The Spanish Village is tucked away in Balboa Park, San Diego's version of Central Park. Here, you can stroll in and out of local art galleries, grab a coffee, and enjoy live music on weekends.
Aakash proposed to Richelle here on a warm day in February of 2020 sitting on one of the cliffs. It is now one of our favorite places to go on weekends. We recommend grabbing a cup of coffee or a burrito, parking, and watching the surfers and the waves at sunrise or sunset.
If you're a dog lover, we recommend taking a stroll around Fiesta Island. We love taking Onyx here to run around and play in the water. Walking around the entire dog park takes about 45 minutes to an hour.
We went to this brewery for dinner after Aakash proposed at Sunset Cliffs. There is lots of outdoor seating, good food, and many beers to sample, including California-style IPAs (Aakash's favorite). It is located in Liberty Station, a beautiful outdoor space that hosts restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops, and a bustling market.
The Hotel Del is a landmark in San Diego, and it it worth a visit. We enjoy taking guests here to stroll around the hotel and see the many shops, restaurants, and beach cabanas. It is near downtown Coronado, which also has many places to explore.
Of course, we couldn't miss including the San Diego Zoo, which is one of Richelle's favorite zoos. There's a lot to explore, so be sure not to miss the koalas!
There are lots of great pasta, drinks, and desserts around Little Italy. One of our favorite restaurants for pasta is Monello where you can get pasta served fresh out of a large parmesan wheel. You also can't miss Salt and Straw ice cream, Richelle's absolute favorite ice cream!
If you're a fan of national monuments, this is one of our favorites. It offers sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, an awesome lighthouse, and some great walking paths. Even the drive out there is beautiful.
Just in case you didn't see it in the Little Italy recommendation, here it is again. Go to Salt and Straw!
Barrio Logan is located in South San Diego and is close to Richelle's school. Logan Avenue is lined with local artisan shops and spectacular Mexican food joints. On the weekends, Barrio Logan hosts "Walk the Block" when vendors move their shops outdoors to create a vibrant street market. If you a drinker, we recommend trying the Micheladas at Barrio Dog. Fun fact - We met our caterer in Barrio Logan!