Vacations…who doesn’t love them? We had so much fun on our vacation in California! Last week I shared with you our first adventure in Mammoth Lakes. Today, I want to share our second adventure down in San Diego. From the amazing weather and gorgeous beaches, to the delicious food and fun shopping, there is something for everyone!
Stop #1 – Girlfriend’s Getaway
Vince had to stay in Houston for work while we were in Mammoth and my mom offered to watch the kids for me while I snuck away for a girlfriend’s getaway with my absolute favorite ladies. We stayed at the Intercontinental San Diego in one of their waterfront corner suite north rooms. The room has amazing views and is great for 4-5 people. Definitely sign up for their Club Intercontinental! You’ll enjoy complimentary breakfast, all-day lounge access with free beer, wine, and snacks, in addition to a happy hour with hors d’oeuvres.
Here are some of the things we enjoyed throughout our trip…
Bayside Nail and Spa – Great service and friendly staff
Seasons 52 Seaport District – Request dinner on the back patio for sunset views and a more private dinner
Coasterra – Order their tasty Coconut Margarita
Born and Raised – Great for dinner, a late dessert, or tasty cocktails
Donut Bar – Do I need to say more? DELICIOUS!
Stop #2 – Family Time
Vince’s family is from Southern California and has lived in San Diego for over 30 years. They have a beautiful home with a gorgeous Spanish-style flair. We enjoyed visiting family and friends throughout the week, a day at Disneyland, a fun train ride, shopping, dinners at some of our favorite restaurants, the perfect beach day, and wrapped up the trip with a fun family party. It was a busy week and we had a blast!
Here are some of our favorite things we enjoyed…
UTC – Great outdoor shopping
Disneyland Park – Definitely get the Disney MaxPass! You can cut your wait time significantly for most of the park rides 🙂
AMTRAK Train Ride – Take the kids for a ride up to Carlsbad from the Santa Fe Depot in downtown. Enjoy the ocean views and then explore Carlsbad Village for some tasty ice cream at Handel’s.
La Jolla Shores – Enjoy the surrounding cliffs and beautiful ocean for the perfect beach day.
Balboa Park – This is one of my top 5 favorite places of all time! It has a special place in my heart and I still remember going there with Vince when we were dating! We’d talk about our future family, where we were going to live, and all of our big plans together…it was crazy to go back as a family of five. Here, you can enjoy the amazing museums, beautiful gardens, and enjoy a great meal and cocktail on the patio at The Prado Balboa Park.
These were just a few of the fun things we enjoyed! Here are some more other great eats and fun things to do…
Ballast Point Brewery | Phil’s BBQ | Little Italy SD | Noble Experiment
Saint Archer Brewery | Island Prime
Stop #3 – Mom and Daughter Getaway
While Vince and the kids stayed with my in-laws, I was able to sneak away for a night with my mom. We took a short drive up the coast to Laguna Beach and stayed at the beautiful Surf and Sand Resort. It is literally right on the water and has the best views! We enjoyed shopping at Village Laguna, stopped in one of our favorite stores, Tuvalu, and had lunch at Tommy Bahama’s for one of their tasty Mai Tais. Once checked into our room, we took in the beautiful ocean view and had dinner at Splashes, a gorgeous restaurant located right inside the hotel. I highly recommend it for either lunch or dinner. As you can see, we were living it up!
Shop my California attire here…
It was seriously a GREAT vacation! While I enjoy being back in the routine with school and daily life, I truly miss our family, friends, and this amazing city. If you haven’t already, you have to plan a visit! For more great travel ideas, be sure to check out Our CA Vacation…All the things to do and see in Mammoth Lakes. I hope you have a great week and always try to look at the rosy side of life.
XOXO,
