Best 100 San Diego Restaurants Best 1000 Attractions 

Explore best 1000 Eat  SEE San Diego things

Top Food Critic & Author of 50 San Diego Travel Books Shows You His Hometown

Best 100 San Diego Restaurants & Best 1000 Attractions are featured in this 650 page website. We focus on the Best Restaurants and Attractions personally reviewed. Our Award-Winning restaurant reviewer goes unannounced, pays for his own meals (eats 3 meals at one seating) and inspects their kitchen. We give the same personal attention to every recommendation including BEST attractions and things to see and do.

56th Annual San Diego City Guide used by millions  

In 1995, three years before Google was founded SanDiegan.com was already an active resource for Newcomers, Visitors and Residents. With its vast 650 pages of researched content Google categories San Diegan.com as an authority site just like it does The New York Times. 

City of San Diego Awards BARRY with A San Diego Day 

The Mayor of San Diego and all of the city council members Awarded Barry with a BARRY BERNDES DAY on Jan. 14th, 2018. This special award was given to Barry for his 50-years of showing his hometown to millions of newcomers, visitors and residents via his 100 Best Restaurants & 1000 Best San Diego Attractions & things to do.

Best 100 San Diego Restaurants Best 1000 Attractions

Ballooning Above Rancho Santa Fe

San Diego offers 1000 FREE San Diego Things to Do

eat see explore  San Diego

Top 10 Attractions – 1 in 3 visitors is a San Diego Resident

Hot Linked are these Attractions locals love visiting often

Where you Eat is Just as Important as what You See

Explore Best 1000 Eat See San Diego Thin1000 things to do in san diego

Best 100 Restaurants Reviewed

Featured are 100 personally reviewed restaurants by Barry Berndes, San Diego’s Dean of Restaurant Reviewers. Barry has literally dined in 10,000 restaurants since 1969, paying for his own meals. He also inspected their kitchen. The same extensive research is done for attractions, museums, cities, and suburbs. It’s like your best friend is giving you a personal tour of their hometown. 

Reviews ARE NOT PAID Advertising

Advertisers are told up front that they can say what they want in their display advertisement, but we reserve the right to say what we personally experienced because we paid for our own meals or admission to an event. Plus, advertise NEVER see what we have written about them before it is published. Thus, our recommendations are unbiased & not paid for.

Best 100 San Diego Restaurants Best 1000 Attractions 

San Diego Best of Everything San Diego, California USA

eat see explore best 1000 san diego things to do
San Diego BEST Curbside Takeaways & Delivery Restaurants

San Diego Things to do

Oceanfront Dining

Explore Best 1000 Eat See San Diego Things at Marine Room La Jolla Dining

Dining at the world-famous Marine Room Restaurant at La Jolla Shores is SUPERB.

Top 10 Best Best Burger Joints 

Explore Best 1000 Eat See San Diego things Reviewed Outback Steakhouse

Enjoy a delicious burger at this Outback Steakhouse.

Where Kids Eat Free Every Day 100 Places

kids eat free San Diego things to do

Eat Free on your Birthday 72 places

 
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San Diego is a great place to celebrate life be it your birthday or a special occasion. There are hilltop restaurants like Mr. A’s sitting atop of the Fifth Avenue Financial Center, which offers a sweeping view of the city while Commercial Airline glide by in route to landing at San Diego’s international airport. For a sunset Champagne Dinner Cruise on San Diego Bay, look no further than Hornblower Cruises & Events. Oh yes, romantic dancing is included and the cuisine is excellent!

Best 100 San Diego  Restaurants 1000 Best Attractions

Enjoy 1000 Best San Diego things to do with 50 Free maps and tours

Asian Restaurant Row Features 80 Best places to eat

Emeraldt /chinese Seafood Restaurant
San Diego things to do

Delicious Chinese
Cuisine Await.

Top 5 Mexican Restaurants are in Historic Old Town 

Explore Best 1000 Eat, See San Diego things in Old Town Mexican Cafe Taco Tuesday

Old Town is home to the 5 best Award Winning Mexican Restaurants.

