LA To San Diego (Best Itinerary For Road Trip)

When you are looking to travel within California, the two cities most people are going to mention will be Los Angeles and San Diego.

If you are thinking about completing a road trip between Los Angeles and San Diego then it’s best to put together a comprehensive itinerary.

This is the best way to ensure the road trip is fruitful and you will remember it for a long time.

We have completed this road trip and understand the best things to do when going from LA to San Diego in California.

Here is our take on the trip from Los Angeles to San Diego.

General Facts About Los Angeles To San Diego

To map out a route between LA and San Diego, it’s best to start with the basics.

You are going to be completing a route that’s around a couple of hours depending on the weather. This will take around 110-120 miles of driving from point A to point B.

As a result, you are going to want to prepare for this type of driving.

If you are going between the two cities, it should not feel like a long drive. However, we recommend putting together a comprehensive route so you can stop along the way and see the natural beauty of California in its full glory.

Whether you want to taste wines in Los Angeles or go to the San Diego Zoo, it’s important to have a plan in mind.

This is how you can spice up the route.

Some people often talk about wanting to go to Boulder Park in San Diego and it is easy to personalize your itinerary based on what you prefer.

Bolsa Chica Beach

It’s common for people to want to start at a beach depending on the weather.

We would look at the Bolsa Chica Beach.

It comes along the way and it’s beautiful earlier in the day. We love walking around the area and visiting some of the eateries nearby is easy.

As the day goes on, you will want to pick one of the restaurants and eat food.

There are a few good places including a seafood restaurant in the area that you can check out. It comes down to what you want.

Heisler Park

Now that you are full, it’s time to head over to Heisler Park.

We adore this park because it’s easy to access and on a beautiful day, you are going to have so much natural beauty to look at. We took the time to just settle down and sit on the grass while looking out at the nearby greenery.

It was a calming experience and that’s something we do appreciate on a road trip.

The one thing we like about this area is you are going to have numerous attractions nearby. This includes the Treasure Island Park.

After you are done, it’s okay to head out for a quick bite. There are restaurants in the area and you can choose what works for you.

Highway 101

Your route is going to be dictated by the roads you take along the way.

For us, it was best to use the Highway 101. We liked this highway because it was easy to access and it offered some of the most scenic views of San Diego. This does matter to us and it stood out immediately.

You should be able to find a variety of restaurants that are connected to the highway. This adds to the experience and it’s going to make it a lot easier for you to have fun.

Torrey Pines State Reserve

At this point, it’s time to take a look at another natural attraction between Los Angeles and San Diego.

We would have to put the Torrey Pines State Reserve on this list because it’s a hiking delight. On a good day, you are going to fall in love with the greenery, but also the trails that are present. We highly recommend choosing one of the trails and completing it fully.

You are going to have a great time!

La Jolla

There is nothing more mesmerizing than the La Jolla Swings in San Diego.

We always state it’s important to head out to La Jolla along the way. While this is going to depend on where you want to go within San Diego, La Jolla is a must-see neighborhood.

It’s the real deal due to how beautiful everything is in the area.

This includes the trails and people.

While you are here, you can also take the time to check out the various parks in the area. People will often head to the water and look out for wildlife too.

Final Thoughts

This is the best route between Los Angeles and San Diego.

We know you can tailor the experience based on what you prefer and there’s nothing wrong with this. Take the time to craft out a route that’s going to make the most of the time you’re going to take getting from one place to the other.

It’s common for people to spread this over a weekend.

You can do this without too much trouble and see a wide array of attractions in the area.

For more on LA, learn about The Office In Los Angeles, Top Waterfalls In Los Angeles, And The Best Flea Markets In Los Angeles.