Perfect Trip: SoCal Day 10 & 11 Catalina Island

Catalina Island

This could be one of the best excursions to your Southern California trip. Long Beach is the gateway to this special destination: Catalina Island. You will have less than a five-minute drive to the ferry from any hotel in downtown Long Beach, but don’t miss your exit! It is on the left and one of the last before you get on the highway. 

Catalina Island stirred my interest as soon as I saw the old vintage postcards all over Long Beach of the “Casino,” which is actually a theater and dance hall built in 1929. As I started my weekly swing dancing ritual, it was not long until I heard about the magical nights when people from all around the country go to Catalonia Island for a night of glamor and dancing reminiscent of the glory dances. Needless to say, I was going to Catalina. I was persuaded to not go until my then-boyfriend could go with me the week I was leaving California. I reluctantly waited and ended up getting engaged on the island. You can find the story in my Wedding Bliss blog category. But let's get back to what you will be doing while you are there! 

Unlike anywhere else in the world, the zip line tour through the mountains of Catalina Island gives you a view of the ocean, gorgeous beaches, sweet Italian-looking seaside villages, and the surrounding forest. Even the famous Costa Rican zip line companies have taken tips and used the technology found on the Catalina lines. They are superior in safety and, in my book, view and adventure also. So start your day with a bang and go for it! Drop your bags off at a sweet little, non-chain hotel; we stayed at the Catalina Cottages. It was a lovely little escape, and I would highly recommend it. Avalon is the town you will dock in and likely stay in. This place is very small so bring your walking shoes! We walked to the zip lines from our hotel, and this gives you great ways to see the town. 

If you want to spend time on a beach, the one directly below the zip line will take your breath away. It is so tiny and precious. It gives you great views of the Casino and Avalon. The beach, while rocky, has fun crevices and creatures to poke at. If you decide to spend more than a day or two here, there are several remote beaches where you can camp out overnight if you are looking for a more rugged adventure. If this is your style, you should also spend an afternoon diving in the area. I could not do this, but here it is very nice and will be on my list for my next trip! 

Besides these primary activities, the island is buzzing with golf carts and bikes you can rent to explore this sweet escape.  But me, I am a walker. My fiancé and I walked this island and made an afternoon of it. The steep climb can sometimes be challenging, yet the top view is worth every deep breath. Once you are above the coastal hub, you can see how the locals live in their beautiful, cliff-hanging homes, driving their golf carts and loving the island life. I highly recommend you take off and adventure around the neighborhoods; this was one of my favorite parts of the trip. 

 

I cannot wait to go back! 

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Perfect Trip: SoCal Day 9

Private Beach, a day of exploration

Schooner or Later is a must for breakfast/brunch in Long Beach because of the food and memorable view of both the harbor and the wider ocean view. The first day in Long Beach was full of shopping and being on your feet. If you did not make it to Retro Row or Naples Islands, take the morning to make those unforgettable stops. One of my favorite things about Long Beach is the eclectic array of architecture along Ocean Blvd. Each house is unique, beautiful, and curious to gaze at from the large ocean-side sidewalk.

Stroll down Ocean Blvd, starting at the crossing of Junipero Ave; park anywhere around Bixy Park. Once you reach Redondo Ave, take a left, and then another left to stride down 1st Street, which happens to be the home of my favorite two houses of all time! I love the Oxford, brick-castle-looking home where I can imagine myself being a well-renowned Geography Professor sitting in the lounge reading from my extensive library. Closer to your car, you will eventually pass my favorite house, it's orange and very hard to miss. For some reason, this house evokes such excitement and envelopes my daydreams of a life of beach days and lazy dinners in the courtyard. If walking is out of the question (I love to walk and there is no better place), then take a quick drive around this little four block square, you will be glad. I walked this loop every day for two years with Izzi and never got tired of the scenery, and there was always something new to spot.  

OK, to the beach! If you were a local and had a pup, I would tell you to head to Long Beach Dog Beach. This is the best dog beach in all of Southern California, yes, even better than the ones in San Diego. The people are friendly, the dogs are great and well-behaved, and there is such an ease to it. This, however, is not the top place to visit on a sans-dog vacation. So, instead, live it up and head to a private beach created just for you by your dear friend Donald Trump. This is not a joke; there is a private beach only 30 minutes from Long Beach that is a part of the Trump Golf Course at 3850 Ocean Trails Drive Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275.

