Adventures in the Great Wide Somewhere // Road Trip Essentials

For this week's travel post I thought I'd take a life imitating art point of view. Tomorrow I embark on my fourth assignment as a travel nurse. This new position is taking me to New Hampshire and I'll be starting at Dartmouth on Monday. I'm extremely excited to start this new job! Not only is it at such a highly reputed hospital but it's in the exact location I wanted to be, that being New England. Besides a short trip to Boston, I've never been to any of the New England states and I cannot express how excited I am to live there and explore all there is around there. As with all my assignments, I'll be driving there so I thought I'd share my road trip essentials as I have learned them. Whether it's for a job or for fun, these are my must-haves when departing for a long haul drive.

Taylor Swift is always my go to playlist

Adventures in the Great, Wide Somewhere// Highway 1 Roadtip

I love to travel. This is no secret. Traveling is one of the most subjective experiences you can have. Everybody brings their own world views and expectations when they travel. Knowing that, I offer my subjective opinion in these posts and when people ask me for travel advice or opinions on where they should go I'm always slightly hesitant to flail because my favorite spots are a lot of other peoples' defeated expectations. What other people love, I've found out I've not liked so much.

With that said, there are very, very few travel experiences I would recommend to everyone...and a road trip down Highway 1 on the California Pacific Coast is one of them. If you are ever able to take a road trip down this iconic highway, grab the opportunity by the balls and make it your bitch. You won't regret it.

The sights of highway one are absolutely breathtaking and I felt humbled as I drove down the coast, jamming to my music, and thanking God I am alive. It was a truly beautiful day to be alive and taking this trip. And it wasn't even a long one! I only drove for maybe 4 hours down the coast from where I started in the Bay Area so it doesn't have to be long, it just has to be worth it. And this trip is so totally worth it.

Santa Clara to Hwy 84 to San Gregorio

Ok, so I started in Santa Clara, CA and had to cut over to the coast. I did this by legit looking at a map and seeing what highway would take me as directly West as possible to get to the coast. I did this by traveling north and then cutting over to Highway 84. WHAT a surprise highway 84 was!! Winding roads and straight shots through the woods, it was the exact opposite of what I expected for my time on the coast but the BEST surprise detour if you will. While this won't be possible for everyone because most people start in San Francisco and travel down, if you get a chance to cut over, it is beautiful. When I did intersect with Highway 1, it was in San Gregorio and, again, chance had my starting destination in a beautiful area. The road opens up right on the coast and from there it is sea breeze, the open road, and a beautiful journey. 

San Gregorio to Santa Cruz

From San Gregorio I drove down to Santa Cruz. The iconic beach town with their crazy Boardwalk. I was there early so I didn't get to walk through the rides but I did walk along the pier and the beach and stop for a coffee break and short reading time. On the recommendation of my friend, I stopped at The Picnic Basket for a caramel latte and observation. It was a beautiful morning and the coffee was on another level! So, so tasty! Santa Cruz could easily extend your Hwy 1 roadie for an extra day if you wanted to stop to eat lunch and do the Boardwalk. I didn't have time because I only chose to do the one day and get an early start. Next time, I would def stay the afternoon in Santa Cruz to ride the rides and eat the carnival food.

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Guys. GUYS!! Carmel-by-the-Sea may be the absolute most amazing looking town I have ever been in. It was legit like walking around Alice in Wonderland and there was an actual shop called The White Rabbit. The shops and their architecture is so unique and colorful and bright I 100% fell down the rabbit hole and I didn't want to leave. I wandered around the town and shops for a few hours and grabbed a burger for lunch at 400 Degree Gourmet Burgers which was amazing! Moderately priced and so delicious! Beware of the shops though because not only is the town beautiful but it is 100% tourist driven and shit is expensive. I made the mistake of looking at a price tag of a shirt I thought was cute and I don't know about you but I don't have $178 to spend on a single top. Wish I did, maybe next time. Carmel also has a very accessible beach at the end of it's main street with decent amount of parking. This could also extend your trip by a day if you want to spend the night and explore the town a bit more. There was wine tasting advertisements at shops that I would have loved to do but again, solo and driving so not a good idea.

