• Take a Walk: Hoofin' it is definitely the best way to get around downtown San Diego, and to an extent Pacific Beach, Mission Bay and parts of Coronado. But walkin' ain't happening as a general way to navigate San Diego, which is spread out and mostly suburban. So if you are a car-less SD resident, living downtown or in one of the beach communities is key. Otherwise, you'll need a bus or train. Read on...
(p.s. San Diego is the 18th most walkable large city in the U.S. with a Walk Score of 56).
• Hop a bus: From the Mexico border to La Jolla, from downtown to El Cajon, the San Diego MTS covers a wide swatch of the county. Bus schedules are here. The Airport Flyer (Route 992) is a convenient mode of transport from downtown to the SD International, costing $2.25 each way. The Breeze bus service operates in the inland communities of San Diego County.
• Ring Ring goes the trolley: Ding Ding goes the bell. The San Diego Trolley takes riders to the vast regions of suburbia, including Santee, La Mesa and Lemon Grove and popular destinations like Qualcomm Stadium, Old Town and the Gaslamp District.
• Coasting: The gem of local public transportation is the Coast train system, which runs from Oceanside to downtown San Diego daily (except Christmas and Thanksgiving). The Coaster connects to LA Metrolink in Oceanside and several other regional transits services.
