Come and check out where Keara grew up! Downtown Encinitas has great restaurants and coffeeshops, and is steps from the beach as well. Keara loves the taquitos from Raul's Shack and Ethan loves the tacos from The Taco Stand (crazy) – though there are many options beyond Mexican food. Absolutely cannot miss VG's donuts in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. We're both big fans of an iced matcha latte from Better Buzz or an iced mocha and a scone from Pannikin Coffee, located in an old train station (top notch vibes). There's Cali Cream where you can get a crazy number of ice cream flavors + the scoop size never disappoints! Sambazon makes the best açai bowls. You can also find a vintage/flea market next to La Paloma theater from 10am-4pm during the weekends. If you’re looking for some local gear to commemorate your time out here, look no further than the Encinitas Surf Shop.
A classic San Diego hike! We recommend following the road to the top of the cliffs then taking the beach trail down to the water (there are many offshoots to great overlooks) and walking back towards the parking lot on the beach – at low tide only! If you're driving, there is a pay-to-park lot for Torrey Pines State Beach at the bottom of the cliffs, but there is also a lot of free parking along the beach north of the parking lot. Please be wary of leaving any valuables in the car.
There are a lot of great restaurants and places to grab a drink in Carlsbad Village, plus you can walk to the beach. Don't miss Stella Jean's ice cream if you're here – they *churn* out ice cream enthusiast Keara's favorite ice cream in the entire US!
Come check out the sea lions at La Jolla Cove! Search for ‘Point La Jolla Sea Lion Rookery’ or ‘Children’s Pool La Jolla’ on Google Maps to find where they like to hang out. This is also a great area to watch the sunset – if you’re feeling swanky you can do so from one of the rooftop restaurants on Prospect street. Other food recs in the area: the scones from Brick & Bell Cafe, the sandwiches from Smallgoods Cheese Shop, or anything from Don Carlos Taco Shop, Marisi (a little pricier), or Puesto.
The architecture here is so stunning! You can catch a show at The Old Globe, check out the pre-historic looking plants in the Botanical Building, meet artists and see their craft in the Spanish Village Art Center, or head to one of the many museums! A slice of cake form Extraordinary Desserts is our recommendation for a nearby sweet treat.
This is a great place to watch surfers on the waves or the sunset over the ocean! There are also tide pools at low tide just north of the stairs (check a tide schedule online before going) where you can find creatures such as hermit crabs and sea anemones. If you're in the area, check out downtown Encinitas on Highway 101 for some food and shopping!