Our Favorite Coffee, Food, + Sights in San Diego, California

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!

Our Favorite Coffee, Food, + Sights in San Juan, Puerto Rico

 

Josiah gets a handful of days off surrounding Easter and as chance would have it we scored some super cheap tickets to San Juan, Puerto Rico that corresponded perfectly with those dates. It was a quick trip, but it was the perfect piece of paradise mixed with urban culture that we needed after a long Midwest winter.

One of the great things about Puerto Rico is although it’s a bit of a hop, skip, and a jump to get to from Nebraska — about a 2 hour flight to Atlanta and then another 3.5 hour flight from Atlanta to San Juan — it’s still technically a U.S. territory so there’s not a huge hassle with customs and such. Definitely a fun getaway that allows for some great beach time, but also feels like a dive into a unique cultural experience as well.

It’s far fetched to call this a “guide.” It’s more a a list-of-things-we-loved-that-hopefully-inspire-your-next-adventure! Thanks for stopping by!

Where we stayed

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t decided to go to San Juan because of this cute hotel (and the cheap tickets obviously). Mood Haus has such a funky, groovy vibe and although in my personal decorating I generally gravitate towards, calm neutrals, something about the poppiness of the color just drew me in. The unit we stayed in was a studio apartment that included a full kitchen that we used for a handful of meals. There was an adorable little porch with a hammock that we spent almost every afternoon and early morning reading on. We did have a ground level room so our view wasn’t amazing, but next time I would try to get a second floor room with a porch for a bit more privacy.

The location of this hotel was pretty dang perfect. It was nestled in Ocean Park — a very artsy, hipster neighborhood only a few blocks from the beach. We had a ton of great coffee and food options within walking distance which was perfect since we didn’t have a car.

The customer service of this hotel was fantastic. They offered flexible check-in and check-out times and were really responsive anytime we needed something. Their sister hotel offered complimentary beach-front yoga (times were limited because of COVID so it never worked out for us to do it, but next time we will definitely take advantage).

One thing I didn’t love about this hotel, and it likely comes from everything being made of cement, but there was a slight musty smell that was present throughout most of our stay. For the price this was a really fun stay.

OUR FAVORITE COFFEE

Café Con Cé - This shop had a really cute back patio where a lot of digital nomads were hanging out. It was super close to our hotel so it was generally our first coffee stop of the day.

Comunión - This shop had stunning floors and citrusy espresso! It seemed like a great place to hang out and get work done.

Café Regina - This was hands down our favorite! I’d highly recommend the iced cashew milk latter (honey, cinnamon, + fresh, creamy almond milk) and any of their sandwiches! We ate here every day for breakfast and still contemplate quitting our jobs and moving to Puerto Rico just to be able to go to this shop every single day.

Filtrado - This place is located in Old San Juan and they definitely do specialty coffee right! The barista was so kind and knowledgable. They have a super cute alleyway to sit in behind the shop where we hung out during a particularly rainy part of the day. It’s the perfect spot to bring a book and sit on a pour over of your choice.

787 - This one was definitely off the beaten bath! It was tucked away from the water up into the hills of San Juan. This place had an adorable swing chair that I fell in love with, but the coolest thing about them is the fact that they GROW THEIR OWN COFFEE! It does not get more local than that.

Transportation

The city itself was really easy to get around in. For the most part we walked (we really, really like walking), but there were a handful of times we did use Uber (to and from the airport, getting to Old San Juan — the historic part of the city, and when we walked further than we realized and didn’t want to walk back.) Renting a car isn’t necessary if you’re just going to stay in the city because parking is awful, but if you do want to venture to the El Yunque Rainforest (which we will totally do next time!) it’s probably best to just rent one.

WEATHER

As you’d imagine the weather was warm and balmy, BUT It did rain some of the days we were there which definitely caught us off guard a few times. I’d definitely recommend ensuring you have a layer to protect with you when you’re out and about just in case! The temperatures were in the 80’s and it was perfect! It did get pretty toasty in the middle of the day so we usually planned to take a break from the sun from like 2-4.

Food

La Preña - This place had a very casual atmosphere (which is what I’m into 90% of the time!) and all outdoor seating (which I am into 100% of the time). We had a mojito colada (it’s a lime + mint piña colada) that was delicious and so refreshing! The yukka fries were super crispy and the perfect side to the fresh ceviche.

La Cueva Del Mar - The shrimp tacos were fabulous (better than the fish ones) and their empanadas were amazing (defiintely recommend the spicy crab and beef).

La Crema Heladeriá - As if you need an excuse to get ice cream on vacation, but if you did, all you need to know is that they have hot honey ice cream with honey comb chunks. 10/10.

