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San Diego: 5 waterfront gems to discover
San Diego is a city bathed in quiet confidence. In contrast to the bright lights and glamour that de...
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Car hire in San Diego with Hertz
San Diego is the kind of city where a car quietly upgrades everything. You can do the waterfront and downtown in the morning, swing through Balboa Park mid-day, then finish in La Jolla or Pacific Beach without trying to stitch the day around fixed connections.
Having a car also keeps nearby add-ons simple. Coronado, Mission Bay, Torrey Pines, and the coastal stretch north of the city are all easier when you can leave when you want, stop when something looks good, and return without worrying about timing.
With Hertz car hire in San Diego, a good rule is to plan your destination, and then opt for a vehicle that best complements your journey. Your Hertz car rental can either be an SUV or a sedan, depending on your needs.
Pickup locations in San Diego
- Lindbergh Field-San Diego Airport
- San Diego - Signature Flight Support (Private Flights Only)
- San Diego - Coast Air (Private Flights Only)
- San Diego - Jet Center by Lancair (Private Flights Only)
- San Diego - San Diego Downtown HLE
- San Diego - Pacific Beach HLE
- San Diego - Marvin K Brown HLE
- San Diego - Montgomery Field - Crown Air (Private Flights Only)
- San Diego - Kearney Mesa HLE
- San Diego - Mira Mesa HLE
- San Diego - Penske Collision
- San Diego Box Truck Rentals
- San Diego - Delivery Rentals
- Lyft San Diego
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Skip the rental counter at selected locations – just head to your car and go. At selected US rental locations, you can also choose from a wider selection of cars, including exclusive vehicles for top-tier members.
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Driving Guide: Car Rental in San Diego
Parking Information
- San Diego Convention Center Underground Garage is an underground parking facility with 1,950 spaces, including accessible stalls with elevator access into the venue. It’s a practical base when you want to park once and build the rest of your day as a waterfront and downtown walking loop.
- 6th and K Parkade is a downtown garage option you can use as a simple reference point when you want a predictable place to leave the car and continue on foot. It’s useful for city-center plans where you do not want to keep relocating the vehicle between short stops.
- Park it on Market is a covered downtown garage-style option that works well when you want a reliable “set it down and walk” base for East Village and downtown blocks. It’s a sensible choice for afternoons and evenings when street parking becomes more time-consuming than it’s worth.
Key Roads in San Diego
- I-5 is the coastal spine that helps you move between the airport area, downtown, and northbound coastal neighborhoods. It’s the route you’ll naturally lean on for longer coastal drives and day trips that run north.
- I-8 is the main east–west backbone. It’s useful when your itinerary stretches inland or when you want to cross the city without threading through smaller surface streets and frequent stoplights.
- CA-163 is a central connector that’s helpful for Balboa Park-adjacent driving and for moving between downtown and areas farther north with fewer turns and less local street juggling.
Electric Car Hire
If you want a way to explore San Diego with lower emissions, Hertz electric car hire options fit naturally with the way most San Diego itineraries work. Days here are stop-based. You drive to a beach, a viewpoint, a museum, or a shopping area, then park for a while before the next move.
For car rental in San Diego, an EV tends to feel easiest when you plan charging around places you already expect to spend time, rather than building your day around charging stops.
Charging Points
San Diego has a healthy spread of over 2,700 public charging locations across the city and nearby corridors, which makes it easier to treat charging as a quick top-up during longer stops.
Downtown parking facilities, retail areas, and major activity zones often have charging availability. You can work into normal sightseeing breaks, so the day still feels like a holiday schedule, not a charging schedule.
That makes an EV rental through Hertz a practical choice for car hire in San Diego, whether you’re staying close to the waterfront and beach neighborhoods or building longer drives beyond the city.
