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Before your WFH day begins, get some fresh air—and perspective—on these San Diego trails
Morning Hikes / Illustration
Illustration by Virginia Brown
Dog friendly, free parking
These are lesser-known and lesser-visited peaks in Mission Trails Regional Park, so you are likely to get quieter and more peaceful hikes. Start at the West Fortuna Staging Area on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and follow the trail to South Fortuna, then take the Fortuna Saddle to North Fortuna, turn around, and head back. The trail will take you to the top of both mountains, so you can brag that you bagged two of the park’s five peaks. When you’re done, refuel with coffee and baked goods at Industrial Grind Coffee (6020 Santo Road, Tierrasanta), or for more carbs and protein, get sushi and rice bowls at Edamami in the same business park (5950 Santo Road, Tierrasanta).
Morning Hikes / North and South Fortuna Trails
Dewey Keithly
Dog friendly, free parking
This trail takes you through hidden canyons in the Allied Gardens neighborhood—it’s not very well known, so you can hopefully enjoy some solitude as you walk! Start at the parking lot on Margerum Avenue. Follow the trail north until it comes out on Hemingway Avenue, then take neighborhood streets to pick up the trail again at the end of Cabaret Street and return to where you started. Along the way, take in views of rolling hills that you’d never expect to find in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Afterward, get Elvis Pancakes (banana, chocolate chips, and peanut butter) or choose from a wide variety of waffles, scrambles, and Benedicts at the diner The Trails Eatery (7389 Jackson Drive, San Carlos).
Dog friendly, stroller friendly, free parking
PARTNER CONTENT
This is an easy hike in North County that’s great for bringing the kids along, with other trail options if you want to add distance. Start at the parking lot on La Honda Drive and follow the Ranch House Trail to the East Ridge loop. You’ll pass Middle Pond along the way. Take the kids for curbside pickup at J&M’s Family Restaurant (1215 East Valley Parkway, Escondido). Or get Chinese takeout at Bamboo House (320 North Midway Drive, Escondido).
Claire Trageser has been writing for San Diego Magazine for 10 years. She also is a reporter at KPBS and writes for The New York Times, National Geographic, Marie Claire, Elle and Runner's World.
Sicilian chef Roberto Ciacciofera wanted to bring his heritage to a wider audience
Roberto Ciacciofera figures if all roads lead to Rome, then everyone will be able to find his Roman-style restaurant when he opens Colosseo in Solana Beach the first week of December.
Ciacciofera started cooking in Sicily when he was five, trying to guess what was in his mother’s tomato sauce simply by his sense of smell. He came to San Diego in 2016 to become a chef. He opened R&G Salumeria Wine Bar in Little Italy in 2020 with Giuseppe Gagliano, and Argentinian steakhouse Piedra Santa with Alberto Morreale earlier this year. But Colosseo will be his project as the solo owner and chef.
He’s not fazed by the thought of doing it all. “That’s what I love to do,” he says. “I love to cook, I love to serve, and I love connection. I love people.”
For Colosseo’s opening menu, Ciacciofera starts with traditional Roman dishes like amatriciana, carbonara, cacio e pepe, lamb, fish, and specials aplenty. Once he feels people have a solid understanding of the most well-known dishes of Rome, he’ll expand into the lesser-knowns. He’s patient. He knows people will, one day, be ready.
They’ll emphasize Italian wine, he says, but serve the best wine from the best regions. A full liquor license also means cocktails.
The former Pizza Nova building holds around 100 guests, with space for about half outside under a covered patio. But even with a full house, the one thing Ciacciofera wants to ensure everyone feels from the moment they walk in is a genuine sense of Roman hospitality—as if enjoying Sunday dinner at your grandmother’s house with your entire family.
“[It’s] where everybody’s together, enjoying music, talking in a relaxed environment,” he says. “My goal is to have a family place… my house is your house.”
