The internet slaps “hidden gems” on anything with a parking lot, so we’ll stick to something more honest: secret spots in San Diego that most visitors drive right past. A swaying 1912 footbridge. A tunnel down to a sea cave. A garden that started life as a nudist colony.
None of these hidden places in San Diego are actually secret. They’re just easy to miss. We sorted all 12 by area, north to south, so you can chain two or three in a day and spend the parking savings on tacos.
TL;DR (for people who skip intros, no judgment)
- Best overall: Chicano Park, a National Historic Landmark of giant murals in Barrio Logan. Free.
- Best combo: Cabrillo’s tide pools at low tide, then Sunset Cliffs for sunset.
- The skip: the tide pools in summer. Good low tides happen at night then, so you’d mostly see water.
Quick facts
- Where 12 spots from Encinitas south to Point Loma
- Cost Most are free; Sunny Jim Cave is $13 for adults, Cabrillo is $20 per car
- Hours They vary a lot; Cabrillo runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Getting there A car helps, since the spots are spread out
- Time needed Two or three spots per area, about half a day each
- Best for Free photos, odd history and avoiding crowds
1. Self-Realization Fellowship Meditation Gardens (Encinitas)
On K Street in Encinitas, the Self-Realization Fellowship opens its Meditation Gardens to visitors: koi ponds, meditation nooks and big ocean views. It’s a spiritual retreat, so this is a place for quiet, not phone calls.
Where: 215 W. K Street, between 2nd and 3rd streets, Encinitas. Tip: open Tuesday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s closed Mondays, some holidays and whenever it rains, so check before you go.
2. Annie’s Canyon Trail (Solana Beach)
Annie’s Canyon squeezes you through a real sandstone slot canyon in the San Elijo Lagoon, then up ladder-style stairs to a view of the lagoon and the Pacific. The Nature Collective, which cares for the trail, lists it as easy with strenuous portions, 40 to 60 minutes.
The slot is one-way, so you come back down the switchbacks. It’s open sunrise to sunset, with no restrooms, and leashed dogs are welcome everywhere except the slot.
Safety: you’ll need hands and feet to scramble in places, and the narrow walls can be tough if you’re claustrophobic. Take the switchback path instead if in doubt.
3. Sunny Jim Sea Cave (La Jolla)
Most sea caves need a kayak. Sunny Jim Cave needs a gift shop. Inside The Cave Store, a tunnel dug in 1902 leads down 145 stairs into the sea cave itself. No kayak, no wetsuit.
Tickets are $13 for adults and $7 for ages 3 to 17, sold at the door only, and the self-guided tour takes about 15 minutes. Tours run 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where: 1325 Coast Blvd., La Jolla. The stairs can be slippery, so wear closed-toe shoes. While you’re at the Cove, see where to see sea lions in La Jolla.
4. Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial (La Jolla)
Drive up Mount Soledad for a 360-degree view: ocean to the west, mountains to the east, downtown to the south. It’s free, gates open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and there’s no hiking required.
The memorial has 11 walls of veterans’ plaques, so read a few and keep it respectful. There are a few spaces at the top and a large lot a 5-minute walk below. Fog can erase the whole view, so pick a clear day.
5. Kate Sessions Park (Pacific Beach)
Roll downhill to Kate Sessions Park, a 79-acre City park on the slopes of Mount Soledad with views over Mission Bay. It’s a grassy hill, not a beach, which is exactly the point. Bring takeout, a blanket and a jacket for sunset.
6. Presidio Park and the Serra Museum (Old Town)
Above Old Town’s margarita stretch sits Presidio Park, where Spain set up Alta California’s first mission and presidio in 1769. The Serra Museum on top looks like an old mission, but it was built in 1928 and 1929 to house the San Diego History Center’s collection.
Where: 2727 Presidio Drive. San Diego’s tourism site lists fall to spring museum hours as weekends, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Check before you go.
7. El Campo Santo Cemetery (Old Town)
Walk down to El Campo Santo, a tiny Old Town cemetery with a spooky reputation. The City says the Catholic parish laid it out in 1840 and stopped using it by 1880. It’s now California Historical Landmark No. 68, at San Diego and Old Town avenues.
It takes about 10 minutes, so pair it with the rest of the Old Town area.
8. Spruce Street Suspension Bridge (Bankers Hill)
The Spruce Street Suspension Bridge was built in 1912 by City engineer (and later mayor) Edwin M. Capps. It gently sways over Kate Sessions Canyon, in a quiet neighborhood most people drive straight past.
Walk across, feel the wobble, walk back. People live at both ends, so keep the noise down and don’t bounce it.
9. Zoro Garden (Balboa Park)
Between the Fleet Science Center and the San Diego History Center, there’s a sunken stone grotto most Balboa Park visitors miss. It was designed as a nudist colony for the 1935 California-Pacific Exposition. Today it’s a butterfly garden, open 24 hours and much less scandalous.
Look for monarch, sulfur and swallowtail butterflies among the flowers. Balboa Park parking has its own rules, so read our Balboa Park parking guide first.
10. Chicano Park (Barrio Logan)
Chicano Park has giant murals painted on the freeway bridge supports. The community took over the site on April 22, 1970, to stop a highway patrol station and win the park it had been promised. It became a National Historic Landmark in 2016.
Walk slowly, since every pillar tells a story. This is a neighborhood park, so ask before photographing people.
11. Cabrillo National Monument tide pools (Point Loma)
At the tip of Point Loma, the Cabrillo tide pools are one of the best protected rocky shores in California. Entry is $20 per car or $10 per person on foot or bike, and under-16s are free. The park is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tip: the Park Service says fall and winter bring the best daytime low tides, and a tide of 0.7 feet or lower is best. The tide pool area closes at 4:30 p.m.
Safety: wear closed-toe shoes with grip, keep small kids close and check the tide chart. There’s no cell service at the tide pools. Don’t take anything, living or dead.
12. Sunset Cliffs Natural Park (Point Loma)
End the day at Sunset Cliffs, a free, 68-acre City park of carved bluffs, arches and sea caves. Gray whales often pass by during migration. Park on the street or in the small lots near Ladera Street, and plan ahead: there are no restrooms.
Safety: these cliffs are eroding and they crumble. Stay well back from the edge, stay off unofficial paths down to the water and never go into the sea caves. The City put up a permanent barrier between Adair and Osprey streets after cracks got worse.
FAQ: secret spots in San Diego
What are the best secret spots in San Diego?
Our pick is Chicano Park for art and history, then Sunny Jim Cave, the Spruce Street bridge and Zoro Garden for pure oddness.
Are these secret spots free?
Most are. Sunny Jim Cave charges $13 for adults and Cabrillo charges $20 per car. Prices change, so check before you go.
What are some hidden places in San Diego for kids?
Zoro Garden, the Spruce Street bridge and the Cabrillo tide pools at low tide. Sunny Jim Cave works if they can climb 145 stairs each way.
Do you need a car to see them?
It helps, because the spots run from Encinitas to Point Loma. See do you need a car in San Diego for car-free options.
The verdict
Our pick for a one-day secret San Diego route: Chicano Park in the morning, the Spruce Street bridge and Zoro Garden at midday, Cabrillo’s tide pools in the afternoon, then Sunset Cliffs for the main event. Sorry, not sorry, beaches: you can wait one day. It’s a 4-taco day for about $20 in fees.
Plan the rest of your day
Photo: Wonderlane, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr
