Long Weekends: Hippie's Paradise in San Diego
Where We Stayed
I think where we stayed is a huge reason why we adored San Diego. We stayed in Ocean Beach. This is an area that is full of hippies, breweries, and long walks on the beach. It is a happy place. And a huge plus, it is affordable which we do not find in most places in the U.S. And the cherry on top? We stayed in a tie-dyed hostel with a peace sign on it, it was truly wonderful. I would say it was one of the best if not the best hostel we have ever stayed in.
Thursday
Beach- You can not come to Cali without stopping by the beach. We were lucky to stay down the street from the beach. Take a stroll on the beach or take some time to lay out in the sunshine!
Gaslight District- The Gaslight District is fun at night and during the day! It has shops and bars lining the streets. There are tasty restaurants, breweries, and tons of shops. This is a very lively area full of energy!
Old Town- Check out Old Town in San Diego. It has wonderful authentic Mexican food and cute shops to hop in and out of. This was one of my favorite things we did on our trip!
Friday
Check out the Zoo- The San Diego Zoo is a world renown zoo and there is so much to see! You can spend anywhere from a couple hours to an entire day!
Old Town- We came back for another Old Town experience, we just can’t get enough Mexican food!
Saturday
Little Italy- Little Italy is a charming neighborhood full of vibrant colors, wonderful people, and even better food! We highly recommend going on a Saturday when the Farmer’s Market is in full swing. We loved shopping and eating from local venders. The Farmer’s Market seems to go on forever. It is a great way to spend a morning or afternoon, the market is open from 8-2 on Saturdays and Wednesdays 9-1. I have a sweet spot for farmer’s markets and this may be the best I have been to and believe me I have been to a LOT.
Brewery Tour- Craft Beer! We looove craft beer and so we had to explore some breweries in San Diego. In Ocean Beach we found lots of small breweries within walking distance which were all wonderful. Stone Brewery and Ballast Point Brewery are also in San Diego and are both amazing craft breweries.
Ocean Beach- If you are not staying in Ocean Beach you have to make a point to check it out! We loved staying in this adorable area of town! There is a strip with great local shops and restaurants and breweries! It is the perfect place to wander around!
Be sure to check out Hodad’s while in Ocean Beach for a great burger and fun atmosphere!
For the night stay in Ocean Beach or head back to the Gaslight District for a fun beer or cocktail!
Sunday
La Jolla- We started our day in La Jolla by grabbing some coffee and setting off to the beach. The coast in La Jolla is a scene of rocks and crashing waves, it is an incredible view. We spend some time walking up and down the coast, climbing at some points for the perfect view. This was a great place to say good-bye to sweet San Diego before we went back to cold snowy KC.
Torrey Pines State Nature Reserve- Torrey Pines is an incredible reserve full of incredible hiking trails and breathtaking sites. Just google torrey pines and you will be convinced. For more information check out San Diego’s website.
https://www.sandiego.org/articles/parks-gardens/torrey-pines-state-natural-reserve-park.aspx
I cannot rave about San Diego enough! We absolutely loved our trip to San Diego and are already plotting when we can sneak on back! I hope you enjoy your trip to sunny sweet San Diego.
We hope you love San Diego as much as we did and take some time to immerse yourself in the city! Happy Travels!
