San Diego at 23: A Birthday Adventure
Dressed up and ready for The Mustache Bash
Shared Joy Series
📍San Diego, California | 📅 March 24, 2018 - April 1, 2018
🛏 Mary Kate’s Place
Sometimes, the trips that stay with us aren't necessarily the ones where we remember every detail. They're the ones that remind us of a person, a particular season of life, or simply what it felt like to be younger and exploring somewhere new.
In March 2018, I flew from New Orleans to San Diego to visit one of my longtime friends, Mary Kate, and celebrate my 23rd birthday. I arrived on March 24 and stayed through April 1, giving us more than a week to spend time together and explore.
Looking back eight years later, I don't remember everything we did or every meal we had — although I do remember the food being pretty good. But I remember enough to know that it was a fun stretch of time filled with friendship, exploring, and a few adventures.
And thankfully, I have the pictures to help fill in the gaps.
The First Evening: The Mustache Bash
We didn't exactly ease into the trip.
On my very first evening in San Diego, Mary Kate and I got dressed up and went to The Mustache Bash. After traveling across the country, it was a pretty fun way to kick off the trip.
Some of my favorite pictures from San Diego came from that night, and looking at them now, I can't help but smile at us — dressed up, having fun, and completely in the moment.
It also makes me laugh a little knowing that this was just the beginning of the trip.
San Diego With Mary Kate
The best part of the trip was simply getting to spend time together.
After graduating from college in May 2017, life had changed quickly. We weren't seeing each other around campus anymore or sharing the everyday routines of college, so visiting Mary Kate in San Diego was a chance to catch up and enjoy being together somewhere completely different.
We explored, ate good food, spent time near the water, and just enjoyed the trip.
Sometimes those simple parts of traveling with a friend are the memories that last the longest.
Exploring San Diego on My Own
Mary Kate still had to work during part of my visit, which meant I had some time to explore San Diego on my own.
I visited the San Diego Zoo and spent some time exploring Old Town. I also remember enjoying the water and scenery around the city.
It wasn't a planned solo trip in the way some of my later travels would be. I was simply in San Diego, Mary Kate was working, and I had some free time, so I went exploring.
Looking back, I think it's kind of fun that solo wandering was already sneaking its way into my travels, even if I didn't think much of it at the time.
My 23rd Birthday
March 28 was my actual birthday, and we spent part of the day at Coronado Central Beach.
There is something especially fitting about celebrating a birthday by the water. I was 23, in San Diego, spending the day with a close friend, and enjoying a place that felt completely different from home in New Orleans.
I don't remember every detail of that birthday, but I remember being there, and sometimes that's enough.
A Day in Rosarito
One of our bigger adventures was a day trip to Rosarito, Mexico.
The plan was to drive down to the beach and spend some time there, so this wasn't exactly a spontaneous border crossing. We knew where we were headed.
That said, once we were actually there, I wasn't completely convinced that we knew exactly what we were doing. Mary Kate had a general idea of where we were going, but there were definitely moments when I was thinking, Are we sure about this?
I won't make the story more dramatic than it needs to be, but I remember being a little nervous.
Still, it was interesting to experience somewhere new, and we made it through our little adventure just fine. Looking back now, it's one of those memories that makes me laugh and think, We really did that at 23.
La Jolla & Sunset Cliffs
Back in San Diego, we also spent time exploring together, including La Jolla and Sunset Cliffs Natural Park.
✨These are some of the moments that stand out most when I look back at the pictures. The water, the scenery, being outside, and simply getting to enjoy a beautiful place together. I may not remember exactly what we talked about or what we did every minute of those days, but I remember how much I enjoyed being there.
Thanks for reading! You can find more moments, memories, and adventure over on Instagram: @_GracefullyWandering