Colosseo opens at 945 Lomas Santa Fe Drive in Solana Beach early December 2025. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
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Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
Meet fellow hikers by joining other outdoor-enthusiasts on routes around the city
San Diego Day Hikers is one of the region’s most popular hiking groups on the social gathering website Meetup.com. But it has a pretty interesting past.
“The group started in the 1980s as a monthly hike, usually on the last Saturday, led by a professor from SDSU, and loosely affiliated with the Libertarian Party of San Diego,” says Philip Erdelsky, the group’s current leader. “Announcements were printed in the Libertarian Party newsletter, and also emailed to those who had email.”
Subscribers were mostly students and staff at SDSU, but Erdelsky took over the group in 1993. “I used email for the hike announcements, and in the late 1990s started posting the announcements on the Caltech Alumni server, which appeared on the then-new World Wide Web,” he says.
Fast forward to 2012, and Erdelsky decided to add the group to Meetup.com, calling it San Diego Day Hikers. Today, the group has nearly 22,000 members who join up for multiple hikes across the county every month.
Typically around five to 25 people show up for hikes which are free to join. Erdelsky guides many of the hikes himself, using resources such as Schad’s Afoot & Afield in San Diego county.
Joining a local hiking group is a great way to get to know other people who share similar interests and can even help with finding new routes. Thankfully, there are plenty of hiking groups like San Diego Day Hikers to check out—most of which don’t require any membership or fees.
If you’re looking for a new crew to join, here are more San Diego hiking groups to check out:
This group gathers for hikes throughout the San Diego region with easy to moderate routes. The group usually hikes on the last Saturday of each month, but also has weekday evening excursions occasionally. Recent hikes include a Mission Bay five-mile walk, an urban four-mile hike through Marian Bear Park, and the five-mile Engelmann Oak Loop at Daley Ranch in Escondido.
This group for the UCSD community has a discord channel where users plan hikes and other outings. To join, you must be a member of UCSD, either a student or staff. The group has around 2,850 members, and usually about 20 people turn out for hikes.
Recent hikes include the Santa Margarita River trail, Cowles Mountain, San Clemente Trail and the Potato Chip rock.
This group on Facebook has around 2,000 members and plans monthly hikes, including big challenges such as El Cajon Mountain. Organizers say the group is very active with regular events. They mostly focus on hiking, but also organize backpacking, camping, snowboarding, skiing, running, cycling, kayaking, paddle boarding, and road trips events. Members can also create their own events and post them to the group.
Recent hikes include El Cajon Mountain, Mt McGinty, and Black Mountain via Nighthawk Trail. Hikes are usually organized on Saturdays and Sundays early morning at 6 a.m., but also weekday shorter evening hikes at 6 pm.
This Facebook group is great for those worried about being too slow for a regular hiking group. They have nearly 7,000 members and plan regular outings on easier routes. They’ll also organize more challenging adventures such as hiking Mt. Baldy.
“San Diego Sloth Hiking Team at Mt. Baldy. Started [the] hike at 3:30 a.m. and finished at 3 p.m.! Long day of hiking, laughs, a few curse words and a ton of beautiful views,” one user wrote on TikTok. Other hikes include Kitchen Creek Falls, Cedar Creek Falls in Ramona and Devils Backbone.
For a guided experience, the San Diego Natural History Museum offers free guided hikes throughout the county led by volunteers. Hikes are organized every weekend, but are capped in size, so you need to sign up in advance. Priority registration is given to museum members, but if there’s still space then anyone can sign up.
People often join to explore the canyons near their homes that they’ve always been curious about but were hesitant to explore on their own, according to organizers. They also take treks into the desert to explore in groups.
“I sought the Canyoneers out because I was looking to do more desert hiking, but I didn’t feel comfortable going alone,” said Daniel, one of the Canyoneer leaders, on the group’s website. “It’s easy to get lost, there’s spotty cell phone coverage, I’d think ‘what if I got a flat tire?’ The Canyoneers offered the opportunity to explore new trails that I wouldn’t hike on my own.”
