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
Page 56 of 95
These free La Jolla activities, from beaches to wildlife to public art, won’t cost you anything beyond parking.
Find out which best outdoor games to buy for the most fun backyard ever that will delight kids and be the envy of your neighbors.
A review of Four Seasons Nevis in the Caribbean, one of the luxury hotel brand’s most unique resorts.
Learn how the Go City New York Pass can save you money on sightseeing, what attractions are included, and other tips.
A Hong Kong food guide with must-eat items at spots near the hotels I recommend covering restaurants, dai pai dongs, cha chaan tengs and Michelin stars.
Why the best beach vacations start flying into Athens, Naples, and Tahiti on Air France. After you land, here’s where to go.
Visiting San Diego? Here’s how to get around town using rental cars, ridesharing apps, public transportation, sightseeing tours and more.
What it’s like inside the Air China first class lounge at Shanghai Pudong Airport (American Airlines premium class passengers use it, too).
Fill a day’s itinerary with free things to do in Balboa Park including hiking, playgrounds, gardens, some museums, tours and more.
