Travel Guide | San Diego

Wednesday, May 10, 2017


San Diego is such an amazing place to visit or call home. I grew up just outside San Diego and still live close enough to visit frequently. There is always something fun to do or somewhere amazing to eat. You can't beat the perfect weather and gorgeous views either! I've compiled a small list of my  current favorite places in San Diego, including where to stay, where to eat, and things to do. I hope you enjoy!

S T A Y

Hotel del Coronado | This is probably the most famous hotel in San Diego and rightfully so. It is pretty pricy but if you have an opportunity to stay here, you should! It's on Coronado Island right on the beach and it's just stunning. Even if you don't stay here, it's worth a visit.

The Sofia Hotel | If you'd rather stay downtown near the Gaslamp District, I recommend the Sofia. It's a beautiful boutique hotel in an old historic building. Since it's a historic building, the rooms are on the smaller side, but you can't beat the price or the location.

C O F F E E + T E A + D E S S E R T

Better Buzz | Better Buzz is one of my favorite coffee shops in the San Diego area. They have amazing coffee and I highly recommend the Best Drink Ever! They have several locations around San Diego and many of them are very Instagram-able! You've probably seen their slogan, Life's Better Buzzed, all over Instagram.


Communal Coffee | Communal Coffee only has one location in San Diego, in the North Park neighborhood. This is definitely one of the more popular coffee shops in San Diego and is all over Instagram. They also have a really cute flower shop (Native Poppy) inside, which is where the coffee + flowers on the outside of the building comes from!

Holy Matcha | Holy Matcha is a brand new place to stop for matcha in San Diego. The interior is entirely pink and green and perfect! It's definitely a place to check out if you're in the North Park area of San Diego.

Donut Bar | If you're on a mission to find the Best Donut in the World, Donut Bar might be the place you are looking for! Obviously it's hard to go wrong with donuts but these are some of the absolute best. These are gourmet donuts and their menu changes daily.

Bing Haus | If you want to try rolled ice cream or eat ice cream out of a fish cone (do it for the Insta, right?), come to Bing Haus! Overall, this is a super cute dessert spot and who doesn't love ice cream?!

B R E A K F A S T + L U N C H + D I N N E R

Breakfast Republic | Breakfast Republic is the place to go for the best breakfast or brunch in San Diego. There are several locations around the city and their menu is fantastic! This is a super popular brunch spot, so be aware that there will be a wait!

Liberty Public Market | Liberty Public Market is a place you should check out if you want to try a bunch of amazing food in a hip setting. It's basically San Diego's version of Chelsea Market in NYC. 

Flower Child | If you want to grab some delicious healthy food in a beautiful setting, head to Flower Child in Del Mar! It's super cute inside and has an amazing outdoor patio to enjoy some California sun! Very Instagram friendly!

Lobster West | Lobster West has amazing lobster rolls! I became obsessed with lobster rolls after visiting Luke's Lobster in NYC and Lobster West has the best ones I've tried on the west coast! They have two locations, one in Encinitas and one in Coronado!


That Boy Good | You'll have to travel a little north of San Diego to find the best BBQ but trust me, it's so worth it! It's a small place and doesn't look super amazing from the outside, but they serve amazing Southern BBQ.

The Marine Room | The Marine Room is right on the water in gorgeous La Jolla. When the ocean is at high tide, the waves can sometimes splash right onto the windows of the restaurant! It's a really neat experience. This is a nicer restaurant with a dress code, so save it for a special occasion! 


S E E + D O

La Jolla Cove | La Jolla Cove is one of the most beautiful spots in SD in my opinion. It's also the best spot if you want to go kayaking, snorkeling, or diving. The water there is protected so there is a lot of sea life for you to see. 

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve | If you want to hike in San Diego and have gorgeous views of the ocean at the same time, this is the place for you! Even if you aren't an amazing hiker, you can still check this place out. There are shorter/easier hikes there and they are worth the views!

Old Town | Old Town is a really cool place to spend a few hours. It's fun to walk around and look at all of the old buildings, do a little shopping, and stop for some lunch.

Balboa Park | Balboa Park is a must-do if you are visiting San Diego. There is so much to do here. This is where you can find over 15 museums, the San Diego Zoo, and gorgeous gardens and fountains! If you like museums but can't visit all of them, I recommend the Museum of Art or the Natural History Museum (theNAT)!

Beaches | You can't come to San Diego and not go to the beach (unless it's a rare cold day). These are some of my favorites... Moonlight Beach, Swami's State BeachTamarack State Beach, La Jolla Shores, and Coronado Beach.

Carlsbad Flower Fields | If you are visiting San Diego in the Spring, you need to head north to the town of Carlsbad. Here you will find an amazing field of ranunculus flowers that you can walk through the gorgeous flowers or take a wagon ride through them. Nearby is the Carlsbad Outlet Mall and Legoland.

San Diego County Fair | If you are visiting San Diego during the month of June through the 4th of July, you should head to Del Mar and spend a day at the County Fair! The fair is huge and features tons of food, games, rides, animals, and concerts! It's well worth the visit.


S H O P + S T R O L L

Pigment | Pigment is an amazing shop in North Park. They have succulents, home decor, stationary, accessories, and so much more. Everything is so cute and the ambiance of the store is amazing. There's an ombre version of the Pink Wall outside, a cute neon sign, and a huge succulent wall.


Seaport Village | This is one of my favorite spots in San Diego to go and browse cute and unique shops right on the water. There are also some great restaurants there, as well as an amazing carousel from 1895! 

Downtown La Jolla | If you want to shop (or window shop) at some upscale shops near the ocean, this is the place to do it. Some people even refer to this as San Diego's Rodeo Drive. While I don't think it's quite at that level, it is still a really nice place to walk around and check out some shops! If you're a Kardashian fan, their grandma runs a children's shop here!


IF YOU HAVE BEEN TO SAN DIEGO BEFORE, 
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO GO? 
LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS!
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9 comments:

  1. I've been to California, but not San Diego. It looks so fun! I have seen Better Buzz all over Instagram and there are so many other places that look Instagram-able on this list! You're so lucky to live nearby!

    Madison // Mads Maybe

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    1. San Diego is very fun! So many people visit CA but don't make it to San Diego. You should definitely visit if you come to CA again!

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  2. I've never been to California before but it seems like there's SOOOOO much stuff to do! I could totally see myself as a west coast kinda girl!

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    1. Yeah, there really is so much to do here! I hope you can visit one day!

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  3. The time I went to San Diego I fell in love with the city!! One of the places I would definite live. Thanks for the tips! I will definitely use them next time I go.

    xx, Melissa
    https://elephantontheroad.com

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  4. I've never been to California, but San Diego is pretty high up on my list of places to visit! I'm dying to see the Pacific Ocean, haha. I saw some photos of the Carlsbad flower fields, and they look like something out of a fairy tale!

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    1. I hope you can cross it off your travel list soon! The flower fields really are gorgeous in person too!

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  5. Bookmarking this for my trip! Thanks for the recommendations :)

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