THE LODGE TORREY PINES

I left my ♥ heart in La Jolla, CA

This year we decided to do Thanksgiving different. We avoided cooking, dirty dishes, laundry etc…and booked a weekend stay at the GORGEOUS Lodge Torrey Pines. The photo you see above if from our rooms balcony. We literally had a hard time leaving our room because there was so much beauty to admire. Our room had french doors that swung all the way open and back so you had this amazing picture frame view. I’m sharing lots more below…but wanted to share our favorite highlights first.

Where to eat

We had dinner at “The Grill” the first night and “A.R. Valentien” the second. Both had amazing service and delicious food. The Grill is their more casual dining option. It’s located right next to the golf course. I highly recommend sitting outside! We had a party of 6 and sat at one of their large round tables with front row views of the sun setting onto the pacific ocean. A.R. Valentien is their more formal restaurant. It is located right off of the lobby in the lodge. We sat outside on their deck overlooking the pool area. Both dining options are kid friendly and have a great selection too. You can see more details about these two restaurants here.

Activities

If you are a golfer…this will be your dream location. But there is so much more to do than golf. There is a full spa, pool, jacuzzi, etc. Also there is a state park very close by that you have to visit. It’s called Torrey Pines State Beach. You can either park at the bottom and hike up…or we like to park at the top and hike to see the amazing views. Hopefully you catch the hike on a clear day…you will love it! Downtown La Jolla is also very close by. I would head out to Prospect Ave to see all the shops, restaurants, art galleries and more. And on your way into town you can stop by the “Gliderport“. This is such a unique place to visit. You are literally on the edge of a cliff (but it feels very safe)…and you can watch the para-gliders take off.

Comfort

I don’t know about you…but I’m super picky when it comes to the comfort of my bed and which pillows I use. (maybe that’s why my neck hurts all the time…lol). Anyways their beds at the lodge are amazing. Not too soft, not too firm…just right. And let me tell you about their pillows. I almost wanted to ask the front desk if I could take it home with me…but instead asked her to email me what the specs are. And guess what she did! I’ll be purchasing them soon and can’t wait to have my very own “Lodge Torrey Pines” pillow comfort at home!

POOL

DINNER

I had NO idea I was taking a picture in front of this amazing fireplace that was cooking all of the chicken for the hotels restaurants. I thought this was just a really fancy fireplace. Boy was I wrong. See below for all the pics of this cook in action.

For dinner we ate at the Lodge’s Grill. The food was delicious and the views were incredible. Just look at that sunset!

After dinner we enjoyed a stroll on their grounds and chilled at one of their many fire pits. Kids wanted me to google if this hotel was haunted. They are so fascinated by anything that has to do with ghosts these days. I tried to explain to them that haunted building are usually very old. Although we didn’t find any haunted tales or any ghosts to be seen…we did find out the history of the Lodge. The original property was built as a 74 room inn in 1961. In 1995 it was purchased by the Evans Family. In 2000 the hotel was closed down, most of it was demolished and the property was completely redeveloped. In 2002 the Lodge reopened with an early California craftsman style…and it is now a 170 room luxury hotel. And definitely one of my favorite places to stay!

Then we decided to head back to the room and found the most delicious surprise of fresh fruit, cookies and milk. The rooms are also stocked with complimentary coffee, water, tea’s and hot chocolate.

GOOD MORNING BEAUTIFUL TORREY PINES

PLAY

This is where a kid can be a kid. It’ nice to getaway from not only all the chores and to-do’s…but also from technology. The kids enjoyed some old fashion croquet, running in the grass, lots of pool time, best burgers in town and even an impromptu tag football with mom and dad. We played girls vs boys…and I have to say that the girls crushed ’em. Yup.

UNWIND

My favorite seat in the house is right here. (see below pic). With the friendliest pool side service it was hard to not order another glass of wine just in time to catch the sun setting into the pacific ocean. We had so many great memories of our stay and this moment here is one of my favorites.

Last but not least I had to share this charming detail. All the rooms have actual fallen pine cones from the Torrey Pines grounds. Each one has a “do not disturb” sign attached. I love this little detail of a friendly reminder that it’s quiet time.

Fun Fact: Did you know that mostly Male Pinecones fall to the floor. The Female Pinecones only fall off the tree every 7 years. (So a man in the lobby told me)

P.S. We were honestly very sad on our last day. We had such a great time that it was hard to leave. So to make the departure a little easier we searched for our own Pinecones on the grounds. Found 2 large ones …and now they are on top of our fireplace mantle so we can always remember the Lodge Torrey Pines.

If you are ever in the San Diego area I highly recommend staying at The Lodge Torrey Pines! …or even stopping by for drinks, happy hour or dinner. Also don’t forget that they have a full service SPA…so you could do your own staycation, girls trip, mini- getaway, etc.

Thank you so much for reading and hope you have a great day!

xx,