Jenna & Sean
Things To Do
Temecula
Temecula, site of our upcoming nuptials, is our local Wine Country in San Diego County. We’ve been to and liked Wilson Creek Winery, Falkner Winery, Longshadow Ranch Winery, Lorimar Winery, and The Cave at Oak Mountain Winery, and have heard good things about Peltzer Winery (which annually hosts a pumpkin patch and is right across the road from Longshadow near our venue). There are certainly many more wineries in the area you could explore which we haven’t yet tried ourselves! The area is not as busy (or upscale) as its Napa type counterpart, but checking online ahead of time for details such as tasting hours and availability probably never hurts. Old Town Temecula also offers plenty to do and see, and eat and drink! We unfortunately aren’t terribly familiar with Temecula’s Old Town or the area to give specific recommendations - but nevertheless, we’ve always seemed to have a very nice time there.
Old Town (San Diego)
San Diego’s first city was not, in fact, discovered by the Germans (as Ron Burgundy would have you believe). Old Town (est. 1769) is a fairly central San Diego location, and for those of you visiting San Diego for the first time, we’d definitely consider this quaint, historic village worth a trip! The charming walkable streets are chock full of colorful gift shops, specialty stores, and plenty of delicious Mexican restaurants to choose from! San Diego is renowned for its Mexican food, after all, so you’ll want to get your fill while you’re here (pro tip: ask us for our favorite taco shop recommendations [not in Old Town])! For a great happy hour menu and phenomenal free house-made chips & queso, we strongly recommend Miguel’s Cocina on San Diego Ave.
North Park
We love North Park! When we first moved in together, we shared Sean’s 1-bedroom apartment on Oregon St. in North Park, and the friendly (and super dog-friendly) inclusive neighborhood has a hold on our hearts still today - although, we do believe it’s much more charming of a city when you don’t have to drive (or fight for parking, for that matter). It’s very walkable, and it’s also a hub for scooter rentals or ride-share if that’s not your thing. Home to several of our favorite local craft breweries and restaurants, we can recommend any number of places here, so just ask! To name just a few: -Working Class -Modern Times (Flavordome) -Belching Beaver -Second Chance -North Park Beer Co. -Swan Bar -Polite Provisions -City Taco -Sipz Vegetarian Café -Colima’s Mexican Grill -Roberto’s Taco Shop -Brother’s Restaurant *specifically their breakfast burritos + salsa, not much else to recommend them -Holsem Coffee -Swami’s Café -The Friendly Tavern
Coronado Island
The beautiful island resort city of Coronado is a bit of a pain to get to, but if you can manage it we definitely consider it a top destination if you have time during your San Diego visit. It’s known for the grand Hotel del Coronado, which opened in 1888; tourists are welcome to peruse the hotel lobbies and common areas. Coronado Beach draws surfers and sunbathers, while its western stretch includes the leash-free Coronado Dog Beach (Hopper’s favorite). The Coronado Ferry Landing has its fill of cute shops and restaurants; you can rent segue-ways, tandem bikes, or surreys to enjoy a breezy bayside ride in the CA sunshine (yep, even in October!). Nearby, Centennial Park offers picturesque San Diego skyline views. Looking for a place to eat? Orange Avenue is home to Coronado Brewing Co., where you can always find our fave fresh beer-battered fish tacos and several delicious house beers on tap. There’s even another Miguel’s Cocina here! Treat yo’self at MooTown Creamery afterward.
Little Italy
San Diego has its own Little Italy! To avoid the hassle of navigating through the bustling crowds and scouring the streets for metered parking, we prefer to take the trolley over to this neighborhood whenever we go. Predictably, you’ll find lots and lots of bona fide Italian restaurants in the area (if you seek a change of pace from the tacos, burritos, and margaritas!) You can’t really go too wrong, but we liked Nonna and Bencotto. If you can’t get enough of our local breweries, there’s a Ballast Point Brewing location in Little Italy, and nearby a Bolt Brewery. Full disclosure, compared to what you East Coasters have gotten a taste of, our version of Little Italy is possibly a little on the underwhelming side - but … The true highlight of Little Italy (at least in Jenna’s eyes) is the popular ice cream shop Salt & Straw. Their “classic” main-stay honey lavender flavor is 👌🏻 chef’s kiss!
Outdoor Activities & Adventures
With beautiful weather year-round (they don’t call it the sunshine tax for nothin’), you better believe we San Diegans have more than a few choice activities to make the most out of enjoying that precious vitamin D. -Mission Trails Regional Park -Old Mission Dam (San Diego River) -Cowles Mountain, San Diego -Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve* -Iron Mountain, Poway -Potato Chip Rock*, Poway -Three Sisters Falls Trail, Ramona -Disc golf at Morley Field (or at Mast Park, on a smaller scale) -so many parks and beaches, such as: La Jolla Shores, La Jolla Cove, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Coronado Beach (as previously mentioned), Belmont Park, Mission Beach and/or Mission Bay, the museums or Botanical Gardens and etc. at Balboa Park, Waterfront Park, Seaport Village, … and just for good measure, you can put the “World Famous” San Diego Zoo and/or Safari Park on the list as well! *some trails or activities might incur parking fees