Exploring San Diego in a Week

When I got interviewed for Shoutout SoCal , one of the questions was what would be my planned itinerary if a friend was visiting San Diego? Coincidentally, I already have this blog entry drafted up so it was easy for me to answer! Here's what I got!

DAY ONE – Coronado Island

AM: If you are an early bird, watch your first sunrise in Tidelands Park, Coronado! It’s one of the best views of the city in the morning! Brunch at Queenstown Public House (make sure you try their Pacific Shrimp and Shrimp and Grits!!)

Hotel del Coronado lawn while eating ice cream from Sundae's!

PM: Ride a ferry to Coronado and explore the island. Check out Hotel del Coronado and get some interesting flavored gelato from Sundae’s at the Del. For some relaxation, I always lounge at the grassy area in front of Serea and watch the ocean while eating my gelato.

Dinner: It is a must to go to The Henry in Orange Ave. I personally love their Housemade Pretzels and Provolone Fondue. Their Peanut Butter Molten Cake is to die for! After dinner, make sure to drop by Centennial Park and watch the San Diego skyline. You will be left speechless.

DAY TWO – Beaches

If you’re in San Diego during the summertime, make sure to spend at least one full day at the beach.

Baja Beach Cafe

Brunch: Baja Beach Cafe in Pacific Beach and try their fajitas!! Oh and did I mention margaritas that are served in fish bowls!? You can spend your whole day in Pacific Beach or Mission Beach. Enjoy the sun! Get some drinks at the Beach House! Their Mai Tais are amazing!

Beach House

Dinner: Cannonball has some awesome sushi.

DAY THREE – La Jolla

Brunch: Duke’s La Jolla has some really great food and drinks! And let’s not forget, the view is spectacular! Check out the sea lions and seagulls in La Jolla Cove. Make sure to also check Scripp’s Pier. You can route yourself to MESOM Laboratory and use the stairs to watch the sunset. You’ll thank me later! If you have extra time, walk by the Pacific Walk Trail by Prospect St. and try to spot this hidden La Jolla Swing!

Hidden La Jolla Swing

Dinner: Head to UTC La Jolla and have dinner at Javier’s. This is probably one of my top five restaurants here in San Diego. Oh, AND they have the best ceviche ever.

DAY FOUR – Ocean Beach

Brunch: OB Wonderland has views for days! Spend your day at Ocean Beach and explore this charming part of San Diego. You’ll see farmer markets, cute little shops and adorable cafes. They also have a dog Beach, so if you have a dog, this is a must to visit!

OB Wonderland

Then you can go to Sunset Cliffs and spend your day in the little sandy beaches. They are very secluded so picnics are a good idea too!! After a whole day of fun, you must stay for the sunset because I mean, it’s called Sunset Cliffs – it’s named that for a reason.

Sunset at Sunset Cliffs

DAY FIVE – Point Loma and Downtown San Diego

Wake up early and head to Shelter Island and do some Pedal Boating with EcoBoat Rentals!

Bucky enjoying the view while paddle boating!

Brunch: Head out to Bali Hai Restaurant for some amazing Polynesian cuisine for brunch. You’re on vacation, it’s never too early for drinks. They also have the strongest Mai Tais!! After, make sure to check out the Cabrillo National Park and see the Point Loma Tide Pools. In heading back, before stopping by Liberty Station, drop by Better Buzz coffee in Rosecrans Street for some midday pick me up! Once you’re in Liberty Station, check out Liberty Public Market and make sure to check out – Mama Made Thai, Chris Ono Grinds, West Bean Coffee and Bao Bar!

Dinner: You can go to Coasterra or Island Prime for some sweeping views of the city.

DAY SIX – Little Italy

Oh Little Italy! I mean, this is probably my favorite spot in San Diego, which is probably why I live here

Brunch: MORNING GLORY. Enough said. Saturdays are for Little Italy Mercato which is probably the biggest Farmer’s Market in San Diego! You will probably spend an hour or two here because all the stalls are just very interesting and not to mention has great diversity of products! From relish dips to succulents!!

PM: Balboa Park is pretty much close to Little Italy so you can take a stroll and check out the museums.

Balboa Park

Dinner: After a long day, you can go back to Little Italy area and check out Portside Pier. My favorite place there is Miguel’s. Make sure to stop by Waterfront Park and see the City Hall light up!

DAY SEVEN – San Diego

On your last day, make sure to check out Mission Basilica San Diego – it is California’s first mission. You will be in awe of how charming this church is.

Mission Basilica San Diego

Go grab some brunch from The Great Maple in Hillcrest. While you’re there, drop by the Hillcrest Farmer’s Market!

That’s pretty much it for a week in San Diego!! You can always re-arrange the places you wanna go to first but this for me I think works best because you get to explore different places everyday!