20 Best Things to Do in San Diego at Night

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San Diego is the site of the first European settlement in California, and today is a bustling city of over a million people at the border of the United States and Mexico. This has made it a center for arts and entertainment while still managing to keep its old charm and beach town vibes.

Its sun and shore provide many things to do during the day, but these 20 best things to do in San Diego at night will give you a good idea of all the city has to offer after the sun goes down. Continue reading to learn more!

Planning a last-minute trip to San Diego?

Book your San Diego accommodations and experiences early! Here are some top choices to make your trip enjoyable.

🏨 Top accommodations in San Diego

• Old Town Inn (rated highly)
• Humphreys Half Moon Inn (relax by the pool)
• Horton Grand Hotel (4-star rating)

☂️ Top tours and experiences in San Diego

• Small Group Sunset Sailing Experience on San Diego Bay (likely to sell out)
• San Diego Harbor Cruise (very popular)
• San Diego Whale Watching Tour (very popular)
• San Diego Hop on Hop Off Trolley Tour (very popular)
• Skip the Line - USS Midway Museum Admission Ticket in San Diego

20 Things to Do at Night in San Diego

Take a San Diego City Lights Night Tour

For a complete tour of the city's many attractions, you can sign up for a San Diego City Lights Night Tour. This guided night tour lets you beat the heat as it takes you through Balboa Park, the Gaslight Quarter, Coronado Bridge, and Embarcadero.

When the hour-and-a-half tour is over, you can decide which of the areas you'd like to spend some more time in.

Visit Balboa Park after hours

Balboa Park is a famous landmark in the heart of the city full of gardens, museums, and the famous San Diego Zoo. During the summer months, over half of the park's seventeen museums extend their hours into the night.

Winter visitors asking what to do in San Diego at night can go enjoy the spectacular December Nights event with food, live entertainment, and festive lighting. Afterward, you can walk to nearby North Park for some holiday shopping.

☂️ Visit Balboa Park with an experience

• The Most Extensive City & Beach Tour (highly rated)
• San Diego Hop on Hop Off Trolley Tour (popular with most)

🏨 Accommodations nearby Balboa Park

• Best Western Plus Bayside Inn (relax by the pool)
• Hilton Garden Inn San Diego Downtown Bayside, CA (4-star rating)

See a play at The Old Globe Theatre

The Old Globe in San Diego was built in 1935 and featured abridged versions of Shakespeare's plays. The building itself was modeled off the original theatre of its name found in London, giving it an old-world ambiance.

Almost one hundred years later, visitors can still catch Shakespeare and other classics of the stage here. For true theater enthusiasts, the Old Globe has evening seminars that take guests backstage and provide behind-the-scenes insights into production.

☂️ See the Old Globe on a tour

• San Diego Balboa Park Highlights Small Group Tour With Coffee (rated very highly)
• Private Balboa Park Segway Tour

🏨 Places to stay close to the Old Globe

• Marriott Vacation Club Pulse (rated very highly)
• THE US GRANT (5-star rating)

alancrosthwaite/Depositphotos.com

Take the Coronado Ferry across San Diego Bay

Across the San Diego Bay from the downtown area lies the town of Coronado, known for its idyllic beaches and the rustic yet luxurious Hotel del Coronado.

An evening ferry across the bay is a convenient and scenic way to reach this enchanting destination, with views of the San Diego skyline opening up as you depart. Once in Coronado, you can walk along the boardwalk in the cool night air, peruse quaint boutiques, and dine in oceanfront restaurants.

☂️ Explore the Coronado Ferry Terminal on a tour

• San Diego Harbor Cruise (popular and sought-after)
• Champagne Brunch Buffet

🏨 Accommodations near the Coronado Ferry Terminal

• SpringHill Suites San Diego Downtown Bayfront (highly acclaimed)
• Embassy Suites by Hilton San Diego Bay Downtown (soak up the sun poolside)

Enjoy a delicious dinner in Embarcadero

For a plethora of dining options in downtown San Diego, head to Embarcadero Marina Park. The Carnitas Snack Shack is a standout for its quirky cocktails and wide array of pork dishes.

For some of the best San Diego night activities in November, you can find your way to the annual week-long San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival.

☂️ Explore the Embarcadero on a tour

• San Diego Seal Tour (high demand)

🏨 Accommodations near the Embarcadero

• Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego (soak up the sun poolside)
• The Westin San Diego Bayview

SherryVSmith/Depositphotos.com

Be a kid again at the Fleet Science Center

Fleet Science Center is one of the many museums found in Balboa Park and gives its visitors glimpses of how science can be used to create a brighter future. Nighttime visitors can head to the center's planetarium for a narrated tour of our solar system.

