In recent years, with climate change at the forefront of global conversations, we’ve all been forced to consider the impact of our actions on the environment. And this extends to thinking about the way we travel– the experiences we engage in and the way we spend our money. Eco-friendly travel, sustainable travel, and green travel have become more popular, and I wanted to show you how you can thoughtfully plan your own trip. I will be using San Diego experiences as an example, but this can translate to pretty much any location that offers similar activities.
Eco-friendly Travel Activities
One of the main draws to travel is the chance to open yourself up to new experiences that will teach you something you didn’t know before. When you engage in the following eco-friendly travel ideas, I guarantee you will learn something incredible about our world and environment that you can take home with you. The best kind of travel changes us for the better 🙂
Whale Watching
Any time you get a chance to chat with a marine biologist, you are going to learn something new about our oceans. And I guarantee you will leave caring more. (Also, watch “A Plastic Ocean” on Netflix.)
This is an activity I booked multiple times when I lived in San Diego because it’s such a fun, affordable, and adventurous excursion. I wasn’t trying to be eco-minded, but it quickly became obvious this was a very environmentally conscious way to spend a few hours.
There’s a marine biologist onboard who’s on look out duty and gives a running commentary on and off throughout the ride. It’s like listening to a science lecture while sipping cocktails out in the ocean breeze. It was so fun getting to ask questions about the whales. Seeing them in the wild is truly incredible!
We always stopped to pick up any plastic floating nearby which I thought was really cool. It just makes you aware of things you were ignoring before. Now any time I see plastic at the beach (or anywhere) I want to pick it up, too.
I used Groupon to book with San Diego Whale Watch. We saw whales every time except once. If you don’t see anything on your tour, they give you a voucher to come again for free which I thought was a nice touch. Even if you don’t see anything, it feels like such a treat being out on the water exploring the beautiful San Diego coast.
Ride an E-Bike Along the 101 (or Anywhere)
Instead of cruising around in a gas-guzzler, rent an e-bike for the day. I felt like a kid again and was laughing so much the two times I did this in San Diego. Again, I wasn’t thinking about being good to the environment–I would have done this anyways because it’s so much fun.
The 101 is an iconic California experience, and riding along on an e-bike is the best way to see it in my opinion. It’s easy to explore the neighborhoods and back streets, stop off at view points, and soak in the SoCal sunshine.
Join a Beach Clean Up
Laying on the beach is a perfect option for eco-friendly travel (as long as you don’t leave any trash behind). But why not go one step further and join a beach clean up? The Surfrider Foundation is a great place to start if you’re looking to volunteer in the San Diego area (COVID restrictions permitting).
Tour a Bee Farm
Bees play a huge role in keeping our ecosystems healthy and pollinating our food sources. Visiting a bee farm would be the perfect addition to an eco-friendly travel itinerary. Plus, doing a honey tasting would be so yummy! COVID has affected a lot of these tours, but definitely check out Girl Next Door Honey if you’re in San Diego. I think that would be such a unique date idea or family activity.
Sign Up for a Soapmaking Class
Think about how much plastic you consume just through buying soap for your home. From shampoo and conditioner to body wash and hand soap, the list truly could go on and on. This eco-minded activity would not only be something fun and different to do, but informative too. You could go home with a new skill and way to reduce your plastic use! Soapmaking Studio seems to be the place to go in the San Diego area.
Eco-friendly Travel Food Options
Years ago I read a book called No Impact Man by Colin Beavan, and it’s stayed with me since. Colin describes himself as a “guilty liberal” and spends a year trying to live with no impact on the environment. He goes about it in stages, and the food section was particularly interesting to me.
He of course tried to reduce his plastic use while grocery shopping (it’s crazy how much of our food comes in plastic), but he also challenged himself to only buy food that came from within 50 miles. This was something I’d never thought about before–the impact of transporting tons and tons of food in trucks across the country every day of the year.
With that being said, engaging in eco-friendly travel means eating local as much as possible! So here are a few ideas of how to do so.
Eat at a Farm-to-Table Restaurant
Where you spend your money matters. Dining at a restaurant that values the environment will help keep eco-minded folks in business. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy a fabulous and fresh meal!
There are actually a lot of options in San Diego, but Farmer’s Bottega seems to be at the top of most lists. It looks like such a cute place to get food, too, with the farmhouse decor. Dining at a farm-to-table restaurant is more than just a meal. It’s an experience you should definitely add to an eco-friendly travel itinerary.
Eco-friendly Travel: Where to Drink
In that same vein, try supporting bars that emphasize using local hops and grapes. It will also help you “taste” the area you’re exploring, instead of drinking something you could get anywhere.
It’s hard to find information online about where breweries source their ingredients from, but that’s the perfect excuse to strike up a conversation with the bartender! I’d recommend breweries that support local causes as a place to start, such as Culture Brewing.
For the wine lovers visiting San Diego, Charlie and Echo looks like an amazing place to stop for organic, local, chemical-free wine. Bernardo Winery is the oldest winery in San Diego and worth a visit. They’ve been serving San Diego wines since 1889.
Shop for a Meal at a Local Farmer’s Market
If you’re staying somewhere with a kitchen, shop at a farmer’s market instead of a chain grocery store for one of your meals. You’ll get to talk to local vendors and sample local flavors all while keeping your environmental impact low.
San Diego is home to sooooo many farmer’s markets but the one in Little Italy is definitely the biggest and most popular.
Eco-friendly Travel: Bucket List Food Experience
Ok, so this final idea is a splurge, but it’s something I’ve wanted to do for years. There’s a company called Outstanding in the Field that takes the farm-to-table concept to an epic level. Their goal is to reconnect diners to the land their food comes from. They do this by serving sustainably sourced meals outside in locations around the world. You have to check out their website to see what I’m talking about!
Eco-friendly Travel Accommodation Ideas
Stay at a LEED-Certified Hotel
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System is a relatively recent certification hotels can go for. (Hotels that want to cater to eco-friendly travel.) Many hotels try to be more “green” by doing things like cutting back on how often you get fresh towels. LEED-Certified hotels are on another level, though, and there’s only a handful of them in the US.
To get certified, hotels earn points in six different categories ranging from sustainability and efficiency to innovation in design. I’ve never stayed at a LEED-Certified hotel, but I think it would be such an interesting experience! If you’re visiting San Diego, look into booking a few nights at Hotel Indigo.
Hotel Indigo is right in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter (a location you can’t beat) and has a beautiful rooftop bar. Rates start at about $130 per night.
Eco-friendly Travel: Try Booking an “Off-the-Grid” Airbnb
Airbnb has so many fun accommodation options these days such as treehouses, tiny homes, and glamping. If you’re interested in eco-friendly travel, try staying somewhere “off-the-grid.” It would give you a taste of what it takes to be more in tune with the environment. Like learning how to use a compost toilet, how to get by with less water, or maybe even how to live with no wifi!
Here are some cute San Diego stays I found via Airbnb (photos from listings):
Retro RV 3 blocks from the beach
Other San Diego Posts You Might Like:
How to Feel like a Local when Visiting San Diego
9 Impressive View Points in San Diego to Inspire Wanderlust
Getaway from San Diego: 11 Must-Do Trips
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Love this! I NEED to stay at these off the grid Airbnbs!!
I know I do too!!