This summer I rediscovered my love for San Diego. A 6- hour car ride from Las Vegas, Mission Beach is where I spent my summers as a child. After high school, you could find me living ocean front while studying for my classes at the University of San Diego. I left when I was 22, and headed back to Vegas to start the next chapter in my life. It had been over 12 years since I had gone back to enjoy the city. Quick day trips to Sea World or the San Diego Zoo didn’t really count, and when family friends invited us to stay at their gorgeous home on Coronado Island, there was no hesitation in our very enthusiastic, “YES!”.

It’s #IGTravelThursday again, hosted by Skimbaco Lifestyle, and this time, I take you all over America’s Finest City documenting our stay in San Diego, California.

San Diego, California- #RSMLVSanDiego

As I mentioned in my previous post about Carlsbad, California, my older children are used to, and very comfortable with mommy, and sometimes daddy, taking them on special trips. It took a few weeks for them to get used to the idea that our entire family, including the twins, daddy AND the nanny would be there. Our trip to San Diego was my absolute favorite trip of the season. We were graced with the opportunity to stay on Coronado Island. Rich in history, Coronado Island is home to the famous Hotel Del Coronado. Our family took advantage of the pristine beaches, dining and shopping at the hotel. We enjoyed cruising down Orange Ave. to discover other fun spots and local treats. Across the bridge, my husband and I enjoyed the liveliness of Downtown San Diego, eating at the ultra-trendy hot spot, SearSucker. We took the kids on a Behind the Scenes tour at the San Diego Safari Park, where we had the chance to see big cats and other creatures up close and personal. I can’t lie when I say I was a tad bit nervous. That’s how close we were. On a Sunday, we visited my alma mater to see the new developments on campus, and boast to my kids about the college years. And, finally, our favorite spot to visit was Balboa Park, filled with museums and Spanish colonial architecture, we spent all day there and did not come close to exploring the entire park. Definitely something to put back on the list for our next trip to San Diego. My family travel advice: Enjoy the family during your trip, but try to find some time to escape with your Significant Other. Creating intimate times together during the stay helps you relax, converse and re-live the events of the trip.

All photos taken with iPhone 4 and on Instagram. 

 Pop on over to Skimbaco.com and visit the other fabulous Travel Instagrammers who have inspired me!