Top 5 Seafood Restaurants feature Ocean & Bay Views

Explore Best 1000 Eat See San Diego things to do in San Diego

Superb Seafood Dining in Del Mar & at the Embarcadero Downtown

#1 Best German Food is Kaiserhof 36 years in a Row

Explore Best 1000 Eat See San Diego Things Reviewed

Award Winning Food, and Beer are served at Kaiseroff German Restaurant in Ocean Beach.

Banquets, Catering & Memorable Weddings

Eat se Explore Best 1000 San Diego things Birch Aquarium Is a Fun and UniqueWedding Venue

Best 100 San Diego Restaurants Best 1000 Attractions Via

Free Maps
San Diego County Map

Navigate Site Even Faster Here’s How: 

(1) Click here for instant access to 50 suburbs & city walking & driving tours with maps. (2) Click on the Barry Icon at the top left corner of every page to return to the home page. (3) Click on the little box with the arrow in it in the right corner to instantly return to the top of any page. (4) SEE Today’s most visited Pages at Bottom of the Home page

Top 10 Attractions Residents Love 

1000 FREE Things To Do

Shopping 6 Factory Outlets are Big Attractions

Premium Outlets things to do in San Diego

San Diego has awesome factory outlet centers, where you can literally shop till you drop!  Outlet Shopping is one of the TOP 100 San Diego Attractions and one of the 1000 fun things to do in San Diego by air, land and sea. We also showcase the major shopping centers, as they are glamorous major attractions too. 

San Diego has awesome factory outlet centers, where you can literally shop till you drop!  Outlet Shopping is one of the TOP 1000 best  San Diego things to do w/50 maps making it easy two find. We also showcase the major shopping centers, as they are glamorous major attractions too.

Shop Till You Drop

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Shop till you drop at 185 Outlet stores at the U.S. Border. Plus, buy French perfume and imported good in Tijuana, at duty free prices.

Best 100 San Diego Restaurants Best 1000 Attractions 

Shop Tijuana. Park at Border. Take RT Bus Shuttle

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Shopping in Tijuana includes $600 in duty free items like French perfume and  liquor.

Park Safe at TJ Border Click Here

border station parking San Diego things to do

Park safe at Border Station Parking at the US Border. We provide easy-to-use maps and an extensive narrative foe finding this premiere lot. Taking your car into Mexico is a No-No as your insurance isn’t valid in Mexico

Tijuana Guide: Where to Eat, See, Shop, Explore

Getaways/Tijuana's Rio Tijuana

A visit to Tijuana must include an excursion to Rio Tijuana for shopping

#10 Tijuana see  65 Shops, 185 Outlets + parking safe

Getting to Tijuana is half the fun. But driving across the border is ill advised, because your American insurance is not valid in Mexico. If you get into an accident then you and your car will be detained until the guilty party pays for the repair. Park at Border Station Parking instead. Being a duty free port of entry, expect to buy French perfume at duty free prices. An extra bonus on the U.S. side of the border are literally hundreds of factory outlet stores housed in 4 mega malls, where you can shop till you drop. 

Best 100 San Diego Restaurants Best 1000 Attractions 

DIY Winery Tours 

Eat see explore Best 1000 San Diego things SanDiegan.com wines

Mexico’s Wine Country is Just a Short Trip South of the Border + San Diego County wine country and Temecula to the north.

DIY Brewery Tour

Eat see explore Best 1000 San Diego things

Explore Top 10 Attractions – 1 in 3 attendees is a San Diego Resident

Here are the Local Favorites:

SanDiegan.com Coronado

Hotel & Resort Recommendations are Non-Paid

If you’re NOT planning to stay in an oceanfront resort hotel, then stay in centrally located Mission Valley. It’s where everyone stayed before downtown’s mega convention center was built. Thus, the rooms and amenities are good and Mission Valley includes great restaurants, the #1 luxury shopping center, a golf course, and many nearby sights to see. For the best waterfront all inclusive resort hotels in San Diego stay in Mission Bay, Shelter Island or La Jolla.  We reviewed (3) rooms & amenities at each hotel we recommended.

