On our second day in San Diego, we decided to visit the renowned San Diego Zoo. I have mixed feelings about zoos. The not-so-good ones are heartbreaking. (I struggle seeing animals in tiny enclosures.) But, the good ones are a vital part of retaining our planet’s (diminishing) biodiversity.

San Diego’s zoo is one of the goodies (at least in my opinion). It is home to over 650 species of animals, many of them endangered. The importance of conservation and biodiversity was emphasized throughout the Zoo. And, with 100 acres of land, the enclosures seemed more spacious and thoughtfully-prepared than many zoos we’ve visited.

We spent hours hiking the zoo’s beautifully landscaped hills and marveling in its animal habitats. Bambino was particularly fascinated by the maned wolves, elephants, okapis, and lions.

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With three little ones, we also had plenty of breaks for sugary snacks and playground romps. (The parents may have also stopped for the occasional “Koala Kölsch.”)

After a warm, activity-filled day, our kiddos were happy, but exhausted. Our zoo day wasn’t the kind of adventure I can rhapsodize about. We didn’t have any big revelatory moments about San Diego’s culture or identity. But, Bambino loved a day at the zoo (and frankly, so did I).

After a quick nap, we headed to the pool to regroup and make evening plans. Our group was about to grow to eleven people (six adults and five children). Thankfully, we were able to make a last-minute reservation at Pueblo in Pacific Beach.

The restaurant (which offers local seafood and made-to-order tortillas) provided us with a lovely private dining space. The adults enjoyed fish tacos, carne asada, and tequila while the kids had the space and privacy to run and play. I wrapped up the evening with good friends, a baby in my arms, and a little bit of sunburn. It was a good day.

This year,  we decided to head to San Diego for Spring Break. It seemed like the perfect destination– consistently good weather, beautiful beaches, and lots to do. As a bonus, early April isn’t peak tourist season in San Diego– allowing us to avoid the crowds that engulf more-typical Spring Break locales. As an added bonus, friends joined us for a portion of our adventure.

We spent the first part of the week at the Hyatt Regency on Mission Bay. While the rooms needed some modest updating, the views, service, and outdoor amenities made up for the slightly dated decor. Our room faced the harbor and Bambino loved watching the seals and seabirds from our balcony.

However, we spent a lot of time outside. We visited the rocky beaches of La Jolla and watched seals frolic on the Children’s Beach.

We tested out the water slide in the Hyatt’s fantastic pool area.

And, we explored the funky neighborhood of Mission Beach. The more we travel, the more we are drawn to neighborhoods and cities with a cultural identity and sense of place. While La Jolla is posh and tourist-ready, Mission Beach felt more lived in. Admittedly, it is still a vacation town (with an old-fashioned beachfront amusement park), but Mission Beach seemed to cling to its surfer ethos and wasn’t perfectly pretty. In other words, it was our kind of place.

In fact, San Diego was our kind of tourist destination. There is a remarkable amount of things to do– but it’s also the kind of place where you can linger in a park or on a beach and do nothing. More on our adventures next time.