San Diego might just have it all for a Girls Getaway; with over 70 miles of sandy beaches and diverse neighborhoods that offer unique culinary and cultural experiences, it doesn’t get much easier to plan a trip. It also doesn’t hurt that one-of-a-kind lodging experiences can be found at local beach cottages rentals or by camping on the beach (complete with bonfire and smore’s of course).

Start your day off with Huevos Rancheros and breakfast margaritas in Old Town San Diego. Old Town is the oldest settled area in the city and features authentic Mexican food, as well as colonial architecture and live music. To try homemade tortillas and carnitas (shredded pork tacos topped with cilantro) head to Old Town Mexican Café. You can watch them roll fresh tortillas right in the front window everyday. Don’t rush off after eating, Old Town has unique shops offering both artisian and touristy items. If you want to head back later in the night, sign up for a ghost tour. Walking tours run Thursday through Sunday, and are sure to offer a few chills and laughs.

Next up is the local favorite, Balboa Park. Spending a day in the 1,200 acre Balboa Park is easy, it’s filled with museums, the San Diego Zoo, and theatre venues. The San Diego Zoo is one of the most famous zoos in the world, and one of only four zoos in the United States that has the Giant Panda exhibit. One of the highlights of the zoo is the Skyfari Aerial Tram, which takes visitors high above the zoo on a cable car ride. Watch out for the monkeys and gorilla exhibits during your ride, the large exhibits are easier to see up high. After you get tired from walking, take a guided bus tour around the zoo., which is also included in your ticket price.

If you are lucky enough to visit during Summer, the Shakespeare Festival in Balboa Park stages plays at the Old Globe Theater. If you visit anytime else during the year, plays and musicals run frequently during the weekends.

Cross over to Coronado Island, home to Coronado Beach and the Hotel del Coronado. You might just recognize the hotel from the movie Some Like it Hot with Marilyn Monroe. When it opened in 1888, it was the largest resort in the world, and it has since been named one of the top “10 Resorts in the World” by USA Today. If you can’t afford to stay at the hotel, you can visit the Babock and Story Bar, which remains as a tribute to the old, bygone days of the resort. You can order a Marilyn Monroe Manhattan, which contains bourbon whiskey and is served with a maraschino cherry.

The best shopping can be found downtown at the Horton Plaza. With over 200 shops and an open air, courtyard architecture, this mall has just about everything you would need for your stay. While your downtown, the Gaslamp Quarter is perfect for an evening stroll. The gas street lamps light up historic Victorian buildings and a lively night scene. The House of Blues and local jazz clubs offer a more interesting alternative to a bar.

To top off the night, grab a bottle of wine and head to La Jolla Beach. Rocks jet over the ocean’s edge, people be seen while sprawling on blankets with their legs dangling over the water’s edge at this hot spot. It offers the best view of the sunset in the city, along with free parking and a section of the beach that has seal viewing. Happy just might happen in San Diego.

Kalyn Ryan is a freelance travel and fashion writer living in Los Angeles. Shortly after having the job from hell, Kalyn decided to start The Idea Generator, an inspirational blog that follows Kalyn as she tackles her pursuits, interests, and personal bucket list, hoping to inspire others to travel and take risks to complete their own unique bucket lists early in life. Like she says, “You are only young once and there are no guarantees.”