10 days in Los Angeles & San Diego Itinerary

Surrounded by mountain ranges, forests, valleys, beaches, and deserts, the metropolitan area of Los Angeles is home to over 17 million people.

Kick off your visit on the 23rd (Wed): find something for the whole family at Disneyland Park and then look and learn at Griffith Observatory. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the next day: see the interesting displays at Marconi Automotive Museum, then discover the magic at Downtown Disney District, and then see the interesting displays at The Getty Center.

To find ratings, where to stay, and more tourist information, read our Los Angeles online travel planner.

If you are flying in from Mexico, the closest major aiports are Los Angeles International Airport, John Wayne Airport-Orange County Airport, Ontario International Airport, San Bernardino International Airport and Edwards Air Force Base. Expect a daytime high around 24°C in December, and nighttime lows around 11°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 25th (Fri) so you can drive to San Diego.

Divided into neighborhoods with distinct characters and cultural heritages, San Diego sits just north of the Mexican border and offers visitors a blend of tourist attractions, including a lively nightlife, diverse cuisine, and a thriving musical scene.

Change things up with these side-trips from San Diego: Self Realization Fellowship Hermitage & Meditation Gardens (in Encinitas), Oceanside Pier (in Oceanside) and California Wolf Center (in Julian). There's much more to do: get to know the resident critters at San Diego Zoo, identify plant and animal life at Lions, Tigers & Bears, examine the collection at USS Midway Museum, and admire the majestic nature at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.

For ratings, traveler tips, maps, and other tourist information, read our San Diego vacation planner.

Traveling by car from Los Angeles to San Diego takes 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus; or fly. Expect a daytime high around 23°C in December, and nighttime lows around 12°C.