San Diego event weekends: what to do between sessions
Beaches, Balboa Park and the Gaslamp, home of Comic-Con and MCRD San Diego Marine recruit graduations.
Events we cover in San Diego
Every FriMarine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego
San Diego, United StatesBoot camp28 May 2027*Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon
San Diego, United StatesMarathon12 Jun 2027*UC San Diego Commencement
San Diego, United StatesGraduation22 Jul 2027*San Diego Comic-Con
San Diego, United StatesCulture
San Diego, United StatesBoot camp28 May 2027*Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon
San Diego, United StatesMarathon12 Jun 2027*UC San Diego Commencement
San Diego, United StatesGraduation22 Jul 2027*San Diego Comic-Con
San Diego, United StatesCulture
Arriving
San Diego International (SAN) is 10 minutes from downtown, right next to MCRD.
Where to stay
| Budget | Where | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Old Town and Mission Valley | Chain hotels on the trolley. |
| Mid-range | Gaslamp and Little Italy | Walk to the Convention Center. |
| Splurge | Coronado and La Jolla | Beach resorts. |
Three hotels we would book
- Budget: Holiday Inn Express San Diego Airport-Old Town
- Mid-range: Hotel Republic San Diego
- Splurge: Hotel del Coronado
Tours
Where to eat
With kids
- SeaWorld San Diego.
- Legoland in Carlsbad.
- Birch Aquarium.
Rainy-day backups
- Fleet Science Center.
- Natural History Museum.
Free things to do
- Balboa Park gardens.
- La Jolla Cove sea lions.
- Sunset Cliffs.
Getting around
- Trolley lines serve downtown, Old Town and the border; MTS buses and rideshare elsewhere.