Los Angeles
PCH Highway
El Matador State Beach
Between our two extended road trips for the year, we decided to squeeze in a quick flight out to L.A. to visit a Grad School with Blake and take in a little R and R.
Upon arriving, we drove up the Pacific Coast Highway on our way to Ventura. As with most of the PCH, this was one beautiful vista after another. Our first stop was Venice Beach were we grabbed a quick bite at “Eggslut” (which is just fun to say) and wandered over to the skate park to watch some amazing skaters of all ages. You can’t visit Venice without checking out the canals, which are incredibly CHARMING, and Christina’s choice for our new home in California should we ever decide to move out that way! The area dates back to 1905 when a developer decided he wanted to recreate the feeling of Venice, Italy. While he may not have replicated it exactly, he did a really good job. The area is most definitely quaint and features beautiful, house-lined canals with a variety of small watercraft parked out front. Next stop…Santa Monica which is just minutes away from Venice. They have a paved path that connects the two cities. So, we could have rented bikes (or golf carts, mopeds, minibikes, or even a tuk-tuk) for the ride up the road, but decided to take the more typically American approach and just drove. Santa Monica was a little touristy for us, so we didn’t stay too long. Next, we stopped in Malibu and walked around some of the shops, but we much preferred the two state beaches. El Matador and Leo Carrillo were both ridiculously beautiful! There were striking rock formations all along the beach and so many nooks and crannies to explore. We had a great day exploring and taking in the beautiful coast. Up next, Ventura and the Channel Islands.
Channel Islands National Park
Channel Islands - Santa Cruz
The next day, we woke up bright and early to make the most of our day at Channel Islands National Park. This is one of the few national parks that you cannot reach by driving. To get there, we took an hour-long ferry ride from Ventura, California. The Channel Islands include five separate islands, and we spent our day on the largest of the five, Santa Cruz. During both the ride out and back, we got to see hundreds of dolphins, as this area is one of the most dolphin-rich waterways in the world. The dolphins seemed fascinated by the ferry and appeared to be enjoying playing in its wake.
Despite being visible from the mainland, the islands seem remote and primitive. They have no running water, no public facilities, and no concessions of any kind. So, you must pack in (and back out) anything you might need for your stay. Due to their isolation, the islands are home to hundreds of species of plants and animals that are found nowhere else in the world. For that reason, they are sometimes referred to as the Galapagos of North America.
We spent the day hiking. The scenery was stunning with towering cliffs overlooking the beautiful, clear blue waters of the Pacific.
Make sure to check out the town while in Ventura. It is another great town with lots of charm. We had dinner at Lure Fish House, which was really delicious and had great happy hour specials.
The LA tourist scene
As crowds aren’t our favorite thing, we didn’t spend much time sightseeing in LA proper. However, we did take time to check out some camera stores, Griffith observatory and Warner Brother’s Studios. It was fun to see the huge sound stages, TV shows that are currently in production, and some of the costumes and artifacts from Warner Brothers films. If you are into Harry Potter, manage your expectations on this tour. The LA studio does not compare to what you will see at the Harry Potter Experience in London.
Laguna Beach
View walking down to the beach.
We spent our last day in the area in Laguna Beach. It is a lovely beach town with beautiful beaches. We wandered through their shopping district, grabbed some lunch at a local restaurant, and spend the bulk of the day relaxing on the beach. The weather was great. The waves were intimidating, and the lifeguards were really busy. It was almost like being in an episode of Baywatch!
