The Beachy Bungalow in La Jolla That Let Me Cosplay as a California Surfer

As a travel editor, people are always shocked when I tell them I’ve only been to California once. Especially when I tell them that my one trip was to Napa, a blur of rolling hills and full-bodied Cabernets. There are so many sunny cities I’ve dreamed of visiting in the Golden State, but the world is big, and the flights from NYC are long. This fall, I finally got the push I needed to see more of America's most populous state: One of my dearest friends decided to get married in San Diego . My husband and I booked our plane tickets without blinking an eye, eager to see two fabulous people tie the knot and experience some excellent beaches, sunsets, and burritos along the way.

While deciding where to hunker down during our visit, I couldn’t get La Jolla out of my mind. A vibey little surf town about 14 miles north of downtown San Diego, it seemed like the perfect base, just a short drive from the wedding venue in Rancho Santa Fe, and boasting plenty of iconic restaurants (the Marine Room !) and attractions (the sea lions!). When I found Hamilton I , an adorable bungalow just three blocks from the beach, available for rent through Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy , it sealed the deal. I nabbed it for three nights.

Tucked into a long, quiet side street off of one of La Jolla’s main roads, I knew Hamilton I would do us just fine from the moment our Uber dropped us off. We had spent the first two days of our trip in downtown San Diego, getting our fill of the city; the energy in this neighborhood was just different . Imagine the shaka sign, but as a feeling. We walked past Hamilton II, the bungalow’s sister property, before reaching our home's front door, where a keypad granted us entrance. The first thing I noticed upon stepping inside was the sun-dappled living room, with its massive TV and walls bursting with beachy-cool art. The next was the basket of snacks in the kitchen left by the hosts, a huge green flag in my book.

Happy to have some space to spread out, my husband and I dropped our suitcases and toured the rest of the home, which has three small bedrooms (two kings, one queen), two bathrooms, a washer and dryer (huge news for us city folk), and a dining nook with a long oval table and eight rattan chairs. We chose to sleep in the largest of the three bedrooms, the only one with an en suite bathroom, and used the other two bedrooms as our closets. As I mentioned, the bedrooms aren’t huge and share walls at the back of the bungalow, so the property is probably best suited to close groups of friends or families with kids .

The biggest draw of the home is the backyard, accessible via a sliding door in the living room. You come to California for the sunshine, and the compact but well-designed outdoor space allows guests plenty of opportunities to soak up every last ray. Depending on the time of day, you can bounce between a smattering of adjustable lounge chairs, a small dipping pool , an outdoor dining table next to a barbecue, and a lounge area with a firepit. Despite backing onto a busy street, the backyard feels like a little oasis, thanks in part to the walls of greenery bordering the space.

Over the course of our three days at Hamilton I, my husband and I hit most of La Jolla’s most popular attractions, either by foot or via a quick Uber ride. We managed to dip our toes in the salty sea, kayak over to La Jolla Cove , wander through nearby Coronado , peruse the shops in La Jolla Village, eat a shocking amount of Mexican food, attend a magazine-worthy wedding, and so much more in so little time, returning to the bungalow to sleep peacefully each night. Every amenity we could have needed had already been thought of by the host, from extra blankets and fans to strong Wi-Fi and water pressure. We also had 24/7 access to a dedicated hospitality manager, who sent a couple of check-in texts throughout our stay to make sure everything was hunky-dory (it was).

Every morning, we’d make coffee in the kitchen or pick it up from a nearby café, passing longboarders and surfboard-toters along the way, then sit out in the backyard to wake ourselves up with the ultimate duo: caffeine and vitamin D. Having an entire home to call our own was such a treat, and cosplaying as a laid-back surfer couple, if only for a few days, was a welcome salve for our New York City, dwelling souls. I mean, who can be mad when you have the beach a few blocks away and laundry in-unit?

By the end of our stay, it was clear to us why our friends decided to get married in San Diego, and why it has become an increasingly popular travel destination as of late: Good vibes go a long way, and this part of California has them in spades. Also, the burritos are as good as people say. I’ll be back for more adventures in the Golden State, and I’ll be looking for a home away from home just like Hamilton I when that time comes.