Nestled along California’s sun-soaked coastline, San Diego is a vibrant city that seamlessly blends natural beauty, rich history, and laid-back vibes. This was my second time here, so I was excited to explore the places I hadn’t been to before, including our first destination.

La Jolla

We started the day by going to the top of Mount Soledad to orient ourselves in the area. The visibility was a little low, so you could just barely see downtown San Diego in the distance. But our first destination – La Jolla – was right there at our fingertips.

Old Town San Diego

San Diego’s Old Town is a historic district known as the birthplace of California, where the first Spanish settlement in the state was established in 1769. This was my second time there, but nearly everything was closed the previous time, so I missed a lot of the charm.

The district showcases early Californian and Mexican culture, dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. It preserves historic buildings, including adobe homes, a blacksmith shop, and a courthouse.

It has a warm and welcoming Mexican vibe.

Balboa Park

If you can only visit one place in San Diego, it has to be Balboa Park. It’s the urban cultural center of San Diego, with stunning architecture, lush gardens, views of the city, and a whole variety of museums and other attractions.

I don’t think I did a good job capturing it on photos, so you’ll just have to trust me.

There is something so warm and welcoming in this place.

For my next visit, I hope to visit more of their museums and galleries.

Downtown San Diego

Downtown and waterfront are also the places to be in San Diego. They are both really lovely and cozy, and also walkable.

The main attraction in the downtown is the Gaslight district with streets closed to traffic.

This city keeps growing on me every time I visit. I hope to be back soon.