Mentioned by Traveling Mom
12 Things to Do in La Jolla with Kids
"Movie theaters include the Gaslamp Stadium 15 and the UA Horton Plaza; and if it's baseball season, you can catch a Padre game at the spectacular Petco Park. Book a trip today and make your first visit to San Diego a memorable one!. Beaches, parks, countless shopping and dining options, and a buzzing nightlife scene, what more could you ask for!"
"First, it’s close to Petco Park, and second, it’s rooftop bar, Altitudes, is a great spot for a sunset cocktail!. There are several Marriotts in the Gaslamp quarter, so make sure to double-check the name when you make your reservation!"
"Opened in 2004, the stadium was built as part of a redevelopment plan of the aging downtown area of San Diego."
"A time warp back to the mid-19th century, the State Historical Park in the Old Town is scattered with restored historic buildings, including five original adobes, as well as detailed replicas. The finest of the adobes is the Casa de Estudillo from 1827, one of the oldest remaining pieces of Spanish architecture in California. The park is free to enter and gives a sense of the intersecting cultures, as a Mexican pueblo became an American settlement."
"This park has an excellent history museum in the Robinson-Rose House at the southern end of the plaza. You’ll also find a diorama depicting the original pueblo at the park’s visitor center, where you can pick up a copy of the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park Tour Guide & Brief History ($3), or a presentation tour (free) at 11am and 2pm daily. Personal tours cost $10 and depart at 11:30am and 1pm."
"There are several historic buildings to be found, including five adobes, a hotel dating back to 1870, and a reconstructed courthouse and stable. Educational events are frequent occurrences, from theatrical performances to blacksmith demonstrations to tours."
"Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Visitor7 used under CC BY-SA 3.0. San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park is a memorial that honors the soldiers who fought in California’s bloodiest battle during the Mexican-American War. This well-maintained park has plenty of information about both the war and the 1846 Battle of San Pasqual, including a visitor center that shows a movie."
"Just east of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park you’ll find San Pasqual Battle State Historic Park. It honors the soldiers who fought on December 6, 1846, one of the only military encounters in California during the Mexican-American War. The park normally hosts living history activities and you can also walk its Nature Trail."
"The San Pasqual battlefield state historical Park is a park that is set on the spot where the American Mexican battle took place in 1846. The park is spread over an area of 50 acres and has a special centre. The Centre is a place where you can get all the details about this significant battle and the location."
"Just fifteen minutes’ drive west of downtown San Diego, you can find a stunning stretch of coastline known as the Sunset Cliffs. Now protected as a natural park, the area is named for its steep coastal cliffs that look out over the ocean and is a very popular place to watch the sun set over the Pacific. Tumbling their way down to the ocean, the sheer cliffs and craggy coastal bluffs certainly make for a dramatic sight with hidden coves, tidal pools, and beaches lying at their foot."
"Romantics will appreciate the awe-inspiring experience of a Southern California sunset. One of the best places to visit is Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, which stretches for 68 acres along coastal bluffs above the Pacific Ocean. The location provides an incomparable viewpoint to take in the ocean panoramas as the sun transforms the horizon from blue to glorious rosy-toned hues."
"Or, make your way up to Sunset Cliffs Natural Park to stroll the cliffs and experience the panoramic pink, purple, and bright-orange majesty as the sun goes down. Finish off the day over the hill at Officine Buona Forchetta, where some of the city’s best Italian dishes include handmade pasta and authentic, wood-fired Neapolitan pizza."
"San Diego has its own version of Central Park: The Waterfront Park, located along the Embarcadero in Little Italy. Opened in 2014, it's become a family-favorite destination for locals. The 12-acre park is just a stone's throw from the bay and is decked out with tons of innovative ways to entertain kids including a splash pad and slide––but it's the giant fountain, with its many jets, that is the park's main attraction."
"Enjoy a day at this public park that features interactive splash fountains, beautiful gardens with distinct themes, picnic areas and a lot of playing ground and equipment for kids. Unleash the kid in you and play in the splash fountains or unique playing ground. Take a walk along the waterfront while capturing great pictures."
"If you can’t make it across the bridge to Coronado, you can walk along Harbor Bay to get a photo as well. The angle is a bit different and it’s a good deal harder to park but it can be done."
"This quaint restaurant lies in the North County of San Diego and is open for lunch and dinner during the week and brunch on the weekend. This highlight of this establishment is its views of the ocean. The restaurant boasts that it has an ocean view from every table."
"Owned and operated by Chef Matt Gordon and his wife, Urban Solace in North Park offers brunch-goers two options. "Blunch" on weekdays and Saturdays includes breakfast-type items such as Kitchen Sink Biscuits and Gravy, Wild White Mexican Shrimp 'n' Organic Soft Grits (with peppers and BBQ butter), salads and sandwiches. Bluegrass brunch is only on Sundays, where diners can enjoy live bluegrass music over a larger menu including Butter-Pecan French Toast and more."
"Urban Solace has a great "Bluegrass Brunch" every Sunday where they serve five different kinds of benedicts (the pork belly benedict is AMAZING), shrimp and grits, beef cheek hash and mussels, among other dishes. While many of the dishes are delicious, the benedicts and beef cheeks are the best. Pork Belly Benedict - Urban Solace"
"Sure you could have mac n cheese from the box, but here’s a grown up version brought to you by Urban Solace. Also stop by for creative and decadent takes on brunch classics, like the hanger steak benedict."
"The menu at The Burger Den is said to include vegetarian options."
"One of the most famous vegan restaurants in San Diego, some say Donna Jean has become too hyped up, but I think it’s worth visiting at least once for some tasty home-cooked vegan food. It has became hyped up for a reason, after all (hint: the food is all kinds of gooey delicious). Donna Jean serves up plant-based vegan homestyle comfort food, so they’re not the healthiest vegan spot on this list."
"Located just two blocks from the tree-lined streets of Balboa Park, diners of all kinds flock to Donna Jean to enjoy homemade vegan pizza and pasta. Named in homage to chef Roy Elam’s late mother, the restaurant boasts a spacious patio and herb garden for customers to enjoy year-round. Locals love this spot for a date night while others regularly order the speckled wood-fired pizza to-go."
"Opened in 2017, Donna Jean serves creative vegan comfort foods. Dishes include handmade pastas, entrees such as mac and cheese and risotto, and award-winning pizzas; they’re also open for brunch on Saturday and Sunday. The restaurant was opened by chef Roy Elam in honor of his mother, Donna Jean, who passed away from breast cancer."
"After taking in some of the best restaurants in Escondido or best brunch spots in Carlsbad, head to Daley Ranch to walk off what you just ate. With over 3,000 miles of conservation area to explore, you can enjoy the natural vegetation, oak woodlands, grasslands, and more. And if you’re interested in some history, there are plenty of old buildings to explore on the property too."
"Daley Ranch was established in 1996 and covers a ground area measuring 3058 acres. The Ranch has been used as a conservation area for protecting and housing various species of animals and plants which are considered endangered in the area. The ranch is also home to a wide range of regional plant species that are not found at other places in the world."
"Daley Ranch has everything a hiker, biker, or runner could ask for. Some trails provide excellent views of Dixon Lake. Dixon Lake will give you immediate shade and a shoreline trail."
"Los Peñasquitos (“little cliffs”) is a great beginners’ trail for those who want to enjoy mountain-feel views without having to hire an expedition crew. There are two approaches (east and west), and the trailheads offer a trek of either 6.5, or 5.5 miles, respectively. The terrain is gradual and level, but the trails are surrounded by the sort of views that gave the area its name: scenic rocky outcroppings, and stony formations that ripple with rubble."