One of the most memorable trips I’ve ever been on was exploring Nevada, and all over California in 2018. I got to visit Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Santa Barbra, and Anaheim.
Nevada
The summer trip began in Reno, known as, “The Biggest Little City.” Our time here was very short and didn’t allow us to explore many attractions the city has to offer, like the Nevada Museum of Art, or any national parks, but we were able to see the iconic Lake Tahoe.
We took a small hike to a lookout spot called Monkey Rock, named after the monkey shaped boulder, that sits 500 feet above the lake. It is “A local favorite and a symbol of the region’s history. The Washoe Tribe considered it a spiritual symbol.” Though the hike was only 2.6 miles the incline made it somewhat difficult, due to all the fallen foliage from the surrounding trees. Ultimately the hike was very worth it to see the gorgeous crystal-blue water, and beautiful scenery.
San Francisco
From Reno we then drove to San Francisco, our first stop traveling down the California coast. Going over the Golden Gate Bridge was just the beginning of getting to explore California. San Francisco is symbolically known for this bridge as well as Alcatraz Island, Lombard Street, Pier 39, and Fisherman’s Wharf; all must see destinations.
Being right in the bay San Francisco is breezy and can be chilly, so walking around wasn’t the most enjoyable adding in all the hills as well. Lombard Street the, “Crookedest Street in the World” is a popular tourist cite that we did not visit. However, many do visit to experience the eight hairpin turns the street contains. Despite Lombard’s popularity because of its panoramic views of the city skyline and bay, Vermont Street on Potrero Hill takes the name for most crooked street in San Francisco.
We spent our time walking around up and down the hills and looking around at the many piers. Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf are two of the most popular, Pier 39 has amazing views of the city, sea lions, and street performances. If you’re looking for a bite to eat, Fisherman’s Wharf would be the better option with its variety of restaurants, shops and entertainment.
Visiting the Original Ghirardelli Chocolate & Ice Cream Shop, Boudin Bakery, stopping though China town and if possible, going to Alcatraz are definite must dos. Going to Alcatraz, once the greatest maximum-security prison, be sure to plan this around three months ahead because during busy times the tours can be completely booked out, and because of this we were unfortunately unable to go.
Santa Barbra
Continuing down the coast, we stopped in Santa Barbra, what I would say is the most gorgeous place I’ve ever been to. The architecture, the surrounding national forest and beaches were absolutely breathtaking. We stayed at an adorable boutique hotel with a rooftop pool that overlooked all the red roofs. It was very relaxing here just enjoying the beauty of the city.
One of our days here we walked around the Santa Barbra Courthouse, a historic landmark, “The Courthouse is a centerpiece of Santa Barbara’s Spanish Revival style and reflects the history and cultural diversity of the people who settled the region.” I highly recommend going up to the clock tower and view the whole city, beach and mountains.
Anaheim
One of the last stops before concluding the summer trip was Disneyland, in Anaheim, California. Though I have not been to Disneyworld, getting to go to the much further Disneyland was pretty cool. The two parks are differed as Disneyland is made up of two parks, Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. I wasn’t too big a fan of all the rides because I was younger at the time, but it was an amazing memory.
Leaving California we stopped at New Port Beach, a busy harbor home to around 4,300 boats, nice shopping centers, and obviously the beach with its world-class surfing waves. If and hopefully when I can go back to California, I would love to visit the national parks like Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Redwood, and Great Basin National Park in Nevada. Visiting these would be surreal because you always hear about how big and old the trees in Redwood are, so getting to experience this in person would be unreal.
