100 Layer Cake

You all know about Runaway, right? The ultra sweet elopement event in San Diego next month? It’s such a genius idea. If you’re planning to run away with them, you might consider following their guide to eloping in San Diego. Even if you’re not going to elope next month, this is a pretty great list of all the awesome places you can visit whilst on vacation in America’s Finest City. More from the Runaway Crew below…

When we learned that people would be flying into our fair city from all over the country to Runaway (you know about it, right? A one day all inclusive pop up wedding chapel package? Learn more here.) with us, it became clear that we needed to compile a little (or extensive!) travel guide for everyone. We asked our very own Hostess Haven to extend her hospitality beyond the party and out over San Diego, and boy, she doesn’t disappoint. Even if you are not tying the knot with the Runaway Pop Up Wedding this May in San Diego (shame), this is a handy dandy guide on where to eat and what to do in these parts. Check out a snippet of Farra’s picks below, or visit Runaway Pop Up to get the whole guide. (Or to learn more about getting hitched with us, we still have a few slots left!)

w h e r e t o s t a y f o r t h e r u n a w a y

Lafayette. for the beer loving or hipster runaways.
a newly redesigned boutique hotel, swim club & bungalows located on north park’s el cajon boulevard. they’ve been around since 1946 and are a locals favorite for a sunny day swim at the swim club. the up and coming el cajon boulevard is a funky mix between creative small businesses, pawn shops and historical bar icons. stumble out of bed and start your day at coffee and tea collective right down the street before you explore the rest of north park. you might leave for a hike or museum, but you’ll be back in north park to eat, drink and sleep. close by. red fox room – iconic piano bar down the street.

The Pearl. for the beach and romantic runaways
a mid-century modern boutique hotel. there’s always something happening on their social calendar, but the most notable is their wednesday night dive-in theatre, which projects movies overlooking their oyster shaped swimming pool. it’s centrally located to downtown, north park, la jolla, or coronado and a definite romantic getaway to retreat back to after exploring the rest of ocean beach or other san diego must sees. close by. liberty station (grocery stores, Con Pane bakery, Stone World Bistro & Point Loma Seafood

Tower 23. for the [pacific & ocean] beach runaways
located in pacific beach, one of san diego’s most known beach communities. there are locals, foreigners, travelers and straight up crazy college students roaming these active streets. the ocean view is beautiful and surfing is clearly close, but don’t expect a quiet getaway around town; someone will most likely snag you for a drink as you’re walking back to your hotel, however it’s close enough to the quieter, hippier ocean beach if you’d rather take a quick ride over there to spend your days. ocean beach has sunset cliffs and pacific beach has some great northern hidden beach gems that border la jolla like tourmaline or calumet park or just keep going into la jolla, that’s your best bet if you want a plethora of stunning choices.

andaz. for the downtown runaways
a newer gaslamp hotel with philippe starck’s katsuya restaurant (Japanese – get the recognized crispy rice). rooms are ultra modern and there’s the ivy rooftop pool for lounging and the ivy nightclub for dancing and celebrating if clubbing is your thing.

la Valencia . for the ‘jewel of san diego’ ‘beach’ runaways
truly, it’s a jewel. la jolla has so much to offer which starts and stops pretty much at its coastline and is gorgeous anytime of the year. la Valencia has local charm and much history since 1926. there’s shopping, museums and great restaurants within walking distance as well as championship golfing in case there’s a bachelor day involved? in la jolla you’ll find bird rock, windansea, the shores and the cove to name a few. any beach/ surf lover would easily get lost in these beaches and waves. it quiets down by night so take a cab and head south for more celebratory shenanigans.

air bnb. for the beer loving, outdoorsy, hipster and foodie runaways
a perfect option for a couple who wants a more private, unique runaway in exactly the right space for the right budget. it’s a great way to find a perfect little cottage, loft, or house for rent with your own specifications and then venture out as you please to explore the rest of san diego.

w h e r e t o e a t a n d p l a y f o r t h e r u n a w a y

for the hipsters:
eat: bali hai for tiki drinks
located in shelter island, these guys have been serving some crazy tiki drinks since1955. take in the landscape views of the sd bay and downtown while enjoying some stiff mai tais. limit 2 per customers, these drinks are no joke.

do: casbah
historic indie music venue where young musicians aspire to play. has hosted bands like nirvana and smashing pumpkins, making it an important driver of the local music scene.

for the foodies:
eat: farmhouse
classic rustic french food with an amazing escargot risotto if that’s your thing. if it’s not, just indulge in some decent priced wine, meat and cheese and enjoy the rustic décor and cozy dining room.

for the beer lovers:
eat: blind lady ale house
thin pizza crust pizza & unique beers poured in appropriate glassware, how can you go wrong? will ferrel does a fundraiser at blah every year that sells out; I mean who doesn’t wanna follow will?! open for lunch and an awesome deal for a margherita & suzie’s farm greens for $10. vegan options and a fun, casual environment to just hang.

do: frisbee golf
grab a six pack and get ready for a fun 2 hours. the earlybird get the worm here as the popular spot can sometimes leave you waiting a bit longer to play but hey, more time for the beer drinking.

for the romantics:
eat: jayne’s
a legit english gastrobup that serves bangers & mash and shepherd’s pie with a solid euro wine list, a quaint bar and a solid meat/ cheese plate. you’ll catch the owners (jayne, duh. and john) browsing around the dining room and possibly their tottering toddler. the environment is cozy and inviting, you’ll be happy you took your time to enjoy.

do: sunset cliffs
stop at olive tree marketplace and grab a few snacks and a bottle of wine to take to the cliffs for the most gorgeous sunset. it’s one of those beautiful scenes that you take for granted when you live close, but that pleasantly surprises you each and every time. could be chilly on the water so dress warm to be cozy.

It was ridiculous putting this together and realizing how much amazingness is in San Diego (no joke, staycation happening soon so I can use this guide)! These are seriously only a few of the profiles and a few of the reco’s. Check out runawaypopup.com for a crazy list that narrows down who you are and how you love to spend your time. If you’re an outdoorsy person who wants a foodie experience and somewhere romantic to spend the afternoon, you can pick and choose all of that in the listed profiles, not to mention, I threw together my own ‘hostess preferred’ list of what I love to eat/ drink/ do. If you’re still stuck how to plan your perfect elopement, email us at hello@runawaypopup.com for personalized planning and recommendations and to book your elopement in this ‘has it all’ city.

xo- The Hostess Haven