With its warm, sunny summers and mild winters, San Diego has plenty to see and do all throughout the year. That makes it the ideal city to visit if you want to play it safe and social distance. From beach day trips to haunted tours, check out some of these COVID friendly things to do in San Diego on your next visit.
Ghost Tours in Old Town
If you love a good ghost story (and who doesn’t), make sure to book a haunted tour on your visit. The San Diego ghost tour hosts nightly walks through Old Town, meeting outside of the Balboa Theater. Learn about the spooky side of San Diego, like the Horton Grand Hotel, where you might spot the ghost of Roger Whitaker. The famed gambler is said to haunt Room 309, where he was shot to death.
At the William Heath David House, visitors claim to see the ghost of a World War II German spy.
You’ll also visit the Gaslamp Quarter cocktail lounge. This spooky spoth formerly functioned as a morgue and has many ghost sightings today.
A ghost tour will take you through the historic and haunted sites of Old Town in San Diego, like the Mormon Battalion Historic Site.
Wine Tasting in Temecula
Wine lovers should make the trip to Temecula, just an hour outside of San Diego. Temecula Valley hosts over 30 wineries, and you can easily enjoy the Southern California wines while safely social distancing. Temecula also offers other COVID friendly activities, like hot air ballooning and horseback riding.
Rock Climbing in Joshua Tree
If you’re willing to make the drive, Joshua Tree National Park offers a beautiful side trip about three hours from San Diego. Spend the day in the great outdoors, enjoying hours and hours of sunshine, wildlife, and scenic desert. Of course, you’ll see the unique Joshua trees. The park also offers adventure activities like rock climbing, bouldering, hiking, and slacklining.
Soak in the Sun at Coronado Beach
A trip to San Diego wouldn’t be complete without getting your toes in the sand. Coronado Beach stands out as one of the best to visit during your trip. Spend the day relaxing at the beach. Then stroll along Orange Avenue’s shops and restaurants until you reach the historic Hotel del Coronado at the southern end. Along the way, you can admire the many fine homes and mansions while breathing in the salty air.
Explore the La Jolla Sea Caves
The seaside area of La Jolla has inspired artists and travelers for its abundance of natural beauty. That includes its sea caves, a series of seven 200-foot-high sandstone caves. You can admire the rock formations by water, by renting a kayak or stand-up paddle board for the day. You’ll social distance and enjoy the sunshine. In the summertime, you may even spot leopard sharks swimming in the waters. A number of whale species also migrate along the La Jolla coast, and many sight spouting and breeches. You can sign up for one of the many guided tours to explore the area, a good idea to help navigate the rocky shores safely.