Posts in Travel
Neighborhood Guide to Hillcrest in San Diego

One of the liveliest neighborhoods in San Diego is the Hillcrest Gay District. The streets are filled with vibrant colors and friends gathering to meet up for brunch, not to mention the thriving nightlife scene.

Hillcrest is known as the most diverse area of the city because they welcome all kinds of people and they have a strong LGBT community. Although San Diego in general is considered to be very gay-friendly, Hillcrest is truly the hub for gay-owned businesses and events.

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The Summer Guide to Auburn, California

The gold rush town of Auburn in Northern California is often considered the summer playground for the city folk living in San Francisco and Sacramento. Auburn is centrally located between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe with one hour drive from each city. For many years it was considered a stop over spot on your way to Tahoe, but more recently travelers have realized that the history and charm of Auburn make it a great weekend destination.

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The Sacramento Brunch Guide

Brunch, the most important meal of the weekend! The Sacramento brunch scene is always buzzing on the weekend and you’ll see so many people out and about in Midtown and East Sacramento. My friends from San Francisco love to come up and visit Sacramento to soak up some warm sunshine and eat some yummy brunch food.

We’ve been living in Sacramento for over 3 years now and I’ve seen so many new trendy restaurants open up. Needless to say, I am very willing to taste test each one to give you the scoop.

Read on to browse my list of top 20 Sacramento brunch spots and start planning your weekend. P.S. You know many of these restaurants are so Insta-worthy because that's how we roll.

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San Diego Foodie Guide for Instagrammers

The San Diego eateries I’ve chosen for this list are popular with the Instagram crowd because they’ve mastered the art of trendy decor and creating fun photo opportunities for patrons. You’ll find brunch restaurants, ice cream shops, cafes and perfect date night places.

These top picks can be found all over the San Diego area because there’s just so many cute neighborhoods in this colorful city. Whether you’re a visitor on a beach vacation or a local, there’s always be new areas to explore.

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Foodie Photographer's Guide to San Francisco

Like most people I enjoy indulging in delicious food but I especially love it when your meal is also a feast for the eyes! I often bring my camera with me when I go out to eat because fancy eats can truly be a fun subject to photograph. I like to call it β€œPoetry on a plate!”

In this blog post I’ve listed San Francisco eateries where your meal is truly an experience and there’s ample opportunities to capture beautiful photos. Whether it’s for Instagram or your personal portfolio of photography, these spots are filled with natural light and airy aesthetics… and of course yummy eats!

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The Ultimate California Highway 1 Road Trip Guide

I grew up in the small coastal town of Half Moon Bay, located 30 miles south of San Francisco. Driving up and down the Pacific Coast Highway (also known as Highway 1) was a regular occurrence in my childhood. I didn't realize until later on in my adulthood how lucky I was to experience such scenic ocean views everyday. As a local I love to share the love and tell where to find my hidden gems spots.

Beginning from North to South, I've built the ultimate guide with the top spots along Highway 1 worth pulling over for!

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Best Photography Locations in San Francisco

I first started my blogging career back when I lived in the bay, and we spent pretty much every weekend looking for new San Francisco photography spots for the blog and Instagram. Over the years we covered every corner of the City by the Bay and captured memorable pictures on my camera.

In this guide I’ve got over 30 San Francisco photography locations. Some of them are familiar iconic landmarks and others are hidden gems known by locals. Both San Fran newbies and veterans will find inspiration for your next urban photography adventure, I promise!

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Locally Made Holiday Foods and Desserts in Sacramento

The city of Sacramento does an excellent job of making the holiday season extra special. It’s one of the few places in California where the trees change into vibrant colors, and the fall foliage really hits its peak the week of Thanksgiving. For Christmas there’s twinkling lights and trees adorning the Downtown and Midtown streets.

There’s many locally owned restaurants, artisans and foodie shops in the Sacramento area that have seasonal offerings. You can find your favorite holiday foods and sweets available during the months of November and December. These foods and treats are either available to order online and take home or you can enjoy them on-site.

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San Francisco to San Diego Road Trip Itinerary

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and my husband’s entire family lives in San Diego. Needless to say we have spent many vacations road tripping from Northern California to Southern California. Over the years we have become bonafide experts on driving up and down the state of California.

This California road trip guide will break down all the driving route options and highlight the pros and cons of each one. When you’re planning out your trip itinerary you should account for gas stops, restroom stops, food options and sightseeing. Some road trips are meant for sightseeing, and others are just a straight shot to your destination of San Diego (or Los Angeles).

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Dog-Friendly Travel Guide to San Diego

San Diego is one of the most dog-friendly travel destinations in California with a wide selection of hotels and destinations that your pup can enjoy with you. The weather is usually very pleasant so spending the day outside is no biggie.

