Dog AND Toddler Approved San Diego Adventure: 5 Day Itinerary
Traveled in October 2022 and October 2023
Sunny San Diego seems to be a magnet for families. With the plethora of kid-friendly activities there, I can see why. There are absolutely other blogs where you can find a more comprehensive list of toddler friendly activities OR dog friendly activities in San Diego. But we all know that it takes some digging to find that elusive sweet spot where the venn diagram of dog friendly and toddler friendly activities intersect. If you are looking for activities in San Diego that BOTH a toddler AND a dog can enjoy then this itinerary is for you!
Our kiddo loves the beach since we don’t have a lot of opportunity to go in the ocean in the cold Bay Area beaches, so this itinerary is more beach heavy. Most of the activities on this itinerary are also outdoor activities since those tend to be dog friendly. We like to bring our dog everywhere with us when she joins us on our road trips, so all activities that we did are dog-friendly, albeit with some limitations. If that’s not for you, then there are certainly many kid-friendly museums in San Diego to explore (but you will have to leave your dog at home).
One thing about the beaches in San Diego that a local alerted us to: check the water hazard level at the beach before letting kids in the water, especially after rains. Tijuana has sewage processing plants that overflow when it rains. This causes raw sewage to drift up the coast to the beaches along San Diego and carry harmful bacteria along with it. We were not aware of this on our first trip to San Diego and both our toddler and dog had a pretty bad case of diarrhea after the trip.
For reference, we visited when our kiddo was 11 months and again at 22 months and enjoyed both visits!
- When to Go
- How to Get There
- How to Get Around
- Where to Stay in San Diego (Dog and Toddler Friendly)
- Dog and Toddler Friendly San Diego Itinerary
- Dog and Toddler Friendly San Diego Itinerary at a Glance
- Day 1: Del Mar Dog Beach and Powerhouse Park
- Day 2: Coronado Island and Sunset Cliffs Natural Park
- Make Lasting Family Memories – Book Your San Diego Vacation Today!
- Day 3: Balboa Park
- Day 4: La Jolla Cove Walk and La Jolla Shores Beach
- Day 5: Bonita Cove and Pumpkin Patches
- Where to Eat
- Reality Check of Traveling to San Diego with a Dog and Toddler
When to Go
We traveled in October and the weather was perfect for us with temperatures in the mid-70s. Warm enough to go to the beach, but not too hot. The other bonus of visiting San Diego in October is that admission to many museums is free for kids (usually with a paid adult) through a city-wide program called Kids Free San Diego for the entire month of October. Admission to many of the museums and zoos is free for kids under 3 anyway, but the free kid admission in October is a great money-saver if you have older kids.
How to Get There
San Diego is about an 8 hour drive from the Bay Area and about a 2 hour drive from Los Angeles (although that can take considerably longer with traffic). If flying, the San Diego International Airport (SAN) is located just a short drive from downtown San Diego.
Booking tip: certain flight searches like Kayak, Skyscanner, or Google flights allow you to set price trackers that will alert you when the price of your flight changes. I never book a flight without tracking prices first because there is no better feeling than snagging a good deal! And if you book your flights with a travel credit card like the Chase Sapphire card (use my referral for bonus points!), the card usually includes some travel insurance protections (like lost luggage reimbursements, trip delay reimbursements, or trip cancellation insurance) to save you the cost of buying extra travel insurance.
Bonus Booking tip: sign your kiddo up for frequent flyer accounts with airlines to start earning airline miles for them! Most airline miles do not expire for minors so your kiddo will thank you later.
How to Get Around
Although you can Uber your way around San Diego, it is much more convenient to have a car. San Diego covers a large area. Although everything is about 15-20 minutes drive away on the freeway if you stay in a central area, you will still have to hop on the freeway every day so having your own car is helpful.
If renting a car from the San Diego International Airport, all rental car pick ups occur at their consolidated rental car center. There is a free shuttle that runs between the airport and the rental car center. All the big name rental car companies have a counter at the rental car center, so since they are all equally convenient, take your pick!
Booking tip: if the car rental agency has a free membership program, sign up for it! Members usually get extra perks like a free additional driver, discounts, or faster reservation check ins (all very desirable things when you have an overtired toddler in tow).
