I just got back from a much needed weekend getaway to Coronado, CA.  Coronado is an island off of San Diego and before this weekend I had only visited once or twice as a child, so it was new territory I was excited to explore!  Read on for a recap of my trip and 3 #StrongGirlTravel tips!

DAY 1

I spend so much time driving here in Orange County and LA, so I decided that I would take the train to San Diego instead of road tripping down the 5 Freeway. Honestly, it was the best decision! The train ride was so easy and so relaxing and the best part of it all was not having to deal with traffic had I driven down. It was a great way to start the weekend off. The trip down was 2.5 hours–plenty of time to nap and take in the coastline views.

train ride strong girl travel

I got off at the last train stop in Downtown San Diego and headed to a quick lunch at Cafe Gratitude in Little Italy with the girls from Kopari! Highly recommend the Ceasar Salad at Cafe Gratitude!  And, if you haven’t checked Kopari out, you should–I love their coconut oil products. Not only do their products moisturize, but they have a great coconut tropical scent.

After lunch, I took an Uber over the Coronado bridge to (I’m terrified of bridges, by the way. Cringe-worthy terrified. They freak me out–especially this one! ha) to meet my boyfriend at the Hotel Del Coronado, a historic Victorian beach resort that’s located right on the beach facing the Pacific Ocean. The hotel offers an Uber Promo Code: hoteldel. During the weekend, I not only got to explore the property and island, but also Downtown San Diego.

Fun fact–the hotel is the second largest wooden structure in the US and a national historic landmark. It was built in the 1880’s and the hotel has done a great job of keeping its original appeal, while still modernizing it. Supposedly, it’s haunted. Although I heard some stories, I didn’t have any ghost run-ins! Our room was located in the original main hotel structure. It was cute and simple and I loved the windows and outdoor balcony that faced a courtyard–great for reading a book, although I had so much fun exploring, I never got around to it! 😉

hotel del room view the strong movement strong girl travel

Here’s a view of the sunset over the ocean from the hotel lawn during my first day at the hotel.

hotel del sunset the strong movement

 

Dinner Friday night was at Cucina Urbana (in Orange County it’s called Cucina Enoteca) followed by a fun night at Vin de Syrah in San Diego’s Gaslamp District.

DAY 2

Saturday morning I slept in and then headed down to the main marketplace to grab a coffee and sit by the pool. After, I decided to hit the gym for a quick workout. The fitness center at the hotel is fully equipped with all the equipment and free weights you may need, as well as a fitness class room if you prefer to workout with more privacy. After my workout (I did a quick 30 minute full-body) (shop my Caribbean Teal Fit Squad Mesh Muscle Tank), I went back to the pool and ordered a Chicken Ceasar Salad and a Vodka Soda and relaxed in the sun the rest of the afternoon. The weather was breezy, but warm in the sun.

Dinner that night was at Vigilucci’s Restaurant, which honestly I think now competes for my all-time favorite restaurant, Roman Cucina, in Orange County. I had their Chicken Pesto Pasta. It was delicious! I wish I could finish the whole thing! I also recommend their artichoke appetizer.

DAY 3

This was my absolute favorite day–it was perfect! The hotel offers a Beach Spin Class everyday, so I got up for the 8:30am class. Honestly, it doesn’t get much better than morning spin on the beach.  It was overcast and cool, which made for the perfect weather for an outdoor spin sesh. The class was great and I highly recommend for those that want to stay active while on a trip to Coronado.  Side note- I was wondering how the music was going to work.  Instead of blasting music through speakers and waking up hotel guests, we were all given headphones tuned into the class music and instructions from the instructor.

strong girl travel hotel del beach spin 5

After, my boyfriend and I decided to explore the island by bike (sticking to the spinning theme of the day haha). We rented beach cruisers and spent the day biking around. Coronado is bike friendly and has a bike path you can take that takes you around the island in less than 45 minutes. It was so much fun–the weather was perfect- warm and sunny and the houses on the island are beautiful and so kept up. I’m wearing the Fit Squad Mesh Muscle Tank in Neon Coral from the Strong Movement Activewear line.

the strong movement ailis garcia biking coronado

After a couple of hours (honestly, by this point my legs were feeling like jello), we headed back to the hotel for a treat at Hotel Del’s world famous Moo Time Creamery!  I had my go-to-1 scoop of chocolate ice cream and my boyfriend tried their best-selling flavors Peanut Butter and Banana Nutella. It was so yummy!  We took in one last final sight before packing up and checking out.

hotel del strong girl travel american flag

It was truly and amazing and relaxing weekend and I can’t wait to go back and visit Coronado soon!  I feel refreshed and ready to tackle another week of work!  Here are my 3 takeaways from this weekend.  And please comment below if you have any suggestions or tips for next time I visit!

3 #STRONGGIRLTRAVEL Tips

  1. Go with the Flow: I purposefully didn’t make any day plans (other than dinner), so that I could just relax and do whatever I felt like in the moment. As great as it is to plan, sometimes it’s best to just see where the wind takes you and be spontaneous!  The days really lasted and I didn’t feel rushed or on a schedule, which was a great way to relax my mind and just enjoy the moment.
  2. Expect to Splurge: While I try to eat as clean and healthy as possible when I eat out and go on trips, I know that certain meals aren’t going to be.  I know ahead of time that I’m going to have a few drinks, a dessert here and there and probably some not so healthy meal choices.  It doesn’t mean that I just completely go off track at every meal, but if I keep it light at breakfast and lunch, I know I can order that pasta dish at dinner.  Or if I go all out for breakfast, I scale it back a bit the rest of the day.  It’s all about moderation and by knowing this, you don’t let yourself feel guilty for eating foods you may not normally eat.  Vacation is about enjoying yourself!
  3. Find Ways to Stay Active: Hotels usually have fitness centers that are open 24 hours, so you can still get your workouts in.  I was so excited when I found out that Hotel Del offered beach spin!  It was definitely a highlight of the trip.  But, of course there are other ways of staying active.  You can always do a quick hotel room workout, walks along the beach or explore the city by foot or bike.  Taking the hotel stairs is also an option to get that cardio in.  It’s important to keep your body moving (even if you do plan to sleep or just relax and lay by the pool), so that when you get back to your normal routine your body isn’t in shock.  You don’t have to make fitness your main focus (it certainly wasn’t mine on this trip) or obsess about counting your steps, but if you can keep your body in motion, while still allowing your body to relax–why not?!