Best 100 San Diego Restaurants Best 1000 Attractions 

Free Maps

Top 10 Attractions Residents Love 

  • #1 Attraction is a Day at the San Diego Zoo 

  • San Diego Zoo October 2 is Founders Day, when  Kids 12 and Under are admitted FREE.
Sandiegan.com USS MIDWAY San Diego things to do

#2 Attraction: USS Midway Tour (4 hours) 

A million Newcomers, visitors and residents visit the USS Midway air craft carrier annually to explore this HUGE aircraft carrier, which saw military action in WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The photo illustrates available parking , which is most often correct, Allocated excursion time 4-5 hours. Plus, sightseeing the Embarcadero attractions & dining.

Balboa Park California Tower 1000 Best San Diego things to do w/50 maps.

#3 Balboa Park Museums, Galleries & the Zoo

Both visitors and residents alike love visiting the over a dozen museums annually. It’s so popular that  residents are offered FREE admission every Tuesday on a rotation basis visit balboapark.org.

#4 SeaWorld

 

Cabrillo National Monument  for San Diego Things to do

#5 Cabrillo Monument is a Spectacular Attraction

The spectacular 360-degree view of San Diego’s majestic harbor and the lay of the land for 30 miles in all directions will give you the layout of San Diego.  Cabrillo Monument is one of the 1000 Best San Diego things to do w/50 maps. 

#6 Historic Old Town is home to Great Places to Eat

Historic Old Town San Diego for fun things to do

Festive Old Town San Diego is an Historic Treasure worth seeing. It offers FREE admission with FREE parking. After visiting Cabrillo Monument Old Town is just down the road. (see Pt. Loma map).

#7 La Jolla

Explore Best 1000 San Diego  things to do

La Jolla is world famous for its breathtaking ocean view dining and gourmet cuisine. No less memorable is a walk on its pristine La Jolla Shores Beach (see map) and strolling along Girard Avenue”s enticing shops and stores. Be sure to visit world famous La Jolla.

#8 Coronado

Explore Best 1000 Swan Diego Things
 

#9 Embarcadero

Explore 1000 Best 1000 San Diego Things

#10 San Diego Harbor Dinner Cruise

 

Explore Best 1000 San Diego things

Take A Harbor Cruise for a remarkable dining and sightseeing adventure, second to none.

#11 Beach Towns are Great Gertaways

Encinitas

With 52 miles for shoreline and the renowned Highway 101, which hugs the coastline, its popularity has never lessoned. From North to South our beach towns are Oceanside, Carlsbad, Lucedia, Encinitas, Cardiff-by-the-sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar (home of the Del Mar Racetrack), La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Coronado, and Imperial Beach. 

sandiegan.com Breweries, San Diego, Things to do Beer

#12 City Breweries offer food 

San Diego Microbreweries have more Blue Ribbons than any other city in Americas.  Taking this easy-to-navigate brewery tour of 13 must-visit breweries is a click away. Microbrewery hopping is one of the 1000 Best San Diego things to do w/50 maps.

#14 City’s Many Street Fair Events 

In San Diego it’s never what to do, but how much time do we have. So ,finding 1000 Best San Diego’s best things to do using our 50 map is easy. Which is one reason why 1 in 3 attendees to a city attraction is a local.  As lots of residents were once visitors, who cherished the idea of visiting their favorite attractions multiple times a year

#15 Explore 195 Factory Outlets at the Border

Visit Las Americas, the Largest Factory Outlet Center on the West Coast

You can literally shop till you drop at Las Americas. They feature 185 factory outlet stores.

# 16 See San Diego By AIR – LAND – SEA 

sandiegan.com

#17 Neighborhoods: Explore your city

downtown tours san didego things to do

Downtown consists of many suburbs within the city making it a great fun things to do town for city tours.

# 18 DIY Winery Tours 

Eat see explore Best 1000 San Diego things SanDiegan.com wines

Mexico’s Wine Country is Just a Short Trip South of the Border + San Diego County wine country and Temecula to the north.

