Travel Guide: San Diego

For the past few years, I have traveled to San Diego and it has easily become one of my favorite cities to visit. Even in January with as chilly—and sometimes rainy—as it can be, it’s always a step above the winter wonderland that I’m escaping. I have been meaning to put this travel guide together for literal years, to give you all of my go-to cafes to grab a coffee from, restaurants to grab a bite at, sights to see, and shops to find yourself—or someone else—a little something to remember this perfect place.

Grab A Bite

In California, it’s pretty easy to find a smoothie bowl on every corner, and in Mission Bay, I feel like there is literally one within an arms reach no matter where you are staying or exploring. These are my tried and true, best places to go to find one: Cafe Tropics a relaxing, open storefront that handcrafts freshly made smoothie bowls with perfectly ripe fruit on top. My favorite is the No Worries bowl—an açaí base topped with banana, strawberries, blueberries, granola and coconut shreds. They also specialize in chaggaccinos—another one of my favorite treats near Mission Beach. The Funky Lemon is a curated cafe with immaculate vibes and the most stunning smoothie bowls topped with edible flowers. And last, but certainly not least, Juice Wave for if you’re in the mood to fully customize a bowl for half the price of some other places or grab a fresh squeezed juice, which are equally as delicious. Another perk of Juice Wave is that it is next to the best breakfast burrito on the west coast.

Smoothie bowls and breakfast burritos aside, if you have time and are looking for a sit down breakfast, head over to Breakfast Republic for a french toast flight with flavor profiles that will truly blow your mind. There’s not a bad thing on the menu and you will absolutely leave more full than you anticipated.

With all of these places keeping you full for most of the day while you explore the small shops and surfs of Mission Beach, you won’t be looking for food until dinner. There is a long list of restaurants in Mission Bay and you can’t go wrong going anywhere. But one thing about me being on the West Coast, is that I am going to crave seafood and sushi. Oscar’s Mexican Seafood is a twist on a California staple and they do it well. You can’t go wrong with their shrimp tacos, trust me. Another favorite is Mizu Japanese Cuisine and Sushi, exclusively for their edamame—yes, one entire order just for me— and their Pink Roll topped with salmon, tuna and shrimp.

The real foodie lovers dream is in Little Italy, located in the heart of downtown San Diego and filled to the brim with cafes, restaurants dessert shops and bars. Crack Shack is an absolute must if you’re in the mood for a chicken sandwich like you’ve never experienced before and vibes that don’t disappoint. Eating outside on a heated patio with a 2000s playlist is exactly where I want to be on a Friday night.

After dinner—or before, no judgement here—treat yourself to Salt & Straw, with the most decadent flavors and some other peculiar ones you’ve ever had crossover with ice cream.

See The Sights

There is no shortage of things to do or see in San Diego, which is part of the fun. Besides hanging out on the beach with my toes in the sand or taking a dip in the ocean, some of my favorite places to go are Balboa Park and La Jolla. You can spend all day exploring either one of these places—enjoying the nature and wildlife, shopping vendor markets on the weekends or taking a walk with a matcha in hand.

Balboa Park

La Jolla

Shop Around

You will stumble upon plenty of shops no matter which area you are in—Mission Bay, La Jolla, Little Italy, Downtown San Diego—to find plants, souvenirs, gifts, and so much more. I would recommend just searching places around where you are staying or grabbing food to find some gems you wouldn’t on any other travel guide. That’s how I found these favorites: Often Wander is my favorite little shop for scents and candles, cards, crystals, jewelry and art. Sadly, this location closed late last year, but still has a storefront in San Francisco, for your next adventure. Across the street from where Often Wander used to be is Stroll, a boutique that has something for every girl under the sun. It’s also right next to a plant store, filled with exotic houseplants and home goods.

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