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Travel Guide

To help you get the most out of your festival experience, here’s a guide to our venues, transportation, lodging, and nearby dining options.

TRAVEL TO SAN DIEGO

Southwest Airlines
We’re proud to welcome Southwest Airlines as the Official Domestic Travel Partner of the 27th San Diego Asian Film Festival. With extensive service to San Diego from cities across the country, Southwest helps bring filmmakers, guests, and audiences together for 10 days of film, culture, and community. We’re grateful for Southwest’s generous longtime support of Pacific Arts Movement and SDAFF, helping make this year’s festival possible. Learn more at southwest.com.

Alaska Airlines
We’re also proud to partner with Alaska Airlines. Alaska connects San Diego with dozens of nonstop destinations across the U.S. and beyond, making it easier than ever to join us for 10 days of films and community. Visit alaskaair.com.

GETTING TO THE FESTIVAL

MTS – San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
Skip the traffic and parking! The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) makes it easy to get to SDAFF. Many of our venues, including UltraStar Mission Valley, are directly accessible by trolley and bus routes. Plan your trip at sdmts.com.

  • UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley: Green Line (Hazard Center)
  • UC San Diego Price Center Theater: Blue Line (UC San Diego Central Campus), Route 30, 41, 101, 201/202, 237, 974, 978, 979
  • AMC UTC 14: Blue Line (UTC), 30, 31, 41, 105, 201/202, 204, 101
  • University of San Diego, Warren Auditorium: Route 44

CHARTERUP!
Looking for group travel solutions to SDAFF? Our partners at GOGO Charters make renting a San Diego Charter Bus a breeze. Additionally, National Charter Bus offers a wide variety of bus and shuttle rentals for groups of all sizes. Serving the local area, group transportation services can also be arranged online through San Diego Charter Bus Company, San Diego Charter Bus Rentals, and San Diego Charter Bus Services.

WHERE TO STAY

Our main festival venue, UltraStar Mission Valley, is conveniently located in Mission Valley near several hotels, making it easy to stay close to the action throughout SDAFF.

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Diego – Mission Valley: Located directly next to UltraStar Mission Valley, the DoubleTree is one of the most convenient options for festival attendees looking to stay close to our main venue. The hotel is located at 7450 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92108.

San Diego Marriott Mission Valley – Enjoy modern accommodations, a resort-style pool, and easy freeway access — just minutes from our main venue, UltraStar Mission Valley (two trolley stops away from the theater — Rio Vista Station).

 

WHERE TO EAT, DRINK & EXPLORE

From quick bites next to the theaters to full days out in San Diego’s best neighborhoods, here are our picks. Drive times are from the main festival venue.

Mission Valley / Hazard Center (at the festival) – Right next to UltraStar Mission Valley. Grab pizza, craft beer, and a Pizookie at BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, an iconic fish taco from Kiko’s Place (a family-recipe truck since 1983, so start with the OG fish taco), fresh rolls and sashimi at Negihama Sushi Bar & Grill (with a patio and fire pit), or a classic burger and fries at In-N-Out Burger. Gravity Heights is a modern brewery and restaurant with wood-fired pizzas and a lively patio.

UTC / Westfield UTC (near AMC UTC 14) – Hungry between screenings? Haidilao serves interactive Sichuan hot pot with attentive service, live noodle-pulling performances, and a build-your-own sauce bar. For a drink afterward, Raised by Wolves (21+) is a speakeasy-style cocktail bar hidden inside the mall, named to North America’s 50 Best Bars. There’s no food menu, so eat first.

Hillcrest (5–7 minutes away) – A vibrant hub for LGBTQ+ culture, nightlife, coffee shops, and casual eateries. Try fresh spring rolls, banh mi, and Vietnamese coffee at Goi Cuon, or margaritas and a big tequila list at Baja Betty’s (21+). CoCo Ichibanya, Japan’s largest curry chain, also has a Hillcrest location.

Normal Heights (8–10 minutes away) – Diverse and laid-back, filled with neighborhood pubs, cafes, and cocktail bars. Try Hatsuzakura, a cozy, pink-hued Japanese kissaten serving homestyle comfort food like omurice and Japanese sandwiches, plus matcha and desserts (closed Mondays). Grab a coffee at Little While or Dark Horse Coffee Roasters; a drink at Sycamore Den (a 1970s-style retro cocktail lounge); craft drinks at Polite Provisions (an apothecary-style cocktail bar); or mezcal and Oaxacan-inspired bites at Cantina Mayahuel. Pizza and beer fans will like Blind Lady Ale House.

