There are few worse places to be than Illinois in January. All we have is flat land, occasional snow, and black ice waiting to break one of our limbs. That's why our grandparents fly south for the winter and why we are all in terribly jealous moods.
Last year John and I tried to combat the dismal winter by finding cheap flights to San Diego. I had been to San Francisco, but John had yet to see the Golden State. Wine tours, great food, In-N-Out, and markets were calling our name. (The trip proved to be beneficial to us in a more obscure way; on the flight we connected with our travel agent for our South African honeymoon!)
Once we arrived, we realized that rain is a constant on their winter forecast. Though we took full advantage of walking everywhere, we probably wore the only jeans and jacket we packed every day. This meant the infamous San Diego Zoo was basically empty, it was the perfect time to see their large variety of animals without any obstructions.
Little Italy Loft
For the first time in our travels together, we rented an Airbnb. I was nervous and excited that it wouldn't be as comfortable as a hotel, but it turned out to be a great experience.
John found this adorable loft in Little Italy, one of the tiny neighborhoods bordering the downtown Gaslamp Quarter.
I am a sucker for pizza so this was the neighborhood for me. The loft had a lock on the door that allowed us to come and go as we please, without speaking to a soul... a millennium's dream.
The first night we actually went and bought tickets for their trolley which goes all over town. If you know me well, you know I'm a sucker for public transportation. This trolley was the nicest public transportation I have ever been, if you can even call them that. Their main problem was they didn't run too often, which forced us to Uber. Luckily we didn't pay too much for the tickets to begin with, so it was a nice option to have if the trolley pulled up when we needed it.
Train to Wine Heaven
The absolute highlight of our trip was taking the San Diego Wine Tour. We took the amtrak up the coast along the ocean to Carlsbad. Our guide met us in Carlsbad, walked us to some wineries and we hopped back on the Amtrak down to some more wineries in La Jolla. After meeting a hilarious group women (John was hitting it off with all the ladies!) we hopped back on and ended in Old Town. The views, the ease of transport, and the abundance of cheese and wine made for an incredible evening.
Hotel Del
If you've never heard of Hotel Del Coronado, you've probably at least seen photos. The island of Coronado, accessible by bridge or ferry from San Diego, is a celebrity-lover's dream. This beautiful hotel sits at the edge of the island with iconic red roofs, fancy guests, and a beautiful beach full of activities. We rented a tandem tricycle and biked around the island before stopping for a drink at one of the plentiful hotel bars.
Market Madness
On our last full day, we went to the weekly farmer's market in Little Italy. I love a good, busy market, with local honey, hand-made clothes and woodworking. The free samples of juices, cheeses, and oils filled our stomachs well enough to tide us over till dinner.
Going in the winter was definitely a unique experience, can't wait to visit in the summer!
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