We stayed in San Diego for 7 weeks, which covered a few holidays, so we had plenty of time to explore! I figured I'd group things into some of our favorites - activities, hiking/great sunset spots, and our favorite places to eat.
We stayed in the Point Loma area, which was a perfect choice for us. I would definitely recommend this area for longer stays in San Diego. I've stayed in both the Mission Bay Area and in the Gaslamp Quarter on prior trips and recommend those for (non-COVID) short stays.
While we were here during various stages of lockdown, we were still able to do and see so much!
Favorite Activities
Coronado Dog Beach - Beautiful (and clean!) dog beach. Another plus is that Coronado Island itself is fun to drive around. Indy loved it here!
Kayak La Jolla Cove - We did this with a group, but could have easily just rented a kayak for a few hours and explore on our own. Really cool to go into the sea caves!
Balboa Park - Wow, we were really surprised by this park. It really felt like we were transported to Europe. We visited during COVID, but usually many more museums would be open. We just explore outside, walked around the artist's village, and had a picnic in front of the Conservatory.
San Diego Zoo - I mean, this is a must-visit for a reason. I think we actually got a treat because the capacity was capped at 25% - meaning we basically had the place to ourselves! Lots of great exhibits and we really like taking the sky tram.
Old Town - Most of the retail shops were open when we visited, so we kind of got the full experience. Iv'e heard we've missed out on the "tortilla ladies" who make fresh tortillas daily. I particularly liked the outdoor shops and would definitely come back to shop for chimineas and pots for succulents if we ever moved here!
Torrey Pines Golf - Jason got to play and enjoyed it. Not his favorite course, but definitely one of the better public courses out there!
Little Italy Farmer's Market - We liked exploring here on a dreary Saturday morning. I got a dirty chai latte, flowers, and (our-favorite) some fresh salsa! There are lots of other Farmer's Markets in the area, but we didn't get a chance to check them out.
Favorite Outdoor Spots
Sunset Cliffs - We went here at least once a week to catch the sunset, if not more. There are a few different "areas" to explore. One is right next to the road and the other, which is technically in the Nature Reserve, requires a .5 mi walk to reach. We preferred the one with the walk since it was a little more secluded, but both are great choices. We brought a blanket and a wine in a tumbler and just relaxed for 30-45 minutes. The prettiest parts usually happen 15 minutes AFTER sunset, so don't leave when the sun does!
Cabrillo National Monument & Tidepools - Check the low tide schedule to get the most of your visit. The tide pools are full of crabs, little fish, starfish, and plenty of coral. There are also a few trails and lighthouse you can visit within the monument as well.
Torrey Pines Natural Reserve - Tons of trails to choose your own adventure, but we took the Guy Fleming Trail and met up with a trail that lead to the beach. We also caught low tide here, so we were able to make our way back to our car via the beach. It was a great day!
La Jolla (Pier & Scripps Trail) - The seals are the most-famous attraction here and you can get pretty close (while still giving them appropriate space!). It was fun to watch them jump up and down on the rocks for a while before we drove over to the Scripps Research Pier and walked along the coastal route for a couple of miles.
Mission Bay - We took an evening walk with Indy here (dogs are only allowed at certain times - after 4pm in the winter) and he liked running after the birds. Lots of runners and bikers too, so this seems like a great place to get in your workout!
Biking at Pacific/Mission Beach - Thankfully Jason appeased my desire to rent a tandem bike - it was so fun! We rented a bike a couple of blocks away from the beach and road down to Mission Beach along the boardwalk before turning around at the end and making our way to the end of Pacific Beach. We walked along the beach and grabbed some fish tacos to round out our trip.
Windansea Beach - What a stunning beach! This area was definitely more crowded than Sunset Cliffs, but for good reason. We found a little outcropping of rocks and settled in for a dramatic sunset while watching surfers catch some evening waves.
Favorite Food
The Cottage - This was one of the few places we'd been before and Jason had it marked as a "must-return"...mainly to get the tangerine mimosas! I later realized that we got the SAME exact meal from the last time we went, but it was great!
Ortiz's Taco Shop - This place was a block from our house in Point Loma, which made it dangerous! We went probably 4 times during our stay. Our favorites were the California Burrito & fish taco, but the breakfast burritos were also amazing. Get ALL of the green sauce.
Mitch's Seafood - There's apparently a fierce rivalry between Mitch's and Point Loma Seafoods (below), but we really liked the fish tacos from Mitch's. And the views can't be beat - we saw seals popping up to say hi while we sat outside!
Point Loma Seafood - We actually ate here twice. Both times were great! The mixed (crab and shrimp) salad, clam chowder, and popcorn shrimp are all highly recommended. We also got fresh fish to go to make our New Year's Eve meal. The lines are long for a reason!
Liberty Station Public Market - This is a good place for a group since there are tons of food options inside and everyone can get what they want. We tried the Korean burritos, Thai curry, Hawaiian poke, and spicy fried chicken. Yum to everything! There's also a bar to grab a drink and eat outside in the perpetual sunshine. There are also tons of coffee places (Moniker) as well as cute shops (Pigment) around there to enjoy.
Sushi Lounge - This was our first meal in San Diego and it didn't disappoint. We actually ate here 3 times! Great sushi for a great price. Everything we tried was great!
Cesarina - Unfortunately our reservations had to be cancelled here, but luckily they offered a great Christmas lunch meal. $59 for a salad, two appetizers, two pastas, and 2 desserts. It was WAY too much food so we ate it for a few days after. But they are known for family-style meals and I would love to return to actually eat here when we go back to San Diego.
Oscar's Mexican Food - Great tacos in Pacific Beach! Our favorite was the especial and fried fish!
Lucha Libre - This was my personal favorite California Burrito. They put some kind of chipotle sauce on it and then with the added cilantro sauce? Perfection! The shop itself is also a laugh - decked out in Lucha Libre gear.
Mr. Moto's - We ate here 3 times and only got the pizza one. The pizza was good, but we REALLY loved the stuffed/garlic knots and the calzone.
Overall
We absolutely fell in love with San Diego. Jason predicted we would, but I always thought I preferred Northern California/PNW. I guess this is exactly what the purpose of this trip is, but if we had a choice of where we want to live after this, I think San Diego would be tough to beat.
Up Next: A month in Joshua Tree!
