May, 2018
D had never been to San Diego and I was so excited for him to experience this city with me. I had been several times before for conferences and work so I was also looking forward to having some more down time on this trip to explore. I had raved about the weather, the ocean and the scenery non-stop before this trip. San Diego is a laid-back So-Cal city known for surfing, golden beaches, endless outdoor activities, easy going vibes and perfect weather. Or so I thought! Little did I know (or perhaps due to a lack of research), but “May Grey” and “June Gloom” are two months that you should really avoid visiting San Diego! Every single day in San Diego in May was overcast, cool and grey when we were there. D kept asking me where the 77 degree and sunny climate was that I had droned on about? Day trips to Temecula and Palm Springs allowed for some sun! Thank goodness.
Here is our San Diego Itinerary at a Glance
Where to Stay
We stayed outside of San Diego in Mira Mesa, a neighboured located a bit north of the city of San Diego. We stayed in a SpringHill Suites on points which was perfect for us! Not too far outside of downtown San Diego and the perfect location for day trips!
What to do
Old Town – This neighbourhood is located in the historic heart of San Diego where you can experience life from the early Mexican-American period of 1821-1872. Here you will find historic sites, museums, lush gardens, boutique shops, strolling mariachis bands, street vendors and authentic Mexican restaurants. This is the perfect way to spend part of your day. The options for food are endless, we grabbed lunch at the Café Coyote, which boasted an impressive Margarita list to pair with tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, or burritos! Starting off with an antojito of guacamole and chips and sharing a platter of a few tacos made for the best lunch.
Mission Beach – Mission Beach is home to the Belmont Park fun fair and amusements with a wooden roller coaster from 1925. It is really a laid back neighbourhood where you will find surfers, volleyball players, sunbathers and outdoor activists. The boulevard is lined with cafes and restaurants offering ocean views and we opted to rent bikes for the day. We biked around Mission Bay which includes 19km of flat, scenic paths along the interior of the Bay. With the exception of a few short sections, the route is primarily vehicle free. Afterwards, grab lunch at any one of the waterfront eateries, but ensure to leave room for some ice cream at Belmont Park while you tour around the shops and amusement fun!
Embarcadero – A busy cruise-ship hub area known for seafood and endless souvenir shops and a Seaport Village. Here you will find some of the top attractions including the Maritime Museum, the USS Midway and the Star of India. We headed here for D and spent the better part of the day touring the USS Midway; the longest serving aircraft carrier with 29 restored aircrafts on board. I didn’t know what to anticipate and D said we would be there for a couple of hours. Approximately 4.5 hours later, we left and I had one of the most incredible afternoons of my life learning what life would be like on this floating city, absorbing many interesting facts on naval history. It blows my mind that 4,500 sailors once lived and worked on this ship – all of it incredibly fascinating. Go early as there are long line ups or buy a skip-the-line ticket in advance.
Gaslamp Quarter – As we were downtown already, we decided to venture to the centre of San Diego’s night life scene. Walking from the Embarcadero area, we headed to this quarter to find shops, galleries, theatres and restaurants. We typically don’t stay out late on vacation so I can’t speak to the nightly activities, but it offered a great afternoon vibe with some craft breweries for D. I was beginning to think this day was structured for him. With that being said, he grabbed a coffee and me a London Fog at one of the coffee shops and we toured along this district. Eventually, we found ourselves in one of San Diego’s larger craft breweries, Karl Strauss. Looking to try a couple of places – D enjoyed the Tower 10 IPA a traditional West Coast IPA with intense pine notes, but balanced with a vibrant citrus profile. The Follow the Sun for me, which offered a refreshing crisp and clean finish – I think I chose this one as I was chasing the sun on this trip! We nibbled on the Harissa Hummus and the blackened mahi tacos. Our second stop was at Half Door Brewing, a pub in the traditional Irish sense where beer is made and served fresh! I enjoyed a pint of the Tripel and Darrin sipped the House of Hops IPA while we shared the White Truffle Flatbread. A delicious combination of oyster mushrooms, artichokes, arugula and asiago cheese.
Coronado – Make your way over to this Island to enjoy its’ seaside charm on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. We parked the car for the day and spent the majority of the day on the beach – just walking and talking. We decided to rent a golf cart for part of the day to tour around town viewing some of the beach properties and historic buildings. Staying with the craft brewery theme, you can check out Coronado Brewing offering a good selection of pub fare, greens, tacos and wood-oven pizza. Leave room for some ice cream at Moo Creamery offering hand-rolled cones and hand-crafted ice cream. You can’t miss it as it has a ceramic cow and Elvis outside and has the old-time ice cream Shoppe vibe.
