San Diego

The La Jolla Farmer’s Market is located at La Jolla Elementary on Marine Street and Girard in the La Jolla Village. It is every Sunday morning until 1:30 pm. The produce is amazing and the ready-made food is perfect for breakfast or lunch. They often have live music and the kids love to pay there.

Playgrounds and Parks:

There’s Kate Sessions Park for a view, a picnic and a playground. It’s the closest one. In PB we go straight down Lamont St. until it reaches the Bay. Crown Point Park is there with playgrounds and a bike path around the bay. Fanuel Park is near there; it’s smaller and more quaint. In the La Jolla Village, the kids can play at the La Jolla Recreation Center or at the lawn at the La Jolla Cove. You can see Sea lions at La Jolla Cove and at the area just south of there called the Children’s Pool. Toys are at Geppetto’s on Girard or at Tuesday Morning on Garnet Ave. Check the schedule as the parks in the city offer free movies in the park as well as free summer concerts.

If you have time to have breakfast or brunch in La Jolla Village, it would be nice. There are a few cool spots like Cody’s, the Cottage and Brockton Villa. The Coffee Cup has the best food. There’s Pannikin Cafe for coffee on Girard in La Jolla. For dinner there, they opened a Duke’s there recently, there’s always a Groupon for Crab Catcher. And our favorite is George’s Terrace. There’s the El Pescador Fish Market to buy fresh fish or to eat there (most affordable fish option). We often get take out from Don Brava’s Taco Shop in Bird Rock on La jolla blvd and walk 2 blocks down and to the left to eat at the tiny park that gives you a great view of the ocean.

Hillcrest and Northpark are fun neighborhoods where you can walk around, grab a meal, etc. In Northpark, we do our own pub crawl and could see you the 6 local breweries that we stop at; they are 1 mile apart between the first and the last one.

The La Jolla Village is a nice place to visit; there are sea lions at the La Jolla Cove and also at an area in the Village called Children’s Pool. The 2 La Jolla Beaches are beautiful: Windandsea BeachandLa Jolla Shores. The first one is closer with cliffs and is beautiful where the La Jolla Shores is better for kids with a playground and bathroom at the beach.

Pacific BeachandMission Beach are iconic San Diego Beach Neighborhoods with the PB Pier. You can walk up and get food at Kono’s or nearby at Oscar’s for fish tacos. You can, run, walk, jog, surf or rent bikes there. The waterfront boardwalk goes along the beaches there and along the Bay all the way to Mission BayandMission Bay Park–another beautiful large park where you can run, ride bikes, etc. You can stop after your visit at Bay Park Fish if you’re hungry. Or Point Loma Seafood!

There are too many sights to list including the San Diego Zoo and the many theme parks in the area. If you have questions, please just ask. Balboa Park is a fun place to visit and to explore, plus there are too many museums to list. Please visit their website for a list of things to do and see there.

The waterfront in Little Italy that goes toward the Gaslamp Downtown and toward the airport and Pt. Loma (the other direction) is reached by running down Cedar or Beech Street to the Waterfront Blvd. You can run, walk or ride bikes there. You can also visit the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier or the Maritime Museum which are both located along the water. Tourists like Seaport Village, located near the Convention Center, but it’s not a place that I would suggest that you need to visit unless you just want a nice walk, run or bike ride.

The Gaslamp Area is the area downtown along 4th and 5th Ave. between Broadway and Market Streets. Seersucker is our favorite restaurant there.

Coronado Island is a fun excursion and it is a short drive from Little Italy across the Coronado Bridge; you can also take a ferry to Coronado from the Broadway Pier (at Broadway) along the Waterfront. You can rent bikes and ride around the island. There’s a big park right as you enter the island to the right and there’s a small park located on Orange Ave.; there’s Coronado Brewing Company and Miguel’s Mexican food if you’re hungry. I like Clayton’s Diner for take-out food and sandwiches. You can eat at the beach or at Star Park located at the end of Orange Ave. It’s a must-see to visit the Classic Hotel Del Coronado and to see the beach next to it.

If you have more time in San Diego, I’d suggest that you visit Cabrillo National Monument for the view and to learn about the history and the exploration of San Diego. For order-up fresh fish, you can eat at Point Loma Seafoods or off the Highway 5 at Bay Park Fish.

Old Town is located at Old Town Ave.; you can visit a small state park that looks like an old western town and it’s a fun place to get Mexican food (even if it’s a bit touristy): Cafe Coyote, Miguel’sorOld Town Cafe.

If you would like to do a hike, visit a beach and see some amazing views of the Pacific Ocean, I suggest that you start early and hike at Torrey Pines State Park which is located north of La Jolla nearDel Mar. You may be able to find a parking spot along the beach otherwise you would pay the parking fee per vehicle because it is a State Park. It is crowded on Saturdays.

North of San Diego there are a few nice places to visit in North County. You could take the Coaster Train there. Del Mar has a street where you can eat, walk and shop or visit the nice beach at Powerhouse Park. Cedros Ave. in Solana Beach is a nice place to shop and to eat as well as Encinitas. The two beach parks there are Fletcher Park inSolana Beach andMoonlight Beach Park inEncinitas. We love Pizza Port for pizza and beer. There’s one in Solana Beach (Del Mar) and in OB (in San Diego). OB has a more laid back hippy vibe. Wonderland Pub and the Public House there are great. Oceanside is 40 mins away but has a fun downtown area, pier and a good food and brewery scene.