They say home is where the heart is… so when we were deciding where to head for the very last (🥺) stop on the Live Free Tour, we knew it was a no-brainer. San Diego represents such a great balance of breathtaking nature, perfect weather, exciting nightlife, and so much opportunity for adventure. It's often referred to the birthplace of California, and just so happens to be the city that we call home here at Pura Vida! We couldn't be more excited to wrapping up an amazing summer here and to play tourist in our own city for a little bit. 🥰
Because San Diego is so special to us, we had to kick off off the itinerary for this trip a bit differently than we have for trips past. Our time together begins at the Pura Vida flagship store at Westfield UTC where we shopped and stocked up on all of our favorite pieces for the weekend ahead! This is just one of five retail locations we have spanning the entire country -- so make sure to check our site to find the closest near you.
After grabbing some post-spree sustenance, we headed over to the Pacific Beach neighborhood where we'd be staying for the next few days. From there, we wandered around Waterfront Park for a bit before stumbling into the iconic Star of India! Quick history lesson: the Star of India launched as the fully-rigged ship Euterpe at Ramsey Shipyard on the Isle of Man in 1863 and is known as the world's oldest active sailing ship. It also doubles as the perfect waterfront sightseeing destination to kick off a girls trip. 😉
We had our first dinner together at Ketch in downtown San Diego where we enjoyed delicious eats and stunning, surrounding views of the ocean. We got to know one another a bit better and watch the sunset over the water. 🌅 Once night fell, it was time to get spooky with a rooftop showing of Hocus Pocus! This was the prime way to prep for Halloween just around the corner and enjoy views of the city at night.
Day two started off strong with a stop at Dodo Bird Donuts, Paradisea's day-time cafe nestled in the heart of Bird Rock. They're known for their made-from-scratch, delicious donuts and the extensive coffee options they offer, helping us fuel and feast before embarking on our second day together. After breakfast, we headed over to the secret swing, one of La Jolla's best hidden gems, before making our way over to La Jolla Cove. This is where we got to seal watch and enjoy the stunning scenery along the cliffs; definitely a highlight of the weekend. 🦭🌊
That's when our excursion began with Everyday California! We embarked on one of their most popular tours, a two-hour kayaking and snorkeling tour that travels through the La Jolla Ecological Reserve, a Marine Protected Area that’s home to a thriving underwater ecosystem that boasts one of the highest concentrations of sea-life in all of California. It was incredible to see the city from the sea and meet some adorable wildlife along the way. 🛶
Then, it was time to chill at the Airbnb for a bit before getting ready for dinner. That's when, just when we thought the weekend's views couldn't get any better, we headed over to Cannonball in Belmont Park for world-class sushi and sweeping panoramic ocean views from the restaurant. Together we enjoyed an all-time meal before ending the night exploring Belmont Park and, of course, taking a quick roller coaster ride. 🎢
The very last day of the Live Free Tour started off how every sunday should: with brunch, of course. 🍳 We went over to Palmy's in Pacific Beach, a laid back, all-day cafe with beautiful plants and even better plates. We then went big for our last adventure of the tour: paragliding over Torrey Pines Cliffs! We may have saved the best views for last as we sailed over some of the wildest landscapes along the Southern California coast. Afterward, we wound down together at Windnsea in La Jolla with some chill beach time to close out the trip.
The Live Free Tour has been nothing short of the trip of a lifetime, and we couldn't have asked for a better way to top it all off than experiencing fall in San Diego together. A huge thank you to this trip's guests: Maddie Harlan, Maria Marcoccia, and Anna Cook. We can't wait to see what adventure we get into next, but until then: you can relive all of the incredible moments from this trip on our socials (@puravida) and you can shop all the products seen throughout on our website. 🫶
