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Golden sunset over the ocean
Golden sunset over the ocean
Judith Ann Hutsell
Life > Experiences

6 Cool Things to Checkout in San Diego

Tessa Scharff
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCSD chapter.

I am beyond fortunate to get to attend a school as amazing as UCSD, but sometimes I forget that I live in the beautiful city of San Diego. Last quarter, I made an effort to explore the city that had become my new home. I wanted to share some of my favorite things that I have done outside of being on campus in San Diego.

  1. The Cat Cafe (Gaslamp Quarter)

Want a relatively inexpensive way to destress? I highly recommend checking out the Cat Cafe in downtown San Diego! Admission is $18 for an hour and includes a delicious food or drink item from the cafe. 

Link: https://catcafesd.com/

  1. Pangea Outpost (Pacific Beach)

If you love supporting small businesses, go visit Pangea Outpost in PB! Pangea Outpost is one large store with over 70 vendors selling all sorts of items. This includes gifts, jewelry, art, and much more! 

Link: https://www.pangaeaoutpost.com/

  1. Birch Aquarium (La Jolla)

Even though it is technically located on campus, the Birch Aquarium is a great place to explore. The aquarium has many different kinds of fish, penguins, and a touch tank. My personal favorite part of the aquarium is the beautiful view of La Jolla.

Link: https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/

  1. La Jolla Shores Beach 

Link: https://www.sandiego.gov/lifeguards/beaches/shores

La Jolla Shores is one of my favorite beaches in the area and the convenience to UCSD is a major plus. The beach has pits for bonfires, so be sure to bring wood!

  1. Westfield UTC (La Jolla)

UTC is only around a mile away from UCSD and has a large variety of stores from fast-fashion (H&M and Forever 21) to department stores (Nordstrom and Macys). There is also an ice skating rink located in the middle of the food court. Be sure to check out De Nunno for amazing fresh pasta and Din Tai Fung for the dumplings!

Link: https://www.westfield.com/utc

  1. Downtown La Jolla

Located near the tidepools and only a couple of miles from campus, Downtown La Jolla is full of many great shops and restaurants. It is a great place to bring friends and family who are visiting from out of town. Personally, I love taking my family to Duke’s and sitting outside on the deck to see the gorgeous view. 

Link: https://www.govisitsandiego.com/things-to-do/shopping/shopping-in-downtown-la-jolla/

Tessa Scharff is a fourth year at UCSD studying Communication. She was born in raised in Los Angeles and is super thrilled to serve as both a writer and as the Marketing Co-Director of HerCampus this school year. In her free time, Tessa enjoys hanging out with her friends, working out at the gym, and exploring new places. Tessa plans on studying abroad this upcoming fall in Florence, Italy.