Sunday 22 June 2014

California Dreaming

In the words of Katy Perry “You could travel the world but nothing comes close to the golden coast”. From being picked up in a convertible mustang in the middle of Hollywood to go to the OC for the day, to surfing the shoreline in San Diego, from wine tasting in Napa Valley, to exploring the eerie Alcatraz, the West Coast really is a postcard perfect destination. The three weeks I spent in California will be remembered fondly as some of best in my Year Abroad. Perhaps it was California's laid-back, outdoorsy lifestyle or maybe the famous landmarks? The sun, sea and sand combination never fails to spark a humongous smile across my childishly excited face.

I flew from New York to San Francisco to stay with some of my University friends from home that were studying abroad at UC Berkeley. There’s nothing quite like being reunited with friends, we obviously had a ton to catch up on and spent the first couple of days in hysterical fits of laughter as we told stories about the various incidents we’d found ourselves in over the last year. From riding in the back of pick-up trucks to Fraternity parties to tailgating at American Football games, one thing that has become very apparent is that none of our experiences have been the same. The United States is so diverse and every state I’ve visited (13 of them!) has offered a unique perspective on life.

Berkeley, San Francisco, Sonoma, Napa Valley, Santa Cruz, Salinas, Monterey, the Big Sur, Santa Barbara, Hollywood, LA, The OC beaches, San Diego and the Big Basin Redwood National State Park…. I have over 1000 pictures of endless coastline, white beaches, vineyards, hunky boys holding surfboards, delicious Mexican cuisine, hair bleached blonde from the endless sunshine and trees so tall they can’t even fit in the frame!

With California being the 3rd largest State in America (after Alaska and Texas) I could probably fill an entire girlie novel with my many adventures and mishaps. So instead, I’m going to give you my personal top ten things to see on the Golden Coast:

1) Walk the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco


An absolute tourist must! The Frommers travel guide considers the Golden Gate Bridge "possibly the most beautiful, certainly the most photographed, bridge in the world". This iconic bridge stretches across the channel between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean, and if you don’t fancy walking, you can always hire a bike!

2) Get drunk wine tasting in Napa Valley



Talking of hiring bikes…. When I was in Sonoma we hired bicycles on our first day of wine tasting and cycled between the wineries taking in the gorgeous scenery. Warning: you cannot be a lightweight if you choose to partake in this activity!

3) Drive down the breath taking coastline - Highway 1


The road trip of all road trips.The exhilarating drive of a lifetime down the twisting, cliff-hugging, 123-mile route along highway 1 is definitely not one to miss!



4) Surf in San Diego


You cannot go to California and not attempt to become a surfing goddess. Although, it definitely looks easier when some tanned surfer dude is riding the waves compared to little me getting bashed about by the strong rip current. Maybe I’ll attend surf school next time..

5) Nourish your body on Mexican food


I’m not talking about Taco Bell or Chipotle or any other Mexican fast food chain that will leave you with nothing but regrets and a poorly tummy. With the Mexican border only 16 miles from San Diego, California offers delicious one off Mexican cafes and restaurants up and down the coast serving authentic and incredibly yummy Quesada’s, Burritos, and Nachos. 

6) Hike up to the Hollywood sign


We took a hike up Runyon Canon and the Hollywood Hills, and the view from behind the Hollywood sign is pretty amazing. If you don’t fancy the trek to the top, you can always take a romantic picnic to the Griffith Observatory and watch the sun set behind the Hollywood sign. 


7) Tan on one of the beautiful beaches in the OC


Miles upon miles of white sand; Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach. I spent a necessary couple of days chilling under the bright blue sky and my favourite had to be Laguna Beach. Glass mansions next to quaint beach cottages line the cliffs above the sandy coves; I think a seaside house along this particularly scenic coastline would be rather lovely indeed. A little piece of paradise.

8) Get lost amongst the trees in the Big Basin Redwoods State Park


A great place for games of hide and seek. These trees are enormous! The Big Basin Redwoods State Park is the oldest State Park in California and has the largest uninterrupted strand of ancient coast redwoods south of San Francisco. 

9) Visit the eerie island ‘Alcatraz’


Alcatraz Island and Prison is one of San Francisco's most popular attractions. So if you like tourist days out this should definitely be on your list. Famous inmates included; Robert " Birdman of Alcatraz" Stroud and Al Capone. The “rock” and it’s grim past as America’s maximum security prison was certainly an interesting and thought provoking place.

10) Watch the sun set over the Bay Area in Berkeley


If you don’t mind a steep hill (or two) it’s worth trekking up to the fire trails in Berkeley. On a clear evening you can see the entire bay area – the city, the University and even the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. I went up there on my last night in California which was an excellent way to end my road trip up and down the coast with a little time to reflect and watch the sun set in the distance.

And if that wasn’t a sufficient amount of reasons as to why you should press pause on life and get on the next direct flight to California, surely living in a sandy wetsuit and pretending to be half-hippy/half-baywatch model should be incentive enough to go to lie beneath the palm trees and compare flip-flop tan lines with your friends?

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