Driving into Los Angeles was interesting because you make it over somewhat of a hill and all you can see is this very heavy hazy smog covering the city skyline. This was very different from what I was used too living in the mountains in Colorado where it was fresh air and no smog. It was still an exciting feeling to finally see the city skyline and drive through one of the most well known cities in the United States.
We made it to our super cute Airbnb that had this gorgeous tent out in the back yard of this really sweet ladies house. The tent/canopy had a very comfy bed and a fridge inside. Outside of the tent was a grill and sitting area and they had a compost toilet and a shower outside as well! It was seriously such a beautiful experience to be essentially camping in the middle of LA. Unfortunately this Airbnb isn’t available any longer.
Griffiths Laboratory
We got to see one of Bethany’s friends while there, she showed us around a bit and we tried going to Griffiths Labratory because it has a perfect view of the city for evening photos or night shots. But unfortunately that day it had caught on fire so we couldn’t go. Either way parking is extremely hard to find there! We walked through some very expensive neighborhoods looking at all the mansions and expensive vehicles. It was still a neat experience and we got to see some very neat views of the city!
We spent a day at Santa Monica pier which was a really neat California experience! You do need to pay to park. And it can be a bit crowded.
April 1 – Oct 31st Weekends $3.75 per hour / $18 max
April 1 – Oct 31st Week days $3.75 Per hour / $18 Max
Nov 1st – March 31st Weekends $3.50 Per Hour / $15 Max
Nov 1st – March 31st Week days $2.50 Per Hour / $12 Max
(Disclaimer these were the prices while we were there and they are subject to change)
There are plenty of places to choose to eat on the pier! We decided on eating at Seaside On The Pier where we had a great pizza and got to sit up top of the restaurant balcony and enjoy the beauty view of the beach.
We found this really nice café called Be Kind Make Mischief. They have some great pastries and coffee and they even sell local art and merchandise which you definitely need to check out! Very talented. Their address is 5537 N. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90042
Let me know if you get a chance to experience Be Kind & Make Mischief!
That was it for our Los Angeles experience. Very fun experience to do with your best friend!
Please continue to follow our 10 day journey with our next article on The 101 and our previous article on Nevada! Or start from the beginning with our Utah trip!
Until next time! Keep smiling and stay hydrated! -Dash
San Francisco & Napa Valley are two very different places and distinct in atmosphere, people and looks. Only being around 50 miles apart, they feel utterly different! Thats the beauty of traveling isn’t it? So close but so different!
Im not much of a city person so San Francisco was not my favorite, I felt claustrophobic. But I’m very glad we did go and would encourage anyone who likes cities to visit! Napa Valley on the other hand had a very relaxing ambience and had much more fresh air!
San Francisco
Be aware that you will pay to get into San Fran by toll road bridge. We were not aware of this at the time and franticly searched my car for coins. Thankfully we found enough!
The roads in San Francisco seemed smaller than most roads I was used to driving on. And the smell was…dirty. Again, it could just be because I’m not a city person and we didn’t stay long enough for the city to grow on me.
SIGHT SEEING
We didn’t have a whole lot of time to spend here, but we did get to park in the Marina District near a park where you could see Alcatraz out in the bay. Which was pretty neat for someone like me who enjoys history!
Trying to find a place to see the Golden Gate Bridge was difficult because of the crowd’s and because we are cheap and didn’t want to spend much money on parking. But we found a spot close to Walt Disney Family Museum in the Presidio area. It was very foggy but the locals said thats normal and best time to see it with out the fog is in September or October. We only stayed a few before driving across the Golden Gate Bridge onto our next stop!
Napa Valley
Driving along this road seeing vineyard after vineyard was breathtaking! A part of me felt like this is what Italy or France must feel like! We stayed in a hotel in Napa that evening. The next day we ate at Fazerrati’s Pizza which was fantastic! Heres the menu.
We walked around the down town area and went into different wine shops where we listened to many sellers explain the differences of the different kinds of wine. We really enjoyed that because neither of us know much about wine. But I did end up getting two very different wines! We didn’t go to any wine tasting’s but the experience of the Napa Valley was wonderful!
I would personally love to come back here and enjoy this area more in depth!
All Good Things Come To An End
That was the last major stop for our trip! After this we drove long hours back across the states back to Colorado just in time to get Bethany on her plane back home!
It was a trip to remember for sure and can’t wait to go on another one as soon possible!
Please make sure you read my previous articles about this trip! Check out my Yosemite article and if you need to start at the begging of our adventure then check it out here!
Stay hydrated and positive friends! Until next time! -Dass
Let me start off by saying how truly breathtaking Yosemite is!
Unfortunately during the time that we went there were wildfires going on and the smoke was so great in the park that we didn’t get to enjoy the breath taking sights as most people would. But from what we got to see and experience…wow utter beauty! We came in the south entrance from Fresno where we stayed the night prior at a hotel.
We stopped at the visitors center which is quite big compared to any other visitors center I’ve ever seen! But it is literally the only store around for miles. So necessities am I right? Don’t forget to get your National Parks book stamped here!