# 19 San Diego is a Military Town

 

Sandiegan.com USS MIDWAY San Diego things to do

A tour of the USS Midway will make you proud to be an American. We are a Navy town and like to  show our guests fun thingss to do.

Free admission for active military and their family to attractions.

#20 California’s Historic Churches  

San Diego things to do

Click on Churchfinder.com for an extensive and informative list of over 100 places of worship. Since San Diego is Paradise on Earth, it should come as no surprise that locals love to worship God. Also, unique to San Diego and the state of California were the establishment of the 21 Missions founded by Father Serra as the… Read more »

SEE Best OF San Diego Via CONTENTS PAGE
sansiegan.com 1000 Best San Diego things to do w/maps

Enjoy 1000 Best San Diego things to do on w/50 maps with ease using this contents page.

Best 1000 San Diego City Tours via 50 maps 

 
Embarcadero tours

Tours of Downtown always include a walking tour of the romantic waterfront.

San Diego Coupons for where to Eat, See, Explore Best 1000 San Diego things 

San Diego Coupons

Enjoy major discounts for major attractions and high-end shopping. No less wonderful are the host of restaurant discounts. We are also top ranked on Google for Eat FREE on your birthday and where kids eat FREE.

Eat See Explore Best FREE 1000 San Diego Things–Hot Linked

Eat see explore best 1000 san diego things

San Diego’s Ocean Beach is home to incredible sunsets.

Best 1000 San Diego Bike Getaways w/maps

eat see explore best 1000 San Diego things

Explore San Diego’s Awesome Regional Getaways

 

sandiegan.com catalinafun things to do in San Diego

Not far from San Diego is Catalina Island a romantic getaway.

Being visited by 32 million visitors annually, San Diego is a perfect vacation getaway. But when locals really want to get away their favorite destinations include romantic Catalina Inland, the nearby gold rush town of Julian, the desert getaway of Borrego Springs, the wineries in Temecula and Baja California, Mexico. Each destination has its own chapter with a map featuring where to stay, dine and what to do, which we independently researched and paid for ourselves. Plus, Romantic Getaways is one of the 1000 Best San Diego things to do w/50 maps.

Find Your New Home with 50 City Maps

1000 San Diego things to do

A San Diego Must Have is a subscription the San Diego Union Newspaper Reader’s Poll 40 page, which is an annual tabloid showcasing the best of San Diego from A to Z. It’s a useful tool for understanding the likes of San Diegans.

San Diego Skyline from Harbor Island

San Diego Skyline from Harbor Island.

Finding Your Dream Job in San Diego

sandiegan.com JOBS San Diego things to. do

With 36 million visitors a year, many fall in love with the city & relocate here to enjoy living in Paradise, and so can you.

Home Buying + Apartment Living

1000 San Diego things to do,Real Estate

Our NEWCOMER’S SECTION along with exploring the city via the 50 FREE DIY city tours is a good start for how to find your slice of paradise. A high percentage of San Diego residents were once visitors, in the military or college students. Thus, the need for an online relocation chapter arose out of the necessity for where to live, find a job and navigate the city with ease arose to find and enjoy the 1000 fun things to do in San Diego by air, land and sea. We personally research our recommendations before we recommend them including best places to live near each military base and military housing with personal inspection of multiple units and apartment complexes.  Thus, SanDiegan.com is a trusted resource.

#17 Neighborhoods: Explore your city

downtown tours san didego things to do

Downtown consists of many suburbs within the city making it a great fun things to do town for city tours.

San Diego is a Military Town

 

Sandiegan.com USS MIDWAY San Diego things to do

A tour of the USS Midway will make you proud to be an American. We are a Navy town and like to  show our guests fun thingss to do.

Free admission for active military and their family to attractions.

Wedding, Banquets Catering Events

Wedding at Orfila Winery San Diego things to do

Winery weddings are special.

Tour the Wineries

SanDiegan.com wines

San Diego is freeway close to more fun things to do with local and regional wineries. Both Temecula and Baja California, Mexico are great day or weekend getaways.

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