Beach Nests, Bungalows, and Pools

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🛏️ Where to Sleep in San Diego (If You're Chasing Stories, Not Just Pillows)

San Diego isn’t just sun, surf, and tacos - it’s a city full of secrets and stories. Whether you’re planning a romantic escape, a solo adventure, or a trip that’s more “iconic” than “economy,” here are six unforgettable places to rest your head. These hotels may turn into some of your favorite vacation memories.
- Cris

Psst! The following hotels are a little on the ‘you only live once so go big’ price scale. You should definitely experience at least one of them. How to pay for it? Our sponsor, The Hustle, offers 100 free ideas on how to make enough money to stay anywhere you want. Happy Travels!

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🌲 The Lodge at Torrey Pines

Craftsman Elegance Meets Coastal Wilderness

Sleep beside the sea cliffs in this tribute to early 1900s California architecture. Overlooking the famed Torrey Pines Golf Course and nature reserve, this lodge is all about handcrafted details, fireplaces, and ocean breezes. Bonus: You can hike from your room straight into the pines. We rented their boardroom for a business meeting and it felt like being in the Godfather movies with leather smoking chairs, huge fireplaces, and wood paneling all around you. It felt cool in the summer heat and also made us feel like slackers for not working harder to achieve this life every day. I don’t remember the topic of the meeting.

Given the high price of staying at the Lodge, some travelers prefer to stay at the Hilton across the street (where you can walk out onto Torrey Pines golf course to stretch your legs after dinner and still have a stunning view of the ocean).

👻 Hotel del Coronado

Ghost Stories & Glamour by the Beach

Marilyn Monroe filmed here. Eleven presidents have stayed here. And Room 3327? Supposedly haunted. This Victorian beachfront masterpiece is a National Historic Landmark where legend and luxury go hand in hand. Whether you’re ghost-hunting or just chasing sunsets, the “Del” delivers. 

Don’t miss having lunch on the sun deck. After a quick swim in one of the many pools, the sun deck offers shade (or sun) and a perfect view of Coronado beach and the Pacific Ocean. There are normally yachts sailing within view, dodging military ships on training exercises, and small private boats zipping around all of them. It’s always entertaining and peaceful. Bonus: the servers will never rush you, even if you order iced tea and sit for hours. This is an inviting place for everyone to relax.

🌸 La Valencia

Mediterranean Magic in the Heart of La Jolla

Nicknamed “The Pink Lady,” this cliffside retreat has been wooing artists, writers, and romantics since 1926. It’s equal parts European villa and California daydream, with flower-covered balconies, sweeping ocean views, and enough charm to write your own novel. The only problem with this hotel is that it is so perfect that you may be tempted to stay there the whole time and not venture out to see anything.

🪹 Treebones Resort

A Nest Like No Other

Want your kid to win the ‘what did you do on your summer vacation’ contest? I’ve got you covered. Okay, this one’s a scenic six-hour drive up the coast, but it’s worth it. Sleep in a human-sized nest, ocean-view yurt, or a twig-woven pod at this off-grid eco resort. It’s not in San Diego, but if your vacation deserves a fairytale ending, this is it.

You MUST arrive at least two hours before sunset because it gets very dark once the sun goes down. Ever wonder how birds stay dry in their nests when it rains? You may find out if it rains while you stay here (bring a tent). I’ve never seen anything like this in all of my travels. If you are physically able to carry your sleeping bags and supplies, then your story of casually saying “we slept in a nest” will easily best the bragging of your coworker after vacation.

Now that we have a place to store our luggage while in San Diego, I’m headed to the pool for a nap before dinner. I hope someone wakes me up.

See you next Wednesday.

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