We did 3 days in San Diego and honestly it wasn’t enough time to discover all of the gems that SD has to offer! This was our first out of state trip traveling with our baby boy who just turned 9 months old. I learned a lot about how to travel with a baby and will share in a separate blog post soon! However, I want to focus and share with y’all all the things I’d recommend for a short trip to San Diego.
WHERE AND WHAT TO EAT
Brunch at Parakeet Cafe- this spot was so good that we went twice. First, we went to the location on Coronado island for breakfast and then a second time at their One Paseo location. The vibe and aesthetic at Parakeet Cafe is fun and vibrant. They are a health conscious restaurant that does not lack in taste or presentation. They also have a unique coffee/mathcha/adaptogen beverage selection.
Wicked Maine Lobster inside Liberty Public Market
Seafood pizza at Leucadia Pizzeria- this was recommended by my hairstylist who grew up in San Diego. It was fairly busy for a Monday night and packed with real locals. It’s hidden in a strip mall not too far from one paseo shopping (like 15 minutes) but y’all… IT WAS WORTH IT. It’s not an aesthetic restaurant at all. The walls are hand painted with a beach mural and the whole vibe feels very outdated but once you try the pizza you won’t mind. This is an authentic local gem!
Le Parfait Paris inside Liberty Public Market- This spot has so many sweet things to choose from! From Au pain chocolate to fresh croissants, it’s a taste of Paris tucked away inside of the Liberty Public Market. Their gelato is what they are best known for and they had a great selection to choose from!
PLACES TO GO
La Jolla Cove- pretty much anywhere in SD has a breathtaking sunset but we wanted to go to La Jolla Cove to see the sea lions! I’ve never been so close to a sea lion before, let alone, in their natural habitat. They are the laziest, snuggliest, chunkiest animals who seem to love the attention as long as you keep your distance. Would highly recommend coming here to observe them in the wild!
Sunset Cliffs- parking was tricky so try to get there maybe an hour before sunset. We got there around 20 minutes before sunset and parking was pretty wild as it’s along the street and can be a long walk depending where you park! Aside from the parking, the view was vast and colorful. Again, I can’t stress enough getting there early so you can get a front row view to the sunset. Bring a picnic blanket and maybe some wine while you watch the sun set into the ocean. This was a dog friendly spot!
Central Beach-This was the most highly recommended beach by locals and blogs and I would have to agree. This beach was extremely spacious, clean, and family friendly! We came here early in the day so that we could park along Ocean Avenue. Parking is free but it fills up quickly! We arrived around 8am on a Sunday with plenty of parking to spare. Once we secured our parking spot, we walked to Orange Avenue to grab a coffee and some breakfast at Parakeet Cafe. There are lots of shops and restaurants along Orange Avenue. Central Beach in December is pretty cold so bring a sweater if you’re going to hang out on the beach for awhile! It’s such a peaceful, quiet beach and our little one loved getting his toes wet in the waves.
Torrey Pines State Beach-We came here around sunset but I wish we came earlier in the day and did more hiking! You can walk along the beach or hike the trail to the top. This beach had plenty of free parking in their parking lot and was easy to find. The views here were so pretty with the rocky hills right next to the ocean.
Hotel Del Coronado- If you’re visiting near the holidays, this is an absolute MUST. Their Christmas light displays are so beautiful, especially the light show in their giant trees. They also have an ice skating rink! If you’re not coming during the holidays, there is still plenty to do with a variety of outdoor restaurants, shopping, and drinks to sip on while you walk around the iconic hotel grounds. I would recommend making reservations at those restaurants in advance! We ended up dining at the “Sun Deck” since it was last minute and they have a first come first serve rule. I would say the food was just okay at that restaurant but if we go back, I’d love to try “ENO Pizzeria”.
WHERE TO SHOP
One Paseo- This is north of downtown San Diego and was a high end shopping spot with lots of good restaurants to choose from! We specifically came to see the brick and mortar for Marrow Fine, a fine jewelry brand that I’ve loved for years through Instagram and their traveling trunk show. Her designs are anything but basic and are extremely unique while simultaneously timeless.
Liberty Station-This was 10 minutes from downtown San Diego and was one of our favorite places that we went to! They have the Liberty Public Market, where you can try a variety of foods in one spot, and outside of the public market, there are plenty of stores and restaurants to visit. We actually came here twice because we had to go back to try fish tacos from Cecilia’s Taqueria. Pigment, Monkier General were our favorite stores to visit! There are also a lot of bright walls to take cute intagram-y pictures!
Click to shop my dress: https://rstyle.me/+SsiY4c-N3ZVMNW02uB10xQ
I definitely want to go back to San Diego in the future! I feel like we hardly scratched the surface and would love to explore some more. We stayed in the Gaslamp Quarter and I would personally NOT recommend that area if you have kids. It wasn’t family friendly! But, we spent most of the time exploring and only went to the hotel to shower and sleep. Having a rental car was a huge plus for us so we could easily get around! Let me know if you go to any of the places I recommended.
XOXO,
