San diego go go go

Brittany O'Keefe
Nov 3 · 4 min read

I’m lucky enough to visit California often, typically LA. My sister resides there, and the company I work for is headquartered out there as well. I had a family trip planned to Hawaii, so I figured I’d make a pit stop to break up the long(ish) flight from New York. However, I chose to make a pit stop in San Diego instead.

I’d been to San Diego once before when I was completing an internship in LA for the summer. I did all the touristy things — Coronado, Old Town, saw the seals (and smelled them) in La Jolla, explored the zoo from outside its gates (it was closed, but hey, it gave me the animals’ perspectives). This time, I wanted to truly explore the city. So I booked an Airbnb in North Park right in the middle of the action. I was there very briefly, but I jam-packed my time.

Pacific Beach.

I began at the natural starting point — with coffee. First spot — Young Hickory. I went to their flagship in North park since I was staying in that area, but they also have another location in East Village. It’s a cute and spacious cafe with free wifi, delicious coffee, and glass garage doors that provide a lovely open air feel. They source their coffee from Bird Rock, a well known roaster with several locations in San Diego.

Cinnamon toast crunch latte at Young Hickory.

After my first dose, I walked to North Park Breakfast Co. for — you guessed it — breakfast. I sat at the bar, which happens to be outdoors (great if you have a pup!). Attentive service, neon lighting, and amazing gluten-free pancakes! I continued to walk around and explore until I was ready for my next round of coffee (I really dig coffee shops).

Gluten Free pancakes from North Park Breakfast Co.

I popped into Pigment, a beautiful boutique that’s perfect for picking up gifts or homewares. Plus, 1/4 of the shop is a “plant lab” with an amazing array of greenery and handcrafted planters.

Ready for my next treat, I stopped in Holsem Coffee. Holsem is a minimalist cafe with such an intriguing and varied menu. All of the drink offerings had me salivating, but I ultimately went with the strawberry malt. I was a little nervous as to what to what it would taste like with espresso, but the barista’s encouraging words persuaded me. I’m very glad she did because it was such a delightful drink!

Indulge me in a tangent, if you will. A few weeks before my trip, I was hanging out at a vegan tiki bar in Manhattan, and the guest bartender was from San Diego. She told me all about where she worked, which also happened to be a vegan tiki bar. This brings me to my next spot — Kindred. Metal music blasts from the speakers and there’s a four-eyed wolf/snake head (it’s not real, this is a vegan spot after all), and the walls are bright pink. It’s a wonderful dichotomy, and both the bar program and food here are beyond impressive.

Little Gems Caesar with tofu at Kindred.

I’m ready for more coffee at this point so I hit the next one on my list — Communal Coffee. The South Park location is so cute and perfect for beautiful weather. It’s a cozy little courtyard, and coffee is served from the world’s most adorable trailer.

Communal Coffee’s South Park location.

Nearing the end of my day, I decided to make one last stop for tacos. After hearing so much hype from various San Diegans about The Taco Stand, I went to see for myself. Let me tell you, they were not wrong. I had the Baja taco and it was undoubtedly one of the best tacos I’ve had in my life. I was floored and immediately ordered two more.

Baja taco at The Taco Stand.

I squeezed in as much as I could while I was there, but there’s still so much I want to see! I guess I’ll just have to make a trip back sometime soon…stay tuned!

Brittany O'Keefe

Written by

Baker based in Brooklyn.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade