May I ask what kinds of crowds you’re into? Or hobbies etc?
I can answer your question from a 26 year old POV
I highly recommend Mission Hills, Hillcrest, North Park, South Park.
Luigi’s Pizza got Yelps top best pizza a while back that place is in Golden Hill…
Check out Little Italy in Downtown.
North Park has a ton of craft beer taste sites. The cool ones are, Belching Beaver (taste site/bar in North Park off El Cajon), Automatic Brewing (Blind Lady Ale House, Tiger! Tiger!) , Societe Brewing company that’s in Mira Mesa though… Modern Times Taste site in North Park or Sports Arena BLVD, that one is huge but you gotta find the warehouse.
Phils BBQ is really good was featured on one of those food channel shows. (Sports Arena BLVD)
Sunset Cliffs is nice, La Jolla shores is nice.
Balboa Park museums are generally free on Tuesdays… It’s a nice stroll…
I don’t know how to answer, I don’t know what you’re into…
We have a Land Mark Theatres in Hillcrest, also a really great Cupcake joint called, Baby Cakes (Hillcrest) It’s super packed on Sundays.
In downtown there’s this place called the Neighborhood, good burgers and beers. Also Noble Experiment which is sort of like a speak easy, you gotta call and reserve it and be on time and everything.
San Diego Contemporary Art Museum is nice we get a lot of experiment art that travels
Also I like the idea of OB during the day like lunch time way better than the afternoon. I don’t know that place just wreaks of BROS and college party kids who think San Diego is all about the beach scene, especially during night would not recommend it.
There’s also Kayaking, I’d recommend in La Jolla, I think it’s near Torrey Pines… It’s a woodsy beachy get away
http://www.sandiego.org/articles/east-county/san-diego-east-deserts.aspx if you’re into Desert vibes
or if you want to pick apples, go to Julian http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Apple+Picking&find_loc=Julian%2C+CA+92036
Or if you want to camp, go to Mt. Laguna
You can also visit the border and literally see the fence that separates USA from MEXICO. It’s beautiful in a sad way
blah blah”
If you want to leave feeling like you visited the true San Diego where locals venture, I’d honestly have to say it’s with Downtown, Hillcrest, North Park, Mission Hills, Golden Hill area. The rest of the towns are so far apart they truly breed their own cultures. For instance I live in National City a predominantly lower, to middle class town with a high population of old school Filipinos and Mexicans. East County San Diego, is more old school white conservative vibes suburbia, not modern architecturally but fun if you like to shoot guns and ride horse backs. Also some farms out there as well as assorted gardens.
North County more modern white/filipino dominated suburbia. Down south Filipino/Mexican dominated. I highly recommend Lolita’s Mexican food… It’s pretty good for the hype, order a Cali Burrito or Carne Asada Fries, I don’t think you’ll be dissappointed.
IDK I’m tapping out for now