About 4 weeks ago, Scott and I traveled to Southern California to visit family and friends. Last week, I shared all about the first half of our trip to Temecula and today I am sharing the details about the second half of our trip. We spent 4 days in San Diego, but also spent some time in La Jolla, San Clemente, Coronado Island, and Laguna Beach.
Where We Stayed
Horton Grand Hotel: Situated in the Gaslamp Quarter District in the heart of downtown San Diego, this urban boutique hotel was everything and more! The style is very Victorian and each room has its own handcrafted antique furniture and marble-framed gas fireplaces- definitely did not feel like a hotel room! The staff was lovely and the views of downtown from our room were beautiful! Highly recommend!
What We Did
1. San Diego Zoo: I feel like this is an obvious choice because this is one of the best zoos in the country. We had so much fun walking around seeing the animals, but I must admit I was a little disappointed as many of the animals were sleeping! We went around 10 AM, so maybe it was morning nap time. The pandas are a must, as well as the cheetah and Labrador retriever (kept in the same area!)
2. Coronado Island: We visited this area our second day and spent about 3 hours walking around. They has the cutest shops, restaurants, and hotels. We walked through the neighborhood streets and saw some of the most beautiful homes (I always ask myself, “What do these people do for a living?” Haha!). We also walked down to the beach and around Hotel Del Coronado (stunning!). Many of you recommended grabbing a drink at the hotel, but we ran out of time!
3. San Diego Padres Game: This was a complete spur of the moment decision- we heard the Padres were playing one night and looked to see if there were tickets available. Sure enough, we found tickets (with amazing seats!) online and about an hour later we were at the game. The field was within walking distance to our hotel which was really nice. Scott played baseball all throughout high school, so I think this was his favorite memory from the trip. I had never been to a MLB game, so it was really fun!
4. Torrey Pines State Reserve (La Jolla): Located about 20 minutes away from San Diego, La Jolla is a beautiful area that we fell in love with! We decided that we wanted to be “outdoorsy” one day and go on a hike. I really wanted to see some beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean and I was not disappointed. The initial climb up was mildly difficult (very steep), but totally worth it! The views are spectacular!
5. La Jolla Cove: We stopped by here on our way out of La Jolla to see the infamous seals! Very cute to see them laying around!
6. San Clemente/Laguna Beach: Located an hour away from San Diego, we visited some friends here on our last day. My girlfriend and I did some shopping in San Clemente (go to Melrose in the OC Boutique!) and then we drove over to Laguna Beach to walk around.
Where We Ate
1. Salt and Whiskey: Located in the Horton Grand Hotel, this restaurant and bar was gorgeous! We ate brunch here the first day- get the eggs benedict! Scott actually picked up dinner from here the first night too as I wasn’t feeling well and basically left him to fend for himself for dinner- sorry! We also had after-dinner drinks another night at the bar- they had live music and it was wonderful. The entire atmosphere is very Victorian with a lot of dark wood and a burning fireplace- so romantic!
2. Searsucker San Diego: After we walked around Coronado Island, we came back to our hotel and decided to walk around downtown San Diego. We stumbled upon this restaurant and bar and had drinks outside. I had a spicy margarita and it was amazzzzing!! Although we didn’t eat here, their menu looked delicious!
3. Barleymash: Okay, if there is one place you need to go for a fun dinner, it’s here! This is a super high-energy restaurant and bar located in downtown San Diego. It reminded me of a high-end sports bar, but the food was much nicer! I had their Caesar salad (it had a “cage” of parmesan cheese over top!) and it was delicious! When we went, it was very crowded because the Stanley Cup playoffs were on, but I liked being in a loud, busy atmosphere. Supposedly, at night, Barleymash turns into more of a “club” atmosphere and they move all the tables and chairs to clear a dance floor. We saw a DJ setting up when we were leaving- I am sure it gets pretty rowdy haha!
4. Osteria Panevino: Okay, hands down the MOST authentic and delicious Italian food I have ever had! Scott’s dad recommended this restaurant for a “nice” dinner, and my goodness, he was so right! If you like Italian, this is a must! I got the lasagna and it literally melted in my mouth- no joke! The service was impeccable and it was such a nice evening!
5. Café Mimosa (San Clemente): We spent our last day in San Clemente/Laguna Beach with some friends and had the yummiest brunch here! We sat outside on the patio and enjoyed mimosas- so relaxing!
6. Deck on Laguna Beach (Laguna Beach): This beachside restaurant is gorgeous and has the best views of the ocean! We stopped in here for a mid-afternoon snack (guacamole was so good!) and drinks. I later found out that Tamara Judge and Kelli Dodd went there two days later! Ahhh! I was so close!
7. Pierside (San Clemente): This beachside restaurant is steps from the water and has the prettiest view of the sunset. We had dinner with our friends here on our last night and it was the perfect ending. The drinks were amazing (get the Victoria or jalopeno-mint maragarita!) and the food was excellent!
We had such a lovely time in Southern California and I cannot wait to go back. I hope you all enjoyed this travel guide! Please let me know if you spend some time in the San Diego area and what you end up doing! As always, thank you for reading and sharing! -A
