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 57 of 95
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.
Flagship Cruises in San Diego offer San Diego Bay tours for sightseeing, beer, Sunday brunch, and other more that are favorites of residents and tourists.
The ancient water town of Zhujiajiao makes a great day trip from Shanghai, China. Here is what it’s like in photos from street food to canals.
LEGOLAND Hotel offers families plenty of perks, including early access to the park, but here’s what you need to know in advance.
Why Disney Explorers Lodge is now our favorite Hong Kong Disneyland hotel from its new rooms to excellent dining options.
What do London, Cannes and Mumbai have in common? They’ve been featured in popular movies and Air France can take you there.
What it’s like inside the Japan Airlines First Class Lounge at Tokyo Narita airport and why we always stop in.
