When in San Diego #

I’ve had some friends move to San Diego. Since I used to live there, this is a list of things to do and try.

• 🛣Coastal Highway 101, drive it from Carlsbad down to San Diego.
• Drive to Torrey Pines, both South and North. It is just beautiful.

Downtown #

• 🍩Donut Bar is excellent. I love donuts and this place has never done wrong in providing something unique.
• 🥮Extraordinary Desserts has a menu of just desserts. You may see a pattern here.
• 🌻Balboa Park is a beautiful botanical park. You can spend a day here, between the museums and gardens.
• 🦓San Diego Zoo is the world-famous Zoo. Huge! All the animals! And located in Balboa Park.

Breweries 🍺🍻 #

This deserved its own section. These breweries are spread amongst San Diego. Always ask the brewer/tender where to go next, they know more.

• Modern Times great experimental brewery. Always something clever on tap. Similar to Something Brewery in Brighton, CO.
• Stone runs Stone Gardens Brewing. They have great location downtown and some of the best IPAs ever.
• Resident Brewing has a great downtown SD location.

Pacific Beach (PB) 🏴‍☠️ #

A surf “college” town, but lots of food, drinks, etc. Grand Ave is the “main street”, but the beauty of PB is the beach.

Fact: You used to be able to drink on the beach (like with kegs), until 2007 where the fight between July 4th beach party-goers and Police broke out.

• 🍔Kono’s Cafe is a “Hawaiian” breakfast spot. It is delicious. A tried-and-true hangover recovery area. It is also at the start of the PB boardwalk.
• PB Boardwalk, rent a bike (or bring one) and ride up and down. There are characters along here, but it can be very entertaining.
• 🏄‍♀️Mission Beach Surfing is where I learned to surf. Every one fun and friendly. The water will be cold, it is the Pacific.
• 🖼Green Flash Art is a piece made to represent the sunset. The lore of it, when looking at the sunset, you see a green flash amongst the orange and red at the very end of it.
• Fig Tree Cafe is a classic hipster brunch – french toast, omelets, etc. Nothing will be deconstructed, though.

Solana Beach #

Standard beach-side town. Easily drive-through but a good place to stop.

• 🍕&🍺Pizza Port is a brewery and pizzeria. The best (maybe just nostalgic). My go-to here was the Shark Bite Red Ale with BBQ Chicken, bacon, and pineapple (don’t judge) pizza.
• Chart House for the best seafood. It is a swanky place, but worth it. They have a sister place across the street, but I don’t see it anymore.

Encinitas #

This is a classic surf-side town. Tony Hawk is from here!

• 👓Swamis is a surf beach. If you are here on a big wave day, you will see some of the best surfers in the world. Go early in the morning, grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy.
• ☕️Lofty Coffee grab a coffee here, take it to Swamis.
• 🌯Filberto’s for a burrito. It is open 24/7, may not be the best, but always accessible.

Del Mar #

Just park and walk around.

• 🥪Board and Brew is a sandwich shop. Get the chicken club with the Sweet & Sour dipping sauce. Ask for the sauce during purchase, it is not on the menu!
• 🌅Seagrove Park watch the sunset here one night. Just do it!
• 🌮Roberto’s is the taco place that Blink 182 sang about. Order the fish and shrimp tacos with chips and guac. Sit outside and enjoy the cove.

La Jolla #

La Jolla is like Cherry Creek (with Boulder) on the beach. Expensive and beautiful houses everywhere.

• 🐋Seal Rock you can view seals are hanging out and sleeping on rocks.
• 🐡Birch Aquarium is by far the best aquarium I’ve been to. It is huge!

Hillcrest 🏳️‍🌈 #

This is the most excellent neighborhood downtown. Stay here. Coffee shops, restaurants, etc. This place has grown so much, and I couldn’t tell you what’s there anymore.

Old Town 🇲🇽 #

Tourist trap of an authenticate Mexican town. I don’t recall this being worth it.