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Visitors to San Diego love its harbor, beaches, cruises, food, and history, making it a compelling destination for couples in love.
Young and old couples, visitors, and locals love spending their Valentine’s Day in California’s Beach City.
If you adore your sweetheart (and we don’t doubt it!), you will want to spoil them with all the romantic surprises San Diego has to offer.
Plan ahead of time, for many lovers will be flocking to San Diego to celebrate the most romantic day of the year – 14 February 2024.
Check out our pick for the most romantic Valentine’s Day itinerary in the city of beaches, parks, and warm climate.
Top San Diego Romantic Things Tickets
Table of contents
- Things to do on Valentine’s Day in San Diego
- Go on a San Diego Harbour Cruise
- Try the intimate sunset sailing adventure
- Search for San Diego’s best food
- Take the GoCar for a spin
- Get romantic on a Dinner Cruise
- See some whales together
- Rent a Pedal Boat
- Get an adrenaline rush on a Speedboat
- Get drunk in a San Diego vineyard
- Get romantic during a night tour
- Kayak as a couple in San Diego
- Try out the land and water tour
- Take in the wildlife attractions
- Get lost in the USS Midway Museum
- Crossover to Tijuana together
- San Diego Go City Pass for more attractions
Things to do on Valentine’s Day in San Diego
Here are our recommended 15 romantic things to do during your Valentine’s Day week in San Diego.
You only need to bring your boyfriend or girlfriend along.
Go on a San Diego Harbour Cruise
The Harbour Cruise is an excellent opportunity to spend a few hours relaxing, sunbathing, and sightseeing in the calm waters just off San Diego.
You and your lover can sit back and relax as you take a fully narrated tour that offers top-notch sights of the San Diego skyline.
Couples in love head to the upper deck to hold hands and take in the sights and sounds of San Diego waters.
You can choose between a one-hour or a two-hour cruise.
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Try the intimate sunset sailing adventure
Couples love to sail into the setting sun aboard a Catalina-style sailboat on this intimate cruise with a small group.
Since the boat only takes 12 guests, you feel like you have the ship all to yourself.
Enjoy the included beer, soft drinks, and snacks during the ride, even as you watch as the sun drops into the glistening waves.
You can even plug in your music to add to the fun.
| Sailing Experience | Cost |
|---|---|
| Small-Group Sunset Sailing Excursion | $118 |
| Small-Group Classic Sunset Sail | $118 |
| Luxury Sunset Sail Experience | $122 |
If you have something planned for the evening, check out the afternoon sailing, which is equally fun.
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Search for San Diego’s best food
San Diego has its share of exciting food, so if you and your lover are foodies, you will love the city’s food tours.
During these tours, you will explore the best food joints in the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego with an expert guide.
Sample delicious dishes at four eateries, sip drinks at three stops, and learn about the district’s history as you discover its latest incarnation as a top nightlife destination.
This food tour is a far more romantic way of spending time together than dining in a restaurant.
| Food tour | Cost |
|---|---|
| Brothels, Bites and Booze tour | $87 |
| Tequila, Tacos and Tombstones tour | $87 |
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Take the GoCar for a spin
If you or your lover have been a driver for over 21 years, we highly recommend the GoCar experience for your Valentine’s Day celebration in San Diego.
During the two-hour tour, a GPS-guided, talking GoCar will guide youas you explore the Downtown and Old Town sights.
With its built-in GPS, this car talks and shows you the way to go so you can focus on your wife or husband sitting beside you.
GoCar allows you to enjoy the splendor of the real San Diego because it can visit places where tour buses can’t go – all at your own pace.
The cute, yellow storytelling GoCar also makes for impressive social media posts!
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Get romantic on a Dinner Cruise
Onboard the Spirit of San Diego and take a two-and-a-half-hour dinner cruise with the love of your life.
As you cruise across the city, enjoy a buffet eating experience while taking in panoramic views of the skyline.
Have the ship’s photographer take your photo to capture your Valentine’s Day 2024 celebration for eternity.
Once seated at your private table, you will dig into your included gourmet meal, accompanied by a complimentary co*cktail and live on-board entertainment.
After your meal, people in love can hold hands and sip on co*cktails on the ship’s spacious outdoor deck.
If you have some other passionate activity planned for the evening, you can opt for the Champagne Brunch Cruise
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See some whales together
Both California locals and tourists worldwide love San Diego’s whale-watching cruises, which are both entertaining and educational.
Guided by marine biologists, these tours are an excellent way to explore the city’s beautiful marine ecosystem.
If you and your partner love wildlife, this is a great way to spend Valentine’s Day together.
| Whale Cruises | Cost |
|---|---|
| 4.5 Hour Whale Watching Cruise | $87 |
| 3 Hour Whale Cruise from Mission Bay | $67 |
| Private Whale & Dolphin Adventure | $184 |
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Rent a Pedal Boat
Couples love to rent pedal boats and cruise the San Diego Bay at their own pace while enjoying the local wildlife and sightseeing.
The pedal boats come with comfortable seating and sunshade; if you want, binoculars are available for rent.
The crew explains the basic operation and safety tips, after which the couple is alone.
Besides seeing attractions such as America’s Cup Harbor, Harbor Island, and Liberty Station, you can get closer to sea lions and local birds.
Want to make your Valentine’s Day in San Diego even more special?
Bring your cooler along and enjoy drinks and lunch on the boat!
