Brad & Lauren
Things To Do
Just a Little Note
Since we know a lot of people may be traveling for this wedding, we wanted to provide a fairly extensive list of "local" things to do so everyone can experience our favorite parts of San Diego! Every suggestion below are things we (Brad and Lauren) enjoy doing together - for casual date days and date nights out - and we want to share it with all of our favorite people. This list is organized by area moving North to South with places near each other grouped together as much as possible. If there is anything in particular you want to see/do and would like some tips - please reach out! It will only help Lauren fulfill her dream of becoming a travel agent.
9th Street
We took our engagement photos here and our first photo together as a couple (a selfie, of course). It is off the beaten path, parking is easy - just drive to the end of this neighborhood street where it meets the ocean. There is a walking trail along the cliffs with views of the pacific and beautiful wildflowers if its the right time of year! For the more adventurous, there are a couple of trails down the cliff to the beach. Also a great surf spot if you have a board. For food afterwards, we reccommend Mexican with two options nearby. Salt and Lime in downtown Del Mar is an authentic mexican restaurant with unique dishes (it used to be a food truck by Lauren's first apartment in San Diego- they have definitely upgraded). It's now a little more upscale but the food is worth it. For something more casual but equally delicious, Roberto's taco shop offers up incredible California burritos. Roberto's is a chain but we do think the Del Mar location is #1.
Moonlight State Beach
another option nearby: Cardiff State Beach
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
This is a great nature reserve for cliffside views of the ocean and wildflowers. The park has lots of trails at varying lengths, so you can choose your own adventure - most are shorter, with minimal incline but there are a couple long and steep ones down to the water. I would recommend this to families and small children due to the ease in accessibility! The park does have an entrance fee at $12-$25 per car. Another option is the Torrey Pines Gliderport on the South end of the park. You can choose to join the hang gliders or watch the flyers who take off from there! It also has a trail down to the beach or sweeping views of the ocean to enjoy from the cliff top. There is also a cafe (Cliff Hanger Cafe) if you're hungry!
La Jolla Tide Pools
Windansea Beach
Bird Rock
This is my (Lauren's) favorite spot in all of San Diego. My perfect Sunday is grabbing the chicken pesto sandwich from Seaside Surf Cafe and heading to Calumet Park a couple blocks away to watch the surfers. It is another hidden gem of San Diego that never gets too busy. We would also recommend Don Bravos ($2 street tacos can't be beat) and Wayfarer Bakery (famous for their breads and sweet treats). Both get very busy - for Don Bravos, call ahead to order and for wayfarer, don't be too discouraged by the long line they move fast!
Point Loma
liberty station, cabrillo, sunset cliffs, epigg, mitchs tacos,
Balboa Park
Balboa Park is at the heart of San Diego and has a lot to offer. There are numerous trails throughout and neighborhood parks along the edge. Towards the center of Balboa are all of the City's museums and iconic historic buildings. The Botanic Gardens Building, Japanese Friendship Garden, and cacti garden are also great stops near the main plaza. It is a fun place to walk around but can get extremely busy! To avoid some of the congestion, we would recommend two options for parking. If you don't mind walking and don't want to deal with traffic, park along the West side of the park on either 6th Avenue or Balboa Drive, near the El Prado intersection - the Cabrillo bridge along El Prado takes you right to the main plaza. Then on your way back to your car you can grab a beer at one of our favorite breweries - North Park Beer Co (Banker's Hill location). It also has spectacular fried chicken sandwiches. Another option is to park in the Zoo Parking (see the Zoo description).
San Diego Zoo
Apparently the zoo is world famous - and it's easy to see why. Wear comfortable walking shoes because it is VAST and hilly, but the landscaping and overall park foliage is truly one of the highlights and just as nice as the seeing the animals. If you want to tackle the entire zoo, we would plan to spend at least 4 hours there - otherwise pick a couple sections or wander for a couple hours and be pleasantly surprised! There is a large parking lot with a shuttle on weekends. The zoo is also just North of Balboa Park's museum plaza so you can walk down to explore without moving the car. Our favorite place to grab a bite (or again, a beer) is Panama 66 in the heart of the action. If you're just getting a drink you can skip the line, order right at the bar, and sit in the grass or benches in the Sculpture Garden out back. Bliss!
North Park
We live in Normal Heights, a sister neighborhood to North Park and just across the bridge. If you're looking for the true local San Diego experience we would recommend exploring this area. The main drag is 30th Street between Adams Ave on the North, and University Avenue on the South. We've probably eaten at 80% of the restaurants and most are delicious. North Park also has quite a few local coffee shops, bookstores, artisan shops, and breweries (of course). Some recs: Mabel's Gone Fishing (dinner date spot), Tajima (ramen), Rancho Cocina (Mexican), Fall Brewery (outdoor patio vibes), Modern Times Brewery, Taco Stand (for a California burrito, or literally anything on the menu), Bivouac (cider) You can even spend a whole afternoon bopping around - end the night with THE BEST (but not the healthiest) burger at The Friendly and gelato from An's Dry Cleaning or a night cap at Swan Bar for their inventive, strange, but delicious cocktails.
South Park
As you may have guessed, South of North Park is the neighborhood of....SOUTH PARK! We would live here if we could and I can't recommend the area enough. We often bike down here for a date day on Fridays. You can't go wrong with any of the below: - Rose Wine Bar: cute sidewalk seating, amazing empanadas, organic wines - Harland brewery: just a great place to spend a couple hours - Book Catapult: our favorite local book store, grab something to read at Golden Rhino brewery next door - Dark Horse Coffee: we buy their beans almost exclusively for at-home - Fernside: If you've visited us, we've probably taken you to Fernside. The fancy grilled cheese and the burger are 10/10. Their staple is boozy slushees served in a kids cup with a bendy straw (these are dangerous, tread carefully). - Curryosity: the name says it all - Bueno Forchetta: Probably SD's most famous Italian - book a reservation ahead of time
Julian
hike, beer co for bbq and pizza, pie!