It seems there’s never enough time – weekends are too short, episodes of Pretty Little Liars only last an hour, and it’s only socially acceptable to keep the Christmas tree up until the end of January. Time is tricky. We all want more of it, but it’s the one thing we all have the same amount of. In a perfect world, we would have infinite vacation days, and infinite time, to spend in the places that we want. Travel is far more fun that reality, but unfortunately, that’s not the the way the world works. When David and I travel, most a lot of the time, we only have a weekend for a quick getaway. We’ve learned to utilize the little time we have to our utmost advantage, filling our days with activities and adventures (fair warning, our itineraries are not meant for those that value sleep!). We’ve put together an itinerary for a weekend in one of our favorite places, Southern California – land of beaches, reality television, and Disneyland.
Day 1:
1. Good morning! We suggest staying in one of our favorite places – the Laguna Hills Lodge. This beautiful but budget friendly hotel is centrally located for all your Southern California needs, and provides beautiful hillside surroundings and a complimentary breakfast.
2. Get up early and grab coffee at The Koffee Klatch in Laguna Beach. After you grab your favorite kind of caffeine, head over to the Crescent Bay Point Park Lookout to enjoy your coffee, and the view.
3. Today is a beach day! Laguna is one of our favorite places in Southern California to enjoy the beach, with it’s crystal blue water contrasting with the jagged cliffs of the coastline. Our favorite beach is Treasure Island Beach, which is filled with tide pools to explore, and stunning views.
4. For lunch, we think Bear Flag Fish Co. is worth making the drive out of Laguna. The lines are always long, because the poke is always fresh, and the fish tacos are always delicious. Grab a daytime cocktail, and send me a thank you letter – this will be your new favorite spot.
5. After lunch, if you’re feeling active, try a hike at Crystal Cove State Park. If hiking doesn’t feel like a vacation to you, another one of our favorite beaches to check out is Table Rock.
6. Head over to Newport Beach for dinner, and enjoy an icon. The Crab Cooker is a Southern California staple, that’s been around since the 1950s.
7. If you’re in the mood for dessert after dinner (and whose ever in the mood to turn down dessert), take the ferry over to Balboa for a fabled Balboa Bar. A Balboa Bar is ice cream, dipped in quick drying chocolate, which is then dipped in a variety of toppings. There are a multitude of stands that sell the famed bars on Balboa, but our favorite is Dad’s Original Frozen Banana.
Day 2:
1.You’re up early this morning, and headed to The Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles. David and I have a soft spot for farmers markets of all sorts, and this one is no exception. Grab breakfast and coffee here, and spend your time browsing all the market has to offer.
2. After you’re done shopping the market, pick up some goodies for a picnic lunch. You’re driving to Malibu this afternoon, to spend some time at one of our favorite little vineyards – Malibu Family Wines. What’s so cool about this place is that it’s not only beautiful, but they do bottles, glasses, and flights, all while letting you enjoy your own food.
3. Feeling relaxed after a few glasses of vino? Time to relax even further. Just a short drive down the road is one of our favorite places in Malibu, El Matador State Beach. El Matador is visually stunning, with rock formations and caves stretching down the coast as far as the eye can see, and a steep trail leading down to the shore.
4. In the spirit of your relaxing day – eat dinner outside, while looking at the ocean. Neptune’s Net, is just a short drive away, and had delicious seafood, and a great vibe. This is also a great place to sit and watch the sunset.
One of our New Year’s resolutions is to spend less money on things, and more money on experiences. We hope our year is filled with weekend getaways, chock full of memories that could fill an itinerary. No matter what you chose to do with your time in Southern California, we know you will have an incredible time, seeing, doing, and exploring. Remember – tomorrow is just a dream away!