It’s time to turn the tassel, graduation season is upon us. Life’s next chapter is only a piece of paper away, and new alumni will think of San Diego when they remember their undergraduate years. Before grads embark on a new journey, there’s time to make some final memories at these 10 local spots for graduation pictures that let everyone know where you went to school.
These buildings feel like home. | Photo via @jasmine.vruiz
📸 Balboa Park
The Jewel of San Diego is as beautiful as its nickname implies. People will know you’re in San Diego from the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, but you can also get creative. Take some snapshots with the unique trees + plants, or add a pop of color while walking down the cobblestone in the Spanish Village.
📸 Centennial Park, Coronado
The entire Island of Coronado feels like a photo waiting to be taken, but Centennial Park is an ideal spot because it allows you to capture the city’s skyline behind San Diego Bay.
City Editors Monica + Michael approve of La Jolla Cove for photos. | Photo via @thesdtoday
📸 La Jolla Cove
Few places capture San Diego’s beauty as well as La Jolla Cove — it has sand, sunshine + the Pacific Ocean in a single shot, and if you’re lucky, you might catch a seal or sea lion in the frame.
📸 Scripps Pier
If you’re looking for views of the ocean, Scripps Pier will give you plenty — but its most popular place to capture a memory is walking under the pier. While this pier-turesque landmark does have ties to UC San Diego, the view is enough to make anyone smile.
In case anyone had doubts, you’re San Diego educated. | Photo via @huskyofthebay
📸 Your favorite mural
The city is full of murals that add color to your cap + gown, basically making your graduation pictures a postcard. There’s no wrong choice, but there are some that make your San Diego roots a bit more obvious:
📍 “Smile, You’re in San Diego” — 109 W C St., Downtown
📍 “Greetings from San Diego” — 4225 30th St., North Park
📸 Old Town
Known as the “birthplace” of California, Old Town is the heart of San Diego. It’s full of breathtaking places to pose for pictures that display old architecture while capturing the beauty of the modern city.
Some scenic harbor views. | Photo via @mandelislast
📸 Oceanside Harbor
Few places capture beach life as well as Oceanside Harbor — making it the perfect place to wave goodbye to those college years. In one snap, you can capture boats, the lighthouse + the Pacific Ocean. If you want to add to your photoshoot, you’re a short walk from the Oceanside Pier.
📸 Palisades Park, Pacific Beach
When you wear your cap + gown to the beach, you want to find a place with a variety of photo ops. This grassy park sits at the end of Law Street above Pacific Beach, giving ocean views of Crystal Pier, gorgeous sunsets, and surfers in the background.
Welcome to the Gaslamp Quarter. | Photo via @schmittosan
📸 Gaslamp Quarter Sign
There are many locations downtown displaying San Diego’s city life, but few are as recognizable as the sign welcoming us to the historic Gaslamp Quarter. But that’s not our only sign — if you spent your college years outside of the dorms, pose for a picture with your neighborhood’s sign.
📸 Sunset Cliffs
There’s no doubt college students had many late nights, but it’s hard to dread nightfall with our sunsets. There’s no better place to capture those beautiful nighttime views — and overlook the ocean — than Sunset Cliffs.
Before smiling for the camera, plan your trip. Here are the dates out local undergraduate commencement ceremonies:
🎓 Point Loma Nazarene University | Sat., May 7
🎓 San Diego State University | Thurs., May 12-Sun., May 15
🎓 San Diego City College | Thurs., May 26
🎓 Southwestern College | Fri., May 27
🎓 University of San Diego | Sun., May 29
🎓 Grossmont College | Thurs., June 9
🎓 UC San Diego | Sat., June 11 + Sun., June 12
🎓 Cal State San Marcos | Sat., June 11 + Sun., June 12