Summer in San Diego: Make the Most of Summertime in America’s Finest City

San Diego boasts some incredible weather year-round, but the city truly comes alive in the summertime. Explore all that there is to do during a summer in San Diego so you make the most of those fantastic hot and sunny months!

 

Explore the Farmers Markets

San Diego’s farmers markets are the best places to find locally-sourced fruits, vegetables and other goods from vendors in and around the county.

No matter the day, you’ll likely find a market to check out. Little Italy is lucky enough to host two each week, the Little Italy Wednesday Certified Farmers Market, held from 9am-1:30pm each Wednesday, and the Little Italy Mercato Certified Farmers Market, both held on Date Street from Kettner Boulevard to Front Street.

The Mercato is one of the city’s best, there you’ll find 150 vendors offering up not only the expected produce, but prepared treats and gift ideas, and the odd sea urchin or two. That market is held on Saturdays from 8am-2pm.

If you’re looking to prep for a BBQ, another favorite summertime pastime, consider the farmers markets when you’re doing your shopping. You’ll be supporting local small businesses, and buying some of the freshest ingredients you’ll find in San Diego.

Little Italy Farmers Market

 

Hit the Water

Summer is the perfect time to hit the beach in San Diego, especially as the water warms up the later you go in the season. Pacific Beach is perfect for people-watching. Coronado’s calm waves make for a great family option. Ocean Beach has a large section for dogs, if you’re looking to bring along your pooch, and the Children’s Pool in La Jolla is home to a steady population of seals for some wildlife-viewing.

But if you’re lucky enough to have a rooftop pool, as residents do at the Allegro Tower, you’ll find there’s no shortage of friends that will want to take advantage of that summertime amenity if you host a pool party.

Whether you’re at the pool or at the beach, summertime is the perfect time to splash around – and cool off – with your friends.

Beach, San Diego

 

Catch a Baseball Game

Catching a baseball game is another one of the fun things to do in San Diego. Petco Park, San Diego’s ballpark and home to the San Diego Padres, is a great place to watch a player steal third, cheer as the Padres round home base and enjoy a craft beer, even if you’re not a fan of baseball.

The food options are fantastic, and the crowd is always in good spirits, no matter the outcome of the game. How could you be in a bad mood when you rarely have to worry about your event being rained out, especially in the sun-filled summer months?

Petco Park also hosts a number of concerts and special events, particularly in the summer, that make the surrounding Gaslamp Quarter even livelier.

San Diego Padres Baseball

 

Sample the Best Food in San Diego

San Diego is more than California burritos and fish tacos. Those are both delicious, for sure, but San Diego’s neighborhoods offer a diverse range of dining options no matter what you’re after.

Little Italy is a great place to start on your food adventure, particularly if you’re interested in trying San Diego’s best Italian food. This part of town comes with a deep Italian history, too; the first Italians came to San Diego’s Little Italy community in the 19th century, looking for fishing jobs along the city’s beautiful bay. It has since become San Diego’s premier hot spot for dining, with lots of options for summertime al fresco dining, as well.

Italian food traditionalists will like Mona Lisa Italian Foods, but eateries like Monello and Civico 1845 also offer more modern takes on your Italian favorites. If you’re looking for something more playful outside of Italian food, celebrity chef Richard Blais’ fried chicken spot The Crack Shack is well-known throughout the city. Don’t miss the chicken oysters if you go.

If you want a well-planned food tour of the neighborhood, the annual Taste of Little Italy is a great way to do it. Your “Taste Passport” gets you small bites at the best restaurants in Little Italy, complete with beverages.

Food in Little Italy, San Diego

 

Relax in San Diego’s Green Spaces

If you’d prefer to take your food to-go, Waterfront Park on the harbor is a great place for a picnic and some relaxation. Do some people-watching near the fountains, then do some exploration of your own as you continue along the bay.

You’ll find some hidden green spaces if you look, not to mention the Maritime Museum of San Diego. The Star of India is the most impressive historic vessel in the collection, and the perfect place for you to unleash the pirate within you.

We couldn’t talk about San Diego’s parks without mentioning the most spectacular of them all – Balboa Park. This 1,200 acre urban oasis sits smack dab in the middle of San Diego. Here you’ll find museums, glorious Spanish-style architecture, lush gardens and a world-famous zoo. Excellent for an afternoon date, some solo sightseeing, or hours of non-stop fun for the entire family, Balboa is a go-to spot to while away long summer days.

Balboa Park, San Diego

Go on a Walking Tour

The best way to experience San Diego’s diverse neighborhoods is on a walking tour of your own making. It’s certainly the best way to explore Little Italy, a neighborhood whose planners focused on walkability as a central tenet in its design.

On your stroll, you’ll see all kinds of historical markers throughout the neighborhood that point to businesses or structures once at that spot, so keep your eyes peeled.

Additional highlights include the Little Italy sign, surrounded by mosaic tiles that tell Little Italy’s story if you look closely enough, and the Piazza della Famiglia, a beautiful public space that’s become the spot for locals and visitors alike to gather and indulge in the best that the neighborhood has to offer.

From Little Italy, you’re just a hop skip and a jump away from the lively Gaslamp Quarter filled with bars, restaurants and live music venues, refined Bankers Hill with quiet, walkable streets and historic Old Town where you’ll find the perfect margarita.

Little Italy, San Diego

 

Go to the Movies…Outside!

Even after the sun goes down, the city has yet to run out of options for you in terms of what to do in San Diego summer months.

Going to an outdoor movie is one unique option. The Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills and the Rooftop Cinema Club at the Manchester Grand Hyatt by the bay downtown both offer comfortable seating, snacks, drinks and a schedule of both classic and new movies

Outdoor Movies

Are you ready to take advantage of what to do in Little Italy, San Diego, and have your best summer ever? Contact us at the Allegro Tower, to find out how all of this and more can be right outside your door.