Hello lovelies! Today we’re jumping back in travel mode so I can tell you a little about where I grew up…good ol’ San Diego, California. While I now live in Orange County, San Diego was what I called home up until high school, and there is SO MUCH to do while you’re down there! Today, I want to talk a little about my hometown by sharing five things you can’t NOT do while you’re in San Diego, just in case you want to indulge in a fun and relaxing weekend in 2014. :)
1. Balboa Park // I can’t tell you how many field trips I took to Balboa Park when I was in elementary school. But who could blame schools? Balboa park is a HUGE area with tons of greenery, museums, restaurants, and even the San Diego Zoo. It’s definitely a must-see for anyone heading to SD and I doubt you’ll run out of (often free) things to do while there.
2. The Gaslamp Quarter // This area is in downtown San Diego and if you head here after spending the day in Balboa Park, I think you’ll come to appreciate the range of activities that San Diego has to offer. For the past few years, my mom has lived in this area, so I got to spend a lot of time soaking up the city life before moving to Tokyo. The Gaslamp Quarter has lots of bars, shops, and restaurants and everything is within a pretty close walking distance. Lots of fun for a night out!
3. Whale Watching // San Diego boasts a lot of ways to get in touch with nature (a safari park, zoo, and Sea World, to name a few), but I happen to like whale watching the best since it seems the most natural and least intrusive to the animals. I’ve gone whale watching in San Diego a couple times and it’s really neat to float past dolphins, barking sea lions, and of course, humongo grey whales. Personally, I think whales are terrifying (check the infographic below to find out how big they are WHEN THEY’RE BORN), but I still think they’re beautiful creatures and it’s kind of a secret goal of mine to meet one in the ocean one day. :) Many whale watching tours also leave from Point Loma, where I mainly grew up. Fun fact: Point Loma is a Portuguese enclave in San Diego. I am half Portuguese and my grandparents immigrated here from Portugal back in the day and set up shop in Point Loma. Many of them were fishermen, which makes sense since the ocean is so close! Check out this neat infographic from Marriott:
San Diego Whale Watching in America’s Finest City – An infographic by the team at Marriott San Diego Hotels
4. Old Town // This is another area that I took about 5,000 field trips to in elementary school. :) But I love Old Town! It’s lovingly named the “Historic Heart of San Diego” and has lots of old houses, churches, parks, and museums that you can visit. There’s even a haunted house called the “Whaley House” and when I took a flash picture of a mirror (inside) on a field trip in fourth grade, I convinced myself for years that the reflection of light in my photo was a little ghost. I guess you’ll have to see for yourself! ;)
5. Hillcrest // When I was in kindergarten, my mom and I lived in Hillcrest, which was nothing compared to what it is now! Over the years, lots of cafes and vintage shops have been added and Hillcrest is a really cute, grassroots part of San Diego. It’s also known for being a very tolerant and accepting area, with many LGBT residents. There’s even a huge Pride Festival each July which is tons of fun!
Seriously, writing this post has made me want to visit San Diego SO BAD. I’m pretty sure Monja and I are going to have to make a date and head down there pretty soon. :) If you ever need a place to stay in SD (or like…anywhere), Marriott has probably got you covered since they have 3,800 properties in 74 different countries! I might just have to hit them up myself. :)
Have you ever been to San Diego? Which one of the attractions above makes you most excited about visiting one day?
I was selected for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, however all content and opinions expressed here are my own.
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