People often say, I left my heart in Paris (or some other impressive city). For me my dream home is San Diego. Perhaps one day our family will be able to move down there but for now we love it here in Sacramento.
San Diego is a wonderful place to raise a family or visit, it’s diverse with great schools, beautiful weather, and very friendly people. The beach is clean, not overly crowded, and the lifestyle is just beautiful. Where Los Angeles is a big city, San Diego feels more like a big beach town.
Here are my favorite spots to hang out when I go down there to visit my cousin and her wonderfully energetic and outgoing son:
- Liberty Station– 2850 Womble Road,San Diego, CA 92106. It’s the best place to get Mexican, Italian, American, Korean, and/or Dessert all under one roof. It’s always crowded but not in a obnoxious way but a beautiful lively way. Eat in the hall where you take your food and enjoy people looking, there are singles there, families, retirees, and everyone in between. I especially love looking at the beautiful local jewelry. There’s also lots of health studios and kid-centered activities in the same plaza. Check out all their offerings and events on their website. Best part is there is plenty of free 3 hour parking and valet parking if you don’t feel like parking yourself.
- Waterfront Park 1600 Pacific Hwy, San Diego, CA 92101. One word to describe this place is breathtakingly beautiful. It overlooks the pier and you can see tons of boats and yachts docked in the nearby harbor. The parking limit is 2 hours on the street but longer in the parking garage. There are fountains in the warmer months kids love to splash in. The slides are incredibly steep so if you have older kids they will absolutely love it!! For younger kids there is plenty of space to run around, no gravel so it’s clean, and plenty of swings for everyone. With that said, San Diego has plenty of other FABULOUS parks with more abundant parking to locate others click here. The website lets you narrow the search to parks with play structures, hiking trails, gardens, and by location.
- San Diego Library Story Times- Their libraries have the BEST programs ever! There are about 36 public libraries in the San Diego Public Library System and almost all the programs are free. They have Toddler Yoga Hour, Signs at Baby Play, traditional Story time and more! One of my personal favorites is Thursday Story time at Allied Gardens. To find out current programs click here.
- The Local Farmer’s Markets- warning, be patient with parking. Park far and walk. It is a little crazy but it is SO worth it.
Little Italy Mercato (600 W Date St, San Diego, CA 92101) has one on Wednesday and Saturday from 8AM to 2PM. Enjoy an incredible selection of farm fresh produce, flowers, local artisan food and more! Dine on crepes, paninis, green smoothies, lemonade and local chefs’ specialties. At the end of Little Italy’s Farmer’s market is a massive dog park so if your little one loves dogs, she will be in heaven.
Hillcrest Farmer’s Market (3960 Normal St #3960, San Diego, CA 92103) has one Sunday from 9AM-2PM. Is the largest farmer’s market in San Diego. Never in my life have I been to a farmer’s market with so many samples! It’s like Costco but even better. Hillcrest has SO many mobile food vendors at the end- Mediterranean, Mexican, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, American, Indian, and more. If you’re craving it, don’t worry there is someone there just for you! - Little Italy– It’s lively, fun, and a beautiful stroll. Lots of restaurants have al Fresco dining so you can see what people are eating and everything is delicious. Our favorite place to visit after dinner is the Salt and Straw. They even have a piazza where kids can just kinda hang out. It really is like a little Italy where restaurants open late. The best part is, your tot will love seeing all the lights! To learn more about the fun restaurants, places to stay, and current events click here.
- Coronado– This one mile island connected to San Diego by bridge and ferry is the perfect little getaway. We have both driven in and taken the ferry in. If you take the ferry in ($5 per a person each way), you’ll be dropped off in the middle of the action- restaurants, breweries, and beaches full of kids frolicking around playing in sand. If you drive in, head to the beach right in front of the Hotel Del Coronado with it’s bright red roof. The beach is busy but so expansive it never feels crowded. Walk around town and discover little shops and quaint restaurants in this picturesque town (which seems to not have an issue with homelessness). To learn more about transportation, more places to go, and events click here.
- The New Children’s Museum- 200 W. Island Ave, San Diego, CA, 92101. It’s a children’s museum on steroids, the building is massive and there are lots of places to discover, including a little tot area for kids under 2. If you have annual passes to your hometown children’s museum, they will offer you 50% off admission. When we went, we were able to play with clay, floating scarfts, light up things,
- Balboa Park- A huge park perfect for getting your steps in. There are places to eat, museums to see, and lots of picnic areas for your enjoyment. Bring snacks and just enjoy the scenery. The San Diego Zoo is at the edge of the park, there is also the California Tower, the Air Space Museum, the Japanese Friendship Garden, and numerous performing arts group that practice and perform here. Check out their website for a full listing and events calendar for what is currently in the lineup.
- Children’s Pool– 850 Coast Blvd, La Jolla, CA 92037. Watch seals and sea lions hang out in this beach originally meant for children to swim in but the high level of bacteria now makes it inadvisable to swim in. My tot loves listening to the seals frolic in the sand. Street parking is hard to find so be patient, another option is to park in a downtown La Jolla garage and walk over.
The actual beach is closed from December 15 to May 15 for seal pupping but it’s worth visiting because you can still walk to walkway be able to see cute baby seals wait for their mom to come back and nurse them or stroll to the adjacent La Jolla Cove which is the perfect location for playing at the water’s edge, building sand castles, and picnics. - San Diego Zoo, San Diego Safari Park, or Sea World– San Diego would not be complete without mentioning these three big attractions. Visiting all three would be quite expensive so I recommend choosing one according to what your little tot is currently interested in. San Diego Zoo has the most variety of animals from all over the world, The Safari Park has the big animals such as giraffes, rhinos, and elephants in big enclosures that mimic their natural habitat, and Sea World is home to the most marine animals. For a more in-depth comparison visit gocity.com’s comparison chart.
Just a side note, these three places is practically a all day affair and takes lots of walking. If your tot is a little older and can appreciate the different animals then by all means visit these wonderful attractions but if your baby is less than 2, it might be better to wait until they get a little older.
May your adventures in San Diego be many and varied. I’d love to know your San Diego!
Live wild and free.
With love,
KC