Pacific Beach, California

PACIFIC BEACH, CA

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

VOLUME ONE: 3 DAY TRIP JULY 2021

CONTENTS QUICK FACTS Just 20 minutes north of a bustling city lies a relaxed neighborhood beach town.

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FAMILY FUN Plenty of family-friendly activities in and around PB.

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WHERE TO STAY Read to find out about our exciting van life adventure!

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BEER NERDS IPA, Pale Ale, Lager, Kombucha & more!

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FOODIES One of my favorite aspects to any vacation!

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3 DAY ITINERARY Just a sample of all the fun...

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OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS It's not just a great place to unwind, but a surfers paradise.

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CLOSING REMARKS Long weekend getaway to PB

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

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QUICK FACTS Pacific Beach, lovingly known as "PB" amongst the locals, is a relaxed beach town just north of downtown San Diego, CA. Neighborhoods range from quaint bungalows to high-end water front mansions. Locals are very friendly and most likely can be found in the water on a surf board.

Best Months to Visit: July and August are the warmest months for beach days, but also the busiest times of year for tourists, therefore higher priced accommodations. in tourists, temperatures still warm enough to sit out on the beach, and that daily the morning fog disappears during these months!

Pacific Beach is historically home to a younger crowd of college students, young professionals, and families. The nightlife culture has grown extensively over the years, yet the day to day life is kept casual and low-key.

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

September and October are the preferred time to visit due to the decrease

WHERE TO STAY Experience van life just a few steps from the beach in North Pacific Beach. I specify the north end of PB because there is a big difference. If you want to be where the action is, surrounded by nightlife, than the main hub of PB is for you - near Garnet and Grand Avenue. North PB is much quieter, filled with local surfers and quaint neighborhoods. We stayed at Law Street beach access and loved it. @gotinycampervan was an amazing experience for us. As their first Airbnb guests, we felt very taken care of and the hosts really have thought about everything a weekender could need in the van. We slept right on Palisades Park - on a cliff that overlooks the ocean!

Every Saturday and Sunday morning, the grass gets covered with yoga mats for an hour

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and a half yoga session open to the public. At the Law Street beach access there are public restrooms and outside showers, which is what we used during our stay. We were very impressed with the cleanliness and upkeep that occurred everyday. This location was also awesome because there is an oceanfront walkway for pedestrians and bicycles that winds along the ocean and leads you right into the main hub of PB's restaurants and bars in a matter of minutes. We did not need our car at all - everything you could need for a beach weekend is within walking distance, which we loved!

We explored a lot during the three day weekend and because of that, have come up with a general opinion of the different accommodations in the PB area:

1. Pacific Beach - young and lively culture with many college students - accommodations could get expensive, but plenty of house rentals, hotels, hostels, and Airbnbs - walking friendly with tons of shopping and restaurants to choose from 2. North Pacific Beach - quaint, quiet, and clean - home to Law Street beach and Palisades Park, young professionals and families, less than 10 minute walk to the main hub for food and drink 3. Bird Rock - quiet, more locals than tourists, very nice main street with restaurants and shops, good halfway point between PB and La Jolla 4. Ocean Beach - vibrant, quirky neighborhood with a skinny beach, large fishing pier, main street with plenty of surf shops and a farmers market along the ocean 5. La Jolla - northern end of the San Diego beach towns, home to La Jolla Cove with snorkeling adventures and sea lions, high end area with $$$ restaurants - known for waterfront views and seafood

@gotinycampervan

Growing up thirty minutes from the beach, it was so blissful being back.

Moving to the desert has been awesome, but there is just something about being barefoot with sand in your hair...

WHERE TO STAY Although we stayed in a van along Palisades Park this time around, there were tons of hotels, hostels, and Airbnbs in the area that we would absolutely consider for the next time around. Here's just an overview of some unique options!

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1. Pacific Beach 2. North Pacific Beach 3. Bird Rock 4. Ocean Beach 5. La Jolla

Pacific Terrace, a romantic getaway on the cliff overlooking the ocean

California Dreams is a backpackers hostel, across from some of the best restaurants in PB!

Crystal Cove, a unique experience, where you sleep on the pier above the ocean Samesun is a quirky, fun colorful hostel, great reviews and location you cannot beat!

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FOODIES Ok, this is my favorite aspect to any vacation, so I am going to get right into it.

Breakfast: Kono's Cafe - PB - breakfast sandwiches to go and sit down breakfast available as well - no frills - arrive early to avoid the line because the secret is out and everyone knows its amazing!

Pacific Bean - coffee walk up window right around the corner from Kono's, Turkish influence, known for the "best mocha" with tons of funky flavor options - their classic Latte was incredible

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

Wayfarer Bread & Bakery - Bird Rock, CA - pastries galore!

Bird Rock Coffee Roasters - born in Bird Rock, Ca - great local chain Fig Tree Cafe - PB - sit down brunch with great atmosphere

FOODIES Food needs two pages of content because you simply cannot cut it short.

Lunch: Oscars Mexican Seafood - multiple locations - DELICIOUS seafood tacos casual, informal, and cheap - the line can get long but its SO worth it!

