Things To Do
Temecula Wine Tasting
Our very first weekend getaway together was in Temecula wine country! Temecula is just a 10 minute drive north of Fallbrook and offers a large selection of beautiful wineries. A few of our favorites are Ponte winery, Leoness cellars, Avensole, Akash winery and Europa village!
Old Town Temecula
The beautiful cozy little downtown of Temecula on Front St. makes us feel like were in a 90's Christmas movie..but without the snow. It offers plenty of tasty restaurants (be sure to check out 1909 & The Goat and Vine), coffee shops, late night bars and antique shops! They have a great little farmers market every Saturday as well.
Hot Air Balloon
Get up early and catch the sunrise from the sky! There are many hot air balloon businesses in Temecula, Peter and I have not done this yet but many of our friends have and loved it.
Horseback riding
Temecula is home to many ranches, farm animals and horses! There are plenty of ranches that offer tours on horseback riding trails around wine country.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
This is the closest you will get to a safari without actually going to Africa. At the safari park, animals are free to roam all together as if they are in the wild. Of course, there are some exhibits where the more predatory animals are separated but they still have plenty of land to roam within their enclosure. Any animal lover would fall in love with this safari park!
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Torrey Pines is one of the most popular hiking spots in San Diego. It is a coastal reserve with many different trails overlooking the ocean ranging from easy to moderate. It can get very busy during the weekend so make sure to get there early if you want to avoid crowded trails and no parking!
La Jolla
La Jolla is a popular tourist spot and it is easy to see why. Head to La Jolla tide pools to play with sea critters, then the Children's pool to watch seals in all their glory sun bathing and end at La Jolla Cove for snorkeling and spectacular views of the coast. If you go inland a couple blocks you will find downtown La Jolla with high end shopping, art galleries and restaurants (Catania is a delicious Italian restaurant-Peter took me here before he proposed!).
Windansea Beach
Windansea holds a very special place in our hearts since this is where Peter proposed! This is just a 5 minute drive south from the busier tourist central of La Jolla, where the locals prefer to hangout. Even before the proposal, this has always been our favorite beach in San Diego :)
Mission Bay
Mission Bay is home to all of the water activities you can think of! There are several companies (we would recommend Seaforth & Mission Bay sports center) that offer rentals ranging from kayaks to paddle boards to pontoon boat rentals, jet skis and more.
Mission Beach & Pacific Beach
Pacific beach is just north of Mission beach separated by a lively boardwalk lined with tons of restaurants, bars, tourist shops, amusement park (Belmont Park) and more! Rent a bike or just stroll down the boardwalk from Pacific beach to Mission beach to take in the ocean and for great people watching. If you go early enough, you might be able to see dolphins swimming by the shore!
Old Town San Diego
Visit the historic heart of San Diego at Old Town! Old Town features acres of Mexican heritage, historical sites, colorful shops, eclectic restaurants and much more. Take in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park where you can experience life from the early Mexican-American period of 1820-1870s. Indulge in authentic Mexican food at one of the many restaurants while listening to Mariachi bands walking around!
Ocean Beach
Also known as 'The Venice of San Diego'. To be clear, the Venice of Los Angeles not Italy. It is definitely a more eccentric beach scene for those wanting something a little different. Sunbathe by the water then walk over to OB downtown on Newport street for tasty food (check out OB noodle house or Pizza Port), offbeat gift shopping, record shops and brewery tasting rooms. If you are there during the evening, head to one of the local pubs for some live music sets!
Balboa Park
Balboa park is a historic landmark that is an absolute must for any architect enthusiast. Immaculate Spanish style buildings sit among lush gardens, a gorgeous green house and plenty of space for taking in the beautiful weather San Diego has to offer. Oh and did we mention there are 16 museums? Our favorite is Museum of Us but we are also eager to visit the new museum that just opened up last year- Comic-Con Museum!
North Park & South Park
North Park and South Park are two small neighborhood downtown spots separated by a few miles. They are home to some great San Diego local shops, breweries and restaurants. Our go-to spots in North park include Urbn restaurant (favorite Pizza in San Diego), Holsem Coffee (the best cold brew- try the banana bread cold brew!), coin-op (full arcade bar), Pigment and Artelexia (local shops). I like to think of South Park as a cozy homier version of North Park. Our go-to spots here are Buona Forchetta (Italian restaurant), Kindred (Vegan cuisine in an eccentric death metal space), The Rose (Natural wine bar & restaurant), Communal Coffee (the cutest outdoor coffee spot), Mothership (Tropical space adventure with exotic tiki cocktails and vegan apps), Grand Ole BBQ and Native Poppy (floral shop). We love taking Elle here for just a stroll around the neighborhood.
Little Italy
Little Italy is a very popular foodie and elevated bar scene spot in San Diego. Every Saturday morning they hold our favorite farmers market full of fresh produce, plants and local goods. If you are going for brunch, check out Morning Glory (the design of this place is so fun- but be prepared to wait in line!). If you are going for dinner, check out Civico 1845 (Italian), Barbusa (Italian) or Cloak & Petal (Japanese). If you are going for drinks & apps check out Camino Riviera (Tulum inspired), rooftop at Born & Raised (steak house), False Idol (speakeasy Tiki bar-make a reservation!) or Ironside (seafood). *Do note almost all places are pretty busy and lively since little Italy is a popular spot. This may not be your preference!
Gaslamp Quarter
Gaslamp Quarter is the main promenade in downtown San Diego lined with all the entertainment ranging from restaurants/bars to comedy shows to live music spots to shopping all within a 5 minute walk from each other. Check out The American Comedy Co for some stand up comedy, Shout House to sing along to dueling pianos or The Nolan for a rooftop cocktail with a gorgeous view of San Diego!
Seaport Village
Waterfront shopping, dining and entertainment complex near the Gaslamp quarter perfect for families and little ones!
Coronado Island
Coronado is actually a peninsula but feels like an island. Visit the historic victorian Hotel Del Coronado built in 1888, take in the skyline views of San Diego from Centennial park or stop by the Coronado Ferry Landing for restaurants, shops and a small beach.