A few weeks ago I took a quick trip for a fun girls weekend in San Diego. Our main purpose was to celebrate the upcoming arrival of my friend, Annalee’s 1st baby. Sadly we all live in different states which makes getting together tough but we settled on San Diego so our very pregnant friend didn’t have to travel (I know we are so onsiderate ;-)) Besides who doesn’t love San Diego?!
Where to Stay in San Diego, California
The Omni San Diego was kind enough to invite us to stay with them. I hadn’t stayed in downtown San Diego since Blogher11 and that trip was a blur so I didn’t have any real expectations other than it would be an upscale, business oriented hotel.
The Omni San Diego is definitely a luxury high-rise hotel with plenty of business guests but it worked great for a girls weekend too. I plan on sharing more about the Omni at a later date but suffice to say the spacious rooms and location in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter make it a perfect hotel for both business and leisure travel. I hope to stay again with my boys and see a baseball game, did I mention the hotel is connected to Petco Park?
Where to Spa in San Diego, California
A spa experience is a must for any girls weekend and it was our first focus once we started planning our San Diego getaway. Luckily we found a great deal on travelzoo for the Artesia Day Spa which is only one block from the Omni Hotel in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter.
Our spa package included two services, we throughly enjoyed our choices so we would recommend a massage, facial or pedicure at Artesia. The relaxation room was small but there was plenty of room for the three of us to chat in between our services.
Valet parking is only $5 for all Artesia customers with validation! That’s definitely a deal with the crazy downtown San Diego parking prices!
Where to Eat in San Diego, California
Besides enjoying a lovely spa experience, we wanted to eat yummy food! When I head to California with Peter and the boys, my food priorities are a little different. I just want food that will work for our entire family and our budget. On this trip I wanted to go to new places, and try new things.
The Great Maple
The Great Maple is a newer restaurant with a hip 70’s vibe, it’s clearly housed in a former 70’s era diner but has been redone very well.
I am a big fan of grilled cheese sandwiches, and when I get overwhelmed with a menu or just want to make a quick choice I turn to my beloved grilled cheese. That being said, I usually shy away from any sort of variation of it. When I saw the Fig Grilled Cheese on the menu, I knew I need to be a big girl and try this grown up version of a grilled cheese. It was different but a good different, the bread was grilled to perfection with melty Gruyère cheese and a hint of sweetness from the fig. It typically comes with a venison chili bowl but I opted to have truffle fries instead because the truffle makes the fries grown up, right?. 😉
Fig Tree Cafe
And speaking of fig, we ended up at the Fig Tree Cafe in Hillcrest for brunch on Saturday. I guess figs are super hip?!?
I didn’t really try anything new here but I did eat fish tacos for breakfast, that’s atypical right? I love fish tacos and I must have them at least once whenever I’m in San Diego. When I saw them on the breakfast menu I knew I had to order them, besides I am not a huge breakfast food type person. By the way, the fish tacos were AMAZING! My biggest disappointment was not being able to finish the 3rd one.
Oh and the baby LOVED the french toast… I snuck a bite so I can personally vouch for their yumminess!
Pho Xpress
Technically not my first Vietnamese experience but it was my first time eating Pho Tai – so yummy! Pho Xpress is located in downtown San Diego, it was a good 10 minute walk from our hotel. This a small eat in/take out restaurant with quick service and good food. I would definitely grab take out next time we find ourselves in downtown San Diego.
The Donut Bar
The Pho Tai is tied with the donuts from The Donut Bar as my favorite meal from this trip. I really enjoyed the soup but it’s seriously tough to top donuts varieties like cotton candy, creme brûlée, and salted caramel. They offer an amazing assortment of donut varieties each day from 8am until they sell out which can be quite early. I can’t wait to take all my boys to The Donut Bar on our next trip to San Diego!
What to do in San Diego
There are plenty of fun things to do in San Diego from the world famous San Diego Zoo and plethora of museums to the beaches and shopping. We started the weekend with a movie in La Jolla at a super fancy AMC theater. Personal recliners with assigned seating – need I say more? Talk about a luxurious movie watching experience! They even serve alcohol if you’re so inclined. When will Tucson get one of these?!?
Our hotel was right in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter so it was easy to spend time there. The Gaslamp Quarter offers plenty of restaurants, bars and shops to visit. Don’t forget Petco park, the San Diego Convention Center and Seaport village are also downtown too.
My favorite stop in the Gaslamp Quarter was actually a pit stop for our pregnant chica. She didn’t actually need to use the restroom but she did NEED to see the famous Ryan Gosling bathroom….
#HeyGirl
If you find yourself in downtown San Diego and REALLY need to use the restroom or just admire Ryan Gosling a little bit, I suggest you make a quick stop at Bang Bang.
Coronado Island
We ended the weekend with a couple hours on Coronado Island. It’s an easy drive from downtown San Diego (about 10 minutes), just across the huge Coronado Bridge. We ate lunch, walked along the beach and of course explored the famous Hotel Del Coronado.
We’ve decided to make girls weekend an annual trip because we’re worth it. 😉 We might chill out in San Diego together again or maybe Scottsdale will be our next location…
Where’s your favorite place for a girls weekend?
Disclosure: The Omni hotel was kind enough to provide accommodations for our trip. It is really an awesome hotel and I promise to share more about it soon. As always, all thoughts, opinions and experiences are my own.
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