Taco Surf PB - multiple locations - carne asada fries to die for, casual grab and go - perfect for eating on the beach Mr. Motto Pizza - multiple locations - variety of single slices ready to heat up, also great for bringing out to the beach

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Dinner: Bare Back Grill - PB - New Zealand restaurant - aka every burger comes with the option to add beets and eggs on top! We did not do this, but the burgers and beers were delicious, fun atmosphere!

Wonderland Ocean Pub - Ocean Beach, CA - ocean views with wrap around windows that open completely on the top floor - watch the sunset as you eat casual, yet elevated bar food George's at the Cove - La Jolla - $$$ - ocean front, high end food, very popular spot - would be a perfect date night / special occasion dinner

OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS The beach party occurs from Mission Beach to Crystal Pier - here you will find young people sunbathing and playing beach sports.

North of Crystal Pier is considered more family oriented and overall more low key. This is also where the San Diego Surf School is located - definitely worth checking out as they offer private and group lessons! Their bright yellow tents are set up right at the bottom of Law Street.

or simply a stroll to get a cup of coffee in the morning - need I say more?

Don't forget about Mission Bay - a water sports fanatics play ground! Just a short drive from PB, there are plenty of rental options or you can take out your own jet skis, boats, paddle boards, etc.

Want to hike? At the beach? Torrey Pines State Beach is a 2.3 mile easy, heavily trafficked hike along the cliff with beautiful views of the ocean.

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Bike or walk the oceanfront boardwalk, whether for exercise, great views,

FAMILY FUN Not every aspect of Pacific Beach is family oriented, especially past 10pm on Garnet or Grand Ave - but here's a list of family activities other than enjoying what the beach has to offer...

La Jolla Cove is known for sea lions and seals basking on the rocks. There are tons of snorkeling and kayaking excursions - check out Airbnb for plenty of affordable experiences!

Also in La Jolla, there is a Dr. Seuss art gallery, which if you're already walking around the quaint downtown La Jolla for shopping and lunch, this is a great place to stop. I mean come on, we all loved the Dr. Seuss books, right?

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Every Saturday from 8am until 2pm Little Italy (downtown San Diego) has an awesome farmers market with tons of local vendors to check out!

A year-round experience, San Diego Whale Watch is a great activity to do with the entire family. Both directly through the company or check out Groupon for affordable experiences.

Coronado Island is a beautiful beach front area known for the Hotel del Coronado, also called Hotel Del - a historic California landmark where you can dine, explore, and beach.

La Jolla Kayak and Snorkel Tour

Kayak in La Jolla (Sea Caves and Marine Reserve)

BEER NERDS

Ballast Point Brewing Company - Little Italy - known for their experimental techniques and a highly ranked IPA Coronado Brewing - huge location very close to PB - take a tour of the brewery or simply enjoy a pint or flight from their tasting room - sold nationwide with a very recognized bottle label, it is not one to miss Stone Brewing - Liberty Point - claimed to be one of the best breweries in California, it had to make the list for our beer lovers out there. With an impressive restaurant and gardens, a tour of the property will not disappoint and the beer itself is always top notch.

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.

JuneShine - If you're into it then you have probably heard of JuneShine, as it is definitely surging to be one of the top hard kombuchas out there - low sugar, real fruit, probiotics, and 6% ABV. Yes, it is based out of San Diego and yes, there are two local tasting room locations. A must try for sure!

3 DAY ITINERARY Day 1 Breakfast at Kono's Cafe Take a surf lesson with San Diego Surf School Dinner at Bare Back Grill Day 2 Walk/bike to Bird Rock Coffee Roasters and Wayfarer for pastries Drive up to La Jolla for a snorkel and kayak at La Jolla Cove Relax on the beach Get dressed up and head to George's at the Cove for nice dinner with a sunset view

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Day 3 Pacific Bean for coffee Rent paddle boards at Mission Bay Lunch at Oscars Mexican Seafood

CLOSING REMARKS Pacific Beach is a dreamy destination for a relaxing couples getaway, a jam

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packed busy weekend with friends, or a fun family vacation.

We really loved our time in Pacific Beach and definitely intend on returning for more. This time around we had just moved across the country and needed a long weekend to recharge with no agenda. This was a first for me, as usually I am all about planning tons of activities and doing plenty of research ahead of time. Our main priority for this trip was experiencing both van life and what West Coast beaches have to offer. Van life is awesome - we highly recommend and cannot wait to do it again, but maybe in the middle of nowhere so we can camp, cook, and 100% utilize everything tiny van living has to offer!? We are already looking to book our next tip back to PB and will make sure to include both a kayak and snorkel experience through Airbnb at La Jolla Cove and an afternoon of brewery hopping.

If there is anything to take away from One Backpack Traveler, it is that Pacific Beach is a sand in the hair, flip flops everyday destination with tons of variety for every personality. Now that I have been up and down the entire coast of California, I can say with confidence that the Southern California (SoCal) vibe is by far my favorite.

This is a must see, must do destination. I really just skimmed the surface with this one. If you're interested in visiting and feel like there's something I missed, please let me know. I am always looking to add and adjust so that everyone can Travel Like a Local.

Cheers,

One Backpack Traveler

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL.