A trend that we at Penny Realty have been noticing lately is schools are beginning to offer longer fall breaks. No more long weekends, today’s kids are actually enjoying weeks off at a time, making a fall vacation to Mission Beach something many travelers are considering. The crowds lessen, the weather is beautiful, (Is it ever not beautiful in the San Diego region of California?) and the laidback vibe of our wonderful state promises to help you enter the busiest days of the year with confidence and optimism. This guide to a fall journey to Mission Beach will give you some ideas on how to make the most of your autumn escape to the coast and find the top fall activities in San Diego.
Day 1: Art, Music, and Wine in La Jolla
When traveling the best way to get to know the area you are visiting is by attending its regional festivals and events and one of our favorite local events just happens to take place in the fall, the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival. Occurring the end of September and offering all our favorite things, including live music, gourmet food, California wines, incredible art masterpieces, a pet adoption event (You may not want to adopt a pet while on vacation, but that shouldn’t stop you from doing some serious petting!), even a family center where the littles can have their own good time. Their silent auction offers a chance to get some really cool stuff and the proceeds go towards keeping art in the schools, a very worthy cause indeed.
Day 2: Two Wheels to Fun
You’ve probably already seen tanned men and women riding colorful beach cruisers on the Mission Beach Boardwalk, and if that seems to be an adventure you would like to experience, Mission Beach Rentals, located at 3136 Mission Boulevard Suite C, allows you to join in the fun! Also renting children’s bikes, bike trailers, even tandem bikes, except for a beach day, there is nothing you will love more than riding a cruiser under the California sun, checking out all the things the Mission Beach Boardwalk has to offer.
Day 3: A Day of Epicurean Adventures
When enjoying a foodie getaway to Mission Beach, these restaurants will ensure your days will be filled with tasty adventures! Little Lion Café, 1424 Sunset Cliffs Boulevard, offers charm, cheer, and a menu filled with flavor, taking travelers away from the chain restaurants where everything tastes the same. Go back at lunch, it is open from 8 until 2 every day but Monday, or try someplace new, perhaps enjoying the farm to table goodness offered at Farmer’s Bottega, 860 W Washington Street. And when the sun is setting over the seas that surround our San Diego area hometown, the Smoking Goat Restaurant at 3408 S 30th Street offers way more than a charming name. Blending classic French dishes with modern Californian style, this menu will make your entire vacation shine bright.
Day 4: The Scream’s the Thing
October travelers looking for a spooktacular adventure may want to plan on visiting the Scream Zone in Del Mar, 2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, offering three different scream zones and one of the most frightening haunted attractions we have ever experienced. Test your survival skills with a Virtual Reality battle during the Zombie Apocalypse, fight off “real” zombies with real bows and arrows, and enjoy haunted versions of midway games, in addition to showing off your bravery by surviving any of their scream zones.
Day 5: Pumpkin Everything
Because the weather doesn’t change that much from day to day in this part of the world, the best way to detect that fall has arrived (besides looking at the calendar) will be the cheerful orange pumpkins that suddenly appear nearly everywhere you look. When you too want to jump on the pumpkin bandwagon, you won’t have far to go, as Pacific Beach Pumpkin Patch is located just minutes away from your Mission Beach abode. Located at 870 Garnet Avenue and only open in the month of October, the pumpkin patch offers a pumpkin carving area for the kiddos, fall decorations, and the largest selection of pumpkins in the area.
Day 6: Celebrate the Season at the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum in San Diego
You might have to look a little harder to find trees dressed in their autumn finest during this journey, but a stop in the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum, located at 2215 Pan American Road E, the colors of the season will surround you. Taking up five acres of land in Balboa Park, the garden represents the friendship and connection between San Diego and its sister city, Yokohama in Japan and there may not be a more peaceful spot in the area, and yes, that includes the seas that surround us.
Day 7: Binge Watch Scary Movies at Home with Penny Realty
You don’t have to leave the boundaries of our seasonal sanctuaries to enjoy all the fun parts of fall. Sit out on balconies feeling cool breezes kissing your cheeks, enjoy a Thanksgiving feast while gathering together in our luxurious dining rooms, and binge watch all those classic horror movies you have loved your entire life on state of the art televisions. Reserve your favorite escape today!