If you are looking for a palette of cultures or a serene atmosphere then there maybe an array of places speckled all over the world for you to visit. But, if you are browsing for a spot where you can arrive to a home away from home, that has so much to offer, then San Diego has a place reserved with your name on a golden plaque. With the common necessities of a vacation spot, San Diego is prepared, but when it comes to luxuries, you get more than expected. A little bit of the Mexican culture combined with the American history and sprinkled on top with hints of Italy is a slice of San Diego for you.
When my family and I headed there for winter break I had no idea what to except. I heard wonderful things about it, like its beaches or its assortment of restaurants, ranging from Chinese to Italian. As soon as I stepped off the plane, I saw palm trees hovering and rays of sun glimmering through them. We walked out of the gloomy airport and was welcomed to crowds of energized people going about a regular day. After a long journey in the plane, I felt pumped up as soon as I walked out on to the street. We had seen a glimpse of the small city but had no idea what we were to see the next couple of days.
Beaches, museums, parks, and on and on and on our list of places to see went. There was Imperial Beach, a place with a vast, blue Pacific ocean scattered with surfers. Our morning started off there with a delicious breakfast and a relaxing bike ride right by the ocean. Then came a nice cozy part of the city called Little Italy. A neighborhood that covered all the wonderful tastes of Italy, it satisfied my hungry stomach. It was exciting place with an upbeat nightlife. Next, we traveled on to Coronado Island. This place was a resort that contained many historical memories deep within. For example, in the famous Coronado Hotel a Marilyn Monroe movie was taken. Aside from the rich history, there were neighborhoods that lied along the edges of the majestic hotel that contained breathtaking villas. It was difficult to leave the sight but there was much more for our eyes to take in. While traveling back to the mainland we took the Coronado Bridge, which gave us a view of the beautiful skyline. After a couple of days in a small city, its newly discovered beauties overwhelmed us.
Days went by, and we had covered most of the attractive parts of the city, which was practically everything. My whole family, including me, shared a desire to reside in the city after going there, but we all knew that was an impossible wish. Well, not impossible but difficult. We made many stops at a plethora of different souvenir shops, trying to grasp each part of the city in a little trinket. But, we knew for sure that no matter how many items we took with us we wouldn’t be able to bring home the real experience. With many bags in our hands, we strolled down the streets of the Gaslamp Quarter district, on a particularly hot day. We were just getting ready to go to our final destination, Legoland. After awhile of adventuring in the city, we were going to go to the amusement park.
Legoland was a definite adventure. With rides of all sizes for people of all ages, Legoland was a fantastic park, especially on New Year’s Eve. We went on practically every ride the place had to offer and amused at the little joys like children. The rides, shows, and attractions were amazing, but the little displays of the intricate Lego sculptures were my favorite part. We passed the rest of the evening watching the cute New Year’s Eve party, then drove back to the hotel, and had a celebration of our own by eating Chinese food.

We thought one more day was enough for us to become strong and leave San Diego, but I guess we were completely mistaken. For our final day, we decide to spend it along the beach by taking in the view. A drive by wasn’t enough so we slipped out of the car and placed our feet in the warm sand. My brother and I raced to the edge of the water and let our feet soak in the cool Pacific. For the couple of hours we spent there, we built sand castles and looked for seashells. To be truthful, that was probably the best use of time our family had ever spent together. But the time came when we had to head towards the airport. My dad hustled us into the car and we dreadfully drove on.

As we entered the aircraft in silence, we thought to ourselves how life back home would be. My brother and I took our seats beside each other and fastened our seatbelts with a click. I looked up at him and saw him gazing at the hilly land sprinkled with palm trees. He turned to me and spoke for the first time since we had left the beach.
“I want to live here. Back home it’s so boring. Here it was fun.”
Then I realized the joy. Even though we were native Californians and loved California since the beginning, that place had a special charm all on its own. It captivated us, like all its visitors.