Travel Guide: Encinitas Babymoon
When my parents offered to watch the kids for a few nights and let us get away, we had several destinations in mind for our babymoon ranging from Maui to Mexico to Santa Ynez/Ojai and on. But after deciding we didn’t want to spend precious (limited) hours traveling vs. relaxing at our destination, we ultimately landed on Encinitas.
Our babymoon criteria:
somewhere close enough to drive,
with amazing food,
beautiful beaches,
and plenty of opportunities to slow down before baby arrives
We left late on a Tuesday afternoon and lucked out with no traffic (it took us just over an hour to drive down from Orange County). We booked the trip for the start of my third trimester at 28-29 weeks, and I think it was the perfect time as I’m still feeling pretty comfortable but also starting to feel the weight of everything more and more (both physically and mentally as baby gets closer to being here!).
Our room at Alila Marea Beach Resort
WHERE TO STAY
We stayed at the Alila Marea Beach Resort in Encinitas and loved it! Everything from the restaurant to the spa to the location was great. You can easily hop on the 5 to get to and from places, or take things at a slower pace and enjoy cruising along the Coast Highway.
WHERE TO EAT
VAGA - We ate breakfast and dinner (twice!) here. While the food was great, the service did seem to run a bit slow (which is understandable when a place is busy but not as much when it feels like a “quiet” night). With that said, we still loved everything we had here including the yuzu Parker House rolls, beet salad, creme brûlée and more.
Campfire - GO HERE. The food is unreal. Whatever you do, definitely get the broccoli (which they’re known for) and if it’s on the menu, the koji-aged steak too. I mean, Chris is still talking about how good this steak was and in awe of how they got the combination of flavor, texture, and char so perfect.
Seven Seas Roasting - We grabbed coffee from this shop located in front of the Alila each morning and I had fun ordering a different flavor latte each time (Vanilla Hazelnut, Caramel, Cherry Bomb). They also have an assortment of pastries and offer breakfast burritos on the weekends.
The Henry - We only went here for drinks and appetizers during a World Cup game, but the vibes at this place were impeccable. The service and ambiance were just as great as the drinks. I ordered a Tangerine Spritz mocktail and am now desperate to recreate it at home.
WHAT TO DO
Spa day
Lounge by the pool
Go shopping
Hang out or walk along the beach
Ride bikes
Whatever you want!
OUR ITINERARY
DAY ONE - We checked in right after 5pm and walked around to get acquainted with the property. Had dinner and enjoyed the sunset from their restaurant onsite, VAGA.
DAY TWO - Spa day. We started with a 30 min workout in the hotel gym, followed by coffee at Seven Seas and then back to the room to get ready for a day at the spa. Chris got an 80-minute massage while I had the Nourish (prenatal) massage and a Trinity Facial and it was the best way to spend our first full day. We met back by the pool where Chris took full advantage of their sauna and cold plunge, and I was able to fully relax on their lounge chairs and in the warm pool. We went out later that night for dinner at Campfire and were blown away by both the food and the hospitality — I said it above and I’ll say it again, it’s definitely a must-go spot if you’re down in the Carlsbad area.
DAY THREE - If there’s one thing I loved taking advantage of, it was having the ability to do mornings together so we started the day off in the gym again, followed by coffee at Seven Seas and a bike rental from the hotel. We rode the bikes down Coast Highway and through Encinitas to grab breakfast burritos from Lourdes Mexican Food in Cardiff (recommendation from some of the hotel staff). Admittedly, I was a little skeptical about riding the bike pregnant but it was soo much fun and brought me back to my childhood/teen years when riding my bike down to the beach was my favorite thing to do. We hung out by the pool again once we got back, ordered food and drinks, and watched the World Cup games for the day. After lots of relaxing and an afternoon nap, we decided to stay at our hotel again for dinner and watched the sunset from the bar at VAGA.
DAY FOUR - The last day of our little staycation. We did our usual gym/coffee routine after sleeping in, then got packed up right before checkout. Did a little shopping at the Rylee and Cru store over in Carlsbad and then grabbed some lunch at the bar in The Henry where we were able to catch another World Cup game. My parents took the kids down this day to meet their friends who live in San Diego so we met up with them in the afternoon and got to picnic around Mission Bay for a few hours. After that, we were moving the carseats back into our car and loading the kids up to drive home.
If you’re as fortunate as we are to have family (or trusted friends) to watch your kids for a few nights, I’d strongly consider making Encinitas your destination. Let me know if you have any other favorite spots in the Encinitas, Carlsbad, San Diego area and be sure to check out my other travel guides on here!
