Happy Friday, Friends! I hope everyone had a wonderful week and is looking forward to a lovely weekend!
This weekend will be a bit of a whirlwind for us, but should be fun.
Basically, we’re going to San Diego for about 30 hours.
We live in Sacramento, so it’s a quick Southwest flight down there and back.
My husband’s cousin and his wife are celebrating their 10-year wedding anniversary, so it’s going to be a big family reunion.
We fly down on Saturday morning, the party is Saturday night, and we’re on an afternoon flight home on Sunday.
So, although we won’t get to do a lot of tourist activities while we are there, it’s still great to spend time (albeit short!) in the beautiful San Diego area.
My sister also lives in San Diego, so I’m definitely sneaking in some sister time on Saturday afternoon before the party!
And since she lives there, I’ve had the chance to visit a few times and I love all the area has to offer. If you are planning a trip to the San Diego area, here are some of my favorite stops:
Mission Beach/Belmont Park
It’s truly the perfect San Diego experience.
When most people picture San Diego in their head, I’m sure they are thinking of Mission Beach. The boardwalk area has a ton of great restaurants with great outdoor seating. We’ve eaten at Draft before and the food, atmosphere, and service were all great.
You can easily walk down to the water, relax on the beach or walk, jog, or bike the path that runs alongside the boardwalk.
If you’re more adventurous and like to surf, you have to try the Wave House. It’s a wave machine right on the boardwalk where you can show off your surfing skills.
Carlsbad Village
I love the city of Carlsbad. My sister lives just a few minutes from Carlsbad Village and it’s such a great place to walk around, shop, and most definitely eat.
If you like to run, it’s a great place to get in your morning jog. The city is beachside, so it’s just beautiful. I always get a great workout because somehow looking out at the ocean makes the hills just a little easier to take!
Hotel del Coronado
Some people love museums- I love hotels and restaurants with history. So of course I love going to the Hotel del Coronado. Even if you aren’t staying there, I highly recommend checking it out and walking the grounds. The whole place is truly beautiful, and it is right on the beach. It’s the best.
The town of Coronado is really cute, too. It has lots of little shops and fun restaurants. The relaxing pace is infectious. It’s a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.
Gaslamp District
If you like a little more action, you might want to stay in and explore the Gaslamp District. When I used to drink, they had some really fun bars and I’m sure much hasn’t changed in the past five years!
The energy on Friday and Saturday nights is over the top. The sidewalks are filled with bachelor and bachelorette parties. It’s a total 180 from Carlsbad or Coronado, but the perfect place if you are looking for a little less R&R and a little more party!
San Diego Zoo & Safari Park
I love a good zoo, and the San Diego Zoo has an amazing reputation for a reason. It’s really a site to see. From Giant Pandas to the Great Apes- if you like animals, I’m sure one of your favorites will be here.
One of the many great things about San Diego is the wonderful weather that seems to last year-round. I think that is one of the reasons the Zoo is so spectacular. The animals aren’t too hot or cold, so every time I’ve been there they are really active. It makes the who experience so much more exciting.
If you have time, I’d also recommend the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. It’s located fairly close to the zoo, but you will need to drive between spots. The Safari has a more open feel than the zoo and also offers a lot of tours, which come at an additional cost.
Those are my top picks for the San Diego area, but really that is just the low hanging fruit. There are so many more things to experience. You could easily stay a week and still not get to everything you want to see.
But then maybe you end up moving there. That is certainly what happened with my sister and she couldn’t be happier!