John Muir and President Roosevelt
After spending time here you will understand why the great John Muir was such an advocate for this National Park and so many others! John Muir and President Roosevelt took a very memorable camping trip together here in these beautiful woods and thanks for that, the President went back to D.C. to encourage Congress to pass laws to protect this area as well as many others. Yosemite becoming the 3rd National Park in the US in 1890! How neat, right?
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks“- John Muir
CAMP SITES
YOSEMITE VALLEY
Upper Pines $26
Lower Pines $26
North Pines $26
Camp 4 $6 per person
SOUTH OF YOSEMITE VALLEY
Wawona $26
Bridalveil Creek $18
NORTH OF YOSEMITE VALLEY
Hodgdon Meadow $26
Crane Flat $26
Tamarack Flat $12
White Wolf $18
Yosemite Creek $12
Porcupine Flat $12
Tuolumne Meadows $26
Some Must See Places
Half dome
Sentinel dome
Tunnel view
El Capitan
Yosemite chapel
Yosemite falls
Lower Yosemite falls
You as you are driving through the park, don’t be afraid to pull over and jump out of your vehicle and enjoy the scenery because you never know what you will find! And honestly, who knows when you will actually come back to Yosemite.
We found a mini cave inside one of the tunnels. And a hidden waterfall under a bridge! Be careful and be respectful. Make sure you don’t leave any trash and be careful where you walk! Its a National Park and want to keep its natural state as long as possible so the future can enjoy it like we get to now!
Please continue to follow our 10 day journey with our next article on San Fran and Napa Valley and our previous article on the 101 Highway!
Comment where your favorite spot is in Yosemite! Stay hydrated and enjoy some sunshine! Until next time -Dash
After our last day in LA we headed down the 101 experiencing the ocean vibes and enjoying the scenery in every aspect! Windows down, music up ocean spray in the air.
Make sure to check for closures on this road, they have several issues through out the years with mudslides and such. They will detour you more inland and off the 101 but either way its still beautiful.
Fun facts, the 101 is the longest Highway in California and was one of the first routes in the US. Most people don’t know that the Golden Gate Bridge is also part of the 101!
Malibu
We stopped in Malibu but didn’t know where to go because we hadn’t researched it as much as we should have. We parked at Paradise Cove which was a neat restaurant on the beach.
We just wanted to walk out on the sand and take a few pictures and leave. But unfortunately we didn’t realize until we were leaving that it cost 50$ to park. Not a great experience there because the signs were unclear. But the scenery was beautiful!
From there we stopped at some fruit markets along the way which was such a neat experience and the fruit was so tasty and fresh! Please take the time to stop and enjoy the small things like this, they become the most memorable moments. Plus you are supporting local farmers!
Ventura
After awhile we landed in Ventura! Ventura is a beautiful town close to Santa Barbra. This town had such a lovely feel to it. Very welcoming and enjoyable! The shops lined the roads downtown with some very neat shops! Like Palermo which is a cute coffee shop with lots of neat souvenirs and Rocket Fizz for some unique candies. But they had all sorts of wine cellars, eateries, and massage parlors. Definitely a place made for relaxation. We both agreed that we would 100% come back here to visit again on our next trip out to Cali! Probably our favorite unplanned stop.
From here we headed inland to Fresno! Where we stayed the night before our big day in Yosemite!
Please continue to follow our 10 day journey with our next article on Yosemite and our previous article on L.A!
The next stop on our 10 day adventure trip was the Valley Of Fire in Nevada! The name derives from the red sand stone that covers the whole state park.
If you like climbing on rocks and finding neat places to photograph then I highly suggest coming here! We stayed for a few hours exploring and soon became drenched in sweat, as you got form the name, it is extremely hot!
We Hiked through Mouse’s Tank Trail where the walls have multiple Native American Petroglyph’s littering the walls. Its much like playing eye spy, but with historical glyph’s and you will be surprised how many you will spot!
At the end of the trail is a “tank” that is filled with water all year long even through out the dry seasons. This was a precious hidden gem for a Paiute Indian called Mouse who was rebel during the 1800’s who caused both Indians and Settlers issues during this time.
Hiking Trails
There are multiple trails to hike here so check them out:
Old Arrowhead Road 6.8 mi
Charlies Spring 4.7 mi
Prospect Trail 4.6 mi
Pinnacles Loop 4.5 mi
Natural Arches 2.5 mi
Elephant Rock Loop 1.2 mi
White Domes Loop 1.0 mi
Rainbow Vista 1.0 mi
Mouses Tank 0.7 mi
Petrified logs Loop 0.3 mi
Balancing Rock 0.1 mi
Now like I said earlier to keep in mind that this is Nevada and its extremely hot so please make sure you have enough water and things to keep you cool like this cooling neck towel which I find extremely helpful. And if you have a pup with you do make sure they are hydrated and as cool as they can be, stay near shaded rocks and get them a RUFFWEAR cooling vest.
If you are not much of a hiker that is also fine, there are plenty of places to pull over and park and jump out to take a few snapshots and jump back into your air conditioned car.
The State Park is just over an hour away from Las Vegas. And bout 50 minutes to Lake Mead.
Unfortunately we were not able to visit Lake Mead or really stop anywhere in Las Vegas. But if you have time then stop and enjoy both!
We couldn’t stay long in the Valley of Fire though because our next stop was LA! Please continue to follow our 10 day journey with our next article to LA and our previous article on Utah!
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