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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What a San Diego travel advisor tells families to do here, by age and neighborhood, and where to save on tickets.
I’m a San Diego Zoo member and local travel advisor. My promo code gives you the best deal on 1-Day tickets — and I explain when a sightseeing pass, combo ticket, or membership saves up to 50%.
These animal encounters in San Diego, California include naturally occurring experiences, visits to wildlife sanctuaries, & interactions at top attractions.
Learn what it’s really like to visit San Diego in August. I live here and share tips for what to pack, weather, events, things to do, and hotel advice.
What San Diego in July is like. I live here and share tips for the weather, holiday events, what to pack, things to do, and hotels.
You’re in the right place. There are a lot of options for Universal tickets, and only some of them save money. We filter the deals and tell you which one costs the least for your trip.
Most Hotel del Coronado reviews are based on a single stay. This one draws on 25 years of repeat visits, hundreds of client stays, and an ongoing relationship with the resort team across the property’s five neighborhoods.
The pandas are back, and they change where I would start. Here is what I would see first, which animals are worth crossing the park for, and what your ticket already covers.
Planning ahead makes a big difference. This guide focuses on on ticket strategy, Express Pass decisions, ride timing, and how to experience Super Nintendo World efficiently.
