Dreamy California : San Diego to San Clemente

After Randy and I met in San Diego, it was time to enjoy our time in Southern California. We'd been to San Diego before, but only as a staging ground for a fantastic three-week road trip down the Baja peninsula. On that trip, San Diego felt like everything comfortable and easy about the US captured in one idyllic spot. On this trip, we were able to see the texture of different areas. We were delighted to find that in addition to overall neat and tidy vibe, there was a specific feel to each particular place.

I brought the camper and the dogs across the country so we could go to California dog beaches so we immediately went to the dog beach in San Diego at Ocean Beach. Ocean Beach is funky and colorful and very dog friendly. We loved it.

We also visited the dog beach at Coronado Island. I don't have a bucket list, but if I did, I probably would have put Coronado on it. It was nice, but our day there didn't live up to my expectations. The area for the dogs to play was so much smaller than at Ocean Beach and the historic hotel somehow felt like a replica of itself.

Not everything we did was dog-centric! We loved our afternoon hiking around Torrey Pines Nature Preserve (where dogs aren't allowed at all). Both of us love exploring California. It is an expensive place in some ways, but the truth is, once you get there, you don't have to pay for activities or tours. Just walking outside is enough.

We camped at the KOA in San Diego at Chula Vista. It was comfortable, clean and convenient. Most of the week though we were at Guajome Regional Park in Oceanside.

Randy worked from the camper, and I explored the area. Sometimes our daughter Milana joined me. I rode my bike from the park to the beach on a trail that was completely separate from auto traffic. Randy and I didn't know about the Oceanside Night Market so we spent a quiet Thursday evening exploring the area around the pier.

We also visited the charming towns of San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.

Milana and I went hiking in the Cleveland National Forest off of Hwy 74. We discovered a hidden gluten-free gem of a bakery at Ortega Oaks Candy Store, although I was white-knuckle driving back up the mountains after dinner near Lake Elsinore!

When we are in California, sometimes we just start laughing because there is so much beauty. We knew we loved central and Northern California. Now we know that we love Southern California just as much.