9 Spots for Unexpected Family Fun Across San Diego

With its sweeping beaches, winding trails, and rich history, San Diego is an ideal destination for families and children of all ages. In fact, it gets its nickname—”America’s Finest City”—thanks to its beaches, beautiful weather, and vibrant city life. San Diego’s natural splendor alone is enough to fill a week, with seaside bluffs that are home to rare pine trees, and endless seaside activities from tide pool exploration to surf lessons. But look a little deeper, and you’ll also find endless spots of wild wonder in this fine city. 

Tucked along beach cliffs and hanging over valleys, you’ll find new ways to look at nature, like seeing a mushroom-shaped house at Black’s Beach or walking along a serene footbridge 70 feet above a verdant canyon. Kids will love a visit to Harper’s Topiary Garden, a private home whose owners have turned the everyday shrubs along the front of their property into a storybook collection of topiary sculptures. Or take them to gaze into lotus-dappled lily ponds at Balboa Park.

Beyond its bevy of fantastic flora, there’s plenty of culture tucked into San Diego, as well. One of California’s most fascinating collections of human history is housed in a towering building with an elaborate facade that looks like a Spanish basilica, inviting visitors of all ages to step inside and explore their past. The Whaley House in Old Town San Diego, once the only brick house in town, and is now considered to be the area’s most haunted. San Diego is also studded with eye-popping art, from iconic monuments to gravity-defying architecture, which will change the way you and your family see this beautiful beach city. 

We’ve collected some of the most unexpected places across the sun-soaked city for families to enjoy. Start exploring!