Where to Stay in San Diego: Best Neighborhoods & Hotel Tips

The Best Neighborhoods to Stay in San Diego

San Diego is the second-largest city in California and its best neighborhoods aren’t clustered together. That makes it all the more important to find a place to stay in San Diego that’s the right fit for you.

We’ll make it easy and walk you through our top 4 neighborhoods in San Diego. We’ll start with a quick overview before diving into each one in more detail.

• Old Town: The historic neighborhood with the top attractions — a great choice for your first trip to San Diego.
• La Jolla: Want to lounge on the beach or surf? Head to La Jolla!
• Gaslamp Quarter: San Diego’s trendiest neighborhood with tons of cool bars, restaurants, and clubs.
• Coronado: Chic, elegant, and right on the water — Coronado is perfect for more discerning travelers.

An Overview of the Neighborhoods on a Map

To give you a better sense of where the neighborhoods and hotels in San Diego are located, we’ve put together a handy map for you.

Staying in Old Town

A hotel in San Diego’s Old Town is the right choice if you only have a few days and want to tick off the classic sights.

Old Town isn’t just San Diego’s historic district — it was also the first Spanish settlement in all of California.

That’s why you’ll find many of the most important things to see in San Diego, museums, and old Victorian houses here. Old Town is the neighborhood most visitors want to explore on their first trip to San Diego.

If you love Mexican food, Old Town is ideal for you. There are countless Mexican restaurants, and many of them feature live mariachi music.

Just be aware that Old Town is fairly touristy and has lost much of its authentic historic charm. On top of that, the hotels here tend to be dated and the selection is pretty limited.

Advantages of staying in Old Town:

• many top attractions within walking distance
• delicious Mexican restaurants
• Old Town is a safe bet — you really can’t go wrong

Disadvantages of staying in Old Town:

• very touristy
• dated hotels with limited selection
• not right on the beach

Our Hotel Picks for Old Town

Staying in La Jolla

La Jolla is our top pick for where to stay in San Diego if you’re after a proper beach vacation.

La Jolla is a suburb of San Diego and perfectly captures the California beach lifestyle — sunshine, palm trees, and ocean! If you’re searching for beachfront accommodation in San Diego, you’ve come to the right place.

And what else is synonymous with a California beach town? Surfing! La Jolla was one of the birthplaces of California’s surf culture in the 1960s and is still known today for its world-class surf spots.

There are some wonderful boutique hotels in La Jolla, laid-back beach cafés, and great restaurants. That said, it’s also one of the pricier parts of San Diego.

If you want to head downtown, to Old Town, or to the Gaslamp Quarter, a rental car is recommended.

Advantages of staying in La Jolla:

• beautiful beaches right at your doorstep
• great boutique hotels
• surf spots for every skill level

Disadvantages of staying in La Jolla:

• relatively expensive hotels
• far from the city center

Our Hotel Picks for La Jolla

Staying in the Gaslamp Quarter

The Gaslamp Quarter is the best neighborhood for you if you want cool restaurants and bars right on your doorstep.

The Gaslamp Quarter is part of Downtown and you really can’t get more central than this. The neighborhood offers a huge selection of San Diego hotels at every price point, plus plenty of restaurants, cafés, and shops. The streets are seriously lively!

It’s the best spot in San Diego for going out, since the bars and clubs are really buzzing at night. That said, it can also get a bit loud after dark.

One thing to keep in mind: the Gaslamp Quarter is not within walking distance of Old Town. But if you’re not really the type for typical tourist sightseeing, that’s all the better.

The Gaslamp Quarter is great for strolling and biking. Old Victorian buildings mix with towering skyscrapers. It’s a wonderful area just to wander through.

Advantages of staying in the Gaslamp Quarter:

• wide selection of hotels
• lots of restaurants and nightlife in the evenings
• good access to the beach in Coronado

Disadvantages of staying in the Gaslamp Quarter:

• not within walking distance of Old Town
• can be noisy even late at night
• not right on the water

Our Hotel Picks for the Gaslamp Quarter

Staying in Coronado

A hotel in Coronado is the right choice if you’re looking for upscale lodging and are willing to pay a bit more for it.

Coronado is San Diego’s most exclusive neighborhood and — not surprisingly — also its most expensive. Everything is very clean, refined, and gives the impression that this is where the well-heeled come to vacation.

The iconic symbol of Coronado is the famous Hotel del Coronado — a massive, snow-white resort right on the beach. Many celebrities have stayed here, and it’s where the classic film “Some Like It Hot” with Marilyn Monroe was filmed.

The neighborhood sits on a peninsula you can reach from Downtown. Because of its location a little removed from the action, the atmosphere is very peaceful. If you’re after relaxation, Coronado is exactly the right place. Party-goers and anyone planning a packed sightseeing itinerary will be less happy here.

A big plus for Coronado: you’ll be staying right on a seemingly endless sandy beach.

Advantages of staying in Coronado:

• very beautiful, stylish accommodations
• peaceful atmosphere
• right on the beach

Disadvantages of staying in Coronado:

• hotels are very expensive
• far from the downtown sights
• a bit quiet for younger travelers

Our Hotel Picks for Coronado