If you want more than just a regular hike to join, and are looking to boost your wilderness skills, you can check out the San Diego Sierra Club’s 10-week wilderness basics course. The course covers hiking, camping, and backpacking through 10 in-class lectures with four weekend outings.
Skills training includes selecting clothing, gear, and equipment; how to use a map and compass; physical conditioning; first aid and safety; food selection and preparation and water filtration; animal encounters; and sanitation. During the overnight outings, participants will have to supply their own equipment.
The course is offered each year from January to May with lectures at 7 p.m. on Tuesday nights in Escondido at San Pasqual High School and in San Diego at the First United Methodist Church – Linder Hall in Mission Valley.
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Claire Trageser has been writing for San Diego Magazine for 10 years. She also is a reporter at KPBS and writes for The New York Times, National Geographic, Marie Claire, Elle and Runner's World.
When the weather starts to heat up, these trails offer breathtaking views, ocean breezes and easy to difficult ascents
It may feel a bit cold and cloudy right now thanks to May grey, but warmer weather is fast approaching. And summer is the best time to head to the coast for all your hiking and walking. But don’t let our regularly temperate weather fool you, it can quickly get very hot as you get just 10 miles off the coast.
So if you’re looking for hikes that beat the heat, we put together a list of our favorite coastal treks to enjoy as the weather starts to spike. With options that range from easy-peasy to more challenging, and all with breathtaking views, here are five of our top summer hikes in San Diego.
This trail along the cliffs in Point Loma is perfect for an easy hike with kids or pets or if you just want a relaxed outing that isn’t too challenging. You can explore Sunset Cliffs’ wandering trails throughout the park and get beautiful ocean views all along the way. Be sure to pay attention to the signs that show where the ocean walls are degrading, to avoid any accidental slips.
For a slightly more challenging (read: hilly) trek, head to Point Loma’s Cabrillo National Monument which commemorates the landing of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo at San Diego Bay on September 28, 1542. Located here is Bayside Trail which leads down to the beach before climbing back up. It sits on the southernmost point of San Diego, and makes you feel like you are at the end of the world as you look out to the far-reaching ocean beyond you. When you reach the bottom, there are cool tide pools you can check out as well.
The Annie’s Canyon hike isn’t quite on the coast, but it’s close enough that you still get the cool breezes and beautiful views at the top. Plus, the climb to the top is exciting as you make your way up through a white slot canyon, with very narrow walls and ladders. Then you pop out on the top and can see the ocean.
The La Jolla Coast walk is is a pretty hike to take around La Jolla Village right along the ocean, with chances to take in the seals and sea lions along the way. You can explore the wandering paths all the way to La Jolla Shores Beach if you want to dip your toes in the ocean, or turn back at any point along the way.
This is one of the more challenging treks in Torrey Pines State Reserve and has beautiful cliffside views at the end. You can add to the distance to the Broken Hill Trail by taking many of the other offshoot trails—honestly, you can spend an entire day wandering through the reserve if you want to.
Claire Trageser has been writing for San Diego Magazine for 10 years. She also is a reporter at KPBS and writes for The New York Times, National Geographic, Marie Claire, Elle and Runner's World.
The annual event honors middle market companies creating jobs, scaling up, and investing in the region
San Diego is known for its startup culture and innovation economy, but what happens when the company moves beyond its early-stage years? The San Diego Business Impact Awards aim to answer that question, spotlighting the middle market businesses helping drive the region’s economy.
Hosted by San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and JPMorganChase, the second annual awards celebration takes place on Thursday, July 23, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Scripps Research Auditorium. More than 200 executives, entrepreneurs, and business leaders are expected to attend the networking and cocktail event honoring some of San Diego County’s fastest-growing companies.
Businesses headquartered in San Diego County that have operated for at least two years are encouraged to submit their nomination by Thursday, June 18 at 4 p.m. Companies across industries—from technology and life sciences to tourism and consumer products, as well as pre-revenue startups—are eligible for recognition.
