Torrey Pines hiking + more beach time

The forecast called for overcast weather all morning, so we decided to catch a ride out to the Torrey Pines state natural reserve for some hiking. We got dropped off outside the gate, and started our way up the hill leading to the visitor center and a cluster of trails. We did three loop trails, plus the hike back down the hill for a total of around ~4.5m, and enjoyed it thoroughly. The views of the ocean from the cliffs were fantastic, and we were delighted by the little lizards we found hanging out on the sand and rocks. Laura was on high alert for rattlesnakes, and there was one close encounter... That turned out to be a bird rustling around in a bush.

By this point all of the carbs from our morning's light breakfast were long depleted, so we hailed an Uber and went back to the boardwalk in search of lunch. We found a somewhat touristy option called "Draft", and the name was enough of a calling card to earn our selection. The tap list featured an IPA from local "Hess" Brewing, so we had to give that a try (it was good!)

Full, and otherwise absolutely wiped, it was nap time. We had a mega nap, and then suited up to spend the rest of the afternoon at the beach. The weather was still overcast, and neither of us were particularly interested in swimming, so we primarily watched the waves and various people on the beach.

At the advice of a previous driver, we had scheduled our pickup for dinner in advance, as few drivers are willing to go into mission Beach during the 4-6 hour range unless you're willing to pay $120 for your ride. We showered and put our "going out" clothes out, and caught our ride. For the ride's destination, Laura dropped a pin in the general vicinity of the evening's restaurant, near Balboa Park. We discovered this also had the distinct honor of being at the very bottom of California's longest and steepest hill, perhaps slightly exaggerated as we felt every step of the day's prior adventure. We trudged up slowly with the sun at our backs having some good laughs as we suffered our way up.

Dinner was at "Mabel's Gone Fishing", a charming Gintoneria & Oyster joint. We sat outside in the shade -- the weather was perfect. We enjoyed gin-based cocktails and a battery of tapas-style dishes. The star of the meal was definitely the grilled snapper, though the oysters we started with were also quite good.

San Diego definitely earns a spot on the would-visit-again list. We'd love to come back some day to see more of the city and surrounding areas. We had a fantastic quick getaway, and picked up a little bit of a tan along the way.Read more