La Jolla – This was one of my favourite areas in San Diego. It offers a dramatic coastline, beautiful homes, unique shops and restaurants. It is home to the colony of seals and sea lions which drives the tourists to this pretty coastal area. Enjoy part of the day just walking the downtown strip where you will find trendy boutiques, cafes, ice cream Shoppes and one-off restaurants. Make your way to the Children’s Pool to see where the seals migrate and have their babies. This area now is a designated sanctuary for marine life and I could have spent all day watching these creatures in their natural habitat.
Torrey Pines State Reserve – This is a gorgeous spot beside the ocean with those rugged cliffs where you can find a selection of hiking trails to enjoy. One moment your landscape will be engulfed with lush green pines and forestlike ferns, the next, you will feel like you are out in the desert with prickly pear cacti. The 12.8km of trails can get crowded as this is a popular destination for locals as well as tourists so we recommend arriving early. You can enjoy panoramic coastal views of the Pacific along with sun-glazed badlands. Guy Fleming Trail is the flattest and easiest trail with options for longer harder ones including Razor Point and Red Butte – you won’t regret the views. If the hikes seem like too much you can always enjoy just strolling along the beach, listening to the waves roll in and watch the sunset.
Where to eat
We had two epic dinners in San Diego on our trip. I will share our experiences here with you.
The Grill at Torrey Pines – We made a reservation close to sunset to dine on the terrace with a view of the legendary golf course where the sun melted into the back drop of the Pacific Ocean. A romantic dinner for two underneath the California stars. The more causal of the two dining options here, but the menu would easily put a fine-dining bistro to shame. This experience exceeded our expectations and is more than just a ‘causal’ post golf spot. To start, D had the classic Caesar Salad paired with a craft beer and I had the Strawberry Salad with a glass of prosecco. This glass of bubbles paired delightfully with the strawberries, pistachios, manchego and lemon vinaigrette. Sometimes it happens where D and I order the same main course and this was one of those times. We ordered a bottle of the 2014 Mt. Veeder from Napa which harmonized well with the Duck Fat and Thyme-Basted New York Strip over a bed of sweet potato puree and asparagus. This wine; deep ruby in color, offered a combination of intense dark fruits, black olive and dark chocolate making the flavours linger with each bite. For the final course, we shared the homemade ice cream and cookies.
Mister A’s – This restaurant has a story from start to finish. On a FaceBook page dedicated to women who travel, someone had recommended we check this restaurant out when I had asked for recommendations. After looking into it, I immediately made a reservation for our trip and hands down this dinner is in our top five! We actually spent the day prior to dinner on Coronado Island and we planned in advance knowing we wouldn’t have time to go back to our hotel located north of downtown beforehand. Yes – we packed our five-star dining outfits and changed in the back of the car before heading to dinner after spending the day on the beach. I freshened up my wind-blown locks, touched up my make-up and was glamour ready in no time as we knew in advance business casual attire was required.
You will find this restaurant on the upper floor of a corporate building. This offers the most iconic views encompassing the bay, downtown, and Coronado Island skyline with planes landing. A French-inspired restaurant you will find a substantial wine list; 500 + wines with French and California wines being well-represented. This romantic spot operates with exceptional service and attention to detail without being intrusive. We were treated to culinary pampering from start to finish. Dinner promises an incomparable indulgence with impeccable service, savoury French-inspired cuisine and the most breathtaking views. Being in California we had our server recommend an exquisite pairing of wine, adding a very personalized experience.
To our surprise our meal began with the delivery of an amuse-bouche of Macaroni and Cheese. A delightful combination of truffles and comté cheese layered with pancetta and drizzled with béchamel sauce. Parisian inspired Macaroni and Cheese was just the start to this night full of divine decadence. D started with the escargots in garlic that offered powerful flavours with a refreshing finish. I opted for the multi-color beet salad with slices of purple, pink and golden beets drizzled with candied walnuts, greens and a horseradish vinaigrette that perfectly balanced the flavour of the beets. Offering contrast was the crispy, warm, phyllo pastry filled with goat cheese that oozed over the beets once opened. We opted for a bottle of sparkling water with our appetizers.
Before our main course arrived, we were served a scoop of raspberry sorbet surrounded by Champagne. Our tongues tingled with the combination, refreshing our palates as we anxiously awaited the next course.
Indulging our carnivorous impulses, D enjoyed the 10 oz filet mignon with a cabernet bordelaise, while I chose the Rack of Lamb with thyme garlic jus infusing our senses. The wine poured from the bottle was a glass of dark velvety seduction complimenting the terra firma complexity of the food. This was the ultimate gastronomic shower of food and wine experience. It was at that moment that D said we should order another bottle of wine, but instead, I chose richly aged Port. D finished his meal with the ricotta cheesecake with poached apricots sweetening the richness. The chocolate pistachio crunch bar finished my meal, offering an intriguing combination of sweet and salty enriching the caramel and nut aromas from the Port. We lingered for a while still memorized by the view, knowing that this dinner would be etched in our memory for years to come.