For EDC President and CEO Mark Cafferty, the event is as much about building connections as celebrating success. “We’ve had a longtime partnership with JPMorganChase; their work aligns with our efforts to support underserved communities and drive talent development,” says Cafferty. “And the networking was invaluable last year. I’m still in touch with people I met at last year’s awards.”
EDC is an independently-funded nonprofit that works directly with San Diego companies to help them grow the local economy, make the region as a whole more competitive, and attract and retain top-tier talent with quality jobs. Through EDC, companies can get help starting or expanding their business with support for things like site selection, permit navigation, and regulatory guidance, plus connections to local resources and potential business collaborators.
The San Diego Business Impact Awards began as an idea with one of EDC’s longtime strategic partners, JPMorganChase. The two organizations share a commitment to San Diego and are dedicated to bolstering middle market businesses.
“We’re blessed with a robust innovation economy and startup community,” says Aaron Ryan, San Diego Region Manager for JPMorgan’s Commercial and Investment Bank and vice chair of the firm’s’ San Diego Market Leadership Team. “But one of the segments of the business community we felt was overlooked was emerging middle market companies—the businesses that are no longer small but not yet large.”
Ryan says supporting those companies is critical as they scale and decide where to invest, hire, and grow.
San Diego’s high cost of living remains one of the region’s biggest business challenges, making talent recruitment and retention increasingly competitive. But local leaders point to the region’s quality of life, climate, and collaborative business community as advantages that continue to attract employers and workers.
“In order to support thriving households, there has to be enough high-quality jobs for people to be able to afford to live here,” Cafferty says. “Once a company grows and excels past that middle market point in their growth cycle, they become much more likely to pay higher wages and compete globally.”
Both Cafferty and Ryan proudly tout the unique collaboration that exists among San Diego County businesses. Bringing together top universities producing high-quality talent, cutting-edge research institutions, a robust military and defense presence, leading ocean science and environmental organizations, and a binational, cross-border identity creates a distinct business ecosystem that defines and strengthens the San Diego region.
Last year’s San Diego Business Impact Awards celebrated nearly 60 honorees from 49 industries, representing a total of 8,232 jobs across eight sectors, including: software and technology, healthcare and life sciences, consumer goods, professional services, finance, construction and manufacturing, defense, and hospitality and tourism. On average, honoree companies doubled their revenues over the previous year, employed more than 145 San Diegans each, and offered an average annual compensation of $192,415.
Top honorees included defense contractor Innoflight, environmental consulting firm Bancroft Construction Services, life sciences startup Element Biosciences, defense technology contractor GALT Aerospace, organic grocery store chain Jimbo’s, and biopharmaceutical company LENZ Therapeutics. During the event, Innoflight Founder and CEO Jeff Janicik held a fireside chat offering his insights on investing in the community and embracing San Diego culture.
This year, organizers hope to continue highlighting the middle market players driving economic impact across the region. Nominations are now open through June 18 at 4 p.m. Get your tickets to the San Diego Business Impact Awards celebration to enjoy drinks by Snake Oil Cocktail Co., light bites, live music, and networking.
Where to shop, eat and play in this historic North County suburb
Escondido may mean “hidden” in Spanish, but its scenic rolling hills, abundance of quality eateries, and downtown revitalization have made it much more visible as a North County destination in recent years. As one of the oldest cities in San Diego County, it has a rich history fueled by the citrus and grape industries, and it now attracts a diverse population of entrepreneurs, outdoor enthusiasts and families.
Here’s where to eat, explore and shop next time you’re wandering this hidden gem.
Get the best views in town from this hilltop winery in Highland Valley. The family-owned and operated Cordiano Winery offers a wide selection of estate wines—the Tempranillo and Trinity Red Blend are some popular ones—but the oven-fired pizza is the star of the show. The owners, Gerardo and Rosa Cordiano, emigrated from Italy in the 1970s and bring decades of experience working in New York-style pizzerias to this passion project. The outdoor patio faces west, so it’s the perfect spot to watch the sun set.
