Travel Advisor & La Jolla Mom Owner
Favorite Place in San Diego
La Jolla Cove area
Favorite theme park
San Diego Zoo (Disneyland, a close second)
Favorite hotel
Four Seasons Hong Kong
Hi, I’m Katie Dillon. I’ve lived in beautiful La Jolla, California, for a long time, dating back to when I was a student at UC San Diego.
I’ve left only a few times (once to live in Del Mar). My husband and I were expats in London and Hong Kong for seven years. My daughter was born in Hong Kong. We bought and renovated our house in La Jolla while overseas (I don’t recommend this) and then eventually moved in. Each of these moves has defined this site.
I started La Jolla Mom as a place to write about lifestyle and motherhood topics to keep my brain active. It evolved into a travel business after I began covering tips for flying with kids and reviewing hotels we stayed in.
Living in a hotel apartment in Hong Kong is not unusual, so that’s what we did, and we stayed a lot longer in the hotel than most people do. It just happened to be Four Seasons Hong Kong. I’m very loyal to the brand because of our over four years in that fabulous property. And, I know a lot about hotels.
Eventually, readers started asking me for advice on San Diego travel. I added tips and things to do — becoming a resource for visitors and locals. (I’m a certified San Diego destination specialist by our tourism board.) San Diego has four of the nation’s best theme parks, so people started asking me for ways to buy discounted tickets.
I partnered with aRes Travel in Pacific Beach, down the hill from my house, to offer people cheaper tickets. I also aligned myself with Cadence Travel in La Jolla (where I am in the top 20% of advisors for 2024, 2023, and 2022) to bring travelers VIP hotel perks in San Diego and beyond.
That’s how I wound up covering our three main topics: San Diego, theme parks, and hotels. I want you to get the most out of your trip—whether by saving on tickets, enjoying added hotel perks, or using our resources to self-plan—so you always feel your vacation or day out is worth your time and money.
Recent Writing
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Fun activities at SeaWorld San Diego’s Christmas Celebration include returning favorites like Santa and Rudolph.
I book Downtown San Diego hotels for clients year-round. These recommendations come from personal experience, client feedback, and tips from concierges at the Pendry, Manchester Grand Hyatt, and THE US GRANT.
Your casual beach vacation begins at one of these Ocean Beach hotels in San Diego, California. No frills, but fun and easier on the wallet.
Learn why Four Seasons Atlanta is my favorite luxury hotel in the Georgia capital and how to book in with extra benefits.
Find the best amusement parks and theme parks in Texas (including waterparks), located in or around major cities like Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio.
Everything you need to plan a visit to Sesame Place San Diego, the West Coast’s only Sesame Street theme park. This guide covers ticket information, the rides and water slides with their height rules, shows, dining, and practical tips for families with young kids.
Save money instantly on Sesame Place San Diego tickets by purchasing now through these authorized sellers.
What’s happening during the Disneyland Resort holiday season, including seasonal desserts, holiday merchandise, special events, and more.
It doesn’t rain very often but when it does you’ll need this list of San Diego rainy day activities that includes top museums, markets and other fun indoor spots.
