San Diego offers pleasant year-round weather perfect for enjoying outdoor activities. That’s why there are so many options when it comes to active things to do. From the beach to the mountains there’s an outdoor adventure for everyone to live an active lifestyle with ease! And you might even be having so much fun that you forget you’re exercising. Here’s my top healthy activities for a day of having fun and being active.
1. Take Your Bike to Coronado
There’s nothing more quintessentially San Diego than the San Diego Bay and Coronado Island. Enjoy both of these beautiful sites from the water aboard the Coronado Ferry. Bike through Downtown San Diego and catch the ferry at the Broadway Pier. Enjoy the short trip from downtown to the Coronado Ferry Landing before you disembark and bike around Coronado Island. Enjoy the ride or stop for a stroll along Orange Avenue where there’s no shortage of options for shopping and dining.
2. Walk the Carlsbad Pier
Catch some rays or a beautiful ocean sunset at the end of the Carlsbad Pier. It’s a fun place to visit for the whole family with a playground, shopping, and a café at the end of the pier. And while you’re there you can take a stroll up the main drag for even more dining, shopping, and entertainment options.
3. Go to a Farmers Market
From Carlsbad to Ocean Beach, Hillcrest, Little Italy and more San Diego is bursting with great open-air markets almost every day of the week. Not only do these make for the perfect opportunity to take a walk and get your body moving but they also give you access to fresh, local, healthy produce. For a full list of times and locations go here.
4. Walk the Wetlands
One of San Diego’s last remaining wetlands is the Batiquitos Lagoon in Carlsbad. Take in nature and enjoy a leisurely stroll or easy hike along the 3.2 mile trail. The lagoon is home to many species of birds and animals as well as beautiful wild flowers so there’s no trouble getting in touch with nature. It’s also not a far drive from civilization but it’s tucked away enough to get your nature fix.
5. Wander Around San Diego Botanic Gardens
The San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas has an array of outdoor activities to enjoy for people of all ages. Wander around over 37 acres of beautiful gardens and enjoy an overlook with views of the entire area. Bring the kids because there are lots of family friendly activities from a tree house to a play area. There is an admission fee but you can often spend hours here with so much to see.
6. Take a Hike
One of the best activities for staying active and enjoying the outdoors is hiking. San Diego definitely doesn’t have a shortage of hiking trails to offer from beaches, to maintains, and lakes. Make a day of it and pack a lunch, sunscreen, and water and get out and hit those trails!
7. Take a Tour at the Palomar Observatory
Just an hour north of Downtown San Diego is the State and National parks at Palomar Mountain. The Palomar Observatory sits atop the mountain and is home to the famous 200-inch telescope. Take a hike from the base of the mountain to the observatory for a great active day. There are plenty of picnic tables and a visitor’s center with guided tours.
8. Gather a Few Friends for a Game
One of the easiest ways to stay active is to play in group sports. Getting a group of friends together and a few low cost supplies is all you need to get a game going. No matter what team sport you enjoy there’s probably a public space to make it happen. If you like Beach Volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee, Frisbee Golf, soccer, tennis or other team sports just pick a time and place and you have a healthy and fun activity to enjoy!
9. Be a Tourist for a Day
Being that San Diego is one of the busiest tourist destinations in the world there is so may tourist attractions that locals can take advantage of. Many of those activities involve lots and lots of walking. Some great areas of concentrated activates are Balboa Park, Seaport Village, or Old Town. With interesting history and expansive recreations you can spend hours and walk miles enjoying a day as a tourist in your own city all while getting your steps in.