San Diego is definitely in the top five of my list of favorite cities. Back in 2018 Josiah and I planned to pack up our car and move there with no jobs, no apartment, and really no plan at all — just our blissful innocence. Fortunately we began having more responsible thoughts and decided staying in Omaha, but allowing ourselves to visit once or twice a year was a more realistic option. So over the past five years we have tried our darnest to make it there as many times as we can. I still wouldn’t consider myself an expert in all things San Diego, but I know enough about it to know that if you’ve never been, you should definitely go.
The weather in and of itself is reason to love this phenomenal city, but beyond that it has such a chill atmosphere. I may have decided not to actually move there five years ago, but that doesn’t mean I don’t day dream about it on the regular. Give me that surf, hike, coffee, + repeat life!
Here are our favorite coffee shops, restaurants, + things to do in San Diego that I hope get your excited to plan your next vacation!
Coffee
Acento - This shop is tucked back on an industrial-ish street and is super unique! The detailing of the shop has a very natural, masculine vibe. Half of the shop is reserved for roasting which is always cool because you feel like you get an up close and personal behind-the-scenes-view! The owner was super kind and willing to chat with us about all things coffee both times we were there! We bought a bag to bring home, but wished we would have at least gotten two!
Flor & Seed Coffee Roasters - Serving exlusively mexican coffee this shop in Old Town was such a treat!
Bird Rock Coffee Roasters - They have a few locations, but my personal favorite is the one right next to Torrey Pines. That location has a great deck where you can sit and enjoy a cup of decaf and watch the sunset after an afternoon wandering the beach or hiking the cliffs of Torrey Pines.
Steady State - This is actually further up the coast, but on the off chance you’re making a trip to Carlsbad this place is totally worth a stop. The coffee is spot on!
Love Song - This shop is nestled in the super trendy North Park neighborhood and is what I would picture Palm Springs like in the 60’s. Their coffee roaster was broken so I didn’t get to try their coffee, but go here for the atmosphere and you won’t be disappointed. The wait time on the weekends can get pretty bananas, but we lucked out and were able to hit it up on a weekday.
Public Square Coffee House - Located in La Mesa this shop has the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to sit down and get work done. If you’re in the area its’s a great option for coffee + food!
Moniker General Coffee - I love this place! Located in Liberty Station this place not only has great coffee, but they also serve cocktails. There is lots and lots of seating and is such a fun place to hang out!
Communal Coffee - I can’t say they have the best cup of coffee I’ve ever tasted, but I thoroughly enjoy sitting on the patio of the South park location where the coffee is served out of an adorable little camper.
Scrimshaw Coffee - Cute little shop with a gorgeous raw edged counter facing the front window. We absolutely loved the coffee + bagel sanwhiches we got here.
Food
Zgara Greek Grill - Delicious gyros!
Bahn Thai - Top curries I’ve ever had! Located in University Heights this place is tiny, but totally worth the wait if you can’t get in initially.
Seafood La 57 - Located in North Park this place is great! If you like seafood you have to go here! It’s the full food truck experience - parking-lot-side seating, lots of food, and low prices for what you get.
Public Square Coffee House - Worth mentioning in the coffee section as well as the food section this shop is great for coffee or food if you’re in La Mesa.
Local Tap House - If you venture up the coast a little further into oceanside I highly recommend checking out this place that is serving up elevated bar food. I got the black and bleu brussels sprouts and it was heavenly. It’s under the appetizer menu, but you can definitely top it with a sunny egg to make it feel more like a meal!
Scoops La Jolla - Adorable ice cream shop located steps away from the La Jolla beach. They have tons of non-dairy options if that’s something youre looking for! The dairy-free mint chocolate chip has been my favorite so far.
Evolution Fast Foods - Located on the west edge of Balboa Park this exclusively vegan restaurant has a really cool outdoor patio that screams grunge-hippy. Perfect if you need something to be plant based or just feeling adventurous!
In-n-Out Burger - Because I am a basic Midwesterner-who-visits-California-and-falls-in-love-with-this-place. I am a sucker for the Double Double Protein Style Animal Style.
One of our favorite meals we’ve done here is truly the simplest — a charcuterie board at Sunset Cliffs. Just go to Trader Joe’s and snag a bunch of supplies and you are golden!
Where we’ve stayed
This most recent time we were in San Diego we stayed in La Mesa with our friends (thanks again Tia!) and it was a 10/10 experience. It is a little outside of the city and did add some time to get to places, so it’s probably not an ideal location if you’re wanting to be more in San Diego and get to the beaches quickly, but it worked perfectly for us since our goal was mainly to hang out with our friends.
Otherwise we’ve stayed in both the North Park and the South Park neighborhoods which are very walkable! I linked the Airbnb we’ve stayed at in both of those neighborhoods.
Transportation
This is the kind of city you really need a car to get around in. You could get by without one if you only plan on staying in one neighborhood and want to just walk to those restaurants, but you’ll really miss out on a lot if you don’t have a car. You can uber, but it is pretty pricey to get from one place to the next because a lot of the city is pretty spread out.
Sights
Balboa Park - This place is iconic! You can spend the morning walking around here or try and catch some live music in the evening. Great place to have a picnic and people watch.
Misssion Trails - If you happen to be out in La Mesa these are great to check out! We’ve only done one of the trails, but my friend who lives close by is constantly on them!
La Jolla - This has been one of our top beaches we’ve been to! Parking can be horrendous, but it is so worth it even if you have to walk a little extra. If you have time I’d definitely recommend doing a kayak tour.
Spruce Street Suspension Bridge - This bridge is randomly tucked back in a neighborhood on the west side of Balboa Park. It’s just a fun little hidden gem that will make you fall even more in love with San Diego.
Torrey Pines - One of our favorite places to hike. Get here early and park along the road to save yourself from paying to park. This park offers stunning views of the beach while you hike on the cliffs. You can hike the cliffs on the way back and then take a long staircase down to the beach and walk the beach on the way back. Note that the cliff portion is closed to hikers 24 hours after rain.
Little Italy Neighborhood - Such a fun neighborhood to walk around in! There are a lot of trendy cocktails bars as well as pubs you can sit down and enjoy an afternoon pick-me-up or an evening night cap.
Liberty Station - This area was a former naval trainings center, but has been converted into a commercial shopping center full of adorable boutiques and cute restaurants.
Sunset Cliffs - Make yourself a Charcuterie board, grab a bottle of kombucha (or wine!), and go watch the most epic sunset of your life here. It is called sunset cliffs for a reason — 110% worth the hype. Get there early so you can park and scout out a good spot!
