Trip Itinerary help needed

Question

I’d appreciate if you could review my itinerary and let me know if its achievable/needs reordering. Unfortunately due to my dads ill health i can only go 3 days.

Sunday flight arrives at 12

Old town

Little italy food tour at 4

Monday

San diego zoo

Spanish art centre

Tues

Balboa park

Art museum

Centrocultural de raza

Gas lamp

Wednesday

midway museum

Coronado ferry

Thursday (flight get to airport for 3)

Brunch

Maritime museum/cruise

Answer

Your San Diego itinerary covers a lot of highlights in a short period, but with three full days, some reordering and prioritization will make it more achievable, especially considering your dad’s health. Here’s a detailed review and suggestions:

Day 1 – Sunday Arrival:

Arriving at noon, plan for lunch near your hotel or Old Town. Walking around Old Town after lunch is doable, but keep it relaxed.
Little Italy food tour at 4 PM is fine, but you may want to allow buffer time for transportation and potential traffic delays.
Evening: consider a short stroll along the waterfront or a quiet dinner; avoid overpacking the day.

Day 2 – Monday:

San Diego Zoo is large; plan to spend at least 3–4 hours, arriving early to avoid crowds and heat.
Spanish Art Centre (likely referring to the Spanish Village Art Center in Balboa Park) can be combined with a short walk through Balboa Park, but don’t try to do too much after a full zoo morning.
Alternative: swap the Spanish Village visit with a lighter afternoon activity if the group feels tired.

Day 3 – Tuesday:

Balboa Park is extensive. Pick either the main Art Museum or a few gardens to avoid exhaustion. A full day trying to see everything will be overwhelming.
Centro Cultural de la Raza can be visited afterward, as it is smaller, but check opening hours.
Evening in Gaslamp Quarter is fine; consider a leisurely dinner rather than intensive sightseeing.

Day 4 – Wednesday (Partial day):

Midway Museum is large and can take 2–3 hours. Plan your visit in the morning.
Coronado Ferry: if time permits, a ferry ride is a nice way to see the bay; you could combine this with lunch in Coronado.
Maritime Museum / Cruise: depending on your flight time on Thursday, consider moving this to Wednesday afternoon or early Thursday if feasible. Otherwise, prioritize one activity.

General Tips:

Transportation: Parking in Old Town, Little Italy, and Balboa Park can be challenging. Consider using rideshare or taxis for quicker access, especially with limited time.
Adjust expectations: With only three full days, prioritize major highlights and leave buffer time for rest.
Consider grouping activities geographically: Balboa Park (Art Museum, Spanish Village), Downtown (Gaslamp, Little Italy), Waterfront (Midway, Maritime Museum, ferry) to reduce driving time.
Start days early to maximize daylight and avoid crowds at major attractions like the Zoo and Balboa Park.

In summary, your plan is doable with some adjustments: prioritize major attractions, limit back-to-back intensive activities, and cluster locations by area to minimize travel. This will help make the trip enjoyable without being overly exhausting for your dad and the group.

Trip Itinerary help needed

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