Tresbé - This place was right next to our hotel, but the reviews weren’t that amazing so we held off on trying this until our last night. Out of hangry desperation we decided to give it a shot and OMG it was sooooo good. We had phenomenal pork and chicken tacos! Don’t listen to the google reviews — our service was great and the food was so good!

Lote 23 - An outdoor food hall full of really, really cool options. Josiah got a pulled pork sandwich that had bacon, banana, and peanut butter on it which was TO DIE FOR and I got a really fresh poke bowl that was super filling without feeling too heavy.

Café Regina - This shop was already mentioned in the coffee favorites, but worth mentioning the food options as a favorite as well. We went here at least once a day working our way through the sanwhich menu and didn’t find a single thing we didn’t like. They have delicious pastry options as well that make for a great afternoon treat on your walk back from the beach!

Sights

Old San Juan - Just walking around this historic area will provide a lot of entertainment — the architecture is just so, so gorgeous. The colors and details of the buildings will keep you looking left and right! You will have a lot of photo opportunities around every corner! There was a farmer’s market and lots of restaurants and shops. It is a very touristy area, but totally worth going and walking around at least once while you’re in San Juan. It was a short Uber ride from our hotel.

Castillo San Felipe Del Morro - I wasn’t sure if this place would be worth the hype, but it 100% was! If you’re already heading to Old San Juan to do some exploring you have to pop on over to this incredibly old (like built in the 1500’s) castle fortress used through a series of wars over the last couple of centuries. We happened to be there on a day that all the national park’s were free, but if you aren’t so lucky it’s $10 to enter and I really think it would be worth it.

The Beach - Obviously we loved hanging out on the beach! We spent most of our beach time at the beach just north of cafe regina since it was the closest from our hotel. The beach was clean and overall quiet!

Next Time

Although this trip was great there are definitely things we would like to do next time!

• Rent a care to go to the El Yunque Rainforest

• Tour the Bacardi Factory

• A Puerto Rican cooking class

• Kayak the bioluminescent waters

If you’re planning a trip hopefully these will give you some ideas and if you’ve gone to San Juan I would love to hear what you loved!

Our Preparation Canyon Camping Trip

We’ve lived in Omaha for almost 4 years and the fact that we ended up here still surprises both of us. We love big experiences and feel our most selves when we are hiking mountains or swimming in lakes or oceans and Omaha doesn’t necessarily have any of the above in close proximity. HOWEVER we have recently started embracing the outdoor experiences that we DO have within driving distance of us and we have been surprised at the places we have found! Our most recent little weekend trip took us on the Loess Hills Scenic Byway which offered a combination of bluff views and rolling hillsides and landed us at Preparation Canyon State Park.

where we stayed

Preparation Canyon offers ten dispersed camping sites that are first come first serve. When we planned this trip we were feeling more of a car camping vibe (camping where your car is more accessible vs. backcountry where you have to carry everything into the woods) but next time we will for sure do the dispersed camping situation. This time though we booked a last minute reservation at a little mom and pop campground called Loess Hills Hideaway just outside the park.

The campground had 6 rv/tent sites available with electric hookups. The campground also had a couple of rustic cabins that could be rented. There was a community shower house/ bath house that was well maintained and very clean. There was wood for sale and even a washing and dryer if you needed it! The campsites were $15 a night and although they were very close together we lucked out with a spot on the end and didn’t have any neighbors. Worth noting it is cash only and there isn’t reliably someone there to give you change — so bring exact cash. The campground itself is very quiet which was exactly what we were looking for. It’s about a 7 minute drive to the southeast parking lot of Preparation Canyon so you can quickly hit the trails even if you opt to not stay at the state park. We didn’t have time, but there are also a few trails that you can access directly from the campground.

The hiking

Preparation Canyon State Park is nestled in the Loess Hills and it’s only an hour straight north of Omaha.

Whether you’re going up for the day or planning a camping trip in the area I highly recommend throwing on some hiking boots, a camel back, and some snacks and hitting the trails. A few things worth noting — as with a lot of central Midwest hiking, the park and trails are not marked as well as they could be. But do not be deterred, it’s still 100% worth your time. I just wish we would have had a little more guidance before we went.

We struggled to find parking when we just followed the google directions to get into the park so I would suggest parking by the dispersed camping parking lot on the southeast side of the park.

what we cooked

This trip was short and sweet and although I’d love for every meal to be photo-worthy I knew for sanity sake I had to keep the meals for this trip simple.

Dinner

We’re relatively new to camping still (only about two years of experience) and are still finding out camping groove, so we decided to try making foil packs for the first time. If you’re unfamiliar it’s a super simple camping meal that’s literally just chopping up veggies/potatoes and whatever protein you want, tossing it in olive oil, sprinkling it with salt, wrapping it in foil, and throwing it on the fire. The cleanup is minimal and the flavors that result from the food cooking together is just top notch. To make things even more simple I chopped all my ingredients before we left the house so as soon as we were ready to eat I could just toss everything in the foil!

