This article is all house sitting in San Diego, California. This definitive guide will tell you all you need to know about visiting one of my favorite American cities. I’ll be covering where to find and secure house sits, and how to best spend your time once you are there.
Before embarking on a full-time global travel adventure in 2022, Hannah and I tested the waters with a 2-month stay in San Diego. We had fallen in love with the city on several previous visits and thought it would be the ideal place to find out if we could stay away from home for the long term.
Here is everything you need to know about a house sitting stay in San Diego, CA.
Why Everyone Should Visit San Diego, CA
For me, San Diego is the perfect US city. It has fabulous beaches, a historic and cool downtown area, plus tons of cultural attractions.
The surrounding beach towns make for some amazing day or weekend trips and the hiking in San Diego is some of the best I’ve ever experienced. The city is busy and vibrant without feeling crowded and chaotic. The social scene is pumping and fun without feeling like you’re in Las Vegas or Nashville.
The weather makes it an appealing year-round destination, too. You’ll also find some of the best food places California has to offer in San Diego.
House Sitting in San Diego, CA
If you’re planning a trip to California, chances are San Diego will be high on your list. Let me tell you from personal experience that accommodation can be very expensive, especially for properties by the beach. Luckily, house sitting provides a significantly affordable alternative whilst allowing for enhanced travel experiences.
My Experience in San Diego
Hannah and I have visited San Diego on 4 separate occasions but in all honesty, our trips pre-date our knowledge of house sitting as an option. I wish we’d known about house sitting as it would have saved us thousands of dollars!
In 2018 we decided to take a break from our lives in the UK and embark on a USA adventure. We booked a cute Airbnb one block from the ocean in Mission Beach. It was an amazing trip that ignited a fuse in us which then led us to our current full-time travel adventure.
It set us on a path to find a way to make long-term travel a realistic possibility. Within weeks, we discovered Trusted Housesitters and made a plan to make our lives all about traveling the world.
House Sitting Opportunities in San Diego
San Diego is a year-round hotbed for house sitting opportunities. Across numerous platforms dedicated solely to house and pet sitting there’s a daily average of around 75-100 listings available – these range from swish city center apartments to glorious homes by the beach. Click here to discover my 5 top house sitting websites.
How to Secure a House Sit in San Diego, CA
The bulk of San Diego house sits will be on Trusted Housesitters, the number 1 source in the world for house sitting opportunities. It’s free to sign up for an account and start browsing – click here to get started. At the time of writing, there are 65 homes in San Diego on this site accepting applications.
To apply for a house sit you will need to be a paying member. Prices start at just $129/year but use our exclusive referral code BEACHES25 at checkout to save 25% on any paid membership. Click here to get started as a Trusted Housesitter today.
Build an Amazing Profile
Once you are all signed up with a THS account, it’s time to build a profile that will showcase your qualities and skills as a house sitter. This is your shop window and the first thing (after your application) that a homeowner will read.
Include lots of relevant information, appropriate photos, and as much social media/contact information as you feel comfortable sharing. A fully verified account allows future hosts to have a more rounded picture of you as their next house sitter.
If you are house sitting without prior experience have a think about character references you could include to get started. These could be employers, friends in professional positions, or perhaps even associates from other exchange programs. Importantly, keep your profile updated.
Searching for House Sits and Setting Alerts
Searching for house sits on Trusted Housesitters couldn’t be easier. The search functions allow for exact locations and dates to be entered as well as a host of other criteria.
If, like me, you like to plan well in advance and don’t yet see something that fits your dates or location, save the search and you’ll be alerted when something matching your criteria comes online.
Keep your options open by broadening your horizons slightly. It’s not an exact science and staying in the precise street or part of a city isn’t always possible. By being realistic and flexible there will be house sits in San Diego to match most requirements.
Applying for House Sits
The application stage is where a lot of people fall down in the process. When starting out it may be tempting to blanket apply for lots of appealing house sits and see what comes back. I’ve known many hosts to receive boiler-plate applications that show no personal interest in the listing at hand.
Hosts can spot this a mile away so take the time to craft a personalized listing. Refer to the homeowner or pet names, talk about aspects of the listing, and feel free to raise any questions that you may have. Explain your reasons for wanting to sit for them and have a plan of how and when you could get there.
For example, don’t say, ‘I guess I could be there on the 2nd but I’ll need to check the flights‘. Instead, be more proactive and say, ‘I arrive in San Diego on the 1st and it would work perfectly for me to sit for you from the 2nd’. Read my Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for a House Sit for more information.
Being Offered a House Sit in San Diego
If you’ve followed all my steps so far and found the perfect house sit in San Diego, you’ll hopefully receive an offer to sit in your THS inbox, congrats!
This is where all the fun begins and you can start to get excited for your house sitting stay in San Diego. Here are a few of my top tips and things to remember before clicking the accept to sit button.
Top Things to Remember
Confirm Details. Firstly, ensure you verify all crucial details with your host. This includes the exact dates of your house sit, specific duties like pet care, plant watering, or any maintenance tasks, and house rules or expectations. Clear communication at this stage helps prevent any misunderstandings later on.
Pre-Sit Communication. Typically, a pre-house sit video call with the host is arranged. This allows you to get acquainted with the house, meet the pets, and discuss any special instructions directly. It’s also an excellent opportunity to build rapport with the host and ask any questions you may have.
Emergency Contacts and Local Resources. Ensure you have a list of emergency contacts, including the host’s preferred veterinarian, a trusted neighbor, and any local service providers. Familiarize yourself with nearby resources such as grocery stores, parks, and medical facilities.
Preparing for Your Stay. Plan your arrival and departure times to align with the host’s schedule. This ensures a smooth transition and convenience for both parties.
