San Diego trip cost: flights, hotels, food and things to do
Beaches, tacos and perfect weather. A 4-night trip for 2 starts at about $1,296 for the cheapest flight, hotel and food, depending on where you fly from. Pick your airport to see three ready-made plans.
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What it costs from your airport
For 2 travelers, 4 nights. "From" is the cheapest flight and hotel plus everyday food; "Suggested budget" also covers a mid-priced flight and hotel and things to do.
| Flying from | From | Suggested budget |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix (PHX) | $1,296 | $2,400 |
| San Francisco (SFO) | $1,316 | $2,400 |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | $1,326 | $2,400 |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | $1,356 | $2,500 |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | $1,376 | $2,400 |
| Portland (PDX) | $1,396 | $2,500 |
| Denver (DEN) | $1,406 | $2,500 |
| Seattle (SEA) | $1,426 | $2,600 |
| Austin (AUS) | $1,446 | $2,600 |
| Houston (IAH) | $1,446 | $2,600 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) | $1,456 | $2,600 |
| Minneapolis (MSP) | $1,516 | $2,700 |
| St. Louis (STL) | $1,516 | $2,700 |
| Chicago Midway (MDW) | $1,526 | $2,700 |
| Chicago O'Hare (ORD) | $1,536 | $2,800 |
| Nashville (BNA) | $1,556 | $2,700 |
| Atlanta (ATL) | $1,586 | $2,800 |
| Tampa (TPA) | $1,596 | $2,800 |
| Detroit (DTW) | $1,606 | $2,800 |
| Charlotte (CLT) | $1,626 | $2,800 |
| Miami (MIA) | $1,626 | $2,800 |
| Philadelphia (PHL) | $1,626 | $2,900 |
| Newark (EWR) | $1,636 | $2,900 |
| Washington Dulles (IAD) | $1,646 | $2,800 |
| Baltimore (BWI) | $1,656 | $2,800 |
| Washington Reagan (DCA) | $1,656 | $2,800 |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) | $1,676 | $2,800 |
| New York LaGuardia (LGA) | $1,686 | $2,800 |
| New York JFK | $1,686 | $2,900 |
| Orlando (MCO) | $1,696 | $2,800 |
| Boston (BOS) | $1,716 | $2,900 |
| Honolulu (HNL) | $1,806 | $2,900 |
Food: about $87 a person a day
Restaurants worth the trip
- Tacos El Gordo, Chula VistaOrder: Adobada tacos · about $10 a person
- Hodad's burgersOrder: Bacon cheeseburger · about $16 a person
- George's at the CoveOrder: Seafood on the ocean terrace · about $70 a person
- PuestoOrder: Tacos with a crispy cheese shell · about $30 a person
- Point Loma SeafoodsOrder: Seared ahi sandwich · about $20 a person
Where to stay
- Manchester Grand Hyatt4★ · $260 a night · or about 17,000 Hyatt points
- Hyatt Regency Mission Bay4★ · $280 a night · or about 17,000 Hyatt points
- Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina4★ · $300 a night · or about 41,000 Marriott points
- Courtyard San Diego Downtown3★ · $200 a night · or about 26,000 Marriott points
- La Jolla beach inn3★ · $260 a night
- Gaslamp hostel, private room2★ · $100 a night
Things to do
- Torrey Pines hikefree · 2h 30m
- Coronado Beach dayfree · 4h 00m
- Old Town San Diegofree · 2h 00m
- Seaport Village shopsfree · 1h 30m
- Sunset Cliffs walkfree · 1h 30m
- Liberty Public Marketfree · 1h 30m
- Balboa Park museums$20 a person · 3h 00m
- Gaslamp Quarter night out$30 a person · 2h 30m
- USS Midway Museum$35 a person · 2h 30m
- La Jolla Cove seals and kayak$50 a person · 3h 00m
- San Diego Zoo$72 a person · 5h 00m
- Pacific Beach surf lesson$80 a person · 2h 00m
Questions
How much does a trip to San Diego cost?
For 2 travelers and 4 nights, the cheapest flight and hotel plus everyday food start at about $1,296 from Phoenix (PHX) and run to about $1,806 from the farthest major US airport. A comfortable budget with things to do is $2,400 to $2,900.
How much should I budget for food in San Diego?
About $87 a person a day at mid-range places: breakfast $15, lunch $20, dinner $42, snacks and coffee $10.
How many nights do I need in San Diego?
4 nights covers the main sights at an easy pace; the day plans on each route page show how the days fill.
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Tell us your airport, dates and budget, and get three plans with flights, hotel, food and a day-by-day itinerary.
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