15732 Highland Valley Road
This downtown Esco staple has practically had a line out the door since it opened in 2012. EscoGelato celebrates the agricultural heritage of the area by sourcing gelato ingredients from local farmers. You’ll find 14-18 gelato and sorbet flavors that change daily in flavors ranging from the classic (Stracciatella, pistachio) to the creative (apricot goat cheese or strawberry balsamic sorbet). Pair your gelato with an espresso drink made with Zumbar’s locally roasted beans.
122 South Kalmia
An Escondido guide would be remiss to exclude Stone Brewery, the iconic craft brewing giant that started in the neighboring community of San Marcos in 1996. In 2006, it moved its headquarters to Escondido, where it established a unique restaurant experience featuring lush gardens, koi ponds and, of course, an extensive tap list. You can wander the grounds, glass in hand, while you wait for your meal, or take a brewery tour. While this restaurant might be a bit commercialized (see: large on-site gift shop), it’s still a must-see when in town.
1999 Citracado Parkway
A mainstay on Escondido’s Grand Avenue, O’Sullivan’s is a prime spot for people-watching from the dog-friendly patio on Cruisin’ Grand nights. It offers traditional Irish fare, like shepherd’s pie and corned beef with cabbage, as well as some Irish-inspired fusions—try the Irish nachos, thin-sliced potato chips topped with traditional nacho fixings. Sip on your Guinness while you listen to live music on weekend nights.
118 East Grand Avenue
A laid-back little spot just west of downtown Escondido, Craft & Taco serves up flavor-packed gourmet tacos alongside local craft brews. Try the Escondido coco loco taco (with coconut shrimp, bay scallops, micro greens and sweet and sour sauce) or vegan buffalo zucchini taco, both served on homemade tortillas.
511 West Valley Parkway
The family-owned Four Tunas offers fresh seafood in multiple Mexican-style preparations. Try the shrimp and fish aguachiles (similar to ceviche), the charbroiled octopus taco, or the ahi tuna tostada. Pair it with a fruity michelada or a flavored margarita with house-made syrup.
601 North Broadway, Suite D
You pretty much can’t go wrong when having breakfast or brunch at A Delight of France. This Grand Avenue staple offers crepes, brioche French toast, eggs benedict and croissant bechamel, which are all top-notch. Or you can take your breakfast to go by selecting a pastry, like a fruit tart or chocolate croissant, from the display case.
126 West Grand Avenue
When this family-owned burger joint opened on Grand Avenue in 2015, it filled a much-needed void in the neighborhood for good burgers at a family-friendly restaurant. Burger Bench serves specialties such as the spicy Chorizo Diablo and handmade black bean burger alongside crispy tots or truffle Parmesan fries. For drinks, you can select from 20 taps of local craft brews or a hand-mixed milkshake. Burger Bench is set to open their second North County location in downtown Vista in 2025.
237 East Grand Avenue
A few blocks from Grand Avenue you’ll find the tiny mom-and-pop panini shop Sunny Side Kitchen. The owners pride themselves in doing everything the right way—sourcing the best local ingredients (including artisan sourdough from Bread & Cie), making every sandwich to order, and making every lemonade from scratch. Try their famous breakfast panini or crustless quiche, followed by a homemade bite-sized cookie.
155 South Orange Street
Bethany Mavis is a writer, editor and aficionado of hiking, crafting and thrifting. She is an adjunct professor in journalism at Point Loma Nazarene University, and she lives in Escondido with her husband and three daughters.
If your new year's resolution includes getting outdoors more, these backpacks, trail shoes, and GPS watches will make your hikes much more enjoyable
It’s the new year, and if the path up Cowles Mountain is any indication, people are eager to get out there and get hiking. Plus, it’s a beautiful way to take advantage of the San Diego region, get free exercise and spend time outside. I already do plenty of hiking, so this year I’m adding a family camping trip to my goals for the year (my husband and son go plenty but I haven’t gone with them yet).