University Heights (8–10 minutes away) – A charming neighborhood with a small-town feel, known for brunch spots and local favorites. Try Plumeria, a vibrant vegetarian Thai spot with flavorful curries, noodle dishes, and plenty of vegan options, or Bahn Thai. Park House Eatery has cozy vibes, and Madison on Park is a stylish mid-century spot for dinner or cocktails. Or stroll along Park Boulevard for casual bars and eateries.

North Park (10 minutes away) – Trendy and artsy, with breweries, ramen, sushi, and fusion kitchens packed into a few walkable blocks along 30th Street. Enjoy modern Vietnamese at Shank & Bone, ramen and cocktails at Underbelly, pies at Tribute Pizza, playful street eats at Kin Len, or Japanese-inspired cocktails and vinyl at Part Time Lover, a hi-fi bar and vinyl shop. Beer fans can explore Modern Times, Fall Brewing, and more. Finish with gelato at An’s Dry Cleaning (don’t bring your laundry: it’s a gelato shop with flavors named after fabrics, voted No. 1 in America by USA Today’s 10Best, open daily until 11 p.m.). The Lafayette Hotel is home to the iconic 24-hour Beginner’s Diner for round-the-clock comfort food, and after dark it takes on a distinctly elevated persona, with moody lighting, artisanal cocktails, and an effortlessly chic atmosphere (21+ during nightlife).

Logan Heights / Barrio Logan (11–12 minutes away) – A cultural landmark known for Chicano Park and its creative community. Explore The Woo!, Bread & Salt gallery (home to Mujeres Brew House and Provecho Coffee), Libélula Books & Co., Sew Loka, Longplay Hi-Fi, and neighborhood breweries. The Barrio Art Crawl runs on the second Saturday of the month along Logan Avenue.

Kearny Mesa / Convoy District (15 minutes away) – San Diego’s go-to destination for Asian cuisine. Find Korean BBQ, dim sum, ramen, hot pot, boba, and late-night dessert spots, including CoCo Ichibanya for Japanese curry. Try soondubu at Friend’s House Korean or hand-ripped noodles at Shan Xi Magic Kitchen. For late-night Korean food, soju, and karaoke, try Min Sok Chon (Korean restaurant and soju bar with private karaoke rooms), ZZAN (Korean pocha bar and sushi), Bobos, Carriage Karaoke, Melody, and Kogi KBBQ (open until 1:30 a.m. Fri/Sat). The area’s karaoke lounges and bustling energy make it perfect for post-screening adventures.

Downtown, Little Italy & Bankers Hill – San Diego’s skyline and dining destinations, best for a special night out. Watch the sunset over Petco Park and the skyline at Altitude Sky Lounge in the Gaslamp Quarter (21+, opens at 5 p.m. nightly), with a simple yet delicious menu and a full bar. In Little Italy, Born and Raised is a theatrical, glamorous steakhouse with tableside cocktail carts and a rooftop lounge (dress up and reserve ahead). In Bankers Hill, Mister A’s has been a San Diego fine-dining landmark since 1965, on the 12th floor with views of downtown, the bay, and planes landing at eye level (check their site for the dress code).

Coronado – Cross the Coronado Bridge, or arrive by ferry or water taxi, for skyline views at the Coronado Ferry Landing (upscale dress code). Peohe’s serves waterfront seafood with Pacific Rim and island flavors, plus a sushi bar and dockside courtyard. Il Fornaio offers Italian food with house-made pasta, in-house baked bread, and a patio overlooking the bay.

National City (16 minutes away) – Known for its diverse, vibrant Filipino/Latino community, with small “hole-in-the-wall” businesses sprinkled all throughout this historic town. Plaza Boulevard is the main strip for Filipino food. Try Villa Manila, known for kamayan, a cultural Filipino-style way of eating with your hands and a very Filipino way to celebrate any occasion (reservations recommended), homestyle combo plates at Tita’s Kitchenette, or pancit at Manila Sunset.

Chula Vista (20 minutes away) – A vibrant stretch lined with vintage neon, craft breweries, and rich local history. Downtown Chula Vista (Third Avenue) is walkable, with breweries like 3 Punk Ales and Chula Vista Brewery, plus La Bella Pizza Garden, a local favorite since 1955.