During the summer, Friday nights offer more opportunities for the nocturnally inclined. Extended hours allow you to take in an IMAX movie or relive childhood games at Pause/Play.

☂️ Join a tour to see the Fleet Science Center

• Balboa Park Hidden Gems Tour (likely to sell out)

🏨 Places to stay close to the Fleet Science Center

• Holiday Inn Express - Downtown San Diego (offers a pool)
• Gaslamp Plaza Suites (4-star rating)

Revel in the Gaslamp Quarter

The Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego dates back to the 1860s, and there are walking tours that can help you navigate and understand this vibrant, historic district.

The district today has taken on a reputation as a center for nightlife and entertainment. A few nightlife options include spending the evening with a view in Altitude Sky Lounge or riding a mechanical bull at Double Deuce!

🏨 Stay near the Gaslamp Quarter

• Margaritaville Hotel San Diego Gaslamp Quarter (rated very highly)
• Pendry San Diego (5-star rating)

Go night diving in La Jolla Cove Ecological Reserve Canyon

La Jolla Cove is known for its sea lions and beaches, but diving into its inky waters after sunset is among the top cool things to do in San Diego at night. It is also one of the best California beach towns to visit.

This protected underwater environment is home to crabs, squid, and octopi that all float through the darkness, awaiting discovery. The dive area is also packed with bioluminescent phytoplankton, making this an eerie, otherworldly experience.

🏨 Nearest accommodations to La Jolla Cove

• Inn by The Sea Hotel (loved by guests)
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites la Jolla - Windansea Beach (breathtaking waterside views)

See a live performance at La Jolla Playhouse

La Jolla Playhouse features contemporary theater, musicals, and performances. If you're into new and creative performance art, La Jolla Playhouse prides itself on its imaginative programs using the art form to understand our world.

Shows rotate through regularly, so be sure to check the calendar to see what's on stage while you're in town.

🏨 Stay in close proximity to the La Jolla Playhouse

• Residence Inn San Diego la Jolla (rated highly)
• Hyatt Regency la Jolla (rated 4-stars)

Eat your way through Little Italy

San Diego's Little Italy has been called "Top Chef Alley" for its concentration of world-class chefs and eateries. These restaurants include authentic Italian cuisine, such as Filippi's Pizza Grotto and non-Italian fare like Juniper & Ivy

After dinner, you can take a stroll to Piazza della Famiglia in the heart of Little Italy. This pedestrian area is a good place to relax after a meal or to catch live evening music on Flamingo Fridays.

☂️ Discover Little Italy on a tour

• Taste of Little Italy in San Diego (rated five stars)
• Brothels, Bites & Booze Gaslamp Quarter Tour

🏨 Nearest accommodations to Little Italy

• Wyndham San Diego Bayside (4-star rating)
• Urban Boutique Hotel

Get fancy at the San Diego Civic Theatre

San Diego Civic Theatre is a great excuse to dress up for a fancy evening. Broadway San Diego makes its home here with regular performances, and the San Diego Opera uses it as their main performance hall.

It's also the host of a wide variety of other performing arts like piano concerts, orchestras, and interactive shows, making it one of the most eclectic places to go at night in San Diego.

🏨 Nearest accommodations to the San Diego Civic Center

• The Westgate Hotel (highly acclaimed)
• Kimpton Alma San Diego (take it easy by the pool)

Visit old haunts in Old Town San Diego

Old Town San Diego near Mission Bay was the first European settlement in California all the way back in 1769. It was only a fort and a mission back then, but today it includes specialty shops, historic buildings, and many Mexican restaurants that showcase the area's multicultural history.

At night, the San Diego Ghosts and Gravestones tour will provide brave visitors with unsettling tales of the settlement's history and hauntings.

🏨 Accommodations near Old Town

• Old Town Inn (well-rated)
• Howard Johnson by Wyndham San Diego Sea World (mid-range)

Take a Snooze Crewz at the USS Midway Museum

The USS Midway was the longest-serving naval ship of the twentieth century and was once the largest ship in the entire US Navy.

Now a harbored museum, its incredible Snooze Crewz program offers youth groups and families the chance to learn about the ship while staying overnight aboard the giant "city at sea." Guests can stargaze on the flight deck and take a guided tour of the inner workings of the retired behemoth.