It’s not required to get new gear to embark on a goal of hiking or camping or spending more time outside this year, but it can make getting out there easier and more fun. And there are some really cool new pieces of gear to try. Here are a few of my favorites.
I kept getting neck and shoulder pain from hiking with a normal backpack, so I switched to a daypack that has more support. I really like Osprey’s Tempest Velocity 20 for women, which has a running-vest-inspired harness, plus a hip belt for more support. And tons of pockets for your phone, water, snacks to bribe your kids with, and a pole-holder and emergency whistle. For kids, the Osprey Daylite Jr. is the perfect size to get your kids used to carrying a pack.
There are a lot of fancy watches out there, and most recreational runners and hikers don’t need the top of the line models. Something with a simple GPS feature has been my go-to. I use a Garmin watch that allows me to create a hiking course on their website, and then I send the course to my watch so I can stay on the trail as I hike. It also counts steps, tracks sleep, and all the other health metrics. But if you want the newest model, Garmin’s Instinct 3 is great for rugged wear, including hiking and camping. It has a metal-reinforced bezel and scratch-resistant display, a built-in flashlight, including variable intensities and an alternate red light, and 18 days of battery life.
If you’re thinking about backpacking and don’t want the extra weight of a sleeping bag, or if you’re car camping and want to be extra cozy, there are some great new camping blankets on the market that make a big difference. Rumpl recently released the Backcountry Puffy, an upgraded version of the Down Puffy. It has an inner liner for weather-resistance on the inside, a poly shell on the outside to resist stains, and upgraded insulation. It packs down to a tube that’s 5.9 x 14.2 in for one person and less than two pounds. The company also sells even smaller travel blankets–I have one stashed in my car for emergencies.
For day hiking, I really prefer trail shoes that are lighter and more versatile. I’m in love with my Salomon Ultra Glide 2 trail running shoes, which are easy to cinch up and provide the right amount of support. I also always wear SmartWool crew socks, though ankle socks are also great. And my son hikes in Speedcross Trail-Running Shoes.
I usually just hike in running shorts or maybe hiking shorts if I want a little extra coverage. But when it’s on the slightly cold side on a San Diego morning, having something slightly warm is very helpful. I really like SmartWool’s women’s active long sleeve, which is a wool blend outer layer that’s warm but breathable. The company also just released the Women’s Smartloft vest, which has a little extra warmth but not the sweat-inducing insulation of a full puffy vest.
I recently also found out about the company Weego, which sells travel jump starters. I didn’t know I needed one of these, but now that I know, it’s hard to imagine not having it. The Weego N70 is great for hiking–basically, you charge it and then can store it in your car or hiking pack for a year. It’s small and lightweight, so you can carry it with you or leave it in the car for car camping, and it can jump start large gas and smaller diesel engines. You can also use it to charge your devices and it has a 400-lumen LED flashlight.
Claire Trageser has been writing for San Diego Magazine for 10 years. She also is a reporter at KPBS and writes for The New York Times, National Geographic, Marie Claire, Elle and Runner's World.
Scripps study shows that some patients may be able to taper their dose and maintain results
While glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agents have been used to treat Type 2 diabetes for more than 20 years, their recent emergence as weight-loss wonder drugs marked a new frontier in medicine. But their effectiveness has left some patients wondering what to do once they’ve reached their goal. Stopping the medication could mean regaining some, if not all, of the weight. A Scripps Clinic internal medicine physician recently conducted a small study of whether GLP-1 patients who had reached their goal weight could maintain that weight by taking their regularly prescribed injection every other week instead of weekly. Spoiler alert: 30 of 34 patients did. Read more about the study here and what that may mean as pharmaceutical companies roll out oral GLP-1s.
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