogi and personal trainer, and he’s offering donation-based live stream sculpt workouts on Instagram M-F at 4 pm.  @tabufit
  • SALT Pilates – Get your pilates fix with 3 opportunities for live classes each day at 9 am, 12 pm or 5 pm.  Classes are donation-based and go live on Facebook. Here is the group page.
  • Studio Reform – Pilates on-demand with home workout videos on Youtube.  Donations are welcomed!  
  • Buddhi Yoga – This La Jolla studio is offering beautiful and easy to follow FlowLIFT classes.  In 45 minutes, you’ll get a well-rounded workout that will help you burn fat and bump up your heart rate.  Memberships start at $18/month and give you access to daily live classes as well as hundreds of classes online.
  • Edge Cycle – weekly live workouts on Sundays for “Savage Sundays”, and on and off bike workout packages for purchase.

3. Take Out

Picture credit – @kettnerexchange

I’ve forced myself to get creative in the kitchen, but there are times when I really don’t want to cook. Luckily some of our favorite spots are still serving via curbside pick-up or delivery. I love the curbside pick up because it gets you out of the house, and exploring quarantined San Diego.  

Fresh Sushi:

Azuki is serving up their fresh sushi for curbside pick up. Their sushi is the real deal, and if you have never been to the cozy Banker’s Hill location, there is no better time to try their amazing sushi other than now. I’d invite you to meander through the streets to check out the historic Victorian homes! 

Mexican:

  • Tahona – creative twists on classic dishes…you won’t want to miss their tacos and cocktail special for $20!!
  • Café Coyote – fresh tortillas, great specialty items, margaritas to go, family meals, happy hour, free delivery.
  • El Chingon – Burritos, badass fries, single tacos, family meals, drinks, and bottle service with cocktail servers coming to your door (what?!). 

Italian:

  • Monello + Becotto – fresh pasta, traditional and modern dishes
  • Davanti Enoteca – take-home pizza kits, family meals, and a special Mother’s Day menu. 
  • Pandemic Pizza – Chefs Brandon Sloan and Chris Gentile got together to create their at-home pizza kitchen for pick up and delivery to local hospital staff.  You can see their daily specials and order direct on their IG account to purchase for your home, or donate to a local hospital.

Chef Dining:

  • Juniper and Ivy – rotating weekly menus for pick up Thursday-Saturday.
  • Kettner Exchange – in addition to their extensive to-go menus, KEX is offering boxes of wine, cocktails, and even a Market Box that comes with fixings to make some of their most popular items in the restaurant. 

Other:

  • Meze – Greek favorites, family packs starting at $27 for two people.
  • Bandar – Persian food that is healthy, fresh, and great as leftovers.
  • Point Loma Seafoods – Fresh fish to prepare at home, or grab one of their popular sandwiches or chowders.
  • Kindred – vegan eats, and outrageous cocktails.
  • Underbelly – Little Italy and North Park locations are open!  Grab a bun and ramen…it will all be ok.  

4. Drinks!

Picture credit- @tahonamezcal

I miss craft cocktails. Since I fell in love with them back in 2007, I haven’t been able to go back to well drinks. Even at a house party…I’d prefer a beer or wine. The craft cocktail was introduced to me at the original, hole-in-the-wall Craft and Commerce. 

  • Tahona is offering weekly cocktail making packages and a virtual class on how to make the perfect cocktail.   
  • You & Yours Distillery is offering chill and pour over ice cocktail bottles from $35 for a bottle that serves 3-4 cocktails.
  • Rob McShea of Grind and Prosper Hospitality Group is offering a cocktail demonstration on his IG feed.

5. Virtual Cooking Classes

These locals are offering live cooking classes so you don’t get bored making the same thing each week. Get tips, eat healthier, and get to know some of the local foodies!

  • Ben Mastracco – foodie tour guide, chef, and lover of plant-based cooking. Classes are every Friday night.
  • Brian Malarkey – Top Chef celebrity offering live streaming and interactive classes each week.  Proceeds go to PMC Employee Relief Fund.
  • Chef Ashlie Morgan – plant-based meals brought to you every Tuesday at 5 pm. Check them out here.
  • Ana Bernal – weekly virtual cooking classes for healthy and easy meals; @truetasteco.

6. Get Fresh with CSA (community supported agriculture) Boxes

Did you know that San Diego has over 6,000 local farms?! That means a lot of local farms are struggling to sell their goods during the quarantine. Many local businesses are supporting these farms by selling produce boxes filled with the freshest picks from our local farms. Here are a few…

Support Your SD Community

When all else fails, and none of these suggestions are calling to you, go take a walk in a different neighborhood. You never know what you’ll discover. San Diego is so diverse with so many beautiful areas with gorgeous views and homes. I’d invite you to get to know your city.  Don’t forget your mask and hand sanitizer! We will all get through this crazy time. Please do what you can to support your local businesses. And if you enjoyed reading this, and you’d like to help support So Diego Tours, please buy our 3-day weekend guide for the best weekend itinerary of the city. I promise you’ll learn something new, and enjoy the content! 

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