Places to Eat in San Diego

I did some research before we left for our trip and picked out most of these places ahead of time. But no amount of research can really tell you whether you’re going to enjoy the food or not. I’m glad to say we did enjoy most of what we ate. I hope my research and personal experience will help you if you’re travelling to San Diego anytime soon.

Searsucker
Pork belly was delicious, but it was kind of bizarre. It came out as a large hunk of pork belly with a salad-like mixture on top with 2 weird crunchy potato things on the side. It was like butter the way it just melted in your mouth because it was so tender.
The short ribs came with pureed potatoes. It was so delicious. The meat was tender and moist. I could eat it every day. And those potatoes were smooth and creamy.
The duck fat fries were really good. My husband and son thought they were amazing. I, however, thought they were good, but strange. The duck fat gave them almost a nutty flavor.

Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate
After we ate at Searsucker, we walked down the block to Ghirardelli. We each had a scoop of ice cream (mint chocolate chip, cookie dough, and espresso chip). Everything was amazing and delicious, but not the cheapest options around.

Carnitas’ Snack Shack
I got the pork belly plate with shack fries and coleslaw (which my husband ate). I wanted to get the mac and cheese, but they were sold out. Tom got the triple threat pork sandwich which is bacon, pulled pork, and pork loin schnitzel. He loved it. I personally didn’t like it because of the pepperoncini on it. Owen got the carnitas taco kids combo. Everyone really enjoyed their food. We also got some chicharones to take with us.

Broken Yolk Cafe
This was a last minute choice because we had some unexpected time one morning and decided to get breakfast. This was an amazing choice because everything was seriously good. I got the crunchy french toast. Tom got the border benedict. And Owen ordered a kids pancake with a scrambled egg and bacon. It was just what we needed to get us ready for a busy day. Plus, it was reasonably priced, which is sometimes difficult to find in cities.

Lupe’s Mexican Eatery
I got the California burrito, Tom got the T-gunz burrito, and Owen got the kids rolled tacos with fries.
The T-gunz burrito was so big, my husband couldn't even finish it. He said it was delicious, but he recommends splitting it with a friend.

Crack Shack
Everything was amazing. Ran into Richard Blais. Schmaltz fries were seriously delicious. My burger came with a fried egg on top which was amazing, but I unfortunately bit into it and got the egg yolk all over my shirt! Embarrassing! My husband said this was the best food of the trip. He got the spicy chicken sandwich and fell in love. It was spicy, but the spiciness added to the flavor instead of it just being spicy for no reason.

Donut Bar
This place has amazing donuts! And they’re huge. I got the unicorn, Tom got the maple bourbon, and Owen got the Homer. They were all SO good! But so huge. I couldn’t quite eat all of mine. Seriously one of the best donuts I've ever had!

Hodad’s
This was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had. My husband got the burger that was created because Guy Fieri visited here. It's called the guido burger and he loved it. My son was extatic because he asked for extra pickles on his burger and they did not disappoint. Plus, he was able to get a bottle of root beer, which always makes him feel grown up. The atmosphere in there was super unique. I would recommend giving it a try if you're in the area. We went after we left the zoo and it was fairly close by.

Where we ate that you should skip:
Sally’s
We were looking for a place to eat dinner one night when we didn’t have anything planned and picked this place based on its proximity (located right next to our hotel) and the menu which had things we liked.
My negative review is based on the wait (over 40 minutes while over half of the outdoor seating sat empty) and the price. Based on all the places we ate while we were there, it seemed a little overpriced.
The food itself was good, but not really anything to write home about.

San Diego Photo Spots

While we were in San Diego, we visited a couple places just to take pictures. And while most of our choices turned out to be amazing, there were a couple that were total fails. Read all about them.

Sunset Cliffs
This is seriously an amazing location. Even if you’re not into taking pictures, you should still come here just to watch the sunset. I definitely suggest walking down further from the road a little bit to really get the cliffs in your pictures. That being said, use your brain and be careful!
When we got there, my husband just let us out and had to drive around for a little bit to find a parking spot. So, if you’re planning to go here, leave yourself plenty of time to park before sunset.

Greetings from San Diego postcard mural in North Park
located outside the Belching Beaver brewery
This is such a cute mural to pose in front of. Especially as a tourist! There were even other people taking pictures while we were there that took our picture for us.

You are Radiant! Mural in North Park
outside the Artelexia store
This one isn’t really my favorite because it’s difficult to find parking and when the sun isn’t just right, it casts a lot of shadows.

Spruce Street Suspension Bridge
This was one of our favorites. The bridge itself is pretty, but it’s just such a fun little walk. And while my son was slightly terrified at first, because some people walk heavy so it swayed at first, he eventually loved it! It is located in a residential area so it’s pretty easy to find parking, just be aware that you are by people’s houses so be courteous.
The views from the bridge itself aren’t really anything special, but we loved it all the same.

Favorite Color Mural in La Jolla
7596 Eads Avenue
This is just a fun little mural full of colors. There was a truck parked right next to it so it was a little difficult to see at first, but we made it work.

One Pointed Attention Mural in La Jolla
7835 Ivanhoe Ave
This mural was inspired by molecular structure and scientific drawings.
It was a little different, but we still enjoyed taking pictures.

Fails:
Secret Swings in La Jolla
While we were there, the swings were not. We couldn’t find them at all. And trust me, we did try. There is an okay view near where people say they are, though.

Scripps Pier in La Jolla
We couldn’t find anywhere to park after driving around for almost 20 minutes so we never even got a picture here.

If you have any other awesome suggestions for photo places near San Diego, leave them in the comments for us to try out the next time we visit.

