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Jul 20, 2023 · Horton Plaza, located in downtown San Diego, is a vibrant and colorful outdoor shopping center. The unique architectural design, including its iconic bright structures and staircases, offers a visually striking background for capturing urban and architectural photography.
Aug 27, 2020 · San Diego is full of amazing beach photo shoot locations, open field photo shoot locations, and great park locations, so there are a ton of spots to choose from. Whether you live in San Diego or are planning a San Diego vacation photoshoot, I’ve got you covered! Here are my top 5 locations for family photos in San Diego! CORONADO BEACH:
- Iconic Photo Spots in San Diego
- San Diego Instagram Spots: Murals and Art
- Secret Instagram Spots in San Diego
- Insta-Worthy Cafes and Bars
- Foodie Photo Spots in San Diego
Kissing Sailor Statue
Located right on the waterfront, the “Unconditional Surrender” statue, more commonly known as the Kissing Sailor Statue, stands at a whopping 25 feet tall and 6,000 pounds. It’s so iconic to the city and one of those San Diego photo spots you just can’t miss! Perfect if you’ve got your significant other with you. Just make sure you work your angles right, you don’t want it to look like you’re looking up the nurse’s skirt! The back story on this famous statue? It depicts a sailor in Times Squa...
La Jolla Sea Wall and Children’s Pool
Visiting San Diego for the first time?! You’ve gotta come to La Jolla and see the seals! We watched the seals (and their pups!) for over an hour (we kinda lost track of time) — they’re just so freakin’ cute! You can walk on the sea wall for a better view of them/the beach. If you walk a little further you’ll find the tide pools, another spot the sea lions like to hang out!
Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier
Just look at that pier — such a symmetrical beauty right on the beach! You also get the reflection of the beams in the wet sand, which is so fun for photography. Work those angles! We parked on the main road (La Jolla Shores Drive), and walked down to the beach. The pier is huge so you can’t miss it. Remember — you (and your clothes) may get wet, so just keep that in mind! Scripps Pier is especially beautiful during sunrise and sunset… but there’s usually some sort of professional photoshoot...
Native Poppy
So whimsical and oh so wild. Those California poppies are so damn gorgeous! While the ‘Hey Wildflower’ mural first attracted me to this neighborhood flower shop, don’t miss a chance to go inside — the stem bar is my favorite! Possibly the cutest flower shop I ever did see! I saw them making the most beautiful floral arrangements — if I lived nearby, I think I’d be ordering a huge bouquet for myself each and every week! Psst — the flower shop doesn’t open until 10am, but you can always take a...
Pigment
A boutique plant shop you never knew you needed in your life. It’s super airy and fresh, full of all the plants and pots a girl could ever want. Along with trendy and chic home interior items — I could honestly spend my whole paycheck here. But what makes it one of the best photo spots in San Diego? The soft pink ombre wall right outside! Look how perfect it is (great for a Valentine’s day photoshoot). And on the other side of that — the wall of succulents in planter boxes! Pigment’s easily o...
Greetings from San Diego Mural
Just like we have a Greetings from San Francisco mural here in the Bay Area, San Diego’s got one as well! And it’s got all the iconic gems of San Diego you’d expect it to have — like the distinctive Victorian roof of the Hotel del Coronado, La Jolla cove, Ocean Beach pier, and even the U.S./Mexico border. It’s literally a postcard painted on the wall, and easily one of the most iconic San Diego instagram spots! The mural’s easy to find in North Park (one of my favorite neighborhoods of San Di...
La Jolla Hidden Swings #1
Swings with ocean views?! Please and thank you! There’s actually a few hidden swings in San Diego (3 to be exact!), but these ones are in La Jolla Village near the Birch Aquarium. MUCH easier to access than the other ones (see below). Park in the back of the parking lot of the aquarium and you’ll find the secret swings just a short hike up from Expedition Way — it’s well worth it for the ocean views! While the swings are taken down quite frequently, they’re continuously being rebuilt by local...
Spruce Street Suspension Bridge
A hidden historical footbridge on this list of instagrammable places in San Diego? Yup, there’s scenic views of the canyon below and the symmetry is just too good to pass up. You can even feel the bridge move when there’s multiple people on it. The bridge is pretty short so taking photos at this San Diego photo spot shouldn’t take too long. Just remember to come early in the day as it gets busier later on. Although it’s hidden in a residential neighborhood (on the edge of Hillcrest), it’s eas...
