Cruise port guideUSSAN

San Diego

San Diego's B Street and Broadway terminals are on the downtown waterfront, with Mexican Riviera, Baja and repositioning sailings.

5 things to do1 airport connections2 ships

Your day ashore, at a glance

Find something worth your time Plan the airport transfer Read the safety guidance

Peak season: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr

Make the most of your stop

Things to do in San Diego

5 recommendations

Choose an easy wander, a local highlight or a bigger day out. Compare practical details before you head ashore.

Photo: www.midway.org
Recommended ashore
USS Midway Museum
An aircraft carrier museum steps from the cruise terminals.
Distance from port
Not assessed
Cost
Not assessed
Tourist-trap risk
Not assessed
Physical effort
Not assessed
Accessibility
Not assessed
Explore activity
Photo: www.balboapark.org
Recommended ashore
Balboa Park
Museums, gardens and Spanish Revival buildings, ten minutes from the pier.
Distance from port
Not assessed
Cost
Not assessed
Tourist-trap risk
Not assessed
Physical effort
Not assessed
Accessibility
Not assessed
Explore activity
Photo: Bernard Gagnon — CC BY-SA 3.0 · License
Recommended ashore
Gaslamp Quarter
Restaurants and bars a short walk from the waterfront.
Distance from port
Not assessed
Cost
Not assessed
Tourist-trap risk
Not assessed
Physical effort
Not assessed
Accessibility
Not assessed
Explore activity
Explore ashore
Recommended ashore
La Jolla Cove
Sea lions, tide pools and kayaking, twenty minutes north.
Distance from port
Not assessed
Cost
Not assessed
Tourist-trap risk
Not assessed
Physical effort
Not assessed
Accessibility
Not assessed
Explore activity
Photo: Djh57; CC BY 3.0; cropped · License
Recommended ashore
Coronado
The Hotel del Coronado and a wide beach across the bay.
Distance from port
Not assessed
Cost
Not assessed
Tourist-trap risk
Not assessed
Physical effort
Not assessed
Accessibility
Not assessed
Explore activity

Getting to your ship

Airport to cruise port

The B Street and Broadway terminals are about 3 miles (5 km) from San Diego International, under 10 minutes by taxi or rideshare.

SAN

San Diego International

To San Diego · one way

Airport lounges

Verified transfer prices from SAN have not been published yet. Check the transport operator before booking.

Rental cars: Available at the airport's rental centre, though downtown is compact enough to skip one.

Know before you go

Safety ashore

Women travelers

Routine precautions

Editorial baseline for a daytime port visit, based on country-level government advice rather than a women-specific local incident rate. Canada advises normal security precautions in the United States; theft occurs in tourist areas and violent crime varies by neighbourhood, particularly after dark. Check the route locally, keep valuables secure and arrange transport for unfamiliar areas at night. This rating does not establish that every terminal or neighbourhood is safe.

Reviewed 2026-10-25

Government of Canada: United States safety and security

LGBTQ+ travelers

Extra caution advised

Government advice highlights changing federal gender-marker processes and state or local rules affecting LGBTQ+ travelers. Check the relevant state and your travel documents; this is not a port-specific incident score. Assessment uses country-level government advice; port-specific conditions may differ.

Reviewed 2026-10-25

Government of Canada travel advice

Editorial guidance reflects the cited advice and review date. Laws, attitudes and conditions can differ within a destination. No rating guarantees personal safety.

Pick your moment

When to go

Jan: High season
Feb: High season
Mar: High season
Apr: High season
May: Shoulder season
Jun: Low season
Jul: Low season
Aug: Low season
Sep: Shoulder season
Oct: Shoulder season
Nov: High season
Dec: High season

● High season○ Shoulder season◌ Low season

San Diego is busiest from autumn to spring; most ships leave for Alaska in summer.

Who else is in port?

Port crowding index

100 is average. 150 means 50% more ship passenger capacity than this port’s observed hourly average over the past 30 days; 50 means half the average.

Checking ships in port…

Estimate for tracked catalog ships, based on published passenger capacity, not actual passengers ashore. Port areas are approximate circles around published port coordinates. Only positions reported within an hour at 1 knot or less are counted; ships at anchor may be included. Missing AIS reports and untracked ships can understate crowding. Quiet observed hours count toward the average; collection outages do not.

Set sail