☂️ Visit the USS Midway Museum on a tour

• San Diego Harbor Dinner Cruise (popular and sought-after)
• USS Midway Museum Entry Ticket (frequently sold out)

🏨 Accommodations nearby the USS Midway Museum

• SpringHill Suites by Marriott San Diego Downtown Bayfront (loved by guests)
• Carte Hotel San Diego Downtown by Hilton (soak up the sun poolside)

See the famous San Diego Zoo at night

Summer nights at the San Diego Zoo give visitors a chance to see the animals in a new light, so to speak. While some are moved off habitat, many of the nocturnal creatures stick around and are more active during these extended hours, such as the ocelots, sloths, and Tasmanian devils.

There are also regular live music performances by in-house band Rock & Roar or the Call of the Wild acrobatics show that visitors can see by staying after dark.

☂️ Experience the San Diego Zoo with a tour

• San Diego Zoo Safari Park One-Day Pass Any Day Ticket
• San Diego Zoo Safari Park One-Day Ticket (likely to sell out)

🏨 Places to stay close to the San Diego Zoo

• Inn at the Park
• Homewood Suites by Hilton San Diego Downtown Bayside

Play trivia at the San Diego Natural History Museum

The city's Natural History Museum, or "Nat" to the locals, offers several fun things to do in San Diego at night. Adult guests can enjoy tacos, ceviche, and drinks at the rooftop bar during the summer months.

Thursday evenings are for trivia at the Nat, and regular film screenings and pop-up exhibits over the weekends will enrich your summer nights.

☂️ Explore the San Diego Natural History Museum on a tour

• Platinum Balboa Park & Downtown Segway Tour (highly rated)

🏨 Stay nearby the San Diego Natural History Museum

• Hard Rock Hotel San Diego (unwind poolside)
• InterContinental San Diego (4-star)

Experience the San Diego Symphony at Rady Shell

Hearing the San Diego Symphony makes for a great night out any time, but catching one of their summer concerts at Rady Shell in Jacob's Park is a treat for all of your senses.

Situated on the pier in Embarcadero, listen as the world-class performers tune up at sunset, and then let your mind be carried away as the musical performance and sea breeze create a symphony of their own.

🏨 Accommodations nearby the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park

• Hilton San Diego Bayfront (relax by the pool)
• Omni San Diego Hotel (4-star rating)

Find TNT at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego boasts a collection of over 4,700 works of art created since 1950. It is also home to temporary and rotating exhibits and specializes in art from the San Diego County and Tijuana regions.

Typically, this museum is only open during the daytime, but they often host TNTs - Thursday Night Things. These are typically very temporary exhibits and come with wine and cocktails.

☂️ Explore the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego - Downtown with a tour

• The la Jolla Tour (rated very highly)

🏨 Accommodations close to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego - Downtown

• The Sofia Hotel
• The Bristol Hotel

bonandbon/Depositphotos.com

Stroll through Seaport Village

Seaport Village is a famous shopping and dining destination found near Embarcadero on Punta de Los Muertos (Point of the Dead). Roughly seventy specialty stores span its fourteen acres, where you can buy anything from bespoke clothing to unbelievably hot salsas.

After shopping, its cobblestone walkways make it one of the best places to go in San Diego at night for a sunset and a pleasant stroll by the shore.

🏨 Accommodations nearby Seaport Village

• San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina
• The Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter

Watch the sunset at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

This natural park is called Sunset Cliffs for a good reason. The sixty-eight-acre park ends abruptly at the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and the elevation provides spectacular views as the sun vanishes from sight.

Pappy's Point is a popular spot to watch from, but you'll want to get there early to guarantee parking. If you are too late, don't worry, there are many viewpoints along the one-and-a-half-mile stretch of coastline.

🏨 Places to stay near the Sunset Cliffs

• Bay Club Hotel & Marina (rated very highly)
• Humphreys Half Moon Inn (unwind poolside)

Catch a movie at South Bay Drive-In Theatre

A list of San Diego night attractions would not be complete without the South Bay Drive-in Theatre. The theatre shows nightly features and double features that you can tune into through your FM radio.

The showtimes adjust for winter and summer sunsets, so check the schedule to see when you can catch your favorite films, both old and new.

🏨 Stay nearby the South Bay Drive-In Theatre and Swap Meet

• Hampton Inn & Suites Imperial Beach San Diego, ca (highly rated)
• Best Western Americana Inn (good value)

Conclusion

These twenty places to visit in San Diego at night are great places for travelers to keep in mind for after-hours fun.

While southern California may be known for its sunshine, if you neglect its nighttime activities, you'll leave with only half of its story.

This article was edited by Loredana Elena.

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