Earlier this summer, my best friends and I took a short road trip to the beautiful San Diego. It's about a two to three hour drive from Los Angeles and it's a great coastal destination for a road trip. I remember coming here quite often as a child, so it was wonderful to visit with my best friends.
FOOD
After hearing countless friends talk about the famous Phil's Barbecue, we knew this was a place we had to try. Let's just say the long line at 2 p.m. was a testament to its popularity. We waited for about 50 minutes before we could order and sit down, but my oh my were the ribs filling and delicious! The barbecue sauce was a bit on the tangier, spicier side, but the overwhelming amount of meat on each rib sure made up for it.
Tips: They serve huge portions (even from an American's standpoint,) so I would definitely recommend splitting a dish with another person. Also, the line seemed to die down a bit at 4 p.m., so if you want to dine in, I would recommend going there at that time. You can also order on the phone and pick it up (thereby skipping the long line) which can be a great timesaver.
Now on to the part everyone wants to hear about, dessert. We didn't go to Extraordinary Desserts on the road trip, but I was able to go a week later when I went to my church's retreat held in San Diego. They certainly earn their name as they are one extraordinary place. These top tier desserts are both beautiful in appearance and exquisite in taste. They have a large seated area where you can order drinks and desserts, but since my dad and I were on our way home, we opted to grab a mini clipboard and pick out our desserts. Every dessert is decorated with some type of beautiful flower, gold leaf, or fresh fruit. I promise you that there will be something to your liking. We chose the apple strudel and strawberry scone this time around, but I hope to try many more desserts next time!
Tips: They serve huge portions (even from an American's standpoint,) so I would definitely recommend splitting a dish with another person. Also, the line seemed to die down a bit at 4 p.m., so if you want to dine in, I would recommend going there at that time. You can also order on the phone and pick it up (thereby skipping the long line) which can be a great timesaver.
Now on to the part everyone wants to hear about, dessert. We didn't go to Extraordinary Desserts on the road trip, but I was able to go a week later when I went to my church's retreat held in San Diego. They certainly earn their name as they are one extraordinary place. These top tier desserts are both beautiful in appearance and exquisite in taste. They have a large seated area where you can order drinks and desserts, but since my dad and I were on our way home, we opted to grab a mini clipboard and pick out our desserts. Every dessert is decorated with some type of beautiful flower, gold leaf, or fresh fruit. I promise you that there will be something to your liking. We chose the apple strudel and strawberry scone this time around, but I hope to try many more desserts next time!
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| this is a little over half of the dish |
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| the beautiful interior inside Extraordinary Desserts |
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| the apple strudel and the strawberry scone with glaze |
THINGS TO DO
The San Diego Zoo is a great place for both young kids and giddy adults. We had such a great time looking at all of the animals, and it was even one of the panda's birthday that day! The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is also a great place to visit if you are interested in taking some safari tours or going zip-lining.
Tip: AAA members get a discount, so make sure to bring your card if you have one.
A gorgeous location to end your day is Sunset Cliffs Natural Park. Everything is so nice and serene by the water and watching the sun set over the ocean is beyond gorgeous.
Tip: Make sure you arrive there a couple hours before sunset or else you will have trouble finding parking. Be warned, there are no bathrooms anywhere within walking distance, so empty your bladder before parking! (We learned this the hard way and walked in circles looking for a bathroom.)
Tip: AAA members get a discount, so make sure to bring your card if you have one.
A gorgeous location to end your day is Sunset Cliffs Natural Park. Everything is so nice and serene by the water and watching the sun set over the ocean is beyond gorgeous.
Tip: Make sure you arrive there a couple hours before sunset or else you will have trouble finding parking. Be warned, there are no bathrooms anywhere within walking distance, so empty your bladder before parking! (We learned this the hard way and walked in circles looking for a bathroom.)
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| It's so much fun to go down the cliffs (the safe parts of course), so be a bit adventurous! (I bravely joined my friends down there a little after I took this picture.) |
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| We wanted to take a picture with our college sweatshirts! |
Have you ever been to San Diego?
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-Emily
