The photos included in this post are some of my favorites from all over the state. I’ve been to California many times and couldn’t wait to go with Eric. Our first trip there was in 2016 and we did what I had done alone, a few years previously. We spent a week in the state, flying from Nashville into Los Angeles (2 pictures were taken there, in front of the Hollywood sign and in Santa Monica on the famous Pier), then drove to San Diego, spent a night and part of a day, then drove back to LA for a couple of days before driving up up to San Francisco (there is a picture of our visit to Alcatraz). From there we went to Napa (included is a picture of my favorite winery, Castello Di Amorosa) and then to visit friends in Sacramento. Our friends drove us up to Lake Tahoe for a day, where we kayaked, rented paddle boards and enjoyed the beautiful summer day while eyeing snow capped mountains.
I cannot fully explain my obsession for this place. I love every part of California that I’ve been in. The shopping along cobble stoned streets in Montecito and Santa Barbara (You have to visit the Santa Barbara farmers market), insane traffic along the 101, the beautiful beaches of Malibu; the easy going beach life of San Diego and Summerland and the celebrity sighting (or attempts at celebrity sighting) in Hollywood. From the southern loveliness to the northern views in San Francisco and Sacramento and the picturesque spots all over Napa. I could spend every day there and never get sick of it.
Here are a few of my top spots (there are quite a few!) in LOS ANGELES – Rainbow Room, Good Times at Davey Wayne’s (You walk through an old school refrigerator to enter. That alone is worth the experience!), Pearl Bar, Pink Taco (they have the BEST guac!), Gracias Madres (Vegan! They have the best Vegan Nachos I’ve ever had in my life! And you have to order the Suffering Madre cocktail), Saddle Ranch Chop House (All the COOL kids eat here), Olvera Street and of course, the Hollywood sign. Drive up and down Sunset Blvd to see the sights, and for sure, go to the Santa Monica Beach Pier and Promenade.
IN SAN DIEGO: Balboa Park, Gaslamp district (Just walk around, eat, grab a drink, it’s just a fun part of the city!), Tower 23 hotel (they have a pool you used to be able to access just to sit and view the beach, hang out, etc) and they also have delicious bites inside JRDN Restaurant, which is right there with it; Fat Fish Cantinagrill (hands down, our favorite Mexican spot in the entire city! Catch a Padres baseball game (one of the prettiest stadiums I’ve ever been to!), drive to Coronado Beach and go to the Hotel Del Coronado.
IN NAPA: My favorite wineries are Domaine Carneros, Hagafen Cellars, Frog’s Leap, Castello Di Amorosa
