Day 3 - The Living Coast Discovery Center
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After several busy days, I planned today to be one that was much more laid back and easygoing. Carson loves animals, and when doing research about tourist attractions for kids, I came across the Living Coast Discovery Center. They aren't open all the time, and I highly suggest checking out their hours before you go. The day we went, they didn't open up until a little later in the morning, so we decided to try to go to a breakfast place and eat a nice big breakfast in hopes of skipping lunch and doing an early dinner.
For breakfast, I had come across a restaurant called Breakfast Republic that had great reviews. They also had a location very close to our hotel located at Liberty Station. Liberty Station is cool in its own right. Liberty Station was actually a Naval training center starting in 1923. Under FDR, it began to expand a nearly triple in size and become a valuable military resource to our country. It was officially closed in 1997 and the City of San Diego gained ownership in 2000. The city then repurposed it to a place of commerce. As you walk the long halls, you can feel the history. It's such a unique experience to just be there and realize so much history is in that location. If you are a history buff like me, you have to go there! There are a bunch of restaurants located in Liberty Station. One we really wanted to try but didn't get a chance to, was Stone Brewing. We got a good look at it, and it is super fun looking and also gets great reviews! The outdoor seating area was like none I had seen before with games and a desert feel. |
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The one we decided on was Breakfast Republic. When we got there, it was packed and we had to wait about 30 minutes, which was fine because it gave me time to walk around and explore. We found a big boat structure that the kids enjoyed playing on. When a table was ready for us we headed back to the restaurant, which the place itself is rather small and funky. I don't know how to describe it other than farmhouse funky chic. There is chicken decor everywhere and bright yellow chairs.
Once we were seated, we began to peruse the menu which is quite large with many options that would satisfy almost anyone. We were seated next to a large family which had just gotten their food. The kids at the neighboring table both had this gigantic plate of chocolate pancakes covered in Oreos. As soon as my kids saw that, they knew exactly what they were going to order. Thank goodness they wanted the same thing, because we ended up only ordering one order for them to share, and it was still way too much!
I ordered the strawberry mascarpone french toast, which i had seen many people rave about in reviews I had read. I always need some sort of protein, so I also got a side of their bacon that they call Jurassic Pork, which is bacon marinated with paprika and brown sugar. Joe is a huge fan of Eggs Benedict, and there were several different kinds to choose from, but he went with the Jurassic Pork version. The food was in one word...AMAZING! The kids ended up eating all of my Jurassic Pork. I think I got two bites. If you go here, you MUST try the Jurassic Pork.
Once we were seated, we began to peruse the menu which is quite large with many options that would satisfy almost anyone. We were seated next to a large family which had just gotten their food. The kids at the neighboring table both had this gigantic plate of chocolate pancakes covered in Oreos. As soon as my kids saw that, they knew exactly what they were going to order. Thank goodness they wanted the same thing, because we ended up only ordering one order for them to share, and it was still way too much!
I ordered the strawberry mascarpone french toast, which i had seen many people rave about in reviews I had read. I always need some sort of protein, so I also got a side of their bacon that they call Jurassic Pork, which is bacon marinated with paprika and brown sugar. Joe is a huge fan of Eggs Benedict, and there were several different kinds to choose from, but he went with the Jurassic Pork version. The food was in one word...AMAZING! The kids ended up eating all of my Jurassic Pork. I think I got two bites. If you go here, you MUST try the Jurassic Pork.
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This breakfast at Breakfast Republic was probably our favorite meal of the whole trip. My kids could care less about food and are very picky. So, the fact that they loved this place and still talk about it, means it was extra special. We even booked a flight one time with a layover in San Diego, simply so we could go here for breakfast again. But, that trip never happened. Thanks Covid! So, we are left dreaming of the Jurassic Pork and Oreo pancakes until the next time we get to go. They have locations all across Southern California, so find one and go!
Now that our bellies were full and we had some energy for the day ahead, we jumped in the car and headed off to the Living Coast Discovery Center. This is located in very south San Diego. As we drove down I-5, we kept seeing signs getting closer and closer to Tijuana. It's located in Chula Vista on the San Diego Bay. It has an odd entrance, where you drive in and park at a parking lot pretty close to the street. You then have to wait there until a shuttle comes to pick you up. We waited for awhile, with no one around and no shuttle coming. It made us nervous thinking we must have done something wrong or we were in the wrong place. Eventually, after about 20 minutes of waiting, the shuttle arrived and took us down a long road to the center. As you enter the center, there are a bunch of animals in different exhibits inside. We purchased our tickets and the kids instantly took off looking at all the different reptiles and fish. We then headed outside to find the aquarium. There we were able to see other fish and turtles. We also watched them feed sharks, and were able to touch rays. |
Once the kids had their fill of the aquarium experiences, we headed outdoors to what they call, "Raptor Row." This was a path with all sorts of birds of prey. We were able to see owls, hawks, a road runner, falcons, and some other birds.
This place was not very busy, which was a welcome change from the other places we had been. It allowed us to take in the sites at our own pace, to linger at certain exhibits, and to feel much more relaxed. The Living Coast Discovery Center isn't very large and can be done in a few hours. It's definitely not like the zoo or safari park, but it was enjoyable. If you need a place to go on a day where you need things to be bit more laid back, but still keeps the kids busy, this is a great choice while in San Diego.
Because we only spent a few hours here and our we were still full from breakfast, we headed back to our hotel to swim. This was such a nice relaxing break where I got to sunbathe, read, and the kids had a blast in the pool with Joe.
This place was not very busy, which was a welcome change from the other places we had been. It allowed us to take in the sites at our own pace, to linger at certain exhibits, and to feel much more relaxed. The Living Coast Discovery Center isn't very large and can be done in a few hours. It's definitely not like the zoo or safari park, but it was enjoyable. If you need a place to go on a day where you need things to be bit more laid back, but still keeps the kids busy, this is a great choice while in San Diego.
Because we only spent a few hours here and our we were still full from breakfast, we headed back to our hotel to swim. This was such a nice relaxing break where I got to sunbathe, read, and the kids had a blast in the pool with Joe.
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We had nothing planned for the evening and decided that we wanted to head back to La Jolla for dinner. We spent some time walking around the streets of La Jolla, which we didn't get to do before. There are lots of restaurants and upscale shops. Joe and I found ourselves mentioning again how much we would love to come back to La Jolla, just the two of us someday. It's definitely a town more for adults and would make a great adults-only getaway.
We decided to have dinner at Karl Strauss. Unfortunately, this location has closed recently. They have several other locations around California. It was all good food, but we had wished we had tried something a little different while in La Jolla. Joe was able to try their beers and Carson did love their pretzel with cheese sauce. Overall, it's a good restaurant if you are looking for something that's relaxed and has kid-friendly food. |
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This was not the most exciting day, but it was a much needed day to recoup from all the business that past few days had brought. We also had some very busy days ahead, and needed to be ready for those.
Make sure to check out our next day here, where we spent our day at the San Diego Zoo, one of the most popular attractions in all of San Diego. It's definitely a place you need to take your kids at least once in your life. |
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