Casa del Prado
One look at this ornate building and you just know you gotta photograph it! What a beautiful combination of Spanish Baroque and Colonial architecture. The elaborate building is simply stunning and oh so glamorous, making it one of the best photo spots in San Diego, not just Balboa Park! Try to frame your subject underneath the arches for a symmetrical look and to have them really stand out. This part of the park is usually pretty busy, but if you visit on a weekday, it’s not terribly hard to...
Communal Coffee
Coffee and flowers? Yes, please! People claim the South Park location is way cuter, but I can’t get enough of the ‘Coffee + Flowers’ text in super bold font right outside. As well as the fact that it’s literally half floral shop, half coffee shop. Wear something colorful to stand out! And plus, the coffee’s pretty damn great! The indoor space is divine (with lots of cute gifts), while the outdoor patio tables are against a soft colorful mural perfect for photo opps as well. (North Park)
Communal Coffee Airstream
Yup, another Communal Coffee on this list, this one in South Park! But just look at it — the coffee bar is literally in a retro trailer. How could I not include both locations on this list of instagrammable places in San Diego?! One of my favorite places we visited during our 3 days in San Diego. Don’t miss the letterboard in the back — the staff is always coming up with fun sayings and crazy puns! And like the location in North Park, make sure to take a look inside; there’s so much cute stuf...
Holy Matcha
Posh and perfect and pink! Literally everything pink and everything matcha in here, with a similar chic vibe to Cha Cha Matcha on Broadway in NYC! And quite honestly, it’s super hard to take a bad photo here! The leafy green wallpaper is such a vibe (I low-key want it for my bathroom). Look out for the neon ‘You, Me, Matcha’ sign in the back. Psst — wear green or pink to really compliment the colors of the space. Go right when they open to get the place all to yourself! There’s actually two l...
Morning Glory
Looking for trendy places to take pictures in San Diego? Morning Glory’s it! It’s one of those trendy brunch spots you need to indulge in at least once, I mean just look at that Great Gatsby reminiscent decor! But expect a (long, long) line — the deco brunch vibes and pink interior are popular for a reason! And yes, those souffle pancakes are worth the early morning wake up call! I wanna go for afternoon tea next time — it looks absolutely stellar! (Little Italy)
Great Maple
Upscale and hip with a fun, retro 1950’s vibe. This place is poppin you guys! Not only is the food absolute perfection (try one of their hot scrambles with petite potatoes and of course the maple bacon donuts), but the mimosas are HUGE and the decor is cute. Some even claim it’s the best brunch in all of San Diego! I really wanna try the French toast logs on my next visit. (Hillcrest and La Jolla)
Lucha Libre Tacos
Kinda a mix between a street-style taco shop and a lucha libre match like we saw down in Mexico City! The interiors are plastered in bubblegum pink walls, with gold touches and a completely gold Champions Booth couch — an instagrammable spot in San Diego for sure! You can typically sit there, but due to health restrictions when we visited, we couldn’t take that photo. The old-school wrestling memorabilia on the walls were super interesting to see, and the Cali burrito was delicious. (Mission...
Dec 22, 2022 · Windansea Beach. Windansea Beach is a popular location for engagement and graduation photos because of the rocks and the unique locally-built grass hut right by the water. A few yards beyond the hut is another one of my favorite spots to shoot. Using the elements at hand can help you frame your photo to offer a unique perspective.
San Diego is a beautiful and fun city and there's a lot to do and see. So naturally, there are a lot of amazing places to take pictures in San Diego. Honestly, whether you're a tourist looking for some must-see places, a pro looking for photo shoot locations, or just a local looking for a great location for photowalk or stunning views, there's something for you.
Mar 26, 2024 · 3. Point Loma. Another one of the best photography spots in San Diego is Point Loma. From the Point Loma neighborhoods, you can get some great photos of the marina with San Diego’s city lights in the background. There are some cute shops around this area as well.
Source: Peerspace. This is an indoor photoshoot location in San Diego unlike any other! OB Time Machine is a 1,000-square-foot Ocean Beach cabin kitted out with funky 70s styling. It boasts wood-paneled walls, retro furnishings with every texture and color, and lots of plant life to add a pop of greenery to the mix.
