Where should we stay?

It’s up to you, but our scheduled plans will take place in Mission Beach (bonfire), Point Loma (reception), and Hillcrest (afterparty).

Some good jumping off points are:

• Want to be close to everything, have lots of hotel options, and don’t care about having good views? Stay in Mission Valley
  
• Want to have a nice beach vacation and don’t mind driving further? Stay in Mission Beach, Point Loma, or La Jolla (LJ is the most expensive, but also one of the most beautiful parts of SD)
• Want to stay in one of the cooler, walkable neighborhoods in SD with lots to eat and do? Stay in North Park or South Park
• Want to be near some of the main tourist attractions? Stay in Old Town
  

Also, we strongly encourage people who are flying in to rent a car, plan to take Ubers (and potentially face weekend surge fees), or let Ari and Craig know if you’ll need transportation for the weekend, so they can arrange pick ups, etc.

What is there to do in san diego?

Activities:

• Beach Day (La Jolla Shores and Mission Beach are nearby ​favorites, but the best beaches are in North County San Diego, ​including Torrey Pines State Beach, Powerhouse Beach, Cardiff ​Beach, and San Elijo State Beach. These beaches are accessible ​by car.)
  
• Water Sports (Enjoy kayaking or paddleboarding in La Jolla ​Cove or Mission Bay. Snorkeling in La Jolla Cove is also nice.)
  
• Zoo or Safari Park Day (Both the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park ​are excellent, though the Safari Park is located further up in ​North County San Diego.)
  
• Visit one of the 18 Balboa Park Museums (Visit one of the 18 ​museums in Balboa Park. Highly recommended are the Museum ​of Art and the Japanese Friendship Garden. Wrap up your visit ​with drinks and bites at Panama 66 in the park.)
  
• Hiking (Some of our favorite hikes include Torrey Pines State ​Park and various trails in Mission Trails Regional Park. Cowles ​Mountain is also a popular hike.)
  
• Golfing (Tee off at Torrey Pines Golf Course, etc.)

Neighborhoods and Places to Visit:

• The Convoy District (San Diego’s Asian Cultural District with a ​variety of Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese food ​and stores.)
  
• North Park San Diego (It's our old neighborhood and a great ​place to explore.)
  
• South Park San Diego (a quaint, walkable neighborhood with ​coffee shops, restaurants, record stores, book stores, etc.)
  
• Mission Beach (a classic beach boardwalk, plus Belmont Park, ​an amusement park)
  
• Pacific Beach (Known for its vibrant nightlife, popular among the ​under-30 crowd.)
  
• Gaslamp Quarter (known for touristy nightlife and restaurants)
  
• Coronado (Visit the Hotel del Coronado and enjoy a beach day.)
  
• Visit the waterfront area (Explore the USS Midway Museum, ​the Little Italy neighborhood, Waterfront Park, and the Maritime ​Museum of San Diego.)
  
• Take a trip to Old Town (Fiesta de Reyes or Old Town Mexican ​Café have a nice atmosphere, but there’s better Mexican food in ​San Diego.)
• Visit a farmer’s market (Little Italy on Saturday or Hillcrest on ​Sunday - both are big with lots of prepared foods, crafts, and ​produce. We highly recommend the Little Italy market.)
  

Food and Drinks:

• Mexican Food:
  
• Tacos El Gordo
  
• The Taco Stand
• Las Cuatras Milpas
• Oscar’s Mexican Seafood
• The Original Rubios (not the best, but a classic spot in Pacific ​Beach)
  
• Italian Food:
  
• 1845 Civico
  
• Cesarina’s
• Mona Lisa
• Cori Trattoria
• Filippi’s Pizza Grotto (red sauce, Italian-American food)
• Piacere Mio
• Siamo Napoli
• Bencotto
• Cafe Milano
• Buona Forchetta
• Asian Food:
  
• Underbelly Ramen
  
• Ramen Nagi
• Tajima Ramen
• Menya Ultra
• Raki Raki Ramen
• Shanghai Saloon
• The Golden Chopsticks (salt and pepper wings)
  
• Pho Kitchen
• Sipz (for vegan and vegetarian food)
• Sukho Thai
• Turmeric Thai Garden
• Tita’s Kitchenette (Filipino)
  
• 356 KBBQ
• MANNA KBBQ
• Din Tai Fung
• Haidilao Hotpot
• Momo Paradise (Hotpot)
  
• Seafood:
  
• El Pescador
  
• Hawaiian Fresh Seafood, Inc.
• Mabel’s Gone Fishing
• It’s Raw Poke Shop
• Sushi Ota
• Sushi Deli
• Fine Dining/Nicer Spots:
  
• Trust
  
• Juniper and Ivy
• George’s at the Cove
• Marine Room
• Soichi Sushi (omakase style)
• Sushi Tadokoro (omakase style)
• Fort Oak
• Herb & Wood
• Pizza and Burgers:
  
• Tribute Pizza (nicer)
  
• The Friendly or the Friendly Tavern (a great new york slice of ​pizza or flat top burger)
• Sister’s Pizza
• Pizza Port
• Square Pizza Co (detroit-ish style)
  
• Blind Lady Ale House
• Best Pizza
• Mr. Motos
• Other:
  
• Liberty Public Market (a food hall with shops and food ​options for everyone)
  
• Phil’s BBQ (prepare for long lines)
  
• Stella Jeans or An’s Dry Cleaning for ice cream
• Fernside (good drinks, sandwiches, and apps)
• Pop Pie Co. (Handpies, pop pies, and more)
  
• Havana Grill (good cuban food, one of our favorites)
• Waterbar
• Brunch, Breakfast, and Coffee (a lot breakfast spots in SD are ​about being Instagrammable, but these are all good food recs):
• El Comal (Mexican breakfast)
  
• The Mission
• Parkhouse Eatery
• Sunnyboy Biscuits (Southern biscuits and gravy)
  
• Fig Tree Cafe
• El Zarape
• Great Maple (people really like the bacon donut)
  
• Harry’s Coffee Shop
• Nomad Donuts
• Cafe 222 (small plates style breakfast)
• Mostra Coffee
• Black Horse Coffee
• Lofty Coffee
• Coffee and Tea Collective
• Better Buzz Coffee (this is sugar coffee, but it has yummy ​drinks)
  
• You can get a good breakfast burrito at most spots.
• Beer, Cider, and Bars:
  
• Pure Project Brewery
  
• Ballast Point Brewery
• Harland Brewing
• Alesmith Brewing
• Embolden Brewing
• Fall Brewing
• Kairoa Brewing (beer is okay, but we like the neighborhood)
  
• Cutwater Distillery
• Seven Caves Distillery
• Park and Rec
• Mothership
• Realm of 52 Remedies
• Cantina Mayahuel
• Cafe Sevilla (go for drinks and dancing)
  
• Seven Grand (whiskey bar)
• Whistlestop
  
• Youngblood (this is a tasting menu place and more of a one-​time experience)
• Botanica (gin bar)
• The Rose Wine Bar
• Newtopia Cider
• Serpentine Cider
• Bivouac Cider
• Boochcraft Kombucha
• Nova Kombucha
  

FAQS: