After having so much fun on my New York getaway, I went ahead and booked another trip for San Diego. I lived in northern California for a while and was super excited for the opportunity to go back and explore a bit of southern California. One city I always wanted to visit was San Diego. When I think of California, I usually think about beaches, boardwalks, surfing, warm weather, hills, and valleys. So this was the perfect place for a late summer trip.
The day before my trip I had to work a late shift and only got a few hours of sleep before having to catch my plane. I slept the entire flight, so no views from the airplane. I caught my first glimpses of southern California when we landed and took a shuttle to the hotel.
I booked a hotel in the Little Italy part of town, because Italian food is one of my favorites. With plenty of restaurant options I knew I would be a happy camper. I walked to a little gelato parlor and grabbed a smoked salmon sandwich before heading back to the hotel. After eating and taking a nap, I walked the streets of Little Italy and towards the ocean.
The ocean was beautiful. The sun was shining bright, pretty blue skies were above me, with birds flying through the air near the water. I soaked in the beauty of it all before heading back to my room for the evening.
The next morning, I grabbed a cab to the pick up site for the La Jolla and San Diego Beach tour. With an energetic and funny tour guide the tour was a lot of fun. Our first stop on the way to La Jolla was the Soledad National Veterans Memorial located at a high point in the mountains. This site honored all veterans, and I am a veteran myself so this was a special treat. On top of the mountain I could see La Jolla down one side of the mountain and San Diego down the other side. After some photos everyone loaded back onto the tour bus.
The homes in the area were beautiful and the area near La Jolla beach had lots of unique stores and restaurants to explore. After a few hours of wandering around the local stores I found lunch at a vegan restaurant. I walked the trail area on the beach front and stopped occasionally to sit and watch the ocean. Hot was an understatement, it was August after all, and I was drained by the time I climbed back on the bus to go to the hotel. But I had so much fun exploring the beaches and the little town of La Jolla for the day.
On the third day I took a cab to one of the beaches and walked the boardwalk. After taking in the ocean air again I headed to the San Diego Zoo. I got to see a variety of animals, like elephants, lions and tigers, and got a couple of cool videos too! While it was still hot outside, the area was shaded and the walk throughout the park was not bad at all. After the zoo I headed back to Little Italy to explore some more before going to the hotel room. I ordered some Thai cuisine and called it a night in preparation for my early flight home the next morning.
San Diego is a beautiful city. There is so much more to it than the few places I got the opportunity to explore. The food was amazing everywhere I went. The Little Italy area was safe and the customer service at my hotel was great. If you are looking for a destination in California to visit, San Diego is definitely a place to explore!
Food, Hotel and Attractions booked through Expedia
Four Points by Sheraton San Diego Downtown Little Italy
San Diego Zoo
La Jolla and San Diego Beaches Tour
Pappalecco Italian Restaurant
Trilogy Sanctuary Vegan Restaurant
IDessert Dessert Restaurant
Napizza Pizza Restaurant
Uber for transportation