My home for three years, San Diego is a beautiful place. While I could go on about all the wonderful things that San Diego has to offer, I’ve narrowed it down to my favorite things in one long weekend.

First, where to stay.

There is no right answer, but my recommendation is to find a vacation rental in Pacific Beach/Mission Bay. It is centrally located and more affordable than other areas. There are also several great places to eat - Sushi Ota, City Tacos, Pueblo, Miss B’s - to name a few.

There is no shortage of great food in San Diego. For a full list of all my San Diego recommendations, check out my list on TripAdvisor.

Other tips: You will need to rent a car or be prepared to spend quite a bit on Lyft to get around in San Diego as public transit is limited to downtown. Also, the recommendations below represent a packed weekend to do and see all that you can. If you prefer a more relaxed pace, pick a few destinations and soak up the sun :)

Friday

Soaking up the sun in Del Mar and La Jolla

Del Mar is my favorite beach in San Diego. The beach outstreches from dramatic, succulent covered cliffs, with space to lounge and bluffs to explore. Pack your beach gear and/or active wear and visit Stratford Court Cafe for their smoked salmon eggs benedict. Then, either head to Torrey Pines for a morning hike or find yourself a nice spot on the Del Mar beach.* Pack a picnic for lunch or make a reservation at Jake’s if you want a more upscale, waterfront experience.

*The climb down to the Del Mar beach from Powerhouse Park is steep, so you want less of a climb, head further north to access the beach. If you have a dog, check the current beach restrictions to determine which side of the beach is designated dog friendly during the time of your visit.

After you’ve hiked and/or lounged to your heart’s delight, visit the seals at La Jolla Cove. I also recommend grabbing a drink (and some fish tacos) at George’s at the Cove’s Ocean Terrace and tasting all of the flavors of gelato at Bobboi.

For dinner, there are plenty of high end restaurants to dine at in La Jolla. I recommend Barbarella for an Italian option. Or, if you want to explore one more area of San Diego, drive down to Sunset Cliffs in Ocean Beach to want the sunset and grab a burrito at Sunnie’s. If you want to spend more time in Ocean Beach, also check out the open ceiling cave near Luscombs Point at Sunset Cliffs and the Little Lion Cafe.

Saturday

Eat your way through Little Italy, explore Balboa Park and touch golden sand at Coronado Island.

The best way to start Saturday morning is a stroll through the Farmer’s Market in Little Italy. Come hungry to snack on samples and local food trucks. You can also buy some fruit and snacks for the rest of your day. If you want to continue your stroll, grab some gelato at Pappaleco and head down to Waterfront Park.

Next, go explore one of San Diego’s true gems, Balboa Park. Balboa Park is filled with beautiful gardens, architecture and museums. It is also home to the San Diego Zoo. Unless you are an avid zoo lover, I don’t recommend that you spend your weekend at the zoo. Instead, wander around the park and grab some lunch at the Prado or a drink at Panama 66.

Now, on to Coronado Island. Coronado has arguably the best beach in San Diego, filled with soft sand flecked with gold. I would typically grab a sandwich at Ike’s and drive to Hotel del Coronado to find a spot on the beach to lounge and picnic. However, you could also spend time exploring the shops and restaurants on Orange Ave. in the quaint town of Coronado.

Sunday

Paddle board around Mission Bay and visit some of the 150+ craft breweries in San Diego

Kick off your day with some fun in the sun paddle boarding or kayaking around Mission Bay. Or, you could bike along the boardwalk or just chill at the beach near the Mission Bay Aquatic Center.

Then, make your brewery tour plans. San Diego is home to more than 150 craft breweries. My recommendation is to take a Lyft to an area with a number of breweries that you’d like to try and spend a few hours exploring. You could explore North Park, Downtown, University Heights, Solana Beach, etc.

My recommendation: Mira Mesa. A warehouse district full of breweries. Upon arrival, you might wonder, are there really breweries here amid all of these storage facilities? Yes, A LOT of them. You can start with the behemoth - the craft brewery that sold for $1 billion - Ballast Point. Then, take your pick from Division 23, Pure Project, Mikkeller and - for the science or beer nerds - White Labs.

Monday

The best acai bowl to bid farewell to San Diego before you catch your flight

At some point, you’ll realize that you have to leave San Diego. To soften the sadness, visit the Northside Shack for San Diego’s best acai (or pitaya - my favorite) bowl. I recommend picking up a bowl and then strolling along Bessemer Path to admire the yacht club and the multi million dollar homes next door.

If you have some more time, stop at Liberty Station to check out the grounds or grab a drink at the Public Market. It is a nice spot to spend some time with easy access to the airport when you reluctantly have to catch your flight.