The Urban Darling

5 Things To Do In San Diego

By Esperanza on June 5, 2025

San Diego, San Diego hotels, San Diego restaurants, San Diego boutiques, San Diego coffee shops, things to do in San Diego, where to eat in San Diego, where to shop in San Diego, travel guide, travel blogger, family travel, family style, family blogger, The Urban Darling.

We had the best time in San Diego during our California trip! Of all the destinations we visited, we spent the most time in San Diego, although we both agreed we could have used at least one more day because there is so much to do. Andrew had always wanted to go to San Diego, and I was eager to explore more of the city, especially since my previous visit with my parents only allowed for a quick day trip. We managed to check off so many things on our list, though there were still plenty of experiences we couldn’t fit in. We’ll definitely have to plan another trip there in the future! In this post, I’m sharing five things to do in San Diego based on our itinerary while we were there.

Our Minimalist Must Haves For Traveling With A Baby

By Esperanza on

Baby travel essentials, travel essentials, baby must haves, travel essentials, family travel, family style, travel style, family travel must haves, baby style, must haves, essentials, travel, travel blogger, The Urban Darling.

We’ve been doing so much traveling together as a family this year, which we absolutely love, although traveling with a baby certainly comes with its challenges! We just got back from our trip to Detroit, which was our first flight this year, and we have another trip coming up to Colorado in June, which we’ll also be flying for. We drove to our other travel destinations earlier this year, so we were able to bring a bit more with us. But when you’re traveling through an airport, it’s definitely easier to pack lighter. This inspired me to share our minimalist travel essentials for flying with a baby. I hope this blog post is helpful for other jet-setting families!

Malibu, California, USA | Travel

5 Things To Do In Malibu, CA

By Esperanza on May 29, 2025

Baby, beach, baby boy, Point Dume, El Matador, Malibu Pier, Malibu travel guide, Malibu, California, California trip, California travel, California beach, Malibu beach, family trip, family travel, family photography, dad style, mom style, family style, baby boy style, beach style, family blogger, travel blogger, The Urban Darling, travel guide, Malibu travel guide, Malibu Farm.

Malibu is popular beach town west of Los Angeles, known for it’s beautiful beach front properties, surfers, and world class dining and shopping. We visited Malibu for a few days during our California trip. It was my second time visiting, and I loved it so much that I really wanted Andrew to experience it as well. It was such a great trip for us because Sage got to go to the beach for the first time, and Andrew proposed to me there! In this blog post, I am sharing the things we did while visiting Malibu.

Joshua Tree, California, USA | Travel

5 Cute Boutiques To Shop In Joshua Tree

By Esperanza on May 23, 2025

I love unique local shops, and Joshua Tree had a large number of them for such a small town! Whether you are looking for vintage clothing, handcrafted home decor, or sundries, there is a shop for everyone. Plus, the aesthetic of all of these shops is super cool! I always get design ideas for my own home at spots like these. In this blog post, I’m sharing 5 cute boutiques we checked out in Joshua Tree.

San Diego, California, USA | Travel

5 Cute Boutiques To Shop In San Diego

By Esperanza on

After exploring Balboa Park, we headed to the nearby North Park neighborhood, where there is a ton of amazing shopping and dining. We checked out this adorable boutique Pigment, and then stopped at Lovesong Coffee for our afternoon coffee. Afterward, Andrew stayed there for a work meeting, and I explored more of the local boutiques in this area with Sage in his stroller. I love checking out local boutiques, and there were so many cute ones on the same block as the coffee shop. I am highlighting the boutiques I popped into in this blog post!

Malibu, California, USA | Travel

A Mini Travel Guide To Malibu, CA

By Esperanza on May 22, 2025

I loved visiting Malibu a few years ago with my sister, and I knew it was somewhere I wanted to take Andrew and Sage when we were planning our family trip to California. I’m so glad we were able to squeeze it in! The scenery in Malibu is absolutely gorgeous, even on overcast days like the ones we had when we were visiting. We made so many amazing memories during our time in Malibu, like Sage’s first time on the beach and our engagement at El Matador. It’s a place we will always remember! In this blog post, I’m sharing what we did, where we ate, and where we stayed in this beautiful beach town.

Los Angeles, California, USA | Travel

Our Stay At The Gjelina Hotel In Venice Beach

By Esperanza on May 14, 2025

Venice Beach, Los Angeles, Gjelina Hotel, Los Angeles hotels, Venice Beach hotels, hotel review, hotel stay, travel blogger, family travel, family style, hotel style, hotel design, hotel lobby, modern hotel, modern design, Southern California travel, boutique hotel, family blogger, The Urban Darling.

Andrew and I loved this boutique hotel in Venice beach, Gjelina Hotel. The eclectic interiors felt like art deco style meets French countryside, and we were obsessed! With beautiful courtyard areas, a balcony with an ocean view, and a gorgeous lobby, it felt like we were stepping into a different world. It was such a dreamy hotel, and we had an amazing time during our stay there. We wished we could have stayed for at least a week! I will be sharing more of our experience at Gjelina in this blog post.

San Diego, California, USA | Travel

5 Cute Restaurants To Eat At In San Diego

By Esperanza on May 13, 2025

During our trip to San Diego, we ate at some fabulous restaurants! Andrew is a chef, and I have always been a foodie, so we really enjoy trying new things together. Sage loves to eat too, so it’s super fun for us to experience it together. I love visiting restaurants that have amazing interiors. It makes the atmosphere and experience so much more enjoyable. We are both Italian, so we had to dine at some Italian restaurants, and I am a sucker for a cute coffee shop. In this blog post, I am highlighting the 5 restaurants that we ate at in San Diego!

Family Style | Travel Style

Sage’s First Time At The Beach In Malibu, CA

By Esperanza on

Baby, beach, Baby boy, Point Dume, Point Dume Beach, Malibu, California, California trip, California travel, California beach, Malibu beach, family trip, family travel, family photo shoot, family photography, dad style, mom style, family style, baby boy style, beach style, family blogger, travel blogger, The Urban Darling.

Sage got to visit the beach for the first time in Malibu! He had just started walking a few days before we left for our California trip, so it was really sweet watching him try to walk with a little help from Andrew. He loved the beach, and it was so cute seeing his little toes in the sand! He was a little scared of the water, but he thought it was funny when I would pretend to run away from the waves while holding him. It was a gloomy day at Point Dume, but the scenery was still so beautiful. It was such a happy moment for our little family, and I’m so glad we took these photos.These are the days we will always remember!

Malibu, California, USA | Travel

Our Stay At The Malibu Beach Inn In Malibu, CA

By Esperanza on May 6, 2025

Malibu, Malibu Beach Inn, Malibu Pier, Surfrider Beach, Malibu hotels, hotel review, hotel stay, travel blogger, family travel, family style, hotel style, hotel design, hotel lobby, modern hotel, modern design, Southern California travel, boutique hotel, family blogger, The Urban Darling.

While visiting Malibu, we stayed at the incredible Malibu Beach Inn! Located right next to Surfrider Beach and the Malibu Pier, this beachfront hotel offers incredible views of the ocean. We had a stunning ocean view room, and it was very relaxing being that close to the water. The sound of the ocean was so peaceful, especially for Andrew, who loves the water. The hotel interiors were incredible, every detail was amazing. My sister, who lives in Los Angeles, joined us for the night, and we had so much fun hanging out in our beautiful room. I’ll be sharing more of our stay at this boutique hotel in this blog post!