Overview
Chula Vista is a large city in San Diego County in Southern California. It was a farming and dairy city in the early 20th century. By the early 21st century the city had grown tremendously with the addition of several prominent suburbs and business districts.
3 sights · 8 things to do · 14 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 6 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Chula Vista
Living Coast Discovery Center
Situated in the midst of the marshes of the South Bay and something of a hidden gem is this fun nature center with lots of interactive exhibits on animals native to the San Diego Bay. Highlights include an aquarium with …
Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center
Training center for Olympic athletes. Tours available.
North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
An amphitheater that is even larger than the Hollywood Bowl.
Sesame Place San Diego
Water Park
San Diego Country Club
Founded in 1897, a private golf club, that has hosted the U.S. Women's Open, U.S. Women's Amateur, and U.S. Senior Women's Open.
Lower Otay Reservoir
Owned by the City of San Diego. Open for fishing and general boating.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jan–Dec. Summer highs reach about 77°F; winter lows dip to about 50°F. Wettest: Feb and Jan. (climate data from nearby San Diego)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- SAN San Diego International Airport, San Diego — 11 mi away (major hub). Directions
- CLD McClellan-Palomar Airport, Carlsbad — 37 mi away. Directions
Chula Vista is accessible by car through Interstate 5, Interstate 805, Highway 125, and Highway 905. The nearest major airports are San Diego International Airport (SAN) and Tijuana International Airport (TIJ).
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, Lower Otay Reservoir, Sky Zone San Diego
- Lunch Tres Dos Tres
- Afternoon North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, Sesame Place San Diego
- Dinner Joe & Ernie's Pizza
- Evening Silver Dollar
Day 2
- Morning Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2111, Fleet Reserve Association Branch 61
- Lunch La Bella Pizza Garden
- Afternoon San Diego Country Club, Rohr Park
- Dinner Lolita's Mexican Food
- Evening Dock's Cocktail Lounge
Day 3
- Morning Living Coast Discovery Center
- Lunch Aunt Emma's Pancakes
- Afternoon American Legion Post 434
- Dinner El Patio
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
Chula Vista is accessible by car through Interstate 5, Interstate 805, Highway 125, and Highway 905. The nearest major airports are San Diego International Airport (SAN) and Tijuana International Airport (TIJ).
The San Diego Trolley Blue Line serves Southern San Diego County, running between Downtown San Diego down to the US-Mexico Border. Chula Vista has three trolley stations: Bayfront/E Street, H Street, and Palomar Street.
Private boats can dock at the local Chula Vista Marina.
Get around
Metropolitan Transit System runs several bus routes around Chula Vista, most of them connecting to at least one of the Chula Vista trolley stations.
See
See Living Coast Discovery Center
Situated in the midst of the marshes of the South Bay and something of a hidden gem is this fun nature center with lots of interactive exhibits on animals native to the San Diego Bay. Highlights include an aquarium with sharks and sea turtles, a touchpool with rays, an aviary where you can view shorebirds, and some birds of prey. Short trails lead out from the nature center through the marsh to the shores of the bay, where you can view some of the local wildlife.
Do
While a majority of activities can be found in the city of San Diego, there are still several things for visitors to do.
- Since Chula Vista is surrounded by Silver Strand, it has only a harbor and no beaches. However many boaters and recreational fishers find this to be an interesting area to boat and fish. There is a boat launching ramp located at the J Street Marina Park, off the J Street I-5 offramp. The ramp has a large parking lot for vehicles with trailers, picnic facilities and restrooms. Care should be taken navigating in the adjacent areas of San Diego Bay as there are extremely shallow shoal areas. Refer to a current navigational chart prior to leaving the ramp area. Nearby is South Bay Anchorage, which is free to use, but a permit is required (permits can be obtained from the Shelter Island Harbor Police Office in Point Loma). In the vicinity are several parks and bike trails.
- In the east is Coors Amphitheater and Knott's Soak City, both in the Otay Valley. The redevelopment of the area occurred in 1997-8 and his since been a popular place for locals and visitors.
Buy
Eat
Eat Aqui Es Texcoco
Mexican restaurant featured on National Geographic, Travel Channel, and NPR.
Eat Tacos El Gordo
Family-owned counter-serve restaurant with Tijuana-style food.
Eat Joe & Ernie's Pizza
Affordable local pizza of great quality. Their best offer is the combo meal, which includes two slices of pizza and a fountain drink. For students K-12, the combo is $6, and for adults, $8. They are also known for a wide selection of flavors. They offer takeout, dine-in, and local delivery.
Eat Jochi Resto Grill
Filipino point-point joint.
Eat Otay Mandarin Chinese Restaurant
Family-owned Chinese restaurant, locally acclaimed for their salt & pepper chicken wings.
Eat Lolita's Mexican Food (Lolita's)
The original location of the Lolita's Mexican Food chain, a family-owned Mexican taco shop chain, one of four in Chula Vista (Bonita location is within the Chula Vista city limits), and five in San Diego County. One of the claimants of the creation of the California burrito.
Eat El Patio
Mexican cuisine restaurant, open since 1954.
Eat La Bella Pizza Garden
Family-owned pizza restaurant, open since 1955.
Eat MJ's Fusion Deli (MJ's Yogurt Time)
Filipino fusion cuisine and yogurt shop.
Eat Homestyle Hawaiian (Mo's Island Grinds)
Second location of a local Hawaiian restaurant chain.
Eat Aunt Emma's Pancakes
Eat Family House of Pancakes
Opened in 1964.
Eat Manna Heaven BBQ
Opened in 2014. First all you can eat Korean BBQ restaurant in Chula Vista.
Eat Tres Dos Tres
Fast casual Mexican restaurant owned by Adrian Gonzalez.
Drink
Drink Dock's Cocktail Lounge (formerly Dock's Dutch Lunch)
Established in 1933.
Drink Silver Dollar (formerly Owl Buffet)
Established in 1934.
Sleep
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