Bixby Bridge

Before you enter into Big Sur--see below--you drive across the iconic Bixby Bridge. Featured in almost every car commercial ever, this bridge is the gateway into Big Sur and one of the most random and fun driving experiences ever. Like laughing out loud and blaring my music because the pictures at this spot are so fun! I was waiting all day to drive across this and while it only lasts about 45 seconds, it's just awesome. You feel like you're in one of those car commercials. Winning. 

Big Sur

Another hour down the road and you enter Big Sur, California. Combination of woods and beach it is so beautiful I have no words, only pictures. There are dirt stop offs every few hundred feet to take pictures of the gorgeous scenery and you could spend hours stopping to take pictures and bask in the wonder of Big Sur. But note: there is ZERO reception! Also very limited gas stations. So fill up before you enter and make sure your cell phone is charged and you know where you're going. If you're driving straight through or stopping off, you'll need a legit map or GPS because it's in the wild.  Within Big Sur I went to Pfeifer beach and holy scary. It was rec'd by a friend because it has purple sand...yeah kind of. If you're not looking out for this hidden entrance, you will miss it. And when you do find the entrance it is a mile down a one way width dirt road. Like if a car is coming at you y'all gotta figure out how to pass. Not fun. Longest mile of my life not to mention the thought of serial killers lurking in the midst because it looked like a breeding ground for the next Stephen King or Gillian Flynn novel. It's a $10 admission into the beach which I did not know about nor would have paid knowing what it was like. It was pretty, the beach kind of looked purple in certain shades. But it was cooler that day so laying on the beach was a little frigid and I left shortly after arriving back through the 15 min mile long trek back towards the main road. 

Monterey

I stopped halfway through Big Sur and turned around to spend the night in Monterey. I got to Monterey later than I anticipated due to stops and spending time in the other cities. Not a regret, Monterey is a beach town and has a lot of stuff to do, most notably their aquarium. I've heard great things but I do not do fish or aquariums in any sense of the word so knock yourself out but I'll be at the beach. 

Like I said before, if my words don't do it for you the pictures have to. Hwy 1 is one of the travel experiences I would recommend to everyone because it is so beautiful it just cannot be missed if you are ever in California. You can make it as short or as long as you want. I chose one day but many people make it as long as 4 staying overnight in the cities I mentioned and traveling all the way down to LA. I did't have that much time and zero inclination to go back to LA so it was a perfect day trip jaunt for me. No regrets.

Travel Class

Santa Cruz

First Class

Carmel-by-the-Sea

First Class

Big Sur

First Class

Pfeifer Beach

Staycation

Monterey

Economy

Hwy 1 Roadtrip

Private Jet--I just made this up because you HAVE to try and make this happen if you can. One of the best travel experiences I've had and it was in good ole' U.S. of A.

Adventures in the Great Wide Somewhere// San Francisco, California

The Golden Gate Bridge
The icon of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge may not seem like a cool thing to go to but trust me, up close it is a beast of construction awe. I was, really, in awe of this. I've driven over it several times and it's just breathtaking. Pay attention though because if you drive INTO San Francisco over the bridge there is a $4 toll you have to go and pay online. Learned that the hard way. Thank you $12 trip across the bridge later. Anyways. On the SF side there is one spot to take a few pictures but if you cross the bridge into Marin County there is a road that takes you around to several different areas to stop and take pictures. I personally like this side a lot more. You can really get creative in your picture taking skills.

Ghiradelli Square
Located near Fisherman's Wharf, Ghiradelli's Square is a city block with beautiful architecture and a two levels of Ghiradelli chocolate store. There are also several boutiques and stores scattered on the different levels to visit as well. If you love Ghiradelli's, you'll love this. I am not a huge chocolate fan so I basically walked through it, got my free piece of chocolate and kept on walking. It wasn't my thing but it could easily be yours. Free of charge to walk through.

