Smile, You're in San Diego

Earlier this month I traveled to San Diego, California for my specialty's annual medical conference. Having been to SoCal before, I knew some of the places I wanted to re-visit in between lectures and presentations. It also helps to have family in the area :)

If you're planning to travel to San Diego, below is a list of my top five favorite spots.

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Top 5 highlights

1. Balboa Park

We spent the day walking around the 1200 acre park, enjoying the views, touring the gardens, and learning about all of the art (it's home to 18 museums), history, and architecture.

2. San Diego Zoo

The Zoo is located in Balboa park. We didn't get to visit it this trip but I do remember going years ago and loving it! They even have giant pandas. Although nothing compares to the zoos in Australia and New Zealand.

Photo credit: CBS8

2. La Jolla

This walkable cove has tons of great restaurants and boutique shops with beautiful ocean and coastline views. We went to George's At The Cove and ordered almost every seafood item on the menu.

3. Gaslamp Quarter

Known as the heart of San Diego, this downtown neighborhood is a great place for a night out with clubs, restaurants, dive-bars, and cocktail lounges. PS: no matter where you are, you cannot go wrong with Mexican food in San Diego!

4. Little Italy

On our second night, we got dinner in Little Italy at Monello's, known for their cheese wheel pasta. It was delicious! Then we went to a nearby dessert place for the traditional Italian gelato and it did not disappoint.

5. The Marina

Our hotel was right on the marina with easy access to the boardwalk and beautiful views of the sunset. It made the perfect place for a morning or afternoon run. As an aside, another popular destination is the USS Midway - a historical naval aircraft carrier along the Navy Pier.

They do say west coast is the best coast and San Diego is just one more reason for why that is true! Have you been before? Leave a comment to let me know your favorite spots!