4 Exciting Things Travelers Should Know Visiting San Diego In 2025

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Sunny San Diego. Well, most of the time…

“America’s Finest City” isn’t immune to occasional rain showers and a couple of months of gray skies. Vacationers are often disappointed by “May Gray” and “June Gloom,” as locals have dubbed them.

Besides checking the weather forecast, there are 4 exciting new things every traveler needs to know when visiting San Diego in 2025.

First, you might want to double-check the airport you’re flying into.

Second, before booking your stay, there’s a pair of lavish new ‘firsts’ hitting San Diego shores.

Lastly, crossing into Mexico is about to get a whole lot easier. You can bypass the ‘busiest border in the world’ without stepping foot in neighboring Tijuana – and no, it’s not locals’ favorite travel loophole, the Cross Border Xpress.

So, without further ado, here are 4 exciting things travelers should know when visiting San Diego in 2025:

1) American Airlines Now Flies To Carlsbad

San Diego is often categorized into 4 quadrants: North County, Central, East County and South Bay.

As such, sometimes visitors miss out on North County’s delights, given the headache-inducing traffic through a cluster of pristine beach towns.

Well, that doesn’t have to be the case anymore, especially since Carlsbad, in particular, should be a destination city in its own right.

McClellan-Palomar Airport is reopening for commercial traffic, where American Airlines is betting big on Carlsbad’s potential with the first and only flight (for now) set to launch February 13th from Phoenix.

Located less than half an hour from Orange County and roughly 40 minutes from San Diego’s main attractions, Carlsbad can be used as a gateway to other cool spots or your base as it’s home to beautiful beaches, upscale resorts, and LEGOLAND, a popular spot for families who don’t want to deal with all that comes with giggly oversized rodents of Anaheim.

Travel Tip: American Airlines now also flies nonstop to Tijuana, the city’s only U.S.-based airline.

2) Avoid LEGOLAND Crowds! San Diego’s First Adults-Only Resort

On second thought, if you’re not traveling with the kiddos in tow and prefer to avoid the under-18 bunch altogether, there’s exciting news just for you.

A few miles down I-5 lies the coastal paradise of Encinitas, home to numerous celebrities hiding out from Hollywood (smart move!), a close-knit surfers community, and multiple stunning beaches such as one of my favorites, Moonlight Beach.

What you may not know is Encinitas is home to Alila Marea Beach Resort, which is transforming into San Diego’s sole adults-only resort.

As such, could there be a better re-opening date than Valentine’s Day? Just don’t come back home with a bun in the oven…

Kinda defeats the purpose, no?

3) A New Era of Tourism With Chula Vista’s Inaugural Resort

Chula Vista is typically way off tourists’ radar and more often seen as one of the best San Diego County cities to score cheap(er) rent.

Heck, that’s what got me to move here! Honestly, Chula Vista has been a pleasant surprise with scenic mountain-view parks, an underrated downtown, and endless Tijuana-style taco shops without having to step across the border.

Soon, Chula Vista will be casting San Diego’s often-overlooked South Bay in the spotlight with the grand opening of the city’s first-ever resort, Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center, boasting 1,600 rooms and 12 restaurants and bars.

Gaylord scored prime real estate as this area is the last frontier of San Diego’s untouched shores along Chula Vista’s San Diego Bay, with epic coastal views facing west over popular vacation spot Coronado.

According to local news source NBC 7, there will be a soft opening in mid-May, followed by an official grand opening in July.

4) Skip The Border! New Direct Ferry Into Mexico’s “Napa”

I go to Tijuana every month. Despite having a SENTRI card, crossing the border can still be a grind, which is often a deterrent for fellow Californians and tourists alike who want to see what Northern Baja is all about.

Plus, Tijuana has a sketchy reputation. Not everyone wants to take that chance. The neighboring town of Tecate (yes, that Tecate you might have in your fridge) is widely considered much safer, serving as a gateway into Mexico’s gorgeous Valle de Guadalupe, commonly dubbed Mexico’s “Napa”.

Stretching from Tecate to Ensenada is the Ruta del Vino, a scenic wine route passing numerous vineyards, luxe resorts, and bucket-list Airbnbs.

While most Americans start their wine adventures in Tecate, a new direct ferry capable of carrying up to 330 passengers from San Diego is set to change that.

Slated to launch in May (if necessary tests go according to plan in April), the Azteca Ferry will give travelers the ultimate loophole to bypass the hectic border, which often has 3-hour wait times at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.

Tickets are not sale as of yet, but last we reported prices were expected in the $100 range. However, there is a schedule posted on Azteca Ferries’ website:

Travel tip: If you complete the whole Ensenada – Tecate wine route, I can’t recommend 4-star Santuario Diegueño enough to rest up and enjoy sensational eats at on-site restaurant, Asao.

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