Every year in the spring I start to get an itch to travel somewhere warm and relaxing. I dream about driving along the coast with the windows down, feeling the familiar warmth of the sun on my skin, listening to the song of the ocean as the waves race toward the dry sand and slowly back again.

After a year spent looking at the four walls around us, being able to escape to a place like this was even more meaningful than ever. And so at the end of March (and safely taking all precautions), my husband and I escaped to the ease of southern California for a week.

I had never visited San Diego, but as soon as we touched down on the tarmac I knew it was a special place I’d be visiting for years to come. From the Sunset Cliffs and the food to the overall beauty of the landscape and weather, I was hooked. Then we arrived at our hotel which was the absolute cherry on top. We stayed at a spot called The Pearl, which served laid back mid-century meets casual surf energy until our hearts were content. And unknowingly when we booked our stay, it ended up being nestled perfectly halfway between the cliffs where we watched the sunset each evening and the coffee shop we visited almost every morning during our stay.