First, this is an elite stretch of SoCal that is not publicized for the everyday traveler or locals, but the beach is open to the public and worth it. Simply drive through the golden gates with an “I belong here” attitude, park in the small parking lot to the left, and head down the path. Ensure you have good shoes because you will climb down a dirt trail, snaking along the cliff face to the pebble beach below. You may find one or two other beachgoers here, or more likely, a few locals walking their dogs along the waterfront, but regardless, expect an incredible view from a small picturesque cove all to yourself. This allows you to walk away from your beach bag and look closer at the rocky outcrops and all the creatures inside; be adventurous and keep going. On one of my visits here, I shared the beach with a couple who happened to be photographers trying new techniques and camera films. I got to be their muse and ended up with professional, though artistic, photographs to remember this special place. You never know where the day will take you when you are a traveler instead of a planned tourist.

The sunset from this majestic place will stay with you forever, so if you are in for a long, lazy day, wait until the end and take it all in. Few restaurants are nearby, as it is an elite residential area, not a tourist spot. Head back to your hotel and freshen up. Once you are ready for dinner, get excited about La Palapa. This is the only place in Belmont on the water, and of course, that means a great view. The food was always great on my visits, and there was usually a good band or entertainment. Locals and visitors alike mingle at the bar and enjoy the great service. Overall, it is a great place to end your beach day, and you might even end with a midnight beach stroll. 

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Perfect Trip: SoCal Day 7 & 8 a day in Long Beach and Naples Island

Day 7 Beach Heaven 

Experiencing the ideal SoCal beach scene, depicted in magazines and daydreams alike, will lead you to the three neighbors of Manhattan, Hermosa, and Redondo Beach. All three of these small and immaculately clean beach towns will fill your desire for sunshine, bike riding, surfing, or playing beach volleyball. The crowd is also a pleasant visual. Shopping is great, the restaurants are chic, and all three can be found close to the beach. They are on the upper scale of shopping and eating, as are the tourists and locals.  This doesn’t require a lot of direction; they are beach towns, after all, so I will move on to the next place to nest….

Day 8 Long Beach 

I lived in Long Beach for two years and truly do not think I would want to live anywhere else in California if I had my pick with unlimited resources. This is probably shocking to residents of the surrounding area and even locals. But Long Beach had the perfect touch of class, beach, art scene, eccentric people, and laid-back attitude for me, not to mention it is directly in the middle of anywhere you could want to visit. In every direction, as soon as you leave Long Beach, you will enter an atmosphere of “better than you,” which is not all bad, but in Long Beach, you are just as you are, and it is fine. 

I would schedule two nights here, and I would suggest downtown. There is easy access to all the major highways from there, and you can still find your way to exciting nightlife and fun restaurants. My favorite lunch place in Long Beach for lunch is Hole Mole; get the fish tacos (at least 3). The fact that they are the only place in SoCal with Texas-size to-do cups gains a lot of favor with me, too! Sit out on the porch and think of me. How much I wish I was in your place! 

Take the day to get to know Long Beach, something most tourists rarely do. One of the unique places nowhere else can compete with is 4^th Street; park at the crossing of Cherry Ave and 4^rd street. Known as Retro Row, this street is full of vintage clothing stores, antique shops, off-the-wall restaurants, and stores that just can’t be put into a clear category. This was constantly a favorite destination for my visitors, and they always came away with incredible treasures and one-of-a-kind souvenirs. One of the great things about Long Beach is the coffee shops; they are everywhere. I don’t drink coffee, but I would still head to the end of 4th Street and bring a book or my laptop to spend time on Portfolio’s patio or inside huddled up in an overstuffed chair. Grab a tea, or coffee at the least just to go in and see the local crowed doing their thing, you will be thirsty from walking anyways. 

Jump in the car and head back towards the Ocean (this is how I always got around); once you hit Ocean Blvd, take a left until you run into 2nd Street. You will know you are there by the adorable shops both familiar and the incredible boutiques like Romance Etc, which happens to be my favorite store I have ever been to, and true to my nature I am not sure I have ever bought anything from there! Just love it, though. However, keep on driving, and you will be back. You are about to go over the sweetest harbor you have ever seen. Once at the top, hopefully, there won’t be anyone behind you; take time to look over and admire how adorable this little inlet of boats and blue water is. As soon as you get over the second bridge, take a right onto the strange, seemingly uninteresting street. Then prepare yourself; you are now on Naples Island. 