Where to Stay in San Diego (Dog and Toddler Friendly)
We stayed in an Airbnb during both trips with our dog and toddler. We traveled with extended family, so a home rental gave us the space we needed to spread out while also providing some communal spaces to spend time together. To stay in a more central location and minimize drive times, we searched in the La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Clairemont, and University City neighborhoods. All of these neighborhoods were close to a large freeway (either the 5 or the 805) for shorter drives to our destinations. These neighborhoods were also safe and relatively quiet, so it was easy to find parking.
This cute beach bungalow in La Jolla is perfect for those that want to be close to the beach and La Jolla Village. The location is great, very close to the restaurants of La Jolla Village. The bungalow is nicely updated but retains that beach vibe. As a bonus, it has a fully enclosed yard, which is perfect when traveling with kids and dogs!
This ground level corner unit in La Jolla is just steps from the Windansea beach. It is nicely renovated, and the layout makes good use of the cozy space. It is a short drive to the dog and kid friendly beach in La Jolla Shores, and walking distance to Windansea beach (not dog friendly, but good for watching surfers from afar).
This spacious house in Clairemont is perfect for a bigger family. The 3 bedrooms means there is enough space for everyone to spread out at the end of the day. And there is a fully fenced yard for your pup!
This beautifully remodeled home in Clairemont Mesa is perfect to maximize San Diego’s mild weather through outdoor living. The outdoor terrace is an amazing place to enjoy dinner or just relax at the end of the day. The layout makes it a natural extension of the indoor living space. There are 2 bedrooms to offer more space and privacy.
Dog and Toddler Friendly San Diego Itinerary
Dog and Toddler Friendly San Diego Itinerary at a Glance
- Day 1: Del Mar dog beach and Powerhouse Park
- Day 2: Coronado Island – Sunset Cliffs Natural Park
- Day 3: Balboa Park
- Day 4: La Jolla Cove Walk and La Jolla Shores Beach
- Day 5: Bonita Cove – pumpkin patches
With more time and if able to find a dog-sitter:
Little kids can get tired out quickly if they don’t get their naps, and nobody wants a cranky toddler. So we skipped these activities, but have them on our list for when our kiddo is a little older and can go longer without a nap to make them more worthwhile.
- San Diego Zoo
- San Diego Safari Park
- Legoland
- New Children’s Museum
- USS Midway Museum
Day 1: Del Mar Dog Beach and Powerhouse Park
This infographic summarizes where and when dogs are allowed on and off leash in the different areas of Del Mar dog beach. If you will keep your dog on leash at all times, then South Beach or the Main Beach are great options. North Beach seems like the best area if your dog likes to be off leash.
Parking tip: We found paid parking along Coast Blvd, but if you don’t mind walking a bit there is also free parking along the northerly end of Santa Fe.
Powerhouse Park is located right between the Main Beach and South Beach. This park is a grassy area right next to the beach which has a children’s playground and picnic areas. Dogs are prohibited in the children’s “Tot Lot” and adjacent grass area south of the beach path at the southern end of the park. Leashed dogs are permitted on all adjacent walkways and sidewalks.
Day 2: Coronado Island and Sunset Cliffs Natural Park
Coronado Island
Coronado Island is home to the pretty Hotel Del Coronado and beautiful Coronado beach. Dogs are not allowed anywhere on Coronado Beach except for the dog beach, which is at the north end of the beach. We loved this clean beach! The dog beach is right next to an airbase which had many helicopters taking off and landing, so that is a bonus for any aircraft-loving kiddos. Because we went on a week day it was not crowded. There is also a small playground across the street from the dog beach area if your kiddo gets tired of the beach. There is a public restroom on Ocean Blvd near the dog beach area.
Parking tip: We found plenty of free street parking on Ocean Blvd. The dog beach is at the far end of Ocean Blvd away from the Hotel Del Coronado, so if you want to check out the hotel afterwards, would recommend driving there.
Sunset Cliffs Natural Park
Sunset Cliffs is a great hike along the cliffs with romantic views of the ocean. As the name suggests, it is a lovely place to enjoy the sunset. The hike is a flat sandy path that runs along the cliff. It is not a difficult hike, but there are some parts that get pretty narrow so might be hard with a stroller. Dogs are allowed on leash. The trail is located on Sunset Cliffs Blvd between Adair Street and Ladera Street.
Parking tip: there is a free public parking lot off Sunset Cliffs Blvd near Adair Street.
