Relaxing Girls Weekend in San Diego, California

Assuming you're flying in, you'll likely want to rent a car for ease of getting around. There is a shuttle to the rental car center, and it can take about 15–20 minutes to get there.

Explore Coronado Island

We immediately headed for Coronado Island since it is so close to the airport. Street parking is relatively easy to find on Ocean Boulevard, and we walked along the beautiful oceanfront homes toward the Hotel del Coronado to take in the ornate detail of this historic property that has been around since 1888. If you get thirsty, the Sun Deck is a great place to have a cocktail and watch the sunset.

We opted to keep exploring, so we drove to the other side of the island for a view of San Diego from across the San Diego Bay. We went to Peohe's for lunch with their outdoor seating, delicious food and outstanding location. It is right next to the Ferry Landing if you don't end up getting a car.

See the seals in La Jolla

In my opinion, no visit to San Diego is complete without seeing the seals and sea lions in La Jolla. It is a place where I could sit with a coffee and be entertained for hours, watching them swim and play (or maybe fight?) amid the stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. And that's pretty much what my sister and I did! We made a stop at my favorite local coffee chain Better Buzz Coffee Roasters for their honey latte and walked along the water.

Liberty Station

For dinner, we headed back toward the city to Liberty Station. What a cool vibe! It is a former Naval Training Center, and the barracks now feature shops, restaurants and events space. We saw at least two bridal parties taking photos in the gorgeous green spaces. There are tons of restaurants to check out here— we opted to meet up with my alumni club to watch college football at Slater's 50/50.

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

We left dinner just in time to make the 15-minute drive to this little gem to take in the sunset over the Pacific. It is one of my favorite things to do in California. I use it as a moment to show gratitude for the ability to travel, see nature's wonder and being alive. A short walk down to the cliffs or to the beach is a perfect ending to the day. On the weekends, it could turn into a dance party! A DJ was there cliffside, spinning great tunes and bringing smiles to everyone enjoying the evening.

What better way to get your day started than getting your blood pumping with a brisk hike along the Pacific? Torrey Pines is perfect for this. Easy and well-maintained trails lead you from parking lot to Pacific Ocean, with gorgeous views in between. You can choose your trail length and difficulty (Tip: There is parking at the top of the cliff, which helps avoid the challenging hike up!)

Brunch at the Naked Cafe

After working up a hunger, we drove north to Solana Beach, a cute beach town just a few miles up the coast. I highly recommend Naked Cafe for their amazing menu and location, right across from Fletcher Cove. The cafe is dog-friendly and even had the most adorable dog menu!

Design district at Cedros Avenue

We wanted to keep exploring, so we took a walk over to Cedros Avenue to check out the local home decor shops and clothing boutiques. On Saturday afternoons, a farmers market features locally-grown produce and handmade goods.

Afternoon poolside

We made up for our busy morning with a restful afternoon hanging pool-side at our hotel. For this trip, we stayed at the Hilton Del Mar, which had a very nice outdoor pool, hot tub and lounge in the hotel's courtyard. For other options, I've also visited these hotels, which I would also recommend:

• Loews Coronado Bay Resort

• Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines

• L'Auberge Del Mar

Dinner and drinks in Del Mar

We opted to stay nearby for dinner and found Beeside Balcony in the heart of Del Mar. It had a beautiful vibe, delicious food and great service.

Less than an hour's drive from northern San Diego gets you to wine country. It's a totally different vibe from the beach towns and definitely worth checking out. Full disclosure, I am biased toward Temecula as that's where I got married almost 10 years ago, but it is because we fell in love with the area's rolling hills and relaxed atmosphere. Here are some of my favorite wineries to visit in an afternoon (note: be sure to check their hours, some locations are closed during the week):

• Mount Palomar Winery: The gorgeous drive up through the tall trees and vineyards makes you feel like you teleported to Italy. The tasting room feels like a cozy cave, and I highly recommend soaking in the scenery with a glass of their Sangiovese Rose.

• Miramonte Winery: This winery has a wonderful patio to take in the beautiful scenery in between sips.

• Wilson Creek Winery: This winery has more of a family feel and has a large open space. I will always go here just for a glass of their delicious Almond Sparkling Wine.

• Ponte Winery: Keeping with the more rustic theme, Ponte also has a boutique-style inn on property if you've decided you haven't yet had enough of Temecula and want to stay the night.