Welcome to my San Diego Guide! I recently moved to San Diego part time in June of last year and I have discovered so much of this beautiful city already. San Diego really is the perfect place to live! The weather is fantastic most of the time. Contrary to what other guides might tell you, San Diego is very much a great city to walk around. You do not need a car, in fact we do not have one and rarely take Ubers. The only time we end of taking an Uber is to and from the aiport, or to the beach. When you are downtown you can walk to the neighborhoods of Gaslamp, East Village, Columbia, The Waterfront, and Little Italy.

It has been exactly a year since we moved here and we have explored so much, but there is so much more to explore as the pandemic nears its end and everything is finally open.

Where to Stay

The Pendry- A modern hotel that is right downtown in the Gaslamp/East Village neighborhood with a beautiful rooftop pool.

Hotel La Valencia- If you want to stay close to the beach in La Jolla La Valencia hotel is one of the nicest just a block from the water.

Tower 23- A hotel right on the boardwalk of Pacific Beach, another great option if you want to stay right on the beach!

The Guild Hotel- An old YMCA converted into a gorgeous hotel. The hotel is within walking distance to Little Italy, the Waterfront, and Gaslamp. It has a beautiful bar and outdoor garden area worth visiting whether you stay here or not.

The Grant Hotel- A grand dame classic hotel in San Diego just a few blocks away from Gaslamp.

Where to Eat and Drink

Best Restaurants and Bars

Davanti Enoteca- One of the best high end Italian food restaurants. They are known for their Foccacia Di Recco which is probably one of the most amazing things I have ever tasted. I also highly recommend their octopus dish, it is so tender we order it all the time.

Born and Raised- This restaurant group has a ton of amazing concepts in San Diego. Born and Raised is their upscale steakhouse and it is one of the most beautiful restaurants in San Diego. I recommend their happy hour which is upstairs on their outside deck. Great prices in a beautiful setting.

Monello/Benecotto- Two incredible Italian restaurants that are back to back with fresh ingredients. They also have a great apertivo hour- whenever you order a drink they give you a small plate of appetizers.

Barabusa- Possibly the trendiest Italian restaurant in Little Italy, but the food is really delicious and fresh. The Granchio pasta is wow!

Civico 1845- A Calabrian Italian restaurant with two locations, they also have a vegan portion of the menu.

Allegro- The newest restaurant addition to Little Italy, decorated with beautiful lemons everywhere you feel like you are in Italy. The food and service is impeccable.

The Lion Share- A Gastropub with some of the best food in San diego period, heavy on the exotic meats.

Craft and Commerce- A similar concept as The Lion Share full of taxidermy and definitely not for vegetarians. They also have a small speakeasy inside the bar.

Raised by Wolves- From the same restaurant group as Born and Raised, A cocktail bar located in the Westfield UTC Mall. I know the location sounds strange but the mall is super upscale and Raised by Wolves is a cocktail experience worthy of Las Vegas. I will not spoil it for you but it is a speakeasy and be sure to make reservations way ahead of time.

Larsen’s- Also located in the Westfield Mall, a top San Diego old school steakhouse. I highly recommend their Miso Glazed Sea Bass.

Athen’s Market- The best Greek restaurant in San Diego. It is super authentic, old school, and also has the nicest staff.

Huntress- A new steakhouse in the Gaslamp district. The food is so inventive, definitely try their incredible mushroom shaped desert.

Lionfish- A trendy restaurant in the Gaslamp district great for small plates.

Herb and Wood- A delicious farm to table restaurant in Little Italy. One of the best meals we have had in San Diego.

Island Prime- A steakhouse on Harbour Island that is literally on top of the ocean. The views are incredible, and so is the food. Huge portions but also just delicious.

Topsail or Brigantine- Two restaurants in Portside Pier overlooking the ocean. Not the best food ever, but tasty for a snack and the views during sunset are the best.

Kettner Exchange- A fun and trendy restaurant serving up unique twists on favorite foods. A great restaurant to come with friends, the food is very shareable.

Best Tacos

Puesto- Known for their Blue Corn tortillas, this award winning taco spot is one of the best! I recommend their Chicken Al Pastor taco, yum!

Serrano’s- Located in the Gaslamp quarter I think they have the absolute best fish tacos. They are nothing fancy but wow they are delicious because they have the most amazing sauces that come with it.

George’s at The Cove- Another very famous restaurant in La Jolla. It is a bit of a tourist trap but the views are gorgeous. Their fish tacos are definitely up there with the best I have had.

Barrio Star- I love their breakfast tacos here and they also have other great dishes, the food is not your average Mexican food it is very unique. They also have the best margaritas I recommend the margarita flight so you can try a bunch.

Tower 23 JRDN restaurant- For a great lunch right next to the beach, the tacos here are a must!

What to do

There are so many great sites to take in here and very different neighborhoods. Here is a list of must dos!

Balboa Park and The San Diego Zoo

This is one of my favorite parks in the world that I have been to. It is huge and you can actually see it when you fly into San Diego. Balboa park is home to many museums as well as the famous San Diego Zoo. I recommend doing the park separately from the zoo because you really need a whole day for the zoo. I think the zoo is a must see but I will probably only do it once because it is like a theme park it is that big. It is also very crowded.

Balboa Park has so much going on. Walk around and admire the intricate architecture, view the botanical gardens and cactus gardens, and visit the museums when they are open.

La Jolla

La Jolla is definitely my favorite beach neighborhood in San Diego. I have also been to Pacific beach but to me that beach is just a typical boardwalk beach (and the pier is not good it is filled with houses which is strange). La Jolla is like being on the coast of Australia. There is so much beauty here and you get to actually get close to the famous sea lions that like to tan on the rocks ( just do not touch them!). La Jolla Cove is where you can snorkel, kayak, or just enjoy the water. There is also so much to do around the area. There are great restaurants, shops, and the Hotel Valencia. You can spend the whole day here just wandering around, I like to stay so I can watch the sunset.

Coronado

Coronado island is just a 13 minute drive from downtown San Diego and probably the closest and best beach to downtown. You may recognize the famous building Hotel Del Coronado from the movie “Some Like it Hot” starring Marilyn Monroe. The hotel is situated on a beautiful beach and is the main attraction when coming to Coronado island. Currently the hotel is being updated so there is some construction around the property and I am excited to see it when it is done. Around the hotel there are also great restaurants and shopping to check out. My favorite restaurant here is Little Frenchie.

Pacific Beach