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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Black Friday/Cyber Monday travel deals in San Diego and beyond include theme parks, hotels, airfare, and gear savings. Many are still TBD but we’re keeping track!
Seeing the pandas costs nothing beyond Zoo admission, so the planning is all about timing. Like any animal at the Zoo, they can go off exhibit at any time, which is worth knowing before you build a day around them.
The Bay Parade of Lights, Jungle Bells at the Zoo, and skating by the sea at The Del all have 2026 dates, and this guide lists them with what each one costs.
Where families can safely go trick-or-treating, explore pumpkin patches, and attend fun Halloween events in San Diego.
As a San Diego family travel advisor and longtime local, I’ve been helping families navigate Kids Free October for over a decade. This guide shares my insider tips for planning, saving, and exploring the city with these deals.
Find luxury hotels in Los Cabos on swimmable beaches, an all-inclusive option, golf and more with our VIP perks.
We’ve stayed at both Four Seasons hotels in Boston. Here’s why you should choose this one (Boylston Street) and how to upgrade your stay.
See why Crosby Street Hotel is my favorite in NYC’s SoHo and how we can upgrade your stay. My review.
Directions for getting to Coronado Island by car, public transportation, airport transfers, and ferry to enjoy this popular beach town. And what to know about parking.
