SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – Language Spoken: Beachboy English – Location: West Coast, USA
San Diego is one of those towns on the West Coast that have so many little pockets of differences, so you have to keep exploring to find the spot you click with. I come from a boating town, so of course I liked the area downtown that was a mix between spotlight pubs, restaurants, and a walk along the docks BUT one of my favorite spots is Windansea beach, it has the best feel. There are little boulders on the beach that make it a little different than what I am used to, plus cute surfers (guys and babes) all running around.
The vibe in San Diego is chill. Seriously, it is so OK to make silly mistakes because everyone is super laid back, sun-kissed, and salty – my favorite things to be.
Balboa Park was one of my favorite spots in San Diego. It is full of majestic gardens, parks, and history. There are museums you can explore depending on your interests. I went at night and it was much more magical without all the people and hustle. They hold a ton of events there and you can check on their website to see what will be held there during your stay.
The Gaslamp Quarter and Seaport Village were one of my favorite areas of San Diego, but I must say at times it is at a very high tourist area. Again, I went to many things at night so it wasn’t so ridiculously busy except for a convention that was going on there. I really liked the old Police Headquarters in Seaport Village. I have an infatuation with old jail cells because I always wonder about what happened in there… if walls could talk. There are nice restaurants and shopping in both those areas.
La Jolla and Bird Rock are obviously the must see spots of San Diego. Again, I am not one for touristy places, but it is a gorgeous city. There are so many attractive places to explore just in this small area that are not flooded by tourists. One of the attractions I did really like exploring was Sunny Jim Sea Cave. It’s modesty priced and pretty cool to experience. You can also do some mini hiking/walking around la Jolla that is easy and free.
Encinitas was one of those places I just needed to see. It is like a mini surf town and the beach was EMPTY! I drove there on the way to my other family’s house just for the afternoon to catch some quick rays. The beach was literally empty. Maybe that is why people like it or I was in a really inhibited area. I changed into my bathing suit in a hotel bathroom because I wasn’t about to sit on the beach in jeans. It was way too hot. Travel tip: Act like you are staying at the hotel and use their lobby bathroom in an emergency. I parked my car on the street and prayed that I wouldn’t get a ticket because I didn’t understand the sign or maybe I didn’t want to understand it. I personally didn’t see what all the hype was about maybe because I was in the wrong area of Encinitas or I was there during the week at a low time, but there were minimal people around completely even in the town that looked like the town.
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Places Stayed: With family in El Cajon and Poway
Places Visited: Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Windansea, Bird Rock, La Jolla, C3 Church (Clairemont), Encinitas, Mission Bay, Balboa Park, Gaslamp Quarter, Seaport Village
Purpose of Trip: Visit family and friends; explore
backpackingChick 