“I can’t sleep ’cause what if I dream of going back to San Diego”
I absolutely know what Blink-182 were talking about… Ever since I visited San Diego a year ago, I’ve become obsessed. I’d only visited California once before for Disneyland (of course) but I’ve always wanted to go back. Last May, the stars finally aligned and I was sent over for work. In honour of the anniversary, and because I have complete wanderlust with no travel planned for a while, I wanted to do a summary of that trip and our best bits.
Travel
I’d love to say that I enjoyed the journey. I would honestly love to. However, I think we were doomed. Our 5 am train journey was lovely, the perfect opportunity to be corporate marketing girlies as it was empty and neither of us were awake enough to actually speak to each other. Even having to make our own way from King’s Cross to Paddington with huge heavy suitcases went smoother than expected. Then a quick trip on the Heathrow express and we could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Or could we?
First, I tried to use the self check-in and was told my ESTA wasn’t valid. Never panicked so much in all my life. Must have been a glitch as it randomly worked but I can’t imagine it would have gone down well if I’d missed my flight due to forgetting to renew my ESTA…
Queues at Heathrow to check bags were HUGE. Cue another panic. As soon as we got to the front, we heard one of the crew do a call for our flight to come straight to the front. But we made it!
Pit stop at EL&N for some insta-worthy breakfasts then a sprint to our gate for our flight to Seattle.
Seattle is where things really got interesting. The airport is STUNNING. However, what’s not stunning is getting stuck in passport control and missing our flight and having to wait another 3 hours for the next. I can’t tell you how lengthy the queues were but after checking Twitter, it’s not a rare occurrence.
After a quick fill up on Mexican and judgement from the airport staff for ordering a pint in the airport, we were deliriously Sleepless in Seattle. Made it to the hotel in San Diego by 1AM, but with only one day to actually go exploring, we made sure to get up and at ’em with a 6am trip to the gym.
Luckily, our journey back was much smoother, despite the absolute raging hangover I had, but more on that later.
Food
One thing I’ve missed about the US ever since I moved home has been the food. Now that more and more US chains are popping up in the UK, you’d think that would help, but it’s not the same!
San Diego was reaaaally giving on the food. We didn’t really try breakfast as ours was included in the hotel, but we made a point of going for some lovely and wholesome dinners and tea.
Cafe Coyote
After our trip to morning gym trip and trek ’round Balboa Park, we had worked up a massive appetite. I beg of you to visit Cafe Coyote in Old Town. We didn’t realise how big it was, and clearly extremely popular but I could immediately see why. The portions were HUGE and this margarita was a regular size… And they offered a large. I think I was wobbling by the time we left. I’m not a margarita fan normally but these were amazing. We got free chips and salsa, and the biggest chimichanga I have ever seen.
Bencotto
Our second night, we headed over to Little Italy for a TikTok recommendation. Originally we were heading to Morello but they were closed, so headed next door to their sister restaurant, Bencotto. Being the easily-influenced that we are, of course, we both got the Cheese Wheel pasta. I deffo think these cheese wheel’s are a hype but it was definitely tasty.
However, the star of the show was the desserts. I’m not being dramatic when I say the Tiramasu was the best I’ve ever had. Genuinely STUNNING.
They also get bonus points for the al fresco dining, twinkly lights, and all-round good vibes (they had a 1975 playlist playing which enhanced my visit x100).
Bonus Mention – In-N-Out. In all my time in Florida, I dreamt of going to California and trying an In-N-Out Burger, however, even in my Anaheim visit, I never did. I’m still salivating thinking about that Double Double Animal Style…
Things to Do
With only one day to accomplish everything, there’s so much we didn’t get to do. However, we were 2 girls on a mission and keen to see as much as possible.
Balboa Park
One of my favourite places I’ve visited. I can not emphasise just how big this place is. Between the architecture, museums, Zoo, gardens, hiking trails, art centre, and more, there is no way we would have ever seen everything. But of course we gave it a go.
Also, there’s photo opportunities everywhere. Especially in the glorious sunshine we had.
San Diego Zoo
The first thing I’ll do when I go back is head straight to the zoo. Between us, we decided the timing and cost meant that we couldn’t visit this time but it’s one of my biggest regrets. With over 3,700 animals, and over 700,000 plants across 100 acres, the zoo is a whole day trip in itself. Next time!
