Where to stay in San Diego: Best Areas and Hotels

San Diego is a big, spread-out city in Southern California with several distinct areas and neighborhoods, each offering a different vibe. The best place to stay depends on what you want to do while you’re here.

Do you want to be near the beach? Mission Beach or Coronado are great options. Close to nightlife? Gaslamp Quarter is the place to be. In a quieter, historic area? Old Town would work well. Want to easily get to sightseeing attractions? Seaport Village is quite central. With so many options, it helps to pick a base that reduces transit time.

I have been to San Diego several times over the last 20 years and we have stayed in different locations every time depending on what we wanted to do.

This guide breaks down the different areas to stay in San Diego, along with hotel recommendations. Although I have not stayed in all of the hotels recommended here, I have asked my family and friends for their favorite San Diego hotels to curate this list.

Read on, to find the pros and cons of staying in each of these San Diego neighborhoods.

1. Pacific Beach

Best for: Families, friends, couples, or anyone looking for a beach vacation

Pacific Beach is perfect if you want a classic Southern California beach experience. It’s a lively area with a mix of surfers, college students, and families soaking up the sun. There’s a great pier, boardwalk, plenty of restaurants, and a fun nightlife scene.

Many would say that Mission Beach is more family-friendly than Pacific Beach, but I found Pacific Beach great for a family getaway as well. We stayed with our kids in Pacific Beach at the Pacific Terrace Hotel. We loved the location and being able to easily walk to restaurants and the beach.

The paved boardwalk starts north of Pacific Beach and stretches around 3 miles all the way to South Mission Beach. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay anywhere along this sandy stretch with family if I find a good hotel or vacation rental.

Pros of staying in Pacific Beach

• Right on the beach.
• Has more hotels than Mission Beach.
• Walking distance to several restaurants.
• Boardwalk for walking/biking or just people-watching.
• Lively atmosphere.
• Bars and nightlife.

Cons of staying in Pacific Beach

• Can be noisy and crowded.
• Public parking can be a challenge if just visiting. We parked our car at our hotel.

2. Mission Beach

Best for: Families, friends, couples, or anyone looking for a beach vacation. Several vacation rentals here. High-end resorts on Misson Bay.

Mission Beach has a similar beachy vibe like Pacific Beach but is a bit more laid-back. It’s home to Belmont Park, a classic beachfront amusement park, known for the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster.

The Mission Beach boardwalk, which continues from Pacific Beach, is a great place for biking, walking, and enjoying the sand and surf. On our recent visit we saw several folks exercising and enjoying their day.

Mission Beach area is also popular with vacation rentals, and if you are traveling with a larger group of family and friends you might find a vacation rental with ocean views that is suited for your group size.

Pros of staying in Mission Beach

• Has a beautiful beach same level as the boardwalk.
• Home to Belmont Park, an amusement park with rides.
• Paved boardwalk that goes on for miles, ideal for walking, and biking.
• Larger public parking lot than Pacific Beach.
• Vacation rentals are easily available.

Cons of staying in Mission Beach

• Limited hotel options, the resorts are mostly on the bay side instead of the beachside.
• Has fewer restaurants and bars as compared to Pacific Beach.

3. Seaport Village

Best for: Families, friends, couples, or anyone looking for a central location for sightseeing, harbor views are a plus.

Seaport Village is a scenic waterfront area with restaurants, souvenir shops, and great views of San Diego Bay. It’s a good area to stay if you want to be near downtown but enjoy a more relaxed vibe.

There are several brand-name hotels here and some great restaurants like Malibu Farm, and Puesto. You will find some nice gifts and souvenir stores plus street vendors selling San Diego themed merchandise.

While there is no sandy beach here, it is waterfront. There is a nice walking path along the harbor with views of the bay and Coronado Bridge. You can easily walk to Embarcadero attractions like the USS Midway and the kissing statue. We also walked to Little Italy and Gaslamp Quarter from here.

Pros of staying in Seaport Village

• Great bayfront views.
• Plenty of restaurants.
• Several brand-name hotels.
• Walkable to Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy, and attractions like the USS Midway.
• Coronado Island is a quick ferry ride away.

Cons of staying in Seaport Village

• No beach.
• Can be touristy.
• Not much nightlife.