Settling In. Upon arrival, take a thorough tour of the house with the host. Make sure you understand how everything works, from appliances to security systems. Discuss any last-minute details and ensure you have all the keys and access codes you need.
Enjoying Your House Sit. Once you’re settled in, make the most of your time in San Diego. Take care of the house and pets as if they were your own, and don’t hesitate to explore the city. Balancing your responsibilities with leisure activities will make your house sit a truly enjoyable experience.
What To Expect From a House Sit in San Diego, CA
San Diego has a nice relaxing vibe while providing plenty of fun social aspects to keep even the most hardened partiers happy. The weekends get busy with locals retreating from the busy nearby cities to sample some sun and ocean breeze. The Gaslamp Quarter and coastal areas such as Pacific Beach attract an array of tourists year-round.
While experiencing regular high influxes of visitors San Diego never feels overcrowded. Even while walking around the exhibitions at Balboa Park or snacking my way through Little Italy, I’ve never felt overwhelmed by people like I have in many other big metropolitan cities.
The range of cultural and recreational activities makes San Diego one of my all-time favorite cities in the USA. If you like hiking, museums, watersports, and regular live events, your house sitting stay in San Diego will be an exceptional and unforgettable experience.
Best Restaurants in San Diego
With a house sit in the bag, it’s time to look at some of the fun aspects you can look forward to during your time in San Diego. Here are a few of my favorite restaurants.
Top Restaurants in San Diego, CA
Sandbar Sports Grill. This was the first place I ever visited in San Diego. While perusing the menu outside an exiting patron told me the Sandbar served the best fish tacos in the USA. True to his word I’ve been chasing that fish taco high ever since!
World Famous. The best breakfast and brunch spot in San Diego. World Famous is renowned for offering exceptional and sizeable plates with amazing ocean views.
Bull’s Smokin’ BBQ. Anywhere with my surname above the door generally gets a visit but Bull’s Smoking BBQ is one of the best Texas BBQ places in San Diego. Their smoked beef brisket is as good as I’ve had anywhere in the US.
Best Bars in San Diego
There is an epic bar scene in San Diego. Whether cruising the bars by the coast or hitting the downtown night-time hangouts, there’s something for everyone. Most bars have great happy hour deals too, here’s a few of my top choices.
Top Bars in San Diego
Coaster Saloon. My favorite bar in San Diego and the one I frequented more than any other. Coaster has a wonderful open plan feel, is steps from the beach, and has daily specials on food and drinks. It’s a great place for sports too, we watched the Superbowl here one year and had an amazing afternoon.
Moonshine Beach. Around the Pacific Beach area and cutting straight off Crystal Pier is Garnet Avenue, a street loaded with great bars, restaurants, shops, and cafes. My favorite bar stop around there is Moonshine Beach. The huge venue maintains a great dive bar feel, plays lots of country music, and live bands play here regularly.
Coyote Ugly Saloon. If you’re drinking downtown and want a nice and easy relaxed spot to sink a few brews head to Coyote Ugly Saloon. The national chain of bars is a fun place to hang out in the heart of San Diego’s central commercial district. They have some of the cheapest beers around.
Best Day Trips From San Diego
Many house sitting placements in the USA will include access to a car meaning there will be plenty of opportunities for some day trips. There are also great public transport links and the Amtrak train for getting around too. Here are a couple of great day trips we took during our time in San Diego.
Top Day Trips From San Diego
Julian, CA. Less than 90 minutes from San Diego is the former gold mining town and super cool retro streets of Julian. If you want to feel like you’ve stepped back in time and immerse yourself in plenty of vintage Americana, this little town is well worth a visit. There is excellent hiking around Julian too.
Oceanside. I’d always wanted to ride on a big Amtrak train, and getting to do so along the Pacific Coast felt like a real bucket list item crossed off. We used the Amtrak several times to visit numerous coastal towns from San Diego. Most notably I loved Oceanside, it was a cool city, small enough to explore on foot but big enough to feel vibrant.
Coronado. Cross the epic Coronado Bridge and visit the San Diego peninsula. Coronado has a resort feel and a lovely stretch of beach leading up to the hotel where Marilyn Monroe filmed the classic Some Like It Hot. It’s not far from the city center and perfect for an afternoon escape.
Best Things to Do in San Diego
See the Sea Lions at La Jolla. Staying on the coast but heading north to the lovely town of La Jolla is always worth a weekend drive. La Jolla Cove is a popular base for sea lions, often seen in large numbers laying around on the beach and rocks, taking dips in the surf when it gets too hot.
Go Whale Watching. A couple of great whale-watching tours head out from San Diego Harbor Island. We went with San Diego Whale Watch several times; it’s a smooth and professional service. Huge species of whales such as Blues and Fins are regularly spotted just off the SD coast.
Hike Cowles Mountain. If you’re feeling energetic, hike Cowles Mountain. It’s one of my favorite hikes in San Diego, with steep but well-maintained trails and stunning views as you ascend high above California.
Cycle the Mission Beach Boardwalk. My all-time favorite pastime in San Diego is to cycle the boardwalk from Mission Beach to Pacific Beach. The pedestrian walkway stays parallel with the ocean all the way and the homes that line the front are simply incredible. There are a couple of great coffee stops along the way too.
Conclusion
I hope this definitive guide to house sitting in San Diego has given you all the information you need to find, secure, and enjoy a fantastic placement in Southern Cali. Writing it has certainly made me reminisce on the amazing times I’ve had in San Diego and I’m now pining for a return trip!
There are so many house sitting opportunities available, even when I’m on the other side of the world my THS alerts are always set for San Diego, just in case the perfect, too-good-to-turn-down sit comes up.
Happy house sitting!
Like This Post? Pin it!
*Owner consent given to use all photos