The closest place to grab a bite to eat will be in the Price Center, as they have a large number of restaurants open over the summer, but in case you're craving a home-cooked meal, we have a large two-part shopping center 5-10 minutes away (you can take the 201, 101, 30, or two stops on the trolley heading South.)

La Jolla Village Square has a full list of stores on its website, which includes Ralph's, Chipotle, AMC, and Chick-fil-A. Across the street, there’s a Whole Foods, a late-night burger spot called The Melt, and a BJ’s restaurant (on Tuesdays, they have $5 pizookies).

The on-campus Target, located directly outside the venue, offers some great food options and should be able to meet any snacking needs that the downstairs Amazon Just-Walk-Out store may not.

This is the nearest full-scale mall to UCSD. They have several great stores, an AMC, and some great restaurants. There are also several good fast-food-type spots inside the food court (where they have an ice skating rink!) 

• Somi Somi and Van Leeuwen are favorites for ice cream/dessert.

• Joe and the Juice is a great spot for iced coffee and smoothies. 

• Marugame is a favorite for ramen.

The closest beach to UCSD would be La Jolla Shores, which is a bus ride away and the site of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. It has some great shops that offer surfboard and wetsuit rentals, and offers some of the most beautiful Southern California coastal views you can find. (If you head further south, you can find La Jolla Cove, where you can watch sea lions and seals lounge around.)

Pacific Beach is recommended for people looking for a more traditional college social scene, with bars and a good look at what San Diego (outside of La Jolla) looks like. If you go down there, be sure to head out early, because parking is a mess!

For hiking, we have the Potato Chip Hike, which is a little north of SD and about a 4 mile hike, round-trip. We also have the Ho Chi Mihn Trail for those who crave adventure and want to walk directly to the ocean (it's recommended to bring hiking/gym attire, as there are some spots where you may need to crawl or slide.)

Here are some of our best attractions, as suggested by competition hosts and San Diego locals.

• Balboa Park: A hub for history and art going back to 1868, a 1,200-acre cultural park that hosts various museums, restaurants, theaters, etc. 

  • San Diego Zoo: The pandas are back! Be sure to head in early and grab a ticket to see them; otherwise, you'll miss them!

  • Japanese Friendship Garden: Representative of the friendship between San Diego and Yokohama, take a load off and relax surrounded by koi.

  • Botanical Building: Built for the 1915-1916 Exposition, the Balboa Botanical Building features cycads, ferns, orchids, and other tropical plants.

• Midway Museum: The historical naval aircraft carrier museum in San Diego, consisting of a large aircraft carrier storing an extensive collection of aircraft.

• Maritime Museum: (Zoe's personal favorite) Come and see the Star of India, originally built in 1863! You will get to explore these titans of sailing, learn about how they functioned, and there are many additional activities (like a boat ride around the San Diego Bay!)