The food and the zoo were highlights.
I was surprised by a lot of things when I visited San Diego, California for the first time.
We had some unique zip-lining experiences, and the weather was nice.
All of the food we ate was delicious, and we found a spritz on tap.
I was in California for the first time and was blown away by the landscapes, gorgeous weather, wildlife, and experiences.
The San Diego area is stunning and different from the East Coast.
There were things that surprised me on my trip.
It seems like it's sunny every day.
New Yorkers open the weather app and it's scary. I've experienced floods, high winds, and even thundersnow, which I didn't know was a thing.
It was mind-blowing to look at the weather for my trip to San Diego and see nothing but sun, and then actually experience it in person.
You're going to have rainy days. I'll take that over thundersnow any day.
The parks are getting better.
Balboa Park in San Diego has a structure.
There was a lot to see and do in the park.
When I think of parks, I think of gardens and greenery.
My jaw dropped as I drove into Balboa Park.
Spanish-inspired architecture, performing-art venues, vendors, 17 different museums, live music, street performers, and so much more were featured.
George's at the Cove is a great place to see seals.
A bowl of soup is next to a photo of seals on the rocks outside a restaurant.
The restaurant had good food.
I knew that the seals in La Jolla Cove were a hotspot, but I didn't know that George's at the Cove could also see them.
You can relax on the restaurant's patio and enjoy a cocktail, gazpacho, or a cup of coffee while admiring the views of the Pacific Ocean. Seal lounging on the rocks and pelicans diving down to gulp up fish are some of the things you can see at the beach.
I was surprised to find it on the tap.
There is a glass of aperol in front of a sign.
Civico is a great place to hang out.
Civico by the Park is the place to go if you love an Aperol spritz. It serves authentic Italian dishes made from seasonal ingredients.
I was surprised that the restaurant had a cocktail menu.
You get a free pin when you order one. These are my people.
The zoo has rhinos, antelopes, and giraffes.
A woman is ziplinning over animals.
It felt like we were in a different country.
I was surprised by the exhibits at the San Diego Zoo.
The exhibits for the animals were not very tight. They had a lot of land with watering holes. Sometimes zoos can leave you feeling bad for the animals.
You can zip-line over animals during the FlightlineSafari. The view made me feel like I was in another country.
We went to the baby elephants and platypus exhibit at the Australian Walkabout.
There is a section of the Australian Walkabout where you can coexist with animals. Being able to roam freely was a completely different experience than being able to touch them.
The meals here look amazing.
We tried a lot of cute drinks and foods.
I know I'm not the only one who likes a picture perfect colorful meal. Quality and flavor are what I look for in food.
I was surprised by how many restaurants held up.
Mint drinks, lavender lattes, and fresh juices were available at Parakeet Café. The character buns were filled with pork, chicken, and beef, as well as sweet ones with egg custard or Nutella. Breakfast Republic had flights of pancakes or French toast and over-the-top coffees.
Who could ask for more? Everything was beautiful and delicious.
The gift shop was more than just a tourist attraction.
There is a full cave under the store.
The Cave Store near La Jolla Cove was one of the more surprising finds in the city.
Visitors can see a basic gift shop full of postcards, pins, knickknacks, and crafts once inside.
I found a door that looked like an entryway to someone's old basement. You can see crashing waves and wildlife in the sandstone sea cave, which was opened to a spiral staircase.
Some pretty incredible story characters were inspired by the area.
The brown pelicans are by the water.
The creators of "Jurassic Park III" studied pelicans.
Our guide shared a lot of fun facts about the San Diego area on the tour.
He told us that the brown pelicans we saw along the coast inspired the movement and look of the pterodactyls in "Jurassic Park III." I thought that was unique as a fan of these movies.
Dr. Seuss lived in the area for a while. His old house can be seen along the shoreline.
Many of his stories were inspired by his experiences in the area.
One of the best ways to take in views is paragliding.
Southern California is known for hang gliding and paragliding, and it's an amazing way to see the views of the area.
On days that aren't too windy, you can take tandem flights.
Even though there's beautiful weather all the time in San Diego, these experiences are quite difficult because they depend on the right amount of wind. It's best to call ahead and ask if tandem flights are available.
The original article is on Insider.