Cable Cars
Another iconic San Francisco must-do. The Cable Car Trolley have several different pickup locations, 2 in Fisherman's Wharf and 1 in Union Square. It costs $6 for one way, $17 for a day pass. I suggest doing two tickets for $12 so you can get there and back between Union Square and Fisherman's Wharf depending on where you started and what you plan on doing next. I enjoyed doing this the first time with my Mom but of course I had to do it again when the rest of my family was there. It's fun to stand on the cable car while riding but it really is a do it once kind of thing. The lines are alwasy ridiculously long and it takes forever for them to load the next car. Expect to wait at least 30-60 minutes depending on the time of day. It's a must-do, but only do it once otherwise you're doing a lot of waiting around.

Fisherman's Wharf
Fisherman's Wharf is one of my favorite places. Pier 39 has a ton of fun touristy shops, seafood restaurants, and places to get ice cream and take pictures. We ate at Alioto's, a little ways off Pier 39. The service was awful but the food was great. Simple seafood cuisine, fish and chips was my course and it was exactly what I was looking for. $14 for a meal not including drinks. Depending on what you're looking to do you can spend as little or as much time in Fisherman's Wharf as you want. You can easily walk along the shore-like stores for hours and find restaurants to eat at. There is a Madame Tussaud's, Ripley's Believe It or Not, The San Francisco Dungeon, and SO many other things to do. I didn't see or do a fraction of what there is to offer. And even if you don't do any of that, it's still a beautiful place on the water to walk around or sit and enjoy the scenery.

Alcatraz
Alcatraz Island, home to the infamous prison dating back to the 1930's is my one and only must must MUST-See of San Francisco. It is such a surreal and cool experience that I urge anybody going to SF to buy tickets ASAP because they sell out week in advance. We did the night tour in order to see the city lit up on the ferry back but really, not a necessity and any time of day works. You take a ~20 minute ferry ride out to Alcatraz and after arriving on the island you're led up to the prison. Our night tour includes the audio tour so if you go during the day BUY THE AUDIO TOUR. It is hands down, the best audio tour I have ever done and I tour a lot of shit. The narration is perfection, the directions around the prison are clear and idiot-proof and the stories are haunting. Seeing the cells and walking through the hospital ward is eerie as all hell. You also are privy to details about the attempted breakouts and they are FASCINATING! The tour was so informative and I love learning but I was not alone. My whole family was obsessed with finding out more and queue'ing up the movies that have taken place there. If you do one thing in San Francisco, make it this. Prices are $30 for a day tour and $37 for a night tour and it's worth every penny.

The Painted Ladies
The term the Painted Ladies refers to the Architecture of these kinds of Victorian and Edwardian houses and also very San Francisco culture. But we all know that we know these types of houses because of Full House. This is a total picture pefect spot if you recognize Alamo Square from the opening credits of the show. Located on Steiner Street and Grove Street, this is a picture stop or a relaxing point in your day if you want to take advantage of the park and pack a lunch or just sit in the sun. It's beautiful and overlooks some great scenery that is unique to San Francisco. Parking can be a problem because it's only street parking but I've lucked out both times when going. Earlier is better to avoid some crowds.

The Walt Disney Family Museum
Another Must-See if you're an avid Disney fan is the Walt Disney Family Museum. Admission is $20 and worth it if you love Walt. The beginning of the tour is a little dry with the family history but then we learn how Walt and his brother got started and how Mickey Mouse was not his first cartoon animal character. I really enjoyed doing this with my family who are all Disney obsessed. I especially loved reading about the role Walt and his company played in WWII and I never knew he made cartoons and movies to help Americans supports the war effort. Amazing pieces of history there...and it all started (so they tell us) with a mouse.