This little island is some of the most expensive real estate in Southern California, and for good reason. I loved to spend a warm afternoon biking or walking Izzi through the canals, which makes this place so special. Like Venice Beach, the canals have walking paths along them, but in my opinion Naples’ are much better. The homes are all unique and, as I mentioned, adorable! I love how these homes have extended their houses out into the front yard but left off the walls and just put up a substantial waist-high gate to keep the dogs in. You will see what I mean. 

Strangely, the most beautiful days I have ever experienced in Long Beach were in December; the sun was always out, and the sky seemed clear and crisper. If you are here this month, you must attend the Naples Island boat parade. All those with boats light them up and decorate them like we do our homecoming floats in Texas. Then, there is a parade through the canals, but that is not where the spectacle ends. The homes are more decorated with Christmas lights and décor than I have ever seen in any condensed area.  Each house could light up an entire block in Fort Worth. It is spectacular, and like I said, everyone is enjoying the night in their extended living room, or as we would call it, front yard.

Once you have spent an hour or so falling in love with this little community and feel you can part, head back to 2^nd Street or to your hotel to change. If you are a shopper, keep on rolling and find yourself surprised at the variety of options, not just in clothes but all types of great shops along this promenade. My favorite restaurant, where I have ever eaten, is here: Open Sesame.  This restaurant haunts me in my dreams. It is Lebanese, so you will taste the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavors come together. Get the chicken skewers; the sauce that comes with it is to die for, the pita bread is the melt-in-your-mouth, the hummus is silky smooth, and the olives are perfect. This is a must on your list, no matter what! 

If you are big on nightlife, stay where you are; there are plenty of places to kick back along this strip. If you are a fan of True Blood, head to Alex’s Bar. It is a little ways away, but it will be a neat experience. I have never seen the show, but apparently, those who have been there with me say it differs from the show, but you can still see where everything takes place. Long Beach, in general, is a great place to spot filming crews; the street I lived on was a mecca for CSI Miami and Bones. If you would like a lower-key, local hang-out to visit, try The Pike. There is usually a band and the food is great, sorry again I can’t comment on the drink specials.

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Perfect Trip: SoCal Day 6 Venice Beach

Venice Beach

 

Venice Beach is an electric place in people’s imaginations around the world. You truly will find glass-eating and snake-taming performers along the boardwalk. As you enter into total strangers’ personal space to get a better picture, do not be surprised when you peer over to find a two-headed reptile, and that is on a typical day. Every inch of the boardwalk is muddled with entertaining people and creatures and even fun-to-observe shops. However, this is my least enticing pull factor to Venice Beach. 

 

After you walk a small ways down the boardwalk and have had your fill of spectacles, do not forget to venture out to the beach. Like most California beaches, it is strikingly long and wide. The first time I spent a day out on this beach, I had brought my mom. Within five minutes, not even long enough to spread our towels, a homeless man approached us to see if we had any unlawful substances with us. Needless to say, you will inevitably meet interesting characters on this beach. 

 

If you are beached out or would rather stay sand-free, drive to my favorite part of the city: Abbot Kinney. This stretch of street is the heart of real Venice, a chic and vibrant community of artists, culinary experts, and free spirits. Take in each shop for its uniqueness. As I have said before, I do not like to shop, but I do want to wander; this is a perfect place. The people and food trucks are enough to draw any visitor’s inquisitive eye or pallet. There are plenty of beautiful restaurants to choose from, but save room for dessert! 

  My favorite spot in this hidden treasure trove is Jin Patisserie. I had never eaten a macaroon until a year ago when I wandered into this patisserie for something to drink. Luckily, my best friend visiting from NYC persuaded me to take a moment and enjoy a pot of tea and rest (apparently New Yorker of us). Once we were seated in the quaint courtyard, the perfect amount of California sunshine was warming our skin, and we were handed a macaroon menu. We got eight because the menu was so tempting, with curious flavors such as rose, tea, lavender, and butterscotch. We started on opposite sides and ate half of each macaroon; all resulted in a squeal of applause or bafflement.  The latter came from an aforementioned rose-flavored treat. This may sound odd, but the small pink-tented desert tasted like a rose SMELLS. It was the strangest and most pleasant thing I have ever experienced while eating a desert, and I have had more than my fair share.  I have a notorious sweet tooth.  

 End the day by exploring the city’s namesake, the canals that give travelers reminiscent dreams of the true Venice, Italy (my favorite place in the world, thus far). If you saw the movie Valentine’s Day and were taken by the sweet homes and romantic canals, this is their home, and they welcome your attention.

