The Gems of San Diego

Last April, I was lucky enough to be able to take the month off and travel to places I have never been before. My third stop was to San Diego. I stayed in the middle of downtown because I enjoy the hustle and bustle of the inner-city. Walking to as many places as I could, enjoying restaurants, bars and many other things just minutes away. Because I wanted to do more than just explore downtown I ended up renting a car for the six day trip. I discovered new places and things to do that made me fall in love with San Diego.

San Diego Zoo

One day I took a trip to the San Diego Zoo. I feel weird going to zoos because the way (sometimes) animals are plucked out of the wild to be put in a small place just for human enjoyment. But this zoo takes animals in, they take care of them and nurture them back to health. The zoo took me almost five hours to get through, don't forget to wear shoes you'll be comfortable walking in all day! ~should be obvious I know but it wasn't for me~ I got unbelievably close to the cutest animals, I got to feed the Giraffes and was also able to ride around in a truck watching animals roam free.

Depending on what things you would like to do there, the day trip can get a little expensive, but just going to the zoo to see the animals isn't too pricey on its own. I have been to plenty of zoos growing up and this one is the absolute best, from their huge exhibits all the way down to their interactive maps around each corner, there's no doubt in my mind it gives everyone a day you'll never forget.

If you have the chance and the time to sit at the polar bear exhibit and watch them interact please do. I stood there for almost half an hour watching them roll around and dive in and out of the water. One was even doing tricks! They had a brother and sister that had lost their mom to poachers.

Please enjoy my picture of the Giraffe family I got to feed!

---

La Jolla Cove

Relaxation, peace and the ability to get away from the stress of my regular life was a huge reason why I took this trip to begin with, so if I had a chance to go somewhere nice and watch a sunset- I did it. As I asked around I had a lot of people tell me to check out La Jolla Cove ~pronounced La Hoyuh, it took me forever to figure out I was saying it wrong~. About 30 minutes north from downtown and going through tiny towns I found this beautiful place right on the water.

As you walk up and down the sidewalks by the water you'll run into food trucks and multiple people with booths selling hand made items. Once you get up near the top there are plenty of clips people like to climb on. This place is all about views. Theres not much to do restaurant and activity wise until you go back further into town. So I brought my blanket and set up to feel the ocean breeze and watch the sun go down.

If you like to climb and aren't scared of heights or falling then you'll be able to make it to different spots that most people can't. If you don't like heights or are just aren't comfortable climbing that day, there are multiple areas where steps are provided to get to the beach or areas that have flat rocks on the cliffs.

But the best part is, there isn't only people on these cliffs. The whole area of La Jolla Cove is shared with seals. they seem used to people, they let them get super close but everyone knows not to try and interact with them. If you go down by the bay its all roped off so the seals can have their own beach area.

---

Little Italy

Being from a town that was about an hour outside a major city, I'm not used to seeing different types of towns that focus on types of culture and cuisine from outside the United States. So walking into Little Italy was a shell shock for me.

Right on the boardwalk, the town was little but packed with people. Multiple restaurants serving food that makes you feel like you're sitting in Italy. With multiple courtyards and places with outdoor seating, it made you feel welcome to come spend your time. Little Italy also seems like a very pet friendly area, almost every person was walking around with dog. If you're not someone that just wants to sit and relax there's also plenty of art to look at while exploring the town.

There was one dessert place that I think about quite often. I have no way to describe it other than frozen ice, but flavored. I was able to get cookies and cream dipped in milk chocolate with a caramel drizzle. It was some of the best dessert I've ever had.

---

Coronado Island

It wasn't necessarily warm when I was there. Mid 60s but windy. I still wanted to check out the beach, so I took my rental and drove about 25 minutes outside of San Diego over a bridge that took me to an island. The beaches are huge but they stay busy. Even with the semi-low temperatures. People (including me) like to take blankets or chairs and just relax by the water. And when you're done there's plenty of places to eat and have a cocktail at within walking distance. Coronado isn't very big, and seems like a place where everyone would know everyone. But it's that small town feel that draws so many people in.

After spending a couple hours reading, I decided to go explore this cute little island and discovered that most things on this island are locally owned. I found a wonderful bookstore that had me searching for hours. The restaurants were superb. Aside from the multiple pizza shops there were plenty of options for different cuisines. Even with multiple cafés and hometown coffee shops I was still able to find a Starbucks while there (I'm very much so obsessed with Starbucks).

Coronado is a place to go if you want to feel like you're at a home away from home. The beaches are gorgeous, the people are wonderful, not one person I talked to wasn't willing to help me find my way and things to do. I cannot wait to go back.