My husband and I used to live in the San Diego area with our Black Labrador Holly. We would bring her all over the city with us, so we've had plenty of personal experience with finding dog-friendly things to do and places to eat.

This blog post covers San Diego dog-friendly parks, beaches, walkable neighborhoods, restaurants and more.

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California National Parks Checklist

The state of California is known for its natural beauty. The landscape varies greatly from region to region - from majestic mountains with dense forest floors to dry and vast deserts. The amount of outdoor recreation activities in California is enormous, and with the ever-changing seasons there’s new adventure to explore throughout the year.

California has nine national parks, which is the most of any one state (Alaska comes in second with eight national parks). Across the United States there’s a total of 62 national parks. The definition of a national park is land set aside by the federal government to protect it from development so that the general public can enjoy its natural beauty.

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Los Angeles Dog-Friendly Guide

Los Angeles is one of the most dog-friendly cities in California. Whether you’re brining your dog on vacation or a local pet owner, there’s plenty of places to explore with your pooch. We regularly travel all over California and we often bring our Black Labrador Holly along with us.

This guide covers the most popular areas and neighborhoods in Los Angles, pretty much the best places to spend your time. You’ll find over 75 dog-friendly parks, beaches, walking trails with city views, restaurants, breweries, outdoor shopping centers and much more.

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How to Rent Cute and Classic Cars in California

Sometimes when you travel, it can be equally about both the journey and the destination. When you decide to road trip in a car that’s just plain fun to drive, it adds some adventure and whimsy to your travels.

Many folks also rent retro and classic cars for weddings, photos and special occasions such as prom, anniversaries, and more. Whatever your reason for wanting to incorporate a cool ride into your life, you’ll find many rental options for California in this blog post.

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Kid-Friendly Apple Hill Wineries

Located just under an hour outside Sacramento, Apple Hill is a popular place for both families and adults to enjoy picturesque countryside scenery.

Along with being wine lovers, we are also parents and we don’t always have childcare… so we are always looking for child-friendly wineries to frequent when we have to bring the whole family.

For this guide to wineries in Apple Hill, I contacted each one of the below locations and asked them about their policies around brining children. So you can feel confident when you begin making plans for your trip to Apple Hill.

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The Best Time of Year to Visit Palm Springs

Palm Springs is one of California’s favorite playgrounds for both bachelorette gals in their 20’s to families with children. This desert oasis offers warmth and sunshine most of the year, but events and temperatures vary from month to month.

Every month of the year offers benefits and challenges with traveling to Palm Springs. I’ve broken down the highlights of each month so you can best plan your perfect vacation.

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Instagram-Worthy Restaurants in Palm Springs

Palm Springs is a mecca in the desert for everything modern and fabulous. Of course that means you’ll find some of the best foodie eats inside trendy restaurants with killer aesthetics and decor.

During your visit to Palm Springs you’ll most likely be indulging in plenty of pool time at your fancy hotel. Between sunbathing you’ll be brunching, enjoy patio lunches, happy hour cocktails and then of course dinners.

This blog is all about the best eateries to frequent on your vacation. There’s many options to choose from in Palm Springs, but I’ve narrowed it down to the most Instagrammable and trendy spots for all you cool kids. It’s all about atmosphere paired with good food to really make you feel like you’re in a desert oasis.

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The Best Pumpkin Patches and Farms for Photos in Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay is known as both a beach town and a cute farming community that comes alive in the autumn season. There are several family farms that convert into festive pumpkin patches for the public to enjoy.

The coast is one of the perfect places to take some time to capture special moments on camera. There’s so many beautiful backdrops for both families and Instagrammers.

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Planning Your Elopement Wedding in San Francisco

My husband and I had an elopement wedding in San Francisco on July 8th, 2019. The city of San Francisco is a special place for us because it’s filled with so many memories. We met when my husband was a college student at the University of San Francisco.

Our early days of courtship were spent exploring the city, and we eventually got an apartment together in Nob Hill. Getting married in San Francisco was perfectly fitting for us.

This comprehensive guide to eloping in San Francisco covers so many topics including budgeting, legal requirements to elope in San Francisco, selecting a location, reception and your honeymoon.

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Instagrammable Places in Half Moon Bay, California

My hometown of Half Moon Bay is really a beautiful place, and still remains an under the radar hidden gem. It's mostly known for the Pumpkin Festival and beautiful pumpkin patches during the fall season. But the reality is that it's a stunning photography location any time of the year.

Half Moon Bay is located 45 minutes south from San Francisco is the perfect destination for a day trip to escape the city. The temperatures are much cooler than most other areas of the bay area, so Half Moon Bay is a great place to escape high temperatures during a heat wave.

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