Nothing inspires me quite like adventuring to a place I’ve never been before. Stillness is hard for me, so it’s no surprise that movement drives me. I’m a better version of myself on the road, so I threw a small bag in my car and headed south after hearing about Travel Thursdays on Ebates. They made booking wayyy too easy so off I went!
How San Diego has evaded me for 30 years, I’ll never know. I’m happy to be here now, finally getting to know its surf, suds and sunsets. They call it ‘America’s Finest City.’ Between the surfer dude with his tousled hair wishing me a warm welcome and the colors of a sunset drenching the beach below, they (whoever they are) aren’t wrong.
Stay
I booked a room at La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla after perusing Ebates’ website where I saw I could get 10% cash back on Travel Thursdays – a steal! I plan on using the cash back I earned from booking for a spa treatment after my long travel day home from Aruba 🙂
Do
I immediately feel like this city is for anyone from solo travelers (raises hand) to families with young kids to retired couples to a group coming in for getaways or bachelor/ette parties. I haven’t explore everything (yet) but I have yet to find a red flag on this place. So far soooo good.
La Jolla – 7 miles of curving coastline and a plethora of things to do from hanging with playful sea lions to kayaking the coves to hiking Torrey Pines.
Gaslamp District – Home to San Diego’s nightlife where any and all late night dreams are made of.
Pacific Beach – Boardwalk running about 3 miles with numerous local shops, bars, hotels, and restaurants along the walkway.
Mission Beach – Nearly two miles of oceanfront with a great nightlife/bar scene.
Ocean Beach – Funky vintage beach town with a pier, Dog Beach, taco stands and surf shops.
Coronado Island – Cross the famous bridge into the city’s resort island and visit the iconic Hotel del Coronado.
Old Town – Historic area where the first Spanish settlement in California happened.
Petco Park – Baseball stadium in the downtown area. Goooo Padres!
Balboa Park – 1200-acre space with 17 museums and cultural institutions, including key attractions like San Diego History Center, San Diego Air & Space Museum, San Diego Museum of Art.
Zoo – Part of Balboa Park and houses over 3,700 animals of more than 650 species. It’s one of SoCal’s biggest attractions and recreates natural animal habitats.
Eat
Food is a dichotomy that San Diegans revel in. They can dress to the nines and allow their refined palates to come out and play, but in the end, they’re part of a casual beach town that enjoys an unpretentious good time. They can kinda do it all, and I like doing it all.
The Mission (Mission Beach) – Breakfast does a body good, especially here where you should def come hungry. If you love it, try all three locations 🙂
Blind Lady Ale House (Normal Heights) – Because there’s nothing better than thin crust pizza, craft beer and a restaurant with an acronym of BLAH.
La Valencia (La Jolla) – Maaaybe one of the top 5 burgers I’ve ever had. Ever. And that’s a bold statement. Plus – I adore everything about this Spanish style hotel with a PINK exterior. I could gush all day, but the real takeaway: don’t miss out on 10% cash back at Ebates hotels and more,
only for Travel Thursdays!
Juniper & Ivy (Little Italy) – Adventurous and experimental, which I love. Plus, anywhere with an “In-N-Haute” burger is worth a try.
Carnitas Snack Shack (North Park) – The carnitas tacos are what cuisine dreams are made of.
Crack Shack (Little Italy) – Eatery where chicken reigns supreme. Proof is in the poultry. Mmmm.
Bang Bang (Gaslamp) – Where clubbing meets sushi, if you’re into that kinda thing.
Enter
Giveaway: Ebates is currently hosting a Travel Instagram Giveaway, my favorite kinda giveaway. With 5 winners winning $500 each, the current July Giveaway runs until Thursday (with another running in August).
Leave a Reply