Spanish Village Art Centre
We stumbled over this section and fell in love. The sheer amount of colour and beauty was astounding, and I didn’t want to leave. With a collection of independent artists including painters, sculptors, jewellery, clay, photographers, glass artists, and more, there’s so much to see. I also got a dragonfruit smoothie which was exceptionally tasty, and bright purple, fitting with the colour theme.
Gardens
Probably our favourite part was walking through the gardens. Many were free to enter and so beautiful. I don’t think we managed to even walk around half of them, there’s that many. And they’re all meticulously well-kept and themed.
We did pay the $14 to enter the Japanese Friendship Garden and it was so worth it. Who doesn’t love a picture in front of a blossom tree? Or watching the Koi fish in the ponds. We saw a few photoshoots taking place inside, and for good reason as it was honestly so pretty.
My advice would be, get there early and just have a wander. There’s so much to see and do. So many photos to take. We felt so wholesome and cute looking at all the pretty plants and flowers everywhere.
Old Town
Considered the birthplace of San Diego, we were so excited to visit the Old Town. At this point, it was a sunny and lovely day, and we were thrilled to have a wander round and grab some dinner outside.
Again, due to timing, we were quite restricted on what we could do and see. However, we made a point to wander round, browse the shops, fall in love with the art, and grab a meal at Cafe Coyote.
The area as a whole did scream tourist, but we still think it’s a must-visit for anyone visiting San Diego with all the shopping, restaurants, and museums.
Whilst we got an Uber to save time, next time I think I’d make the most of the Old Town Trolley Tour which is a hop-on hop-off bus to see as much of the city as we could.
We didn’t visit the Tourist Information Centre, which was probably a miss on our part as I do think there was a lot more we could have done. However, as a whole we found out a lot more about the origins of California, and experienced the Mexican influence and vibes, without having crossing the border.
Beaches
I wish I could tell you more about the California beaches as this was absolutely what we were most excited for. However, of course, the weather completely changed for the afternoon and became extremely chilly just as we arrived at Pacific Beach.
Whilst everyone else was walking around covered up, as 2 British girls trying to lap up the sun, we were in shorts and vests, and got cold very quickly. After giving up after 30 mins of lying on the beach, we did head for a mile long walk down the beachfront and found a couple of bars to spend our evening in.
However, I could see how you could spend a while here on a normal, sunny, day. Between the bars, restaurants, and beach for miles, I’d have loved to have relaxed there all day…
Bars
That brings me onto my last point of the trip. After a successful event, we headed out to celebrate, taking recommendations as we went. We’d been advised to head to the Gaslamp Quarter. Whilst I had a VERY sore head after this night, and almost an even sorer bank account as I realised we almost spent $70 on a round of jager bombs, this was such a good vibe.
I have friends who’ve visited since and taken our recommendations and said they had a fantastic time here too so it wasn’t a fluke!
Our Uber driver suggested the Tipsy Crow, on the night we went, they had live music and the ‘drinks exchange’, however their website shows a packed calendar with games, themed nights, and more.
We also visited Little Italy, which as stated above, felt so cute, and quite dressy. Next time I’d love to go for a cocktail night here to really get a feel for the place.
Final Thoughts
Whilst both times I’ve visited California, the weather hasn’t been on my side, I don’t think this has dampened my trip at all. I don’t think I’ve even scratched the surface in terms of things to do, and I would go back in a heartbeat. Between the stunning parks, buzzing bar scene, tasty food, stunning beaches, friendly locals, and more, what is there not to love?
Not going to lie, I’m half tempted to re-book a trip right now… watch this space!
Top Tips to Enjoy the City:
- Take advantage of the free museum days: Many museums in Balboa Park, including the San Diego Museum of Art and the Museum of Photographic Arts, offer free admission on certain days or times. Check their websites for schedules and plan your visit accordingly.
- Visit off-peak: Whilst I’ve only visited in May and experienced “Grey May”, spring and autumn (fall) are typically less busy, and less expensive than peak times.
- Check for events and festivals: San Diego hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, such as the San Diego Beer Week, Adams Avenue Street Fair, and the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival. Plan your trip around these events for a more immersive experience.
- Take the Old Town Trolley Tour: As mentioned in the blog, this hop-on, hop-off tour is an excellent way to explore San Diego’s historic sites and neighborhoods without worrying about transportation
P.S. Interested in keeping up with my latest adventures? Follow me at @bethsboujeeadventures on Instagram. See you there!
