I have lived in America’s Finest City for nearly two decades and love living and working in this city. I work with a lot of families who come here on vacation and am always happy to share the best places to visit, eat, or where to stay. Here are a few things that I think visitors need to know before planning a vacation to San Diego.

May Gray, June Gloom

Ah, SoCal. Land of golden beaches, swaying palm trees, and endless sunshine. Well, sort of. While we are blessed to have amazing weather, there are some months that I would suggest avoiding if you’re after sunshine on your family vacation. Unless you’re a local, most people don’t realize that San Diego has some not-so-great months when it comes to the weather. While the temperature is mostly mild year-round, May and June often come with a marine layer that hangs around, turning our beautiful coastline a dull gray. Which isn’t to say you can’t get some beautiful photos – click here to see why cloudy days are actually good for taking family photos. They can be great months for booking a photo session but not so good if you’re hoping to get a tan while you’re here.

Do the Stingray Shuffle

Sounds like a catchy dance move but it’s actually something that you should always do when you get in the water. San Diego beaches are home to plenty of stingrays that like to bask in the shallow water. They can often be camouflaged under the sand so make sure to shuffle your feet as you walk through the waves. This helps alert stingrays that you’re nearby and hopefully encourage them to swim off to avoid being stepped on. Stingray stings are no joke!

Tacos & Tequila

San Diego boasts some seriously good Mexican food. It’s even home to the very first fish taco, introduced to Southern California by Rubio’s. You can even see the original Rubio’s restaurant on Mission Bay Drive in Pacific Beach.

Speaking of tacos, if you’re a fan of Mexican food and margaritas like me, check out Old Town San Diego for some amazing food and local history.

Don’t Mess with the Seals

La Jolla is a great place to visit, especially with kids. It has amazing shopping, ocean-facing restaurants, and SEALS! And while they are super-cute (and smelly!), they also commandeer several areas of the beach. And they can be very territorial if they feel like they (or their pups) are being threatened. The Children’s Pool is a great place to bring the family, but know that it is closed from May – December for the seals to have their babies. Keep your distance and admire their cuteness from afar.

Mermaids Are Real!

Yes, we have mermaids in San Diego! While I specialize in family and maternity photos, every summer I love to offer special sunset mermaid sessions from July-August. These are fantasy sessions where you get to indulge your (or your child’s) mermaid dreams to your heart’s content! You can find more information on these sessions here.

Make Sure To Capture Those Memories

As a Ron Burgundy once said, San Diego is “the greatest city in the history of mankind.”

And it’s the perfect place for a family vacation! While I have covered a lot about what you should know before planning a vacation to San Diego, one of the most important things is to make sure to capture those memories while you’re here!

Vacations are all about relaxing and having fun, and as a parent, you want to give your family a trip to remember. One of the best ways to do that is to take lots of pictures. In fact, I’ll bet you already have a million pictures of your kids on your phone. Who doesn’t, right? But how many of those pictures include YOU?

As a mother of two, I know how hard it is to want to capture the moment but also BE in it – especially when you’re on vacation. Hiring a local family photographer is the perfect way to make sure that this happens. I have been photographing vacation memories for years and I make sure to get the most relaxed, candid moments possible. More importantly, I want to capture the connections that your family shares, and give you stunning images that you’ll treasure – vacation memories that include you!

Want to book your own family session while you’re here? Get in touch – I’d love to chat about helping you make your own San Diego memories!