Are you a spontaneous traveler who prefers to freely roam with no established plan or do you tend to prefer to plan every detail before you arrive down to the minute? I’ve learned that my personality falls somewhere in between. My FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) nature keeps me from being too spontaneous, but my love of a good adventure & new experience keeps me open to seize opportunities as they present themselves.
Last week, I had the opportunity to tag-a-long with my husband on a business trip that we were fortunate to make into a west coast getaway. We took advantage of every minute of his down time and biked, meandered and even paddled our way through San Diego, California and the surrounding metro.
After some research and help from some San Diego bloggers (Thanks La Jolla Mom) & perusing online reviews from various suggested locations, restaurants and attractions, I scratched out a game plan on the 5 hour jet set from CLT -> SAN. If you’re thinking about visiting this beautiful area, hopefully the following list of our favorites will give you a head start on your travel planning:
Downtown San Diego and the Gaslamp Quarter
We stayed at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, which was adjacent to the Convention Center and a stone’s throw from the Gaslamp Quarter in Downtown San Diego. Lace up your walking shoes or grab an electric scooter (if you’re feeling brave) and peruse this colorful and vibrant commercial district full of restaurants, bars, clubs and retail shops. We also happened upon the Gaslamp Artisan Market that takes place every weekend all year long where art vendors of all kinds lined a street closed only to pedestrian traffic to sell their wares. Petco Park, the home of the Padres Major League Baseball team is also located in this area of the city.
If we had more time, we would have explored the Little Italy District, which we heard from a few locals is a must-visit for a foodie like me.
Seaport Village
Seaport Village is a San Diego Bayfront quaint commercial district in downtown San Diego. This was a short walk from our hotel and was peppered with retail shops, eateries, brew pubs and coffee shops. It was a great spot take a casual walk, a heart-pumping jog or just to sit and watch the ships and yachts enter & exit the harbor.
La Puerta
This place was a whole vibe. Give me some homemade salsa, guac and a fresh crafted margarita or a Mexican beer on tap and I’m a happy gal. The atmosphere was killer (pun-intended), yet oddly romantic from the celebrity-mugshot wallpaper to the skeleton “Dia De La Muerta” décor & 90’s grunge music. Highly recommend!
The Whiskey House
Don’t let the sketchy and dark exterior dissuade you – this was a great spot for a night cap (or a whole night, tbh). In case the name wasn’t clear, maybe you’ll believe it’s a whiskey bar by the floor to ceiling backlit display of whiskey bottles that spans the entire length of the restaurant (and even down the hallway to the restroom). They actually hold the Guinness World Record for the most varieties of commercially available whiskey in one place at 3,300 in 2019….& now has over 4,000! They carried over a dozen North Carolina-made whiskeys, which made my night, but as expected, Kentucky took the prize.
Coronado Island
Coronado Island is a beautiful, quaint community that is surrounded by the San Diego Bay with a backdrop of downtown San Diego on one side & the Pacific Ocean on the other. You can get there by car, over the iconic Coronado Bridge or by a short Ferry Ride. We rented bikes at Wheel Run Rentals and rode the Bayshore Bikeway & the Silver Strand Bikeway, which was an incredibly scenic 18-mile paved bikeway that connects Coronado Island and Imperial Beach to the south. We concluded by exploring downtown Coronado and the infamous Orange Avenue. We had lunch at Nicky Rottens Bar & Burger Joint and enjoyed some gelato from Gelato Paradiso. Pro Tip: Parking is free on Sundays — learn from us and don’t pay for parking when you can get it for free!
Oceans Beach
Oceans Beach is located about 7 miles from downtown San Diego and lies right on the Pacific Ocean just north of Point Loma. There’s a public pier & beach, as well as, volleyball courts. We walked up the beach, watched some surfers catch some waves and sat a while on the rock jettie while being entertained by the dozens of locals and their dogs playing gleefully on Dog Beach (This public oceanfront dog park).
Old Town San Diego
We drove through, but didn’t have time to stop and explore. Old Town San Diego is known as the “Birthplace of California” or the site of the first California Settlement established in 1769. We both agreed that we would like to spend more time here if we ever made a return trip.
Sunset Cliffs Nature Park & Trail
The highlight of our trip! Do you ever wish you could pause a moment in time? This would have been one for me. Breathtaking views & sounds — from the 70 foot cliffs to the beach below to the rock jetties and waves breaking, to the surfers surfing and the onlookers looking. Shew! Take a blanket, charcuterie board and bottle of wine and join the locals who gather to watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean from atop the Sunset Cliffs. Icing on the cake — We even spotted a couple whales spouting off in the distance.
La Jolla
La Jolla is a seaside neighborhood 12 miles north of downtown San Diego with 7 miles of Pacific coast. We did a 90-minute guided tour of La Jolla Cove by sea kayak! I researched several companies, however, La Jolla Sea Cave Kayaks’ reviews sold me. This was an incredible experience – from spotting marine life, birds, multiple underwater marine habitats and even paddling in and out of two different sea caves in La Jolla Cove. This is a must-do if you like a fun adventure. We had lunch with an oceanfront view at Blue Ocean Sushi (delicious!) and then took a walk along the waterfront to visit Ellen Browning Scripps Park, the Point at La Jolla and the Children’s Pool La Jolla. It was also a treat to learn of inspirations that author of the Dr. Seuss Children’s books and long-time La Jolla resident, Theodor Geisel, drew from this SD suburb. I also recommend reserving some time to sit and watch the Sea Lions and Harbor Seals sun on the shore (in their respective spaces, mind you), play in the surf and carry on full “barking” conversations with one another.
When in doubt, take the trip. Spend the money. Don’t put it off. Take on a new adventure with someone you love. Pause and take it in. Be filled with gratitude for the opportunity.
San Diego, I hope we’ll be back to visit one day, but if not, thanks for the beautiful memories. However, just to keep the record straight, #eastcoastbestcoast.
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