Four reasons to put a San Diego girl’s getaway on your BFF bucket list
The dishes are stacked high in equal measure to the dirty laundry. Your alarm clock buzzes way too early in the morning and the face that greets you in the mirror is starting to resemble the “before” photo from the face cream ad. All signs are pointing to the obvious: you’re in desperate need of a girls’ getaway.
And what better destination than San Diego? Deemed the “Birthplace of California,” the state’s second-largest city lies 190 kilometres south of Los Angeles, borders Mexico and gloriously hugs 112 km of Pacific Ocean coastline. San Diego boasts a variety of offerings — from shopping and dining to pampering and nightlife — that make it an ideal sun-filled escape. So call your besties and tell them to pack their bags.
RETAIL THERAPY
First up: shopping. For upscale threads head to Fashion Valley, where more than 200 fine retailers — Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton and Hermès, as well as high-end department stores like Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus — converge in Mission Valley, a 10-minute drive from downtown San Diego.
Then there’s the Gaslamp Quarter. Made up of 16 blocks in downtown San Diego, the historic neighborhood is a perfect meld of old and new, where Victorian-era buildings stand toe-to-toe with contemporary architecture. It’s also where you’ll find some of the city’s finest shopping, whether browsing the boutiques or roaming Horton Plaza, an outdoor mall.
The Gaslamp Quarter is also renowned for its nightlife, so you might want to return later in the evening. With its array of restaurants, rooftop bars, pubs and nightclubs featuring live music and shows such as flamenco dance and burlesque, the Gaslamp is an endless buffet of evening entertainment.
But if more shopping is in order, La Jolla Village is another good choice, offering luxury fashion boutiques aplenty. You can tame your sweet tooth at La Plaza La Jolla, thanks to Teuscher Chocolates’ second location in Southern California (and the 80-year-old Swiss chocolatier’s ninth North American location).
CHILLING
After a long day of retail therapy, you and the gals will want to put your feet up — or have them massaged at another La Jolla mainstay, The Spa at Torrey Pines. Just steps away from the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, the spa and its treatments are inspired by local indigenous plant life and the geography of the region. Or head over to the Spa at Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, pioneers of the pampering business since 1965. After a luxurious treatment in the 43,000-square-foot spa, relax under the outdoor Roman waterfalls or poolside with a Bellini in hand, following in the stress-free footsteps of many girlfriends before you.
FOODIE HEAVEN
If all that pampering makes you hungry, head over to Little Italy, where world-famous chefs work their culinary magic alongside tried-and-true eateries with long histories of feeding patrons in the city. Kettner Boulevard, known as “Top Chef Alley,” is where you’ll find Bracero, Juniper & Ivy and The Crack Shack. If Italian food is what you’re craving, check out Filippi’s Pizza Grotto.
How about a taco? Neighbouring Mexico inspires San Diego’s architecture, art and food culture, particularly its love for tacos. Check out Las Cuatros Milpas in the Barrio Logan neighbourhood for fresh and authentic tortillas and spicy chorizo rice bowls. Or Galaxy Taco in La Jolla, where fresh tortillas are the highlight on a menu that features nine varieties of tacos.
San Diego is also a seafood lover’s paradise, where the freshest catch is served up daily. Head over to Embarcadero and its weekly open-air seafood market, the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market. Or Point Loma Seafoods, situated at the sport-fishing docks, where you can dine at picnic tables overlooking the water. If you’re visiting on a Saturday, take a stroll along Little Italy Mercato Farmers’ Market, where more than 200 tents provide a bounty of farm-fresh produce, pastured eggs and fish.
California, of course, offers enough variety of quality wines to accompany any cuisine. But visitors to San Diego shouldn’t neglect the hoppier, if humbler, delights of beer. There are more than 100 craft breweries in San Diego, many internationally recognized for their efforts. Just about every neighbourhood offers something for your tasting pleasure, including Stone Brewing Co., Mike Hess Brewing, Thorn Street Brewery and Ballast Point’s tasting room, where you can enjoy awardwinning brews daily. Beercentric bars like Hamilton’s Tavern and Ritual Tavern are worth a visit, too.
SURF, SAND & THE ZOO
Finally, a visit to San Diego wouldn’t feel complete without some outdoor fun. Its many beaches are popular destinations for tourists and residents alike. You can rent a sailboat or bike along the paths at Mission Bay Aquatic Park, or learn how to surf or kayak in La Jolla. Further inland, you can enjoy the iconic Balboa Park and its museums, gardens, playgrounds, theatres and much-heralded San Diego Zoo. Home to over 3,500 rare or endangered animals and a botanical collection with more than 700,000 plants, the zoo is beloved by the young and young-atheart.
And that’s exactly how you’ll feel after a fun-filled weekend with the girls: youthful, rejuvenated, sunkissed and ready as ever to face that zoo waiting for you back home.
San Diego on your BFF bucket list.