 

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Perfect Trip: SoCal Day 5 Malibu

Day 5 Malibu 

The rest of the days will be spent south of Santa Monica, except for today’s unpredictable exploration in Malibu. Leaving your fancy belongings and shopping mentality behind when visiting the ever-famous celeb-favoring beach town of Malibu may seem unnatural, but natural is exactly what it is.  

 After applying adequate sunblock and double-checking your camera batteries, pull on a swimsuit and top it off with active shorts, a tank top, and hiking/tennis shoes. Start the day off with a BIG breakfast to last until late afternoon, and pack a few snacks to eat once at your first location. Head north, up arguably the most beautiful highway in the states, highway 1.  Let yourself fall into a slow pace to soak in all the beautiful beaches and cliff scenery around you.  Drive until you come to 27200 Winding Way, Malibu, CA 90265; you will see a small parking lot on the right side of the road.  This modest entry is the gateway to my favorite hiking place in Southern California; it beats Runyon based on the lack of traffic and distance from LA in my book. This whimsical place is Escondido Falls, or "Malibu waterfall hike," as everyone likes to call it. 

 While the beginning of this trail is the pristine example of a nature hike, it quickly becomes an adventurous and thrilling hike full of obstacles and moments of “Is it worth it to try to make it up that rock?” Growing up in the country, I would put myself on most people's more adventurous and risk-taking side. This hike allows those with a more daring side to scale a cliff face, clinging to boulders, and reach for vines to pull themselves out of a natural pool. There is a “road most followed” that most people can manage if they would rather not risk it. As for its nik-name sake, the joy at the end of your efforts is a gorgeous waterfall.  Through my travels, I have seen incredible waterfalls in Bavaria, Canada, and Yosemite. Still, there is something special about seeing a hidden fall, at least three stories high, up close and personal. Not only is the primary fall draped with greenery and breathtaking, but there are two other falls you can visit on this trail. I would spend the entire morning and most of the afternoon here. There are endless adventures to be found for every type of traveler, from watching others climb and cling along the waterfall edge to wading in the fall’s pool or sticking to the lower trails and taking in all the fauna. As you can image this is paradise for larger dogs with a need for adventure, my aussie/blue healer mix loved scaling the rocks. 

Izzi expressing her dislike for being excluded from the picture. 

 

When your stomach starts to demand that you leave this Utopia, head back south along Highway 1. Late lunch, luninner, super, whatever you want to call this eating timetable could not be spent at a more perfect location than Paradise Cove Beach Café. This is the only restaurant in Malibu on the water, but the best part is the sweet little cove and private beach for your enjoyment. Eat great seafood, watch for whales and dolphins jumping out of the water, and head to the beach when you are full and feeling lazy. Instead of visiting a shopping center, you have seen a hundred times duplicated worldwide, soak in the sun and experience the actual Malibu. 

If you are not a natural person and would like to stay indoors, I cannot give a museum higher marks than the Getty Villa, located close to Malibu. The vast array of Greek, Roman, and seasonal exhibits is fantastic, and the building itself is a replica of a Roman Villa. This gives you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk through a structure that resembles a true Roman Villa, down to the lavish tile floors, gold-leafed details, and open courtyards filled with statues and fountains. But, the similarities do not stop there; even the Mediterranean Climate and view of the Pacific Ocean from a high vantage point give you an idea of what it would have been like to live in a Villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea during the height of the Roman Empire. 

 

If you want great entertainment in this area, check out the website and see if there will be any outdoor performances at The Villa. The Villa includes a reproduction of an outside amphitheater frequently filled with musicians, plays, and other performances open to the public.

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Perfect Trip: SoCal Day 4 Santa Monica

Santa Monica

Three days inside LA is enough for me, but we aren’t going far.  Time to explore the coast! Santa Monica is LA’s window onto the Pacific, so we will start there. The Georgian is the sweetest hotel I have ever seen. I would love to stay there because of its great central location on Ocean Blvd, facing the beautiful Santa Monica Pier and beach. You cannot miss it; the walls are turquoise with a black and gold striped band around the top of the building; regardless of if you are staying here or somewhere else in Santa Monica (my family is a big believer of Priceline.com), you must start your day with lunch on The Georgian’s patio. The view is fantastic and the food is lovely. The sandwiches are large, fresh, and a must for all my friends who come to visit me.  

There is three-hour free parking on the streets directly behind Ocean Blvd. After lunch, simply work your way three streets behind you and walk down the famous 3^rd Street Promenade (my Master's thesis topic). The attraction is not the shops but the diverse menagerie of street performers you will see break dancing in groups of five or so, musicians of all kinds, belly dancers, mimes, acrobats, and so much more. This is a great experience and a memory you will talk about often. Especially if you get pulled into an act ending with a young man flying over you while you stand paralyzed until you hear his feet hit the ground and exhale as everyone starts to applaud loudly. 

