Seaport Village

More than any other place, when I think of San Diego, I think of Seaport Village. Not only is it a picturesque walk along the San Diego Bay, complete with views of Coronado Island and Bridge, naval bases, ships and vessels (military or otherwise), the yachts in the marina and, if you're lucky, a pod of dolphins or whales swimming by, but there's plenty of things to do, see, and myriad places to explore, experience, shop and dine, for locals and tourists alike!

Parking is plentiful-enough, although absurdly expensive. Do yourself a favor and find a place nearby, and walk here, to save yourself an unnecessary and exorbitant fee.

What a great area!

There was an older car show going, so many dining options, fabulous views and cute shops galore.

A perfect way to meander and spend an afternoon!

This place is beautiful during every season of the year!

My favorite time is around the holidays when it's decorated with lights.

Lots of shops and restaurants to explore.
Super family and dog friendly!

There's a path throughout the area for walking. But a tip for bikers, I believe bicycling is prohibited in some areas.

I love bringing visitors from out of state here. There are beautiful views of the water and you can see the military ships floating by.

There's also local vendors there to support.

Seaport Village is a must when in San Diego. It is a pleasant waterfront walk from the cruise port, or there is a free shuttle waiting before you leave the port. If driving, there is a pay parking lot behind the mostly flat walking paths leading to various restaurants and shops fronting the marina and park. Shops range from the usual t-shirt shops and souvenirs to upscale boutiques. Service is very welcoming in all the stores I visited. Prices range from reasonable to ludicrous, but it is fun to ogle all the items on display.
Ample restrooms, fun outdoor seating with a variety of water features and statues, the village is clean with great views of the city and the waterfront. Great people-watching while sipping a beverage at one of the many coffee shops or bars.

Late post
Came with some friends and one of them kinda broke her leg so she we knew we couldn't walk around too much but the Village itself is quite beautiful, people come to walk around the boardwalk, chill at the park and best of all they are dog friendly. The stores are typical of most places, The Bay company souvenir shop, boutiques, sun glasses, hat store, crazy shirts, toy store, hot sauce store and so much more. Can't wait to come again and actually walk around the whole place! Give them a visit!

Seems that many of us who've visited San Diego over many years time have mostly fond memories of Seaport Village. The collection of meandering walkways, small clusters of buildings provide homes for shops and restaurants, with seating areas, landscaping, water features, and harbor access. What's not to love? The nautical theme is fitting with the setting.

A broad walkway leads from the Village all the way down the waterfront toward the USS Midway. After Dear Hubby and I browsed the shops (and made a purchase at the hat store!), we checked out a few other boutiques, like Crazy Shirts. We also found one of the ponds, good for photos, but also nice to relax nearby. We then took a walk most of the way to the Midway.

It was our first stop in town, waiting for our hotel room to be ready. It's a great spot to use to unwind from the traffic getting in to the city, for sure. We didn't have our granddaughter with us yet, but if we had, she would have loved riding the historic carousel.

Parking is pricey if you don't get a validation stamp. $8/hour in July 2023, but if you get a validation it's $5 for three hours - which is a deal!

Somewhere along the way during our visit, someone said that there are plans to close down Seaport Village and build housing / hotels. If that's true, I'd urge you to check it out now before the "They paved Paradise and put up a parking lot" scenario plays out!

Seaport Village is a bit nostalgic for me. Way back in 1987, I visited here for the first time with my family. We came here several times in the late 80's and ever since then, whenever I am in San Diego, I always make it a priority to visit Seaport Village.


This was my first visit in nearly 11 years. It still is just as much fun as it ever was!

We skipped town for a 30-hour getaway and with that very limited time we decided only 2 things mattered: Seeing the Padres play at Petco Park and revisiting Seaport Village!

As a matter of fact, we came here twice before leaving town!

We had some gorgeous mild summer weather to just walk around and take in those magnificent views of the harbor. Just casually walking around from store to store was so much fun and very relaxing. You also have a ton of food and drink options to choose from as well.

I think we stepped into just about nearly every store here at least once. We bought our fair share of souvenirs too!

Hey! Question for you locals that happen to read this: Wasn't there a sports themed store with a ton of jerseys, shirts, and all kinds of memorabilia there?? I looked all over for it and never came across it. :(

When I was here in (March) 2010, it just happened to be the day that LaDainian Tomlinson signed with the Jets. That store marked all of their authentic NFL LT jerseys 60% off, so I snagged one of those awesome powder blue jerseys that I still have in mint condition to this day! I really wanted to see that place again but couldn't find it. Is it closed?

Every time I happen to find myself in San Diego, I always make it a point to stop by Seaport Village!

This place is still awesome!

5 stars.

I'm not sure if I'd ever actually been here before, but I enjoyed my visit. I loved the variety of little shops around, as well as all the great restaurants to choose from. The views were nice, and on a sunny SD day makes for a great spot to enjoy the day. I will definitely be coming back more frequently.

I am finally able to take a short break before I start my next set of travels. I am getting caught up with some of my travels from a month ago in San Diego, thank you for your patience.

Quality/Quantity -

Cut and pasted from website:
"A 14 acre waterfront shopping, dining and entertainment complex recreating a harbor side setting of a century ago. Includes 54 one of a kind shops, 13 casual dining eateries, 4 fine dining waterfront restaurants, and located in close proximity to local hotels. Opened in 1980."

Part of the port of San Diego.
Nice little village for a walk. Some boutique shopping and a few drink spots overlooking the water.

Tour/trolley available, I did not inquire.

Atmosphere -
They have a private parking lot, not sure if there is self parking but definitely valet parking is available. I did see a pay station.
Next to the cruise ship ports, I am sure they get a lot of tourists.
They also have events, live music, etc.
Part of the Lighthouse District & Tuna Harbor.
3 public restrooms, I did not visit.
Open 7 days a week from 10am to 9pm; individual business hours might differ.

Service - Good, also depends on where you shop. Mainly caters to tourists, so service should be good.

Price - See services section.

Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1980, always a good place to visit and/or have a drink overlooking the water.

One of the iconic places to visit in SD
A nice walk on the beach
Many food options and stores
Beautiful in day and night
If u r in SD must visit