Good news: there are plenty of things to do in San Diego without a car, and most of them come with zero parking stress. The trolley, a handful of bus routes, one ferry and your own two feet cover a surprising amount of the city.
Still deciding whether to rent at all? Start with our honest answer to do you need a car in San Diego. This post is the next step: 12 trips, each with the exact trolley line, bus route or boat that gets you there.
TL;DR (for people already tapping a card at the validator)
- Best overall: the Green Line to Old Town, Little Italy and the waterfront, then the ferry to Coronado.
- Best beach day: MTS Route 30 from Old Town to Pacific Beach and La Jolla.
- The skip: trying to bus to three beaches in one afternoon. Pick one coast per day.
Quick facts
- Fare $3 adult one-way on MTS buses and trolleys (since Oct. 1, 2026)
- Day pass $7, earned automatically when you ride with PRONTO
- Kids 18 and under ride free with a PRONTO Youth Opportunity Pass
- Coronado Ferry $9 one way, ages 4 and up, about 15 minutes
- Best for Downtown, Little Italy or Old Town stays
- Time needed One or two trips a day, with time to wander
Fare cheat sheet (the 30-second version)
MTS raised fares on Oct. 1, 2026: an adult one-way is now $3 and an adult day pass is $7. With a PRONTO card ($2 at ticket machines) or the free PRONTO app, a one-way includes free transfers for 2 hours, and you earn the day pass as you ride.
Tapping a contactless credit card or phone also works, and that fare is good for 2 hours. MTS notes that contactless taps don’t get PRONTO’s best-fare capping, so frequent riders should use PRONTO. Fares rise again on Oct. 1, 2027, so check before you go.
1. Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo
Take MTS Route 7 from downtown. Its timetable lists Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo as destinations, and it runs up Park Boulevard. Balboa Park also lists Route 120 and Rapid 215 as main routes through the park, and says it’s within walking distance of downtown and Little Italy.
Tip: the zoo is a full day on its own. Our San Diego Zoo survival guide covers tickets and strategy, and skipping Balboa Park parking is a nice bonus.
2. Old Town
Ride the UC San Diego Blue Line or the Green Line to Old Town station. Old Town San Diego State Historic Park’s visitor center and select museums are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Walk five minutes off the main drag to El Campo Santo Cemetery, an 1840s cemetery with a ghostly reputation. More neighborhood basics live on our Old Town area page.
3. Little Italy and the Mercato
Get off the Blue or Green Line at County Center/Little Italy. On Saturdays, the Little Italy Mercato runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on West Date Street, between just west of Kettner Boulevard and Front Street. There’s a smaller Wednesday market from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Graze, then walk downhill toward the bay. Gravity is the cheapest transit in town.
4. Seaport Village and the Embarcadero
The Green Line has its own Seaport Village station. Step off and you’re on the waterfront, with shops, snacks and a historic carousel. From here the bayfront is flat and very walkable in either direction.
5. USS Midway Museum
On MTS’s downtown map, the Midway sits on the waterfront right by the Coronado ferry dock, a short walk from the Santa Fe Depot trolley station. It’s open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last admission at 4 p.m. Adult tickets are $39 online or $41 at the door, so check before you go.
6. Coronado by ferry
The Flagship ferry leaves Broadway Pier (990 N. Harbor Dr.) for Coronado Ferry Landing. The ride takes about 15 minutes, costs $9 one way for ages 4 and up, and bikes are allowed when there’s space. A second route runs from the Convention Center’s Fifth Avenue Landing.
Bring or rent a bike for the flat ride to Coronado Beach, and read up on the Coronado Ferry itself. Schedules change by season, so check flagshipsd.com first.
7. The Gaslamp and Petco Park
The Green Line stops at Gaslamp Quarter station, and the next stop, 12th & Imperial, is a transfer hub for the Blue and Orange lines. Petco Park sits between the two on MTS’s map.
Tip: on game nights, the trolley beats circling for a garage. You’ll be home before the parking lot even empties.
8. Chicano Park murals
Take the UC San Diego Blue Line south to Barrio Logan station. Chicano Park and its huge murals on the Coronado Bridge pillars are close by. It’s free, and it’s one of the most striking things in the city.
9. Pacific Beach
MTS Route 30 runs from Old Town Transit Center through Pacific Beach, with stops including Mission Boulevard at Felspar Street and Grand Avenue at Ingraham Street. The City lists Pacific Beach as one of nine beaches with permanent lifeguard stations.
Rules: no alcohol, glass, smoking or dogs on the beach. Swim near a lifeguard. See our Pacific Beach area page for more.
10. La Jolla
Stay on Route 30 past PB. It continues to La Jolla (including a stop at Silverado Street and Herschel Avenue) and on to UC San Diego and UTC Transit Center, with Birch Aquarium on its destination list. Birch opens daily at 9 a.m., and closing times vary by season.
For the coast itself, see where to see sea lions in La Jolla. Note the Blue Line reaches UTC and the campus, not La Jolla’s village.
11. Ocean Beach
MTS Route 35 runs every day from Old Town Transit Center to Ocean Beach. On weekdays, Route 923 links OB with Santa Fe Depot and America Plaza downtown. Our things to do in Ocean Beach guide covers Dog Beach, the Wednesday market and sunset spots.
12. Walk into Tijuana from San Ysidro
The UC San Diego Blue Line ends at San Ysidro Transit Center, right by the border crossing. It’s the cheapest international trip you’ll ever take.
Before you go: CBP says U.S. citizens 16 and older need a valid passport, passport card, Enhanced Driver’s License or Trusted Traveler card to come back by land. Kids under 16 need a birth certificate or other proof of citizenship. Non-U.S. citizens should check the rules for their situation on cbp.gov.
The overrated one: the three-beach bus day
Buses are great for one beach. Chaining OB, PB and La Jolla in one afternoon means a lot of transfers and a lot of time staring at the OneBusAway app. Pick one coastline, stay put and watch the sunset. Sorry, not sorry.
FAQ: things to do in San Diego without a car
Can you visit San Diego without a car?
Yes, especially if you stay downtown, in Little Italy or near Old Town. The trolley, Route 30, Route 7 and the Coronado ferry cover most first-trip highlights.
How do you get around San Diego without a car?
Use the trolley for downtown, Old Town and the border, MTS buses for the beaches and Balboa Park, and the ferry for Coronado. Adult fares are $3 one way, with a $7 day pass earned on PRONTO.
Can you get to La Jolla without a car?
Yes. MTS Route 30 runs from Old Town Transit Center through Pacific Beach to La Jolla and UC San Diego.
Is the trolley free for kids?
Riders 18 and under ride free with a PRONTO Youth Opportunity Pass. On weekends, MTS also lets two kids 12 and under ride free with a fare-paying adult.
The verdict
Our pick for a car-free San Diego day: the trolley to Old Town in the morning, the Green Line back to Little Italy and Seaport Village, then the ferry to Coronado for sunset. Save La Jolla and PB for a Route 30 beach day. Ride with PRONTO so the $7 day pass kicks in, and spend the parking money on tacos.
Plan the rest of your day
Photo: SleepTrain456, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