Miur Woods National Park
Miur Woods National Park is a must see if you're in San Francisco. Located about 15 minutes past the Golden Gate Bridge, this national park is towering with Redwoods--see what I did there? I felt like Katniss in the Hunger Games traipsing through these woods. Won't lie, the drive up is winding and high and can cause car sickness. I, myself, felt a headache coming on and as the passenger just had to close my eyes. It's a beautiful drive up and down but more than a little dizzying. Parking can be a problem. With one small lot for the entire park the alternative is street parking and can be back up for quite a while. I'm talking half a mile or more down the road. Plan to go on a weekday as weekends can be crazy. I went on a Saturday morning and we were LUCKY as all hell to find parking. The admission is $7 and worth it. There are several differnt trails you can follow and because this was a pitstop on the way home we did the short one just to see the trees and experience the Redwoods up close and personal. Depending on your fascination with nature and trees you can spend a few hours there walking around the trail or you can spend as little as 30-45 minutes for a quick jaunt. Regardless of how long you spend there, it is a must-see.

Must-See
Alcatraz
The Painted Ladies
Miur Woods
The Golden Gate Bridge

Skip
Cable Cars
Ghiradelli Square

Travel Class
Economy

Adventures in the Great Wide Somewhere// Los Angeles, California

A few weeks ago my family came to visit me in San Francisco--yay!!--but my sister is OBSESSED with Taylor Swift and she planned on going to the Grammy museum to see her exhibit since she heard of it's existence. So we made a little pitstop in LA before trekking back up to San Fran. That means a little adventure in LA! Was it worth it?...Um, not so much.

The Omni Hotel

We stayed at the Omni Hotel in downtown Los Angeles and this was a highlight of the trip, sad to say. It was located in a nice area of downtown, it has a beautiful lobby, spacious rooms, but a little pricey around $300 a night but if you're splitting it with friends, it's not bad.

The Redwood Bar & Grill

I google map'd an American food restaurant because we were all craving a burger and found The Redwood Bar & Grill within walking distance. It's tucked into the street like a secret and the pirate ship theme is authentic in that you definitely feel like you are in the bottom of a shit. The atmosphere was dark and the lunchtime crowd was nonexistent. Great for a burger, I really enjoyed the food even if the atmosphere was a little to be desired. Reasonably priced for LA standards, lunch burger was $13.

The Grammy Museum

This was the sole reason for this LA excursion and the highlight of the trip. The Taylor Swift Experience at the Grammy Museum was worth the $12.95 admission price. A huge boom box with lighted dance floor welcomes you playing 'Shake It Off' on a continuous loop. There is a wall devoted to her magazine covers and another devoted to all her albums. Some of her clothes and gowns and concert outfits are in the center. Not a huge exhibit and the rest of the Grammy museum was blah to me because I'm not super into music but I am into Taylor Swift and it was definitely worth it!

The Hollywood Walk of Fame and Grauman's Chinese Theater

So, I have a confession. As much as I love to travel and see new places, LA is a place I never desired to go to. I don't buy into the celebrity obsession, I think the emphasis our society puts on actors and caresses is disgusting if I'm being honest so the Walk of Fame was not fun for me. It's littered with tourists, people dressed up as Hollywood characters (Jack Sparrow, a creepy Minnie Mouse, etc.) and charge to take a picture with them, you can't even breath it's so claustrophobic. Not my style. I hated being so crowded--but mind you, the crowds at the Colesseum or the Trevi Fountain don't bother me because, duh, we're looking at history not the handprints of actors who don't matter in the long run--and I hated that so many people buy into the fake glitter that is Hollywood. The only part I liked was seeing the Harry Potter plot because...Harry Potter. Am I biased? Yeah, but it's my subjective opinion and I'm sticking to it. Many people have told me point blank they hate Rome and London and I love them. To each their own, but LA is not my bag.

The Ambiance

LA as a city to me was dirty, not worth the hype, and some place I will never go back to. My sisters and Mom didn't care for it, either which is pretty telling. My sisters can usually always find something positive about where we go and they said themselves they were glad they went to see it but would have zero desire to go back. And the traffic is deplorable. I got a migraine from the stop and go and while I expected it, it doesn't make an excuse for it. 

Must-Sees

The Taylor Swift Experience

Skip

The entire city unless you're an avid T Swift fan. Not worth the plane ticket.

