Flying to San Diego

The airport is centrally-located near downtown, 15 minutes away from San Diego State University.

San Diego International Airport (SAN)
3225 N Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101
(202) 991-4659
san.org

Note: From June 2022 through 2024, the airport will be constructing a new, modern Terminal 1 to replace the outdated terminal. Travelers are encouraged to give themselves extra time when going to the airport. See the timeline and details.

Getting to and from the Airport

Local Ridesharing
Take the rideshare service of your choice. The designated rideshare pickup/dropoff point closest to South Campus Plaza (housing for the Institute) is Hardy Ave at Campus Green. That is also the closest, flattest walk to the Library where the Institute will take place. (See Map)

Public Transportation to SDSU: Take the Trolley!
Step One: Take the new “San Diego Flyer,” a free to customers electric shuttle bus service between San Diego International Airport (SAN) and Old Town Transit Center. The electric shuttle buses will operate seven days a week, with an average arrival every 20-30 minutes. Pick up and drop-offs are timed to meet the first and last Trolley, Coasters, Amtrak trains, and MTS buses with the first pick up at 4:45 a.m. and the last pick up/drop off at 12:30 a.m. Learn more.

Step Two: Take the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) Trolley (above ground light rail system) GREEN LINE from Old Town to SDSU. See this overview of how to take the trolley and plan your trip at sdmts.com.

Driving
If you plan to drive and park at SDSU, contact us at [email protected] and we can provide more information.

Luggage Storage

If your flight or train schedules afford you time to explore San Diego on your departure day, you may need a place to store your luggage.

Institute leaders note there are numerous locations throughout San Diego to store your luggage for a small fee: Bounce Luggage Storage. Your institute leaders are not familiar with this service, but we see that Bounce partners with local businesses in cities all around the world; these include dry cleaners, restaurants, cafes, delis, hotels and places of the like! Bounce requires all locations to offer a dedicated storage room or a designated area that's off limits for general store patrons.

Some tourist destinations (like the San Diego Zoo) have luggage storage for the day. You might also check with your airline to see how far in advance they will allow you to check your bag. San Diego’s airport is centrally-located near downtown so it would not be unreasonable to drop your bag before spending the day as a tourist!

Institute Location

The majority of the Institute will take place on the 4th floor of Love Library in the Leon Williams Room (LL430/431). This is a large presentation room with mobile tables and chairs. The room temperature is typically around 72 degrees with 55% humidity. Accessibility information for the lIbrary can be found on it's services page.

We will take two field trips: 1) Little Fish Comic Books Studio, located 2 miles from SDSU’s campus; 2) Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park, a 1,200-acre historic urban cultural park in central San Diego. Transportation will be arranged by the Institute.

Comic-Con takes place downtown at the San Diego Convention Center and Surrounding Areas. The GREEN trolley line passes right past Institute housing on SDSU’s campus and will take you directly to Comic-Con. A special 5-day Comic-Con trolley pass has, in the past, run $20. Learn more about taking the trolley during Comic-Con.

Sensory Breaks & Quiet Contemplation

The Institute will take place during summer when fewer students are on campus. Most summer classes are offered as remote learning. Unless there are special events or new student orientation at the same time as the Institute, campus should be fairly calm and peaceful. Participants who need a quiet space to relax during the Institute might find solace on the 5th floor of the Library, which is designated as a quiet study floor. 

To be as inclusive as possible to those with disabilities and sensory issues, please consider going fragrance-free for the Institute. 

The Mind, Body & Spirit Room is a space for individuals of all religious faiths and non-religious beliefs to focus on their mind, body, and spirit, whether in prayer, meditation, or quiet contemplation. This space is available on a first come, first served basis throughout the day, and is only available when Digital Humanities Center staff are on site. Lower level of the Library Addition - under the Dome - in room LA61A.

Commitment to Sustainability

SDSU is a sustainable campus with over 15 LED certified buildings, 5 on-campus gardens and more than 100 hydration stations to refill water bottles. We recycle and compost food waste so be on the lookout for signage and appropriate bins for your waste.

The Institute will provide reusable mugs for coffee and tea. These will be yours to use throughout the Institute and to take with you at the end. We will also provide each participant with an SDSU Aztec water bottle. Made from tin instead of plastic, these bottles are refillable and recyclable. 

Dining Options On and Near Campus

SDSU Dining is committed to sustainable, locally sourced food utilizing two of our campus gardens to source plant-based menu items that are consistently used in campus kitchens. SDSU is committed to providing dining options to suit a variety of dietary needs and to offering healthy options wherever possible.

East Commons, Conrad Prebys Student Union and South Campus Plaza host a number of dining options, ranging from simple take-away fare (such as The Habit and Oggi’s in Prebys) to fancier sit-down (Eureka in South Campus Plaza). Eureka has a nice outdoor patio. As a campus grocery store, Trader Joe’s offers a wide selection of grab-and-go meals in addition to what you’d usually expect at a TJ’s. Aztec Markets are small convenience stores with a selection of hot and cold grab-and-go meals as well.

See a full list of campus eateries, hours and menus.

Eateries within easy walking distance but technically not on campus include:

• Señor Pancho Fresh Mexican Grill - 5089 College Ave, San Diego, CA 92115
• Trujillo's Taco Shop - 5119 College Ave, San Diego, CA 92115
• Jack-in-the-Box - 5155 College Ave, San Diego, CA 92115
• L&L Hawaiian Barbeque - 5157 College Ave, San Diego, CA 92115
• 7-11 - 5141 College Ave, San Diego, CA 92115
• African Cuisine - Cantina Wy, San Diego, CA 92115
• The Boba Spot - 5157 College Ave, San Diego, CA 92115
• Domino’s Pizza - 5185 College Ave, San Diego, CA 92115

Map

Check out our customized map for key Institute locations.