My Favorite and Least Favorite Travel Hacks

While my son and I are away on our 2 week roadtrip, I thought I'd share some travel hacks with you!

I love to travel. Like it's definitely in my top 5 favorite things only behind my son, my dog, and my husband. I am super jealous of those people that get to travel for a living. Ah! So fun! Well, I may not be able to make a living by travelling, but I do my best to get in as many trips as possible. If I'm not travelling, I'm planning some trip we're taking in the future so I've looked at quite a few travel hacks. Here, I have compiled my favorite hacks and my least favorite hacks (sorry!):

Packing

Favorite: Pack some ziploc bags.
I like to bring gallon bags for wet swimsuits. Quart bags for keeping my liquids together. Sandwich bags for snacks and leftovers. Snack bags to hold small things like pressed pennies, jewelry, or smaller snacks.

Favorite: Pack a day bag.
Sometimes, you just need to bring more than you can fit in your purse. Especially if you're going to be out and about all day.

Least Favorite: Shirts and Underwear can be rolled and stuffed into socks.
This is way too much trouble. I like to keep all of my shirts together and all of my underwear together.

Favorite: Invest in some packing cubes.
I would much rather organize my clothes with packing cubes. It helps keep things together in a much more organized way while still giving you the option of looking at all your clothes to see what you want that day. And for the record, I still roll my clothes, even in the packing cubes.

Favorite: Necklaces can be kept in straws.
I love this hack. I don't have to spend time untangling my necklaces anymore!

Least Favorite: Put jewelry in a pill case.
It just looks like you're wasting so much room to me. And there are so many better ways to organize your jewelry.

Favorite: Keep your earrings together by putting them through button holes.

Favorite: Keep samples for when you travel.
They take up way less room. Plus, you can just throw them away when you're done with them.

Least Favorite: Put lotions, creams, foundation, etc. in contact cases
This is never enough for me. I need more! I just invest in some travel-size dispensers and use those over and over again.

Favorite: Put plastic wrap under the lids of lotions and shampoos
This will keep them from spilling out.

Favorite: Bring a laundry bag
I like to bring one of these with me if I'm staying in the same location for my entire trip. This way, I have somewhere to put all my dirty clothes so that they don't end up on a pile on the floor or mixed with my clean clothes.

Least Favorite: Store Q-tips in an old pill bottle.
I just throw them in a snack baggie with some cotton balls and bobby pins. I feel like you have to have just the right size pill bottle. But even then, it takes up too much room.

Favorite: Use a dryer sheet to keep your bag and clothes smelling fresh
I love this! So simple. Yet it makes every difference when you get to your destination and have fresh smelling clothes.

Favorite: Bring a portable charger
I seriously bring one with me every time I travel. It's great when you're using your phone as your camera and looking at apps and using maps. Your battery is bound to die at some point.

Airport

Favorite: Bring an empty water bottle
This feels like a no-brainer to me. There are so many filling stations in airports. Plus, you'll save money by not buying drinks.

Least Favorite: Go left at security.
In theory, this makes sense. In execution, not so much. There are so many reasons this doesn't work. I've been to airports where people are directing you where to go so you don't get a choice. Other times, just use your eyes. Pick whichever line looks shortest. But even then, if the people in front of you are super slow, it's not going to matter.

Favorite: Bring your own snacks
I always pack snacks in my carry-on. Again, saving money!

Least Favorite: Every hour, get up and walk the length of the cabin to prevent swelling.
Come on, if everyone did this, the aisles would constantly be crowded with people. What about when the attendants are coming through with that massive cart? You might get stuck on the wrong side and not be able to make it back to your seat. What about the people that actually need to get up to go to the bathroom? Now, you're in the way. Also, are you on the aisle? Because if not, you're annoying the other people in your row. I say just invest in some great compression socks. This really only applies if you're travelling far distances anyway.

Favorite: Bring a scarf
It doubles as a blanket on planes.

Money Savings

Least Favorite: Learn how to haggle/negotiate
This one just doesn't work me. Not because it's not a great tip. But because I just can't do it. It makes me way too uncomfortable. Plus, I feel like this isn't a hack. Either you can haggle. Or you can't. Simple as that. Plus, this is only customary in some travel locations.

Favorite: Buy all-inclusive passes
If you're staying in a city with lots to do, odds are, there will be some kind of pass that will get you into multiple attractions. And if you're planning on visiting multiple things anyway, this is a great way to save you money.

Hotel

Least Favorite: If you forget your wall charger, use the USB plug on the back of a TV to charge your phone.
Okay, so first of all, you can't always get to the USB plug. Second, the amount of power that you get from these plug ins, is usually so little, you can barely get your phone to 100% by charging over night. So while this may be an emergency hack, it's not my favorite travel hack.

Favorite: Attach your car's air vent clip to the A/C unit if your room smells funky
I love this hack! Almost everyone has an air vent clip in their car. And if you don't, go buy a cheap one from the dollar store to bring with you. And even if your room doesn't smell, sometimes it's nice to have a scent that reminds you of your travels.

Favorite: Use the appliances in your room to make some cheap food.
That's right, I have used tin foil and an iron to make quesadillas and grilled cheese. And while I haven't used a coffee maker to make an instant cup of noodles, I would! This is only for people on a budget that can't afford to eat out for every meal.

At Your Destination

Favorite: Research public transportation
I was totally nervous about this at first because the town I grew up in didn't even have public transportation. And even now, I just drive everywhere. But sometimes, in large cities, it just makes more sense to use the buses and trams and subways to get around. No one enjoys paying for parking or navigating traffic. I'm getting more used to using public transportation now and I love that some of them even use apps that you can use to pay for your trip.

Let me know if you have any hacks to add in the comments.