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Get an adrenaline rush on a Speedboat
We recommend the Speedboat tour if you want to add a dose of adrenalin to your Valentine’s Day 2024 celebration.
Zoom around the waters of San Diego Bay on a jet boat ride that provides speed, splashes, and spins.
As you race through the scenic waterway, you can see landmarks like the USS Midway, Coronado Island, Seaport Village, the Embarcadero, and the city skyline.
You are sure to cling to each other even as the captain takes your 1,400-horsepower boat into power slides, 360-degree spins, and other thrilling maneuvers.
Before the tour, all passengers get a waterproof poncho and a plastic bag to keep the valuables dry.
Image: Speedboatadventures.com
Opt for the Speed Boat Adventure if you want to experience the thrill of driving your own speed boat and up the adrenalin rush.
If you are an adrenalin junkie couple, look no further than this!
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Get drunk in a San Diego vineyard
Wine tours are an excellent way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your loved one.
Discover the vibrant wine culture of San Diego in style with this Wine Tasting Sidecar 2.5-Hour Tour.
Travel in a motorcycle town car for a memorable outing with your partner.
Taste great wines at select spots, enjoy optional food (at your own cost), and explore hidden wineries.
You won’t need to drive as you will be accompanied by a driver, ensuring you can safely savor all the wine you desire.
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Get romantic during a night tour
You must try out the San Diego City Lights Night Tour if you and your spouse love nighttime romance amongst the glittering lights.
During this 90-minute tour, you will travel from the city’s Gaslamp Quarter to Balboa Park and the Embarcadero.
You will see the historic San Diego County Administration Center, the USS Midway Museum, the Star of India, etc., and get to the top of Coronado Bridge to see the city lit up.
This activity is perfect if you have already planned something romantic for the day and are looking for a wild adventure for the night.
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Kayak as a couple in San Diego
No list of the most romantic things to do in San Diego can be complete without mentioning kayaking as a couple in the city’s Marine Protected Area.
The area is home to various fish, birds, dolphins, turtles, sea lions, and whales.
With the help of an experienced guide, you will explore the famous Sea Caves of La Jolla and kayak inside Emerald Cave.
Kayak tours start with paddling instructions, after which you snap on your life vest and get inside your kayak.
Lovers prefer to get into double kayaks for the extra dose of romance.
Both novice and experienced kayakers are at ease on this excursion.
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Try out the land and water tour
During this 90-minute sightseeing tour, also known as the Seal tour, you take in the highlights of San Diego Bay by amphibious vehicle.
Travel on both land and water like a ‘duck tour,’ starting on the streets of Seaport Village and rolling down Harbor Drive alongside San Diego Bay.
There is live commentary by a local guide, which makes the trip a lot of fun.
The Seal tour is an ideal way to get cozy with your boyfriend or girlfriend even as you learn about the fascinating city of San Diego.
If you prefer to get on and off often during your city tour, check out the San Diego Trolley tour.
If you are an adventurous couple and love to try out new things, the Segway tour of San Diego isn’t a bad idea either.
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Take in the wildlife attractions
If both of you love wildlife, dedicate Lover’s Day to the creatures at the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Safari Park.
While the zoo has animals in open enclosures, you can drive in and explore at the safari park.
If, on 14 February 2024, you want a light activity for the day and want to retain your privacy, we recommend the drive-thru Safari Park.
During the two-hour-long drive, you will encounter exotic animal species and native wildlife.
| Tickets | Cost |
|---|---|
| San Diego Zoo’s 1-day ticket | $69 |
| San Diego Safari Park 1-day ticket | $69 |
| San Diego Zoo and Safari Park 2-day ticket | $118 |
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Get lost in the USS Midway Museum
USS Midway is an aircraft carrier that served in the United States Navy for 47 years. 1955, it was the largest ship in the World.
Today, the USS Midway is a museum in San Diego, a tribute to the Battle of Midway in June 1942.
It may not be the traditional way to celebrate Valentine’s Day in San Diego, but why not if you and your partner love museums?
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Crossover to Tijuana together
Have you always wanted to visit Mexico but never had the chance?
14 February 2024 may be the day you rope in your husband or wife, or if you are not married, boyfriend or girlfriend, and cross the border.
Explore Tijuana, Mexico, without getting lost on this day trip from San Diego.
The guide helps you visit cultural attractions, sample authentic Mexican street food, go sightseeing, and go shopping.
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San Diego Go City Pass for more attractions
What can be more romantic than not worrying about the cost and roaming around San Diego freely?
Imaginative romantic couples go for a Discount Pass, which helps them get more out of less during Valentine’s Day week.
The San Diego Go City Pass helps tourists and locals see must-see attractions yet saves lots of money.
So, how do you and your love plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day 2024 in San Diego?
Book ahead before your options run out – after all, it is yet another way of showing that you care.
Best US Cities for Valentine’s Day Celebration
| Boston | Miami | New Orleans |
| Chicago | Las Vegas | Seattle |
| Philadelphia | San Francisco | Orlando |
| San Diego | New York | Los Angeles |
| San Antonio | Denver | Austin |
| Tampa | Nashville | Hawaii |
| Houston | Minneapolis | Dallas |
| Atlanta | Charlotte | Cleveland |
| Pittsburgh | St. Louis | Detroit |
Additional Reading
Valentine’s Day in Paris
Valentine’s Day in Venice
Valentine’s Day in Barcelona
Valentine’s Day in Amsterdam
Best honeymoon places in the World
Romantic places to take your girlfriend or wife
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