San Diego has always had a special place in my heart. I spent countless vacations down there with my family as a child… went to college there and spent four of the best years of my life (met some of my best friends)… it’s where I met TJ and where we got engaged… and just an all around wonderful city with beautiful weather, something to do for everyone, and a great laid back feel. So when we were trying to figure out a quick weekend getaway for the family San Diego was a natural, immediate, choice. We called my family and everyone was in on the idea… so we booked the hotel, made reservations for a couple of activities, and began the countdown. This back weekend exceeded all of our expectations. It was amazing to be back in a city we love so much, to spend time in a hotel (Harper is all about hotel living… loves a rollaway bed, haha), and to just be away doing something different.

Whenever people ask where they should go in Southern CA, San Diego is always one of the first places I recommend (aside from Santa Barbara). And while you could easily spend a week in “America’s Finest City” I’m breaking down what you can do for a quick weekend getaway with the family below, just in case you’re considering San Diego as a vacation destination….

WHERE TO STAY

You can stay anywhere in San Diego and have a wonderful time, but I think the Marriott Marquee Marina is an excellent option for a family (if you’re with a group of friends or your significant other, I wouldn’t stay there, I’d recommend The Pendry for that…. unless you don’t mind kiddos everywhere….). The hotel is relatively massive, with two towers (I recommend The North tower as all the rooms have balconies and it’s “newer), and several restaurants (which were all closed, prepping to reopen in the next several weeks). We ended up booking a suite, and it was in the South tower (which is a little dated), and it worked well for our family so that we could have the girls go to sleep and stay awake in the “living area” and enjoy dinner, etc.

What makes the hotel super family friendly is the pool area… and the splash pad that the girls couldn’t get enough of. The hotel is also located right on the marina, so it has a wonderful walking path, and bike rentals.

WHAT TO DO

If you have two days, I recommend allocating one to an activity and another day to time spent at the pool with a morning spent riding bikes (or the surrey bikes, which we did for about 45 minutes one morning). There are a few activities that I think are great for families:

San Diego Zoo: I can’t recommend the zoo more. It’s world class, with so many exhibits and animals…. everything from Polar Bears to elephants and giraffes. We spent 5 hours there just walking around, which didn’t include seeing any of the educational shows they offer (they weren’t currently open), so there is definitely enough to spend an entire day there (with the beer garden lines being the longest, haha). Right now you need to purchase your tickets ahead of time, and they have a modified mask recommendation that I recommend checking out before you go. Also located close to downtown (i.e. the Mattiott Hotel) which is very nice.

Sea World: I haven’t been here in years, but if you’ve already done the zoo, or are more into the ocean animals, then this spot is for you.

San Diego Wild Animal Park: This is a poke out of the downtown/marina area, in Escondido, but it’s worth checking out for sure. Again, I haven’t been there sine I was little, but from what I’ve heard it’s still amazing.

USS Midway: This is another wonderful day activity for a family… it’s a historical aircraft carrier museum with a huge collection of aircraft.

WHERE TO EAT

There are so many restaurants in the downtown/marina area I wouldn’t even know where to start. We’re more of a breakfast out kind of family and dinner in the room, since it’s just easier with kiddos and we’re usually exhausted by the end of the day…. and it’s just so much more relaxed. So I shared some of our favorite breakfast spots below throughout the post below!

WHAT TO WEAR

I’m sharing what I packed for the three days we spent in San Diego… a mix of laid back, casual, and comfortable pieces that work for happy our and casual dining… working out… pool time… and all day activities that have you on your feet….

(Cut-Off Shorts | Go-To Jeans | Bubble Crop | Flowy Dress | Biker Shorts | Sports Bra | Sandals | Hat | Swimsuit | Gauze Pants | Cover-Up | White Crop Top + Shorts | Waffle Half Zip | Cap | Sneakers | Ribbed Tee)

SNAPS FROM OUR TRIP

(And we’re off…. shorts, top, sandals, bag, girl’s outfits, girl’s suitcases)

(Breakfast at The Mission… one of our favorite spots….)

(It was very June gloom in the morning’s so I was happy I had this oversized half-zip… shoes, shorts)

(Yep, we rented one of these babies. The girls loved it… and it was fun for the adults too!)

(Sun broke around 2, so we headed to the pool after the girl’s “down” time… swim top, pants, hat, sandals)

(The girls had an absolute blast playing on the splash pad at the hotel…. swimsuits)

(Might not be Hawaii… but nothing like a Roy’s Mai Tai to feel as if you’re on the beautiful islands!)

(Spent the majority of Saturday exploring the San Diego Zoo…. shorts, top, sneakers, girl’s dresses)

(Then came back to the pool for another 2 hours… we weren’t tired parents at all…. pants, tank, hat, TJ’s trunks)

(Enjoyed a little bubbly and the views from the room after the girls went down for the evening….)

(Last breakfast at one of our favorite spots, World Famous… great food + views…)

(Took the girls by our alma mater, The University of San Diego, before heading home… joggers, crop, cardigan, sandals)