I love San Diego. I’ve been a number of times over the years, and every time I go, I fall in love with it a little bit more. As much as I’ve enjoyed it myself in the past, this was the first time we’ve made it out there as a family.
We were hosted by the beautiful La Jolla Shores Hotel and had such a fantastic stay. The location could not have been better – especially as a family with young kids. It’s located right on an absolutely beautiful beach (as seen in the sunset picture of Lydia above!), and there is a great playground (with amazing beach views!) right next door. It was also in a convenient spot where we could easily walk to the cute restaurants and cafes of the La Jolla Shores neighborhood. If you plan to be out and about in San Diego County, it’s also a perfect centrally located spot that is a short drive to downtown, with similarly easy access to the attractions further North.
One feature I look for when booking a stay is whether there’s a good post-bedtime spot to hang out for us parents. At La Jolla Shores, we loved having a spacious balcony on our Coastal View room where we could enjoy some drinks and relax once the kids were asleep. The heated pool made it possible to still enjoy swimming in October, and Lydia and Bryan had a great time in the pool and hot tub one afternoon while I took Kai for a nap drive up the 101 (if I have to do a nap drive, I can deal with that one!). The Shores Restaurant on site was also awesome – it has a great selection, including some fun beer, mimosa, and margarita flights, plus a great kids menu – and best of all, it has fantastic beach views. We really enjoyed both our time at the hotel and at the restaurant!
With so much to see and do in San Diego, I was surprised how much time we just spent relaxing around La Jolla Shores – really a perfect relaxing getaway for a family. We did still do some exploring though! The San Diego Zoo really does live up to the hype, and all 4 of us enjoyed the experience! The Birch Aquarium right up the road in La Jolla hosted a fun Halloween event that we attended, but would be a nice visit any time of year. We also enjoyed strolling around and eating in the Gaslamp Quarter and the Embarcadero.
