Saturday

5) 9 A.M. Paddleboarding

Year-round watersports are one of San Diego’s big draws. If you don’t have time to learn how to surf like a pro, try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding. Head to the calm waters of Mission Bay (it’s easier to learn here than in the open ocean) and rent a paddleboard ($20 for the first hour) from Aqua Adventures. Launch off the dock, balancing yourself on the board, and paddle your way out into the water. If you’re lucky, you may catch sight of a sea lion.

6) 12 P.M. Untraditional taqueria

It’s impossible to pinpoint the best tacos in a town with such a surfeit of options, but Lucha Libre’s theme — masked and costumed Mexican wrestlers — lends this place a particular appeal. The bright murals, gold seats and walls decked with homages to the most famous luchadores make you feel as if you’re eating inside Comic-Con, but the food — particularly the specialty taco with grilled crispy cheese and chipotle sauce, topped up with salsas from the extensive bar — is worth lingering over. Add a tamarind soda for the full Mexican experience. Lunch for two, around $25.

The Lucha Libre taqueria, where the theme is costumed Mexican wrestlers. Credit Beth Coller for The New York Times



7) 1 P.M. Go north

One of the hippest neighborhoods in San Diego, North Park is bursting with cool cafes, breweries and shops. Stroll down 30th Street, pausing to explore the district’s quirkier offerings, like Coin-Op Game Room, a combination game room and bar where retro arcade standbys like Frogger are equipped with cup holders for your cocktail or craft beer (try the La Migra, a cocktail made from mezcal, aged rum, Benedictine and orange bitters). Stop by Hunt & Gather for vintage vinyl, leather jackets and cowboy boots, and grab an espresso ($2.25) at the local coffee roaster Dark Horse. Then take in an exhibit at the contemporary gallery/art supply store Visual, which hosts group art shows and pop-up shops; check the website for details.

8) 4 P.M. New market

A new addition to Point Loma, Liberty Public Market was once a naval training center, but it reopened in March 2016 as a food hall jam-packed with stalls and outposts of the city’s restaurants, cafes and bakeries. The collection here includes the food truck-turned-brick-and-mortar Stuffed, which serves up fast-casual grass-fed beef burgers stuffed with cheese; a branch of WestBean Coffee Roasters, which serves a fantastically creamy nitro coffee; and the wine bar Grape Smuggler, which offers tapas and flights (and a nice place to grab a seat away from the crowds). Gather your snacks and grab one of the high stools at the back of the market to chow down.

Liberty Public Market, a San Diego food hall. Credit Beth Coller for The New York Times



9) 6:30 P.M. Ocean Beach Sunset

Some of the most breathtaking scenery in the area is in Ocean Beach, a coastal neighborhood with a chilled-out vibe and a hippie bent. Head to Sunset Cliffs Boulevard and follow the trail along the cliffs, which drop off to the ocean below, in time for the sunset. You’ll usually spot locals meditating or practicing yoga while looking out to sea, pelicans flying by in formation and, down on the water, surfers waiting to catch the next wave. Once the sun has set, take a stroll down Newport Avenue, the main street in what the residents call O.B., which is lined with breweries, kitschy secondhand stores and restaurants advertising San Diego’s famous fish tacos.

10) 9:30 P.M. Pizza and seitan

For a late dinner at one of San Diego’s most popular restaurants, head to South Park, where the Italian staff at Buona Forchetta serves up the city’s best pizza: chewy, heat-blackened crusts topped with burrata and house-made fennel sausage. There’s almost always a long wait (plan on two hours; it doesn’t take reservations for small groups), but put your name on the list and head across the street to Kindred, a buzzy vegan bar with a classed-up rock ’n’ roll aesthetic, and craft cocktails like the mix of gin, crème de violette, absinthe and Peychaud’s it calls the Delirium Moon. Vegan snacks like seitan skewers with harissa and horseradish aioli, and fried pickle slices with a ranch dressing dip, will tide you over until your table at Buona Forchetta is ready.