TIPS
Local know-how for San Diego — where to go, what it costs, what trips people up — checked against the agency, the dataset or the law that decides it, and dated so you can see how fresh it is.
42 tips · showing 31–42
Half-day, full-day or overnight: which San Diego fishing trip actually catches tuna?
Not the half-day. Half-day boats fish the kelp for bass, yellowtail and barracuda for about $80. Tuna usually means a full-day or overnight trip, and bluefin mostly 1.5 days or more. Bluefin season runs roughly May to October.
Half day~$80
Hotels near MCRD San Diego for graduation: 12 picks by area
Closest: Liberty Station's Homewood Suites, Courtyard, Hampton Inn and TownePlace; Harbor Island's Sheraton and Hilton; Old Town Inn and Western Inn for budget and Marine-family rates; Shelter Island for a splurge.
Closest listed0.7 mi
Where can you fly a drone in San Diego?
Mostly with FAA permission. Much of coastal San Diego sits in controlled airspace around the airport and military fields, so you need a free LAANC authorization. Cabrillo and the Torrey Pines reserve ban drones outright.
Altitude cap400 ft
Can you see whales from shore in San Diego, and when?
Yes — gray whales pass close to Point Loma on their migration from late December to mid-March, and Cabrillo National Monument has a purpose-built overlook for watching them.
SeasonLate December – mid March
Where to watch your NFL team in San Diego: fan-club bars for every team we could find
Steelers at Break Point, Packers at Miss B's, Bears at 710 Beach Club, Vikings at Garage, Browns at The Tilted Stick, Bills at The Local PB, Chiefs at Kansas City Barbeque, and 13 more teams' home bars.
Teams covered20 of 32
Driving to San Diego airport in 2026: the new entrance road and the construction around it
From downtown, bear right onto the airport's new three-lane entrance road just west of Laurel Street: no traffic lights, straight to Terminal 1. Pacific Highway has daytime lane work and Grape Street night work through fall 2027.
New entranceHarbor Dr at Laurel St
Living near NAS North Island and Naval Amphibious Base Coronado
Coronado is closest but has the county's top rents. Imperial Beach is cheaper via the Silver Strand. Chula Vista, Point Loma, OB and downtown mean crossing the Coronado bridge. No Navy ferry; a public one runs free commuter trips.
Coronado 2BR FMR$4,230
Living near Naval Base Point Loma: gates, neighborhoods and 2026 rents
Point Loma, Liberty Station and Ocean Beach put you 3 to 5 miles from Gate 6 on Rosecrans. Old Town and Mission Hills suit the NAVWAR Old Town Campus, and Clairemont trades a longer drive for lower rent.
Gate 6 (Main Gate)24/7
Military housing in San Diego: on base vs off base, who runs it and how to get on the waitlist
Liberty Military Housing runs most privatized family housing for the Navy and Marines in San Diego (Hunt runs DeLuz at Camp Pendleton). Rent equals your BAH with utilities included, but waits run from none to about 24 months.
Main operatorLiberty
PCS to San Diego checklist: what California actually requires
Keep your home-state plates and license if you stay a nonresident, file DMV form REG 5045 if you register here, get family base access sorted, bring your dog's rabies certificate, and enroll kids using the military compact.
VLF exemption formREG 5045
Where military families live in San Diego, base by base
Near 32nd Street: National City and Chula Vista. North Island: Coronado, Imperial Beach. Miramar: Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch. Pendleton: Oceanside. Coastal ZIPs cost more; inland trades rent for drive time.
Major sites8
Why can't I book a late-night flight out of San Diego?
There's a curfew. San Diego International prohibits departures between 11:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. Arrivals are unaffected — you can land at 2 a.m., you just can't take off.
Curfew11:30 p.m. – 6:30 a.m.