Travel Class
Staycation

Adventures In The Great Wide Somewhere// Napa Valley

A few weekends ago I finally got the chance to go to...NAPA VALLEY!! Oh, I was SO excited I cannot even tell you! My work insta-BFF and I planned a quick weekend getaway and we had the BEST time. We left ridiculously early to try and beat the San Francisco traffic...worst.thing.ever. But after we got out of the city...across the Golden Gate Bridge...we were on our way to Napa.

It was almost immediate upon leaving the city that we get the beautiful green, rolling hills of California wine country. It. Is. Gorgeous. It's a pretty nice and easy drive and our destination was actually past Napa, in Yountville, where the meeting point was for our tour. Yountville is a gorgeous little town with an adorable downtown area aka street. We got there early so we took a short walk and found Bouchon Bakery. HIGHLY recommend this French-inspired cafe. Why? See pics below. I got a croissant for breakfast, Jeanette got a brownie, and we got two macaroons to go to snack on later! It was pretty pricey but it's in a highly concentrated tourist area so it is what it is. But we sat outside, ate our breakfast and pretended we were in France ready to drink wine all day. Totes worth it.

The tour we took, which I also HIGHLY recommend doing while you're there, was through the Napa Valley Wine Trolleys. The trolley transports your to three wineries and one of them is a castle. No fucking joke, we toured Castillo de Amarosa. It was amazing! The castle was built within the last 10 years and has a lot of interesting history because it was built by a man as his retirement project..yeah, I wanna know what kinda money you have that as your retirement project you build a fucking castle for fun but I digress. 

The castle tour included a stop in the torture chamber...so of course I took pics and thought of all the BDSM fun one could have in this room...just saying. The tasting at this winery had the most variety. We got a list of all their wines and we each got to taste 4 different wines. Delicious! My favorite was the Fantazia, a rose that I could have drank like water.

The second stop was at Beringer. We has lunch first, it was delicious. Sandwiches, salads, desserts, it was all really nice. The weather was beautiful so after lunch we had our own free time to either do a tasting, get a glass, or just walk the grounds. I, again, got a glass of their Rose and this was my favorite wine of the day. We walked the grounds and relaxed by a fountain, it was perfect. The glass of wine here was $10 with the tasting, if you chose that, at $15.

The last stop was Providence winery. No bueno, guys. The tasting was $20 and totally not worth it. I did their white wine tasting and Jeanette did the reds (they had different names but I can't remember) and they were both awful. I like to joke that I think they poisoned me because I was not drunk at this point but felt almost instantly nauseous after the second wine. I needed to sit down with my head between my knees I felt close to passing out. I vasovagal'd before (fancy term for passing out) so I knew what it felt like and it ended up being fine but whoa, it sucked. The wine was awful, I felt sick, and I was not impressed at all. 

However, I was impressed with the overall trolley tour. The price is reasonable at $129 and compared to other tours and what you get, it is totally worth it. The tour included transportation as well as commentary by the tour guide about Napa Valley as your drive to the three different wineries. The price included transportation (like I said), the tasting and castle tour, a catered lunch, and transportation back to the starting point. I looked at a lot of other tours and this was by far the best bang for your buck. I HIGHLY recommend doing this if you get a chance! Nobody wants to drive between wineries when...duh, you're drinking wine all day. 

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in American Canyon, about 10 minutes from downtown Napa. Worked out perfectly. Reasonably priced, it was clean and right in the middle of  a ton of fast food restaurants, a Starbucks, a Wal-Mart, anything quick you might need. We drove into downtown for dinner at Downtown Joe's Brewery because hot damn all we wanted was a burger and a TV to watch the game. We got both and it was delicious. It had a dive bar feel and it was perfection. There was a swanky looking bar across the street called Napkins and all I wanted to do was spray paint 'Sanitary' in front of it. Can you get more stupid and pretentious than a place called Napkins? It was so ridiculous. While our choice of dining experience wasn't sophistication, it was perfect.

Must See
Trolley Wine Tour
Bouchon Bakery
Castillo de Amorosa
Beringer Winery
Downtown Joe's--if you want that chill/dive vibe

Skip
Providence Winery

Travel Class
First Class