4-Day Californiacation
California remains one of the most sought after travel destinations in the world. Known for our tall skinny palms, drastic beach landscape and chill vibes, it’s hard not to understand why. Making the move across the country and declaring this so-cal city of San Diego my home might have been a little frightening at first, but it has been nothing short of an absolute dream. We want all of our readers to not only be able to experience the California vibes through our social media but through our blogs as well! From a couple of expert locals, we’re here to share with you our guide for getting the absolute most out of your time here in San Diego.
Day 1
Hopefully, by starting these expeditions the first day you will have had some time to catch up a little on sleep and adjust to the time difference… a little. Today we are starting you out with a morning hike, one of the most stunning and easy trails in San Diego, perfect for a small family or a relaxing meditative hike by yourself. The hike is called Torrey Pines, you can simply type it into google maps and it will take you right there, especially on the weekend there will be just enough people to follow up and help lead you to the trail if there is any confusion. The trail winds the coast with stunning views of the ocean just off the cliffs of northern La Jolla. We gave you this hike on your first morning to just give you an idea of the kind of views you will be seeing on your trip to the west coast and it won’t take much time to cross the finish line. Plenty of more time for activities today!
Once you have finished your morning hike, hopefully, it’s around noon and your group is feeling a bit peckish. Luckily for you, the next thing on our itinerary is heading closer to the “downtown” area of La Jolla to grab some lunch and enjoy a cocktail overlooking the La Jolla coves, which just so happens to be where you will be heading next. Olive and Basil is the perfect little Mediterranean restaurant with ocean views and a hefty menu, walking distance to the coves.
While the sun is still shining, walk on down to the water you see in the picture above to walk a path around more breathtaking views but to check out the sea lions too! One of the things San Diego is known for is the astonishing number of seals and sea lions that lounge out on the La Jolla Coves. It really is a sight to see, so walk down to the edge of the palms and follow the crowd. You can literally walk right down on the rocks steps away from the sea cuddling sea lions, spend as much time here as your heart desires.
What you do next relies totally on whether you have enough time to catch the sunset, and that all depends on what time of year you are visiting. IF you do have time, go ahead and type in the secret swings to your maps app. A little dot will appear somewhat near the coves and we’re going to ask you head there for sunset. The secret swings are a little place that not many people know to visit, but we insist that you do. For sunset, this spot offers sweeping views of the bay and the ocean.
Upon arrival at the destination, you will see the directions take you to an open parking lot. Drive through all of the parking lot until the road starts to make a wide bend left. Park anywhere you can grab a spot and look for the outline of a trail right at that bend. It sounds complicated but I promise the first time we went it was easier to find than we thought. The slight walk up the steep trail last’s only a couple of minutes until you can see the secret swing. Bring a blanket and a bottle of wine, this atmosphere for sunset will not disappoint.
Day 2
Depending on where you are staying in San Diego, find a little place close by to grab a latte and a little breakfast to fuel you for the day. Today we’re going to start you out in Balboa Park, one of our favorite spots in the city! If you have plans or desires to hit the San Diego Zoo, today will be that day. I will leave you with one piece of advice before you head straight to the park entrance and that is to explore Balboa Park first, which is where the zoo resides. Balboa Park is home to most of the museum exhibits in San Diego as well as the botanical gardens and lily pond and the Spanish Village arts center. Take a walk through the fountains and magnificent Spanish architecture. The Spanish Village showcases sculptures and paintings from local artisans in a very way. In the middle of it all lies a little coffee shop, home to the best smoothies in San Diego, I suggest the mango.
Because Balboa park is closer to downtown, after a long day at the zoo, we’re going to send you downtown to a cool atmosphere for a classy cocktail. If it’s in the budget we would suggest going to Kettner Exchange for a pre-dinner drink, and then grab dinner near the promenade in little Italy. The two connecting streets that make up little Italy are filled with classic Italian restaurants, you can’t go wrong with any but we suggest Civivo 1845.
Day 3
Pacific Beach! We suggest spending one of the weekend day’s hanging around Pacific Beach, the hub of San Diego. For any mood, there are plenty of things to do down by the water. If you’re looking for a gigantic margarita, Baja Beach Club offers the best seat in the house for the most reasonable price. Just bring a blanket with your group and hang out on the beach for the day, there’s plenty to do.
If you’re looking to meet up with the 20-something crowd of San Deigo, El Prez is the perfect spot for sunset nachos. While a bit crowded, the rooftop is strung with lights and couches are everywhere, a fun vibe with sweeping views of the sun going down over the ocean. If you want a little less of ‘party vibe’ for sunset, we’re going to tell you to head over to Law street with your blanket. You can walk, drive, or bird to the end of Pacific Beach at the end of Law street for a suspended grassy patch right on the water. Plenty of people gather here to watch the sun go down and it’s a much more peaceful environment.
Last Day
We’re going to make sure at some point before you leave, you make it to Old Town for some of the best Mexican food San Diego has to offer. So for dinner about an hour before sunset, head there to walk around the outdoor markets and dirt roads to feel surrounded by Mexican culture. During the day we will give you a few options. If you want to head to a much more… dramatic beach for another day on the water, head to Blacks beach. Not only is this a completely nude beach, leaving nothing up to the imagination, it resides at the very bottom of massive cliffs that you’ll have to treck down. The reason we suggest this beach is because it is one of the most beautiful, intense, landscapes you can be a part of. The day will be nothing less than an.. Experience.
If you want to be a little more active than lounging out for another beach day, we suggest you do something a little more touristy, but totally worth it. The Coronado island for some window shopping. To get there we suggest just typing in google maps ‘Hotel Del Cornado’ and parking wherever you can find a spot once you get closer. Everywhere is walking distance from the Del, it’s a great little place to enjoy lunch and check out the world famous Hotel.
Enjoy San Diego! We hope this guide serves you well throughout your trip.
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