Now, you are walking back toward the beach with less full bellies. Once you cross Ocean Blvd., walk along the ledge overlooking the ocean and take a few incredible pictures (there will be plenty of other onlookers you can ask to snag one of you and your travel buddies). Head to the iconic Pier, the historical end of Route 66, and let yourself have some fun. Play at least one of the games to participate in a tradition long experienced by Santa Monica visitors. Top the Pier experience off with a Ferris wheel ride for a unique and incredible view of the city and the beach. 

Now, ask one of the pier employees for the best place to rent a bike! This beach is luckily complimented with a wide bike path, which is one of my favorites. You will have an incredible time seeing all the other locals and visitors riding along, enjoying the sun and the views. If you are daring, you can choose from all types of “peddling” transpiration other than the traditional two-wheel bike, so go for it and get something flashy!  If you are a beachgoer, wear a bathing suit underneath your clothes to take a detour and play in the sand for a break. Or return your bike and then walk out to the beach for the rest of the day. 

If biking or sunbathing doesn't suit your fancy today, drive south down Ocean Ave. until you run into a unique shopping area. You will know when you are there as the streets will be lined with boutiques and stores of all kinds. This is also a great walking area for the explorer. 

There are several famous restaurants along Ocean Blvd. Once you have rinsed off the sand or just the sunblock, shimmy into something nice and have your choice of top-notch restaurants run by world-famous chefs.

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Perfect Trip: SoCal Day 3 LA and Runyon Canyon

Los Angeles & Runyon Canyon 


You are tired; give yourself a late wake-up; today is going to be ACTIVE! For lunch, stop by Toast. The area is neat for shopping or strolling, so take a walk and have a fabulous lunch. The food is great, and there is a large variety.  Everyone can find something, but the bakery will undoubtedly satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth! 

For the rest of the afternoon, you will see the great outdoors inside the LA city limits. Runyon Canyon is your next destination. Almost every weekend, I made one trip to Los Angeles, but not for the typical reasons. Izzi and I would spend up to three hours hiking Runyon Canyon. This local favorite hiking spot is only a few blocks behind Hollywood Blvd. Give yourself time to find parking! By the end of my time in California, Izzi and I could take off on our own “off the beaten path” trails and never see a sole.  

one of the beautiful hidden paths in Spring 

 This would allow us to leave behind the hikers, walkers, sunglasses, hat-wearing celebrities, and the unfortunate few tourists who decided it was okay to leave their pumps and tiny blazers on for this outdoor sightseeing opportunity. However, for the day tripper, I suggest staying on the path. I spotted Cat Deeley, Amy Smart (whipped cream bikini in Varsity Blues), Robert Downey Jr., one of the guys from Gossip Girl, and a few others on the primary paths and viewpoints, so you will have a good chance of running into a celebrity while getting a great work out. At the top viewing point, you have a direct eye-level shot of the famous Hollywood sign on the next mountain (skip that hike and try Runyon). What a fantastic photo opportunity! This is also the time to take in your surroundings. As a geographer, I love to have a viewpoint, and this one is amazing. You can see all of Los Angeles, and on a clear day, all the way to the ocean. See how many of the Hollywood hot pots you can point out… Chinese Theater? Magic Castle? Rodeo? 

not one of those clear days, but still beautiful 

great place to take a unique shot of you & the Hollywood Sign

Comme Ça is a classy French restaurant that was always outside my price range, but the bar area is open to everyone. It sits right inside the middle of the restaurant, giving you a great vantage point over the diners. Stay for dinner or grab a drink, but it’s a must on my list. I saw my mom’s and my favorite soap star, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis off Young and the Restless), here, and she is, laughably, the only star I almost ran after, but I didn’t, regretfully. Take in the sophisticated atmosphere and wonderful aromas. The area has several bars and a busy, entertaining neighborhood to wander through.  If you skipped Comme Ca for dinner, there is a restaurant down the street with a large open patio.  I cannot remember the name, but I remember how great the food was! 

I always enjoyed dancing, taking in the history, and people at Teddy’s, at the Roosevelt Hotel (perhaps you are staying there!). The DJ always played great music and the crowd is constantly changing. Sorry I can’t comment on the drinks at any of these places (I’ve never been a drinker), but if you get restless you can always walk around the historic hotel itself.

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