This blog post was sponsored by Southwest Airlines®, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Miss Moore Style possible!
Everyone needs a quick getaway sometimes, and no one needs that more than an Angeleno. Don’t get me wrong, I love living in LA, but the grind of this city can wear on you a bit. The perfect antidote for that is a quick trip south to San Diego, LA’s more chill cousin. San Diego is the perfect getaway
for any SoCal resident, because its an easy trip and there is so much fun to be had in this city, regardless of what you are into or what kind of experience you desire. Do you want to chill by the beach? San Diego has that for you. Do you want to experience some awesome museums and culture? You’ll find that in San Diego too. Do you want to go out for delicious dinners and boozy evenings with friends? Yep, you know where I’m going here. I haven’t spent much time in this beautiful city, so I decided to grab some girlfriends and escape to some fun. In partnership with Southwest® Airlines, I am proud to bring you my little San Diego 101 guide so you too can explore this vibrant and diverse city!
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San Diego 101: Balboa Park
Our first stop on our San Diego girls trip adventure was Balboa Park. I was already vaguely familiar with this park, but definitely wanted to bring my friends to see it because I remember it being so beautiful. Of course, my memory was correct! Balboa Park is arguably my favorite area in San Diego, just because you can spend the whole day here and find something to please anyone. The park includes 16 museums, including the Timken Museum of Art, the Museum of Man, the San Diego Museum of Art, and so many more. You’ll find the largest outdoor organ in the world, a Japanese Friendship Garden, the Botanical Building. There’s an outdoor artist commune where you can watch artisans painting or blowing glass. Throughout the park, you’ll find all kinds of street performers vying for the passerby’s attention, and some of them are really good, like these kids playing Chopin.
Let’s not forget, you can also visit the world-renowned San Diego Zoo here as well, although that deserves an entire day unto itself! Take it from me, you can’t miss Balboa Park because it is the perfect way to enjoy San Diego’s beautiful weather! Insider tip: have an afternoon cocktail at the outdoor bar, Panama 66. They often have live music, so its the perfect way to cap off your trip to Balboa Park!
San Diego 101: Old Town
Walking into Old Town is like walking back in time. They say this was the birthplace of California, as Old Town San Diego was California’s first settlement. I love coming here because Old Town has some of the best Mexican food you will find in SoCal, as well as so many fun specialty shops to peruse. Fiesta de Reyes is the perfect spot to take in some lively outdoor music while sipping on a cocktail and enjoying a taco or two. Ok, I’ll be completely honest, I probably also indulged in a churro or two as well! My girlfriends and I found some beautiful jewelry for ourselves and some cigars to bring home to our guys we left behind in LA.
San Diego 101: Coronado Island
If San Diego isn’t chill enough for you, its time to take a little drive across the bridge to a little piece of paradise known as Coronado Island. No one here is in ANY hurry, and you can’t be, because the top speed limit on the island is 30 mph! Visiting Coronado felt like a little escape within our escape, and no trip to Coronado, or San Diego for that matter, is complete without seeing the Hotel Del Coronado. This historic hotel has a special place in my heart because it is where my favorite Marilyn Monroe film, Some Like it Hot, was filmed. I am fascinated with Old Hollywood, and this hotel just drips in that Hollywood history. Feel like a queen and lounge around on one of their daybeds on the beach, and you’ll be feeling recharged in no time!
San Diego 101: Nightlife in the Gaslamp District + Little Italy
No vacation is complete without a delicious meal (or two, or three or four….) and some cocktails! The areas we found with the best restaurants, bars, and nightlife in general, was Little Italy and the Gaslamp district. Little Italy of course is known for ah-mazing Italian food. I mean, check out this lobster tail and risotto from Barbusa!
After dinner, we headed to Craft and Commerce, which is a cocktail bar that had been recommended to me by several people. Pro tip, inside Craft and Commerce, there lives a fabulous speakeasy with some stiff and delicious tiki drinks, False Idol. You should give it a go, but make sure to call and make a reservation first!
Of course, you can’t talk about San Diego nightlife without talking about the Gaslamp District. All you really need to do is get yourself to this area, and there are tons of fun bars within walking distance from one another. We had a ton of fun bar hopping here, but our favorite spot had to be Fifth & Rose, a beautiful and luxe cocktail bar at the Pendry Hotel. Their craft cocktails were incredible and the decor…I just want to live there!
San Diego 101: The Beach!
You can’t visit San Diego without some beach time, am I right? Here’s my tip: stay on the beach, that way each morning when you wake up and each evening when you go to sleep, you can listen to the sounds of the waves. I highly recommend Tower23, a chic and modern hotel right on the water in Pacific Beach. We loved the complimentary beach cruisers that helped us get around as well as being able to sip on vino to this view every night! Check out my full post on this beautiful hotel here!
gaslamp district san diego Hotel Del southern california Tower23 hotel
Looks like you guys had the best time! I love SD!