Exactly a month ago, we traveled across San Diego as we enjoyed a week-long family vacation for my wife’s youngest brother’s wedding. Something that made our road-trip in the 2016 Mitsibishi Outlander a bit unique was that we’re a vegan/vegetarian family.

I am a vegan; my wife and kids are vegetarians.

So when it comes to traveling, especially on the other side of the country, since we live in the Nashville area, it is vital that we plan out our stops accordingly to where we can eat.

We have to make sure that wherever we dine, there are options for those who don’t eat meat (vegetarian), as well as those who additionally also don’t eat eggs or dairy (vegan).

My wife did about half our research online before we left. Then once we arrived at our hotel, I sat inside the Mitsibushi Outlander in the parking lot for a solid 30 minutes, searching “plant-based” options in the San Diego area and plugging them into the GPS.

Fortunately, we were staying only a few miles from a glorious place called Jimbo’s… Naturally! It served as our base. We drove there each morning, stocking up on our snacks for the day- we even had a few meals there as well.

I loved how they had a made-to-order sandwich/wrap/veggie burger bar!

They even carried vegan marshmallows, Dandies, which we used for the family bonfire on the beach.

The first actual restaurant we stopped at was Oggi’s, which was where the family first reunited. (My wife is one of 9 siblings.)

I discreetly and privately told my waiter that I was a vegan. He went back to the cooks and reported back to me that they could do a veggie pasta dish for me. I was also “feeling like being bad,” as my wife would say, so I ordered a big plate of fries too.

They were so good. And because I’m a nice dad, I even shared them with my son.

Next up was Wahoo’s Fish Taco, which despite the name, was extremely prepared for vegans like me. I had a dish with tofu, veggies, and beans. It was good- like an Asian/Mexican fusion.

The next restaurant on our trip was Fig Tree Café, which served up a great looking, and great tasting, vegan burger. I even was able to get Kombucha on tap!

My wife loved her French Toast. It was a fun place to dine.

In the same shopping center, there is also a convenient Trader Joe’s, as well as Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza & Grill, where we enjoyed the ambiance and food so much, we went back at 2^nd time, taking one of my sisters-in-law’s family with us.

They accommodated my dietary needs by actually having Daiya cheese as a substitute for dairy cheese for our pizza. And my wife and I really enjoyed their Asian salad as well.

So there you go. If your family is also vegan/vegetarian and is planning a road trip through San Diego, feel free to use all this is a guide for your trip.

Thanks for reading!

-Nick Shell of Family Friendly Daddy Blog