This blog post has been a long time in the making… Michael and I visited San Diego two October’s ago for a long weekend and it ended up being one of the best trips ever. (After sorting through my photos and notes to write this blog post, I immediately started researching ticket prices and hotels to go back – haha!) The perfect weather, beautiful landscape, friendly people, and delicious food, make it really easy to fall in love with this part of Southern California. You really can’t beat 75 degrees and sunny year round!
Michael was born in Coronado, so we stayed on the island and then drove into San Diego to explore. We were only there for a few days, so we didn’t get to see as much of the city as we would have liked to, but we will definitely be visiting again!
During one of our conversations leading up to the trip, Michael and I decided that we were going to fill the weekend with as many new experiences as possible and invest in activities. As simple as it may seem, this was a little outside of my comfort zone, because my idea of exploring a city is normally behind a camera lens. It ended up being amazing and we still talk about all of the memories we made in San Diego.
Some of our highlights included kayaking in La Jolla, jet skiing in the San Diego Bay, hiking in Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, morning walks on the beach to the historic Hotel Del, coffee breaks at Better Buzz Coffee, a boat tour of the harbor, late night dinner at Tom Ham’s Lighthouse, walking through balboa park, brunch at the Great Maple, and watching the sunset over dinner at Jake’s in Del Mar.
Coronado
We stayed at the Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa. Coronado is just across the bridge from San Diego and it has a super laidback vibe which made it the ideal place for us to stay for a weekend getaway. Not to mention Michael was born in Coronado, so it was the perfect excuse to explore his hometown. Some of our favorite things in Coronado…
Crown Bistro
We stopped in for brunch as soon as we got settled in and it was California perfection! A casual environment with pretty outdoor seating and a delicious French-American menu make this charming café the perfect addition to your itinerary.
Miguel’s Cocina
Delicious Mexican food with a fun late-night atmosphere!
Hotel Del Coronado
This historic hotel sits right on the beach and is absolutely stunning! Sadly, we never made it to the Crown Room Sunday Brunch at the hotel, but everyone we talked to recommended it, so I would definitely add it to your list!
San Diego – Places to Eat!
Great Maple: We went for brunch but the dinner looks fantastic as well! Get there early to beat the line and order the French toast! It’s enough to share!
Tom Ham’s Lighthouse: Fancy Dinner with a gorgeous view of the harbor. We booked a late reservation and loved watching all of the city lights sparkling on the water.
Jake’s Del Mar: Fancy Dinner with a beach front view. Book a table near the window and arrive just before sunset. There’s nothing like watching the sun go down over the Pacific Ocean… and, bonus – the food is amazing!
Better Buzz Coffee: OMG! I still crave their iced moroccan spice! Not even sure what it was, but it was the best I have ever had, hands down!
In-N-Out: We can’t visit the west coast without stopping by In-N-Out at least once for a burger and fries!
Oceana Coastal Kitchen: We didn’t have a chance to go here, but it was on our list and looks AMAZING! If you go, be sure to let me know how you like it!
Sunset Cliffs Natural Park
The Beach in Coronado
Crown Bistro (Coronado)
Jet Skiing in San Diego Bay
This was the first time I have ever been on a jet ski, and I’m not going to lie… it was terrifying! The water was so choppy, I was certain we were going to flip! Somehow we didn’t, but I still lost my voice from screaming so much! Even though it was scary, it ended up being such a thrill, I would definitely recommend! We rented the jet ski here!
Balboa Park
Better Buzz Coffee
La Jolla
If you’re in San Diego, you simply must visit La Jolla! It’s a quick drive from the city and the hometown of Dr. Seuss! You can see his house on the edge of a cliff and so much of his inspiration from this charming town by the sea! While you’re there, book a Kayak Tour and explore the beautiful caves and gorgeous seascape. This was one of our very favorite experiences and we still talk about it to this day! Tours begin at 9:00 am and last for two hours. The water was really calm when we went out, but I was thankful to be in kayak with Michael because getting out past the waves was super hard. We booked our kayak tour online the day before here!
San Diego Harbor Cruise
As a painter, this was one of my favorite things that we did in San Diego! I love painting coastal scenes, so any chance to get out on the water with my camera is a win for me! We booked a two hour tour of the harbor and loved learning more about San Diego and seeing all of the pretty boats on the water! We booked the cruise here!
Jake’s Del Mar
Life Is Art 