Congestion Charges
If you’re planning to get a car hire in San Diego, there’s no citywide congestion charge for driving around the city in the way you might see in places with a central charging zone. What you may pay instead are tolls if your route takes you onto specific toll roads in the wider region, plus standard parking costs in busy areas.
Getting from San Diego to La Jolla
La Jolla is one of the easiest drives from central San Diego, and it works well for a half-day loop when you want coastline views without committing to a long highway run.
- Start in central San Diego and head toward I-5 North (the most direct backbone for this trip).
- Stay on I-5 N and follow signs toward the La Jolla / UC San Diego area.
Take the exit that best matches your plan:
- La Jolla Village / UCSD if you’re heading for museums, campuses, or shopping areas.
- Gilman Drive / La Jolla Parkway if you want to position closer to coastal viewpoints.
- Once you leave the freeway, keep the plan simple: park once, then explore on foot. La Jolla works best when you walk between short stops rather than hopping back into the car repeatedly.
Practical tip: If you’re combining La Jolla with beach time, treat it as a “one area” day. Drive in, park, explore, then leave. It keeps parking stress down and stops the day from turning into a loop of short, slow drives.
Getting from San Diego to Coronado
Coronado is a classic quick-drive option because it feels like a change of scenery without taking you far from the city. The approach matters, since bridges and waterfront roads can bottleneck during peak hours.
- Start in downtown San Diego and follow signs toward the Coronado Bridge.
- Take the bridge across to Coronado and continue onto the main island roads.
- For beach and waterfront plans, aim to park near your “anchor” stop first (beach access, a park, or a main shopping stretch), then walk the rest.
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Popular vehicles to rent
A Quick Guide to San Diego
Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego
1 Market Pl, San Diego, CA 92101
This is a strong downtown base when you want a walk-first plan. It’s practical for trips where you park the car, do the waterfront and central stops on foot, then drive out for day trips without constantly moving hotels.
Hilton San Diego Bayfront
1 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101
A convenient choice if your itinerary leans toward the bayfront and downtown sights. It suits a “park, explore, return” rhythm, which helps keep driving limited to the moments it actually adds value.
The US Grant, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Diego
326 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101
A central downtown option that works well when your plan is built around short drives and longer walking blocks. It’s a good fit when you want a classic city stay, and you’re using the car mainly for structured day trips.
Phil’s BBQ
3750 Sports Arena Blvd #6, San Diego, CA 92110
A classic, family-friendly stop when you want a quick, filling meal without overplanning. It’s a good fit to treat yourself between stops, especially if you’re driving from the waterfront toward Point Loma or heading back toward downtown.
The Cottage
7702 Fay Ave, La Jolla, CA 92037
A relaxed breakfast-and-lunch favorite that works well before a beach walk or a shorter coastal drive. The menu is broad enough for mixed groups, and the La Jolla setting makes it easy to pair with a calm, low-stress morning plan.
Extraordinary Desserts (Little Italy)
1430 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101
This is an excellent stop when you want something easy after a long walk or a museum-heavy afternoon. It’s especially convenient if your car rental in San Diego day is centered around downtown neighborhoods and you’d rather park once and keep the rest walkable.
San Diego Zoo
2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA 92101
A strong pick for families and first-time visitors because it’s naturally a half-day (or full-day) plan without needing a complex itinerary. If you’re doing car hire in San Diego with a “park, explore, return to the car” rhythm, the Zoo fits that style well.
USS Midway Museum
910 North Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101
A high-interest waterfront stop that’s easy to combine with Embarcadero walks and downtown sightseeing. It’s a good choice on days when you want one major anchor activity, then keep the rest of the plan flexible around it.
Balboa Park
1549 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101
A great place if you enjoy museums, gardens, and open space. It works well with car rental San Diego plans because you can commit to one parking decision, then spend a few hours exploring without constantly moving the car.
FAQs about car hire
Do I need to make a reservation in advance for a Hertz car rental in San Diego?
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Are there any restrictions on taking a rental car outside San Diego?
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