4. Old Town

Best for: Families, friends, couples, or anyone looking for a historic location. Quite central to sightseeing and budget-friendly. Perfect if you love Mexican food like me!

If you love history and Mexican food, Old Town is a great area to stay. It’s the birthplace of California and has several historic sites and attractions, colorful decor and shops, and great Mexican restaurants.

On my most recent visit to San Diego, I stayed in Old Town in this vacation rental with my girls’ group and we had a great time. It was very convenient to take an Uber from here to all the sightseeing places.

The Old Town State Historic Park is cool and was worth strolling through. The gift and souvenir shops here were so much fun and I bought a lot of items to take home.

➡️ Read more about my stay in Old Town San Diego.

Pros of staying in Old Town

• Budget-friendly hotel options
• Historical sites, cute shops and decor.
• Central location to visit both the beaches and the downtown. Also close to the airport.
• Excellent Mexican food.
• Old Town Trolley is great for exploring the major attractions.
• Close to Seaworld San Diego.

Cons of staying in Old Town

• Not much nightlife.
• No brand-name hotels, but several mid-range options.

5. Coronado Island

Best for: Families, friends, couples, or anyone looking for an upscale, but laid-back beach vacation. It’s not an ideal location for sightseeing.

Coronado Island is a very popular neighborhood in San Diego and is known for the historic Hotel Del Coronado and beautiful white sand beaches. It offers a more upscale and relaxed vibe.

Coronado Island is a short ferry or drive from downtown San Diego. If staying here you will probably need a car to explore other parts of San Diego. But you can get to the downtown area by ferry or Uber.

Even if you decide not to stay here, you should definitely visit the Hotel Del Coronado’s lobby, grounds, and Coronado Beach.

Pros of staying in Coronado Island

• Upscale area with a historic luxury resort – Hotel Del Coronado
• Beautiful beaches
• Relaxed and quieter atmosphere

Cons of staying in Coronado Island

• Not budget friendly
• Farther from most San Diego attractions
• Fewer options for restaurants

6. Gaslamp Quarter

Best for: Friend groups or couples, or anyone looking for a lively downtown scene with restaurants and bars. I would not recommend it for families.

If nightlife and city vibes are what you’re looking for, the Gaslamp Quarter is the best area to stay. It’s packed with restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues, and it’s within walking distance of Petco Park and the San Diego Convention Center.

I think that staying at Gaslamp Quarter can be a good option for a friend group or couples, but I would not recommend it for families. When I visited recently there were homeless people (usually harmless but some were clearly high) and there was a strong smell of weed on the streets.

I personally would not stay at Gaslamp Quarter and would pick Seaport Village if I wanted to stay close to downtown.

Pros of staying in Gaslamp Quarter

• Great nightlife, tons of restaurants and bars.
• Plenty of hotel options.
• Centrally located, close to Petco Park, Seaport Village, Little Italy, Balboa Park, and the airport.

Cons of staying in Gaslamp Quarter

• Can be noisy.
• Can encounter homelessness and people under the influence, especially at night.
• Parking is expensive.

7. La Jolla

Best for: Families, friends, couples, or anyone looking for an upscale beach vacation. Not an ideal location for sightseeing as a bit away from the attractions.

La Jolla is one of the most scenic places to stay in San Diego, known for its dramatic coastline, upscale shopping, and great restaurant options.

La Jolla Cove is the most popular spot here with a small beach that is home to sea lions. There is a nice park adjacent to it and walking trails along the coast. You will see folks trying out various water sports like surfing, kayaking, and snorkeling.

La Jolla Shores Beach is another beach in the area with a long and wide stretch of sand popular with families. La Jolla is the perfect option if you want a mix of luxury and outdoor adventure.

Pros of staying in La Jolla

• Great for those looking for luxury, upscale stays.
• Stunning ocean views and beach.
• Plenty of dining options though expensive.
• Water activities like snorkeling, surfing, and kayaking to sea caves.
• Coastal walking trails, also closer to Torrey Pines Reserve for hiking.

Cons of staying in La Jolla

• Not budget friendly
• Much further north from other areas in San Diego. A rental car would be needed for sightseeing as Uber can get expensive to various locations.
• Not much nightlife