SDSU Land Acknowledgement

For millennia, the Kumeyaay people have been a part of this land. This land has nourished, healed, protected and embraced them for many generations in a relationship of balance and harmony. As members of the San Diego State community we acknowledge this legacy. We promote this balance and harmony. We find inspiration from this land; the land of the Kumeyaay. 

If you’ve never been to a large, major pop culture convention, plan as you would to spend a long day at an amusement park. One of the joys of San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) has always been that it’s like a live-action “choose your own adventure” book. There is so much to see and do that if you don’t like what’s in front of you at the moment, go do something else. You can walk the Exhibit Floor (and shop!), attend panels, “camp out” in one panel room all day, join a gaming table, wander around the Gaslamp District which transforms annually into an extension of Comic-Con, or chill out near a hotel pool to catch your breath. Expect lots of walking, long lines, crowds (over 130K bodies!), and fun! 

What to Wear

• Dress comfortably and casually. Where else can you wear your fandom if not SDCC?  
• Dress in layers. Outdoors and the Exhibit Floor can be warm, while panel rooms may be chilly. Most people are comfortable in shorts with a lightweight sweater as needed.
• Wear comfortable shoes, preferably closed-toed. Comic-Con is extremely crowded and your exposed tootsies may be at risk.
• Cosplay is encouraged, but not required. Please see Comic-Con’s Costume Policy.
• Deodorant. Laugh though you may, practicing good hygiene at Comic-Con is a running “joke” that has even led to Febreze cosplay.

What to Carry (in your “Bag of Holding”)

• Start with a comfortable backpack. Pam purchased an ergonomically-correct hiking backpack after her first Comic-Con. Lessons were learned.
• Refillable Water Bottle
• Snacks - pack like a parent on a road trip! Some folks even bring sandwiches or full meals. Beth has been known to bring extra snacks for her new “line-friends.” Trader Joe’s, a popular grocery store, is next to SDSU’s South Campus Housing if you need to stock up.
• Phone charger and/or battery pack with the proper adapters.
• Wipes and hand sanitizer… a lot of it.
• Face masks if you choose to wear one. Mega events are prone to super-spreading and Comic-Con takes place during what has become the “new normal” summer Covid wave in San Diego over the past few years.  
• A light sweater
• Medications
• A little bit of cash just in case, though nearly all vendors take credit.
• Sunglasses, hat and sunscreen, if you think you may need them. A small number of lines may weave outdoors. San Diego can be very warm and sunny in July.
• Some people carry collapsible chairs if they plan to wait in lines that are known to be exceptionally long.

How to Prepare

Create a loose itinerary, but be very flexible! The panel schedule for Comic-Con is released two weeks ahead of the convention on a rolling schedule by day. Thursday’s schedule will be released online on July 11th, Friday’s on July 12th and so on. 

It’s helpful to note the Exhibit Floor location of any artists, publishers or other vendors you want to visit and carry that with you.

Download the Comic-Con app. You can use it to construct your schedule and note exhibitors you’d like to visit.

Check the Unofficial SDCC Blog for breaking news about exclusives and off-site events, exhibits, experiences and meet-ups.

If you have accessibility needs, please check Comic-Con’s Deaf and Disabled Services page.

We’ll talk more about Comic-Con during the Institute, but hopefully these tips will help you plan what to pack for California!

Finding affordable lodging in San Diego is challenging, even in the “off season.” Finding affordable lodging in San Diego during Comic-Con week is practically impossible even for the savviest of travelers.  While participants are welcome to research available hotels and other AirBnB options, we want to warn participants that hotel availability during Comic-Con is controlled by a third-party company and long-made AirBnB-type arrangements often fall through when renters realize they have made their property available at a lowered rate during the week of Comic-Con!

To address this issue, we have worked with San Diego State University Housing to provide affordable accommodations in SDSU’s South Campus Plaza. It’s very close to the Institute venue making for an easy walk if you want to return to your room between morning and afternoon activities. We anticipate that most participants will opt for staying there to enhance opportunities for collegial engagement. The rooms are large and have extra long twin beds, desk, chair, dresser, wardrobe, WIFI, minifridge, microwave, and bathroom. Rooms are also conveniently located near stores, restaurants, and the trolley station to take you to San Diego’s downtown (where Comic-Con will take place!) and to the waterfront.  

Participants who take advantage of this affordable housing may select (while supplies last) from the following options:

1. Single-occupancy (with linen) for $119.70/night for 15 nights ($1795.50)
   
   
2. Triple-occupancy (with linen) for 81.90/night for 15 nights ($1,228.50)

Should you choose one of these SDSU-supplied options, SDSU will pay the housing directly and remit to participants the balance of their $2200 stipend (minus taxes).

Here is an image for the triple-occupancy floorplan:

San Diego State University is located just off Interstate 8, at College Avenue. We are twenty minutes from the San Diego International Airport. For orientation, the Old Town Hotels are (approximately) just east of Interstate 5 and south of Interstate 5, very close to where the two interstates cross on the map.

Our address is:

5500 Campanile Drive 
San Diego, CA 92182
Campus operator: (619) 594-5200

Driving Directions

From San Diego Airport
» Turn left onto N. Harbor Dr.
» Turn left onto W. Grape St.
» Merge onto I-5 South
» Merge onto CA-163 North
» Merge onto I-8 East

From I-8, take College Avenue exit and go south. San Diego State University will be on your right.

Please see Google Maps for more detailed driving directions.

Trolley Directions

If you prefer to ride the trolley to SDSU, please see the  MTS website for trolley routes and schedules. SDSU is on the green line of the trolley.