Day 3: Balboa Park
The architecture at Balboa Park is magical. Squint and you can just imagine that you survived a 12 hour flight with your toddler and landed in Spain. It is no wonder that it is an Instagram darling. Besides the architecture, Balboa Park is also home to many museums, gardens, and the San Diego Zoo. We visited with our dog, so we skipped the museums and enjoyed our time in these outdoor spaces instead:
- Miniature train operated by the San Diego Zoo: 4 min ride going in a loop around a man-made jungle with cute animal statues. Kids under 5 must ride with an adult. Tickets cost a couple dollars.
- Summer hours: daily 11am-6:30pm. Sept-May hours: weekends and school holidays 11am-4:30pm.
- Carousel: 5 min ride. Tickets cost a couple dollars.
- Summer hours: daily 11am-5:30pm. Sept-May hours: weekends and school holidays 11am-5:30pm.
- Botanical Building and Lily pond: most photographed spot
- Take a stroll through one of the 16 gardens in Balboa Park
- Casa del Prado: another photo gem
- Spreckels Organ Pavilion: long corridors to run up and down? An energetic toddler and dog’s dream.
- We were lucky enough to catch a fire truck parked inside the park. Not a park attraction per se, but a close contender for our toddler’s favorite park activity.
- Dogs allowed on leash in Balboa Park.The only off leash areas are the 3 dog parks (Nate’s Point, Morley Field, and Grape St. Park).
Balboa Park would be a fun place for a family photo shoot! Looking for some ideas of how to display those beautiful photos? Check out my post with 5 creative ideas to display your travel photos!
Day 4: La Jolla Cove Walk and La Jolla Shores Beach
The La Jolla cove walk is a walking path that hugs the coast of La Jolla, right next to downtown La Jolla. The mostly flat path takes you past an area where sea lions congregate, which is fun for toddlers to watch but our dog did not enjoy the pungent smells. The walk ends with a spectacular overlook of the ocean. Dogs allowed on leash.
La Jolla shores beach is a mile long crescent shaped beach that is very close to downtown La Jolla. We liked that the waves were gentle enough for our toddler and the sandy areas were pretty clean. There is also a playground next to the beach. And best of all, a free parking lot!
- Dog rules:
- April 1 – October 31: dogs allowed on leash on beach before 9 AM and after 6 PM.
- November 1 – March 31: dogs allowed on leash on beach before 9 AM and after 4 PM.
Day 5: Bonita Cove and Pumpkin Patches
Bonita Cove is on the bay side of Mission Bay and the vibe is a little calmer than the beach side. The walk on Bayside Lane is nice, paved, and flat, with views of the bay and the city skyline. There is a also playground next to the parking lot. Dogs allowed on leash.
Check out some pumpkin patches if here in October! We went to Pumpkin Station which had a small train ride, hay ride, and corn maze. Our city kid loved this full pumpkin patch experience, complete with rides! Dogs allowed on leash.
Where to Eat
My cousin who lives in San Diego graciously put together this list of food recommendations, organized by neighborhood. And as he is a craft beer enthusiast he also put together this handy map of craft breweries. The places in bold are ones we tried and are toddler approved!
North county:
- One Paseo (Dog friendly for the most part)
- Nick’s
- Harland brewing (beer)
- North Italia
- The Sky Deck
- Snooze (brunch)
- Cross Chicken
La Jolla:
- The Cottage (brunch)
- Piatti La Jolla (good italian on the quieter side of La Jolla)
- El Pescador Fish Market
- Oscars Mexican Seafood (best fish tacos 100%)
- Taco stand (one of our favorites)
- Puesto (upscale tacos)
- Bobboi Natural Gelato (ice cream our favorite)
South San Diego:
- Liberty public market (Dog friendly)
- Blue Water Seafood Ocean Beach
- Cesarina (Very good Italian food, get the cheesecake)
- Pot Pie/Stella Jean (next door from Cesarina, good ice cream. Get the ube one)
Craft beer map:
Reality Check of Traveling to San Diego with a Dog and Toddler
This vacation itself was a relatively smooth trip since we did not change time zones or have a lot of driving during the day. It is the aftermath that still haunts us to this day. We did not know about the water hazards in the beach after the rains, so we brought our family to the beach the day after it rained and both our dog and our toddler had a horrible case of diarrhea starting the day after. Our toddler had diarrhea for 2 weeks. TWO WEEKS. The worst was that the diarrhea caused a horrible diaper rash that was so painful he woke up multiple times overnight. Learn from our pain and don’t go into the water at the beach after it rains!
Ready for another California road trip with your dog and toddler?
Check out my post about exploring the central California coast, Lake Tahoe, or Monterey with a dog and toddler!
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