Hotel at a Glance: Porto Vista Hotel

This boutique hotel makes its home amid the rustic trattorias of San Diego's Little Italy. There are plenty of restaurants within walking distance, but you can also share fresh and local cuisine at the hotel's onsite restaurant, Glass Door. In the evening, head to downtown San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter—it's just a short drive from the hotel.

• Where you'll stay: Guest rooms feature flat-screen TVs and free WiFi.
• Craft cocktails and seasonal cuisine are on the menu at Glass Door, where guests dine on flatbreads and modern cuisine dishes while overlooking the harbor.
• Enjoy local specialties at the Mercato, a farmers' market hosted on Saturday.
• Room sizes to fit your needs: The Cozy European Queen room is petite with limited space but efficient for the traveler on the go, while the larger Classic and Deluxe rooms offer ample space for guests to spread out.

San Diego, California: Electric Nightlife and Historical Attractions

San Diego's sunny, comfortably warm weather and 70 miles of coastline have long attracted out-of-towners, but the city's inland scene is no slouch, either. The Gaslamp Quarter is arguably the trendiest listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The area forms both the historic center of town and a hub of nightlife, with nearly 100 Victorian-era buildings occupied by high-end boutiques and gourmet restaurants.

A stroll through iconic Balboa Park takes you past 17 museums, as well as the world-famous San Diego Zoo. There's also the vibrant Spanish Village Art Center, a living gallery where local artists produce pottery and oil paintings. In Old Town, shops in Mission-style stucco buildings sell colorful woven baskets and maracas. Nearby stands the Whaley House Museum, dubbed one of the Most Terrifying Places in America by the Travel Channel. Ghosts of former residents are said to inhabit the rooms, which are filled with Victorian furniture and eerie dolls.