We used squash, potatoes, and onions for our foil packs and they were super delicious!

Dessert

Keeping with the super simple theme, but knowing we would want something sweet, I packed a chocolate bar and a jar of PB to satisfy that post-dinner craving. Keep your chocolate in the cooler to ensure it doesn’t melt!

Breakfast

When we left for this trip I was trying my darned to not go to the store so our breakfast situation is a little random. I grabbed a bad a Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi, sautéed it in some coconut oil, added in some mixed greens once the gnocchi was all crispy, and then topped it with some sunny eggs. Super random, but it was truly so filling and satisfying.

The sunset spot

Loess Hills Overlook was a stunning place to watch the sunset. There’s a trail that is accessible from the overlook which we are certainly going to do next time. We went to the overlook in the middle of the day and took in the gorgeous rolling hills and wildflowers and knew we needed to return for sunset.

When we arrive for sunset there was a group already hanging out at the top of the overlook so we decided to just back up our car, pop the trunk, and lounge in our car to have more privacy. I truly was blown away by the incredible sunset colors.

If you’re in need of a little getaway from Omaha or just wanting to immerse yourself in nature I can not recommend this area enough!

How I'm Currently Managing My Anxiety

Mental health and the increasing importance of talking about it has come to the forefront in recent years and as someone who struggles daily with anxiety, I am so thankful for the spotlight it’s been shown. Looking back I realize anxiety is something I have always struggled with. Even as a kid I would have moments where my heart felt like it was going to come out of my chest and I no-longer could think logically, but I had no idea what was happening. As an adult my anxiety hasn’t gone away, its triggers have just evolved from fear of getting a bad grade to fear of falling short in my job performance or letting down a friend or significant other.

Knowing that I am not the only person who struggles with anxiety, I wanted to compile a few things that I have found throughout my journey with anxiety that have helped me learn to manage it. Anxiety ebbs and flows from day to day. Sometimes you feel like you’ve got it figured out and then BAM you can’t remember how to breath normal. If you’re in a good place with your anxiety right now, celebrate that — it’s a victory, but keep these tools in your back pocket for the days when you can’t think straight. I hope this list helps you, even just a little. We’re in this together.

Remember You Are Not Alone

Remember this. Always. On the days I’ve felt the most alone are the days my anxiety has spiraled out of control. The anxiety that probably stemmed from something completely different bounced off my additional fear that I am the only person who has ever felt this way. Believe me, you are not alone in your feelings.

Let Someone In

Anxiety happens in your mind. Unlike food poisoning where someone can see you physically throwing up and runs in to help, people don’t know there’s something wrong until you tell them. You have to LET THEM IN. I suggest having a go-to person that you can call at anytime of day just to talk to. My husband is this person for me. He doesn’t struggle with anxiety to the same degree I do, but I know without a doubt that when I need someone to calm me down, he will. Maybe you don’t live near the person that comes to mind for you, but as long as they’re a facetime or a phone call away, they can be that person.

Exercise

Moving my body has given me the opportunity to release built up energy and bring my mind back to a healthy state. It temporarily distracts me from how I am feeling and helps me work through some of the painful moments I’ve experienced with anxiety. Running, hiking, Barre workouts, and biking have been my current go-tos.

Eat Mindfully

This is an easy one to skip over because it feels like there’s not actually a connection, but our guts and minds are connected. If we eat terrible, we feel terrible. Too many processed foods can wreak havoc on your digestive system which then wreaks havoc on your brain.

Meditate

Meditation has helped me so much . It has given me so many tools to use in a stressful situation —breathing exercises, mantras, etc. I’ve used the Calm app and recently started using the app Headspace because of it’s wider variety of options. I used to think that meditation was a little woo woo, but it’s become a part of my life that grounds me so much that I truly can’t imagine life without it.. My goal is just 10 minutes a day and then sometimes i’ll try to sneak in a second session prior to bed. If you’ve never tried it, give it a shot.

Remember Healing is not linear

Give yourself space to have good days and bad days. Sometimes you’ll feel like you can handle anything life throws at you and other times getting out of bed is enough of a trigger to send you into a frenzy. Be gentle with yourself and take it one day at a time. One bad day after a long stretch of good doesn’t mean there won’t be any more good days ahead or that you’re doing something wrong. It just means you’re having a bad day.

Give Grace to Others

just as others might not know your struggle with anxiety, you don’t know theirs. Give grace to people for the actions you see. You never know whats going on in their mind.

I hope that these couple little tips help you create a toolbox that you can access to help you navigate your anxiety journey. If you need a safe place to talk, let me be your safe place. Let someone in, we are all in this together.