California
Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Newport Beach & Napa
Los Angeles
Where To Stay (LA)
Los Angeles is massive with so many awesome different beach towns to choose from. My husband and I love staying in Manhattan Beach, however, there are not a ton of hotels/Airbnbs near the main strip of bars & restaurants. The last time we went, we stayed at the Residence Inn (Manhattan Beach) which was much further than the main strip in Manhattan Beach. The hotel itself was really clean and comfortable however, is on a very main street next to a Toyota dealership. Santa Monica is always a super fun destination with a lot of great hotel options right along/near the water. I have never stayed in these hotels but ate at their restaurants so going based off their lobbies and location: Georgian Hotel (right on the beach), Proper Hotel and the Fairmont Santa Monica.
The USC Hotel : If you’re in town to visit USC or go to a USC Football game, I highly recommend staying here. I believe this used to be a Radisson and was renamed the “USC Hotel”. This hotel is on campus essentially, making it easy to walk to the game / tailgate area, the USC village & any of the on-campus bookstore/shops. Rooms were spacious & clean and very centrally located.
Hilton Pasadena : If you find yourself in the Pasadena area, this hotel is perfect for access to Colorado Avenue and Old Pasadena (5-10 minute walk). Rooms were nice & had a beautiful view of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Where To Eat (LA)
The Strand House ♡♡(Manhattan Beach) : One of the best & most popular places in Manhattan Beach to get dinner. The view, food and service are amazing (also right off the Manhattan Beach Pier, overlooking the ocean). Strand House is definitely a bit pricey, however, worth it for a really nice night out. We loved their ribeye steak, fish special & donuts for dessert.
Rock'N Fish ♡* (Manhattan Beach) : Perfect spot to stop in for lunch near the Manhattan Beach Pier. They have both indoor & patio seating (sidewalk/patio seating has a great view of the beach/pier). Their fish tacos, grilled artichokes & unsweeted passion ice tea were delicious.
Calabra ♡♡ (Santa Monica): Gorgeous rooftop Mediterranean spot in the Proper Hotel. Definitely a must-do while in Santa Monica. It is hard to get reservations so try booking in advance and plan around sunset! Their Calabra Meze starter is a must in my opinion. They also do brunch which would be a great option as well. Amazing decor/ambiance, phenomenal views, great drinks and service.
The Veranda ♡ (Santa Monica): Great option for brunch, dinner or high tea! This restaurant is outside on the patio overlooking the beach in the heart of Santa Monica. Great decor, food & service! We went for pre-dinner drinks and apps and ended up there again for post-yoga brunch! Highly recommend.
The Fig (Santa Monica): I have actually only been to their “Lobby Lounge” restaurant inside of the Fairmont which has a lot of the same menu items as the Fig. Food was great and decor/ambiance were awesome. The Fig has gorgeous decor and a more full menu for brunch (also in the Fairmont) and definitely plan to check it out next time I’m in town!
Simmzy's (Manhattan Beach) : Great local brewery & gastropub for a causal lunch on the main strip in downtown Manhattan Beach. Simmzy’s is big on locally sourced foods and beer, making for a fun/chill atmosphere with great food.
The Rockerfeller (Manhattan Beach): We went to The Rockerfeller for dinner one night and it was perfect for a more casual dinner with great food options & wide variety of craft beers. It’s a casual American food/ gastropub type place (something for everyone - tacos, salad, burgers, wraps).
Petro's (Manhattan Beach) : Cute/cozy Greek spot that we stopped in for wine on their patio. Their food looked awesome and had a great wine list. There are a few other bars/restaurants in this little tucked away corner for Manhattan Beach.
The Source Cafe (Manhattan Beach) : Smoothies & Fresh Pressed Juices. Source Cafe is about a mile from the main strip of restaurants/bars in Manhattan Beach but loved their smoothies, juices & energy balls.
Zinque ♡ (Venice Beach): Super cute French restaurant in Venice Beach. They have a massive patio currently due to COVID with umbrellas, heat lamps etc. We stopped in for champagne & apps and loved their burrata, carpaccio and flat breads.
The Tasting Kitchen ♡♡ (Venice Beach) : If you’re in Venice Beach, I highly recommend stopping in for dinner at Tasting Kitchen. Their food was phenomenal and had an excellent cocktail menu. The ambiance & service were awesome too which added to the experience. We loved their squash blossoms, chicken entrée, spaghetti, pork belly and cheesecake.
Kreation Organic (Venice Beach): Awesome spot for smoothies & fresh juices. Definitely a bit expensive but worth it.
Mijares (Pasadena): Old school, 100 year old authentic Mexican restaurant in Pasadena (opened in 1920). This is a Hickey family favorite and always love stopping here while in Pasadena. I always love their fajitas and my husband loves the garbage burrito. They also have great margaritas.
Baekjeong KTown ♡ (Downtown/Koreatown): Best Korean BBQ I’ve ever had. Expect to wait 1-2 hours if you go at peak times on the weekend. Across the parking lot is a cool bar/restaurant called Quarters where we had drinks and an app on their patio while we waited.
In-N-Out Burger ♡♡ (All Cities) : I think it goes without saying, you can’t leave California without getting a burger, fries and a shake from In-N-Out. Animal style burger, regular fries & a chocolate shake is the way to go.
Things To Do (LA)
USC Football Game ♡ : One of my favorite things to do in LA is to tailgate and go to USC Football games. If you don’t have a tailgate to go to, you can easily walk around campus and eat/drink in their fields/quad areas, its super fun. Last time we were able to find space in McCarthy Quad to have drinks & food. If you want to continue the party after the game, head to the The 901 aka “The 9-0” for drinks. This is where the college kids and younger crowd go after the games to drink.
Hikes (Los Liones) ♡ : Los Liones is a great trail just outside of Santa Monica in Pacific Palisades. Moderate hike, about 4.5 miles (1.5 hours about). Great views of the beaches in cliffs in LA. Definitely recommend.
Beach Yoga ♡ (Santa Monica) : Beach Yoga SoCal does sunset and sunrise yoga in Manhattan Beach. I absolutely loved it and highly recommend stopping by for a class. The teacher we had was incredible & can’t recommend enough!
Santa Monica Sunset ♡♡: I am not sure anything beats a Santa Monica Sunset. A picnic with wine and snacks on the beach watching the sun set over the pacific is pretty magical. We got there about 1.5 hours before sunset with plenty of snacks, wine and a camera to enjoy/capture the sunset.
Beach Towns: There are tons of great beach options near/around LA: Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier/Beach, Malibu Beach. You can also head down to Newport Beach/Orange County to checkout Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach and Corona Del Mar.
Hotel Pools (Downtown):
Broken Shaker (Freehand Hotel) ♡♡ : The rooftop bar and pool at Broken Shaker, in the Freehand Hotel downtown, is gorgeous and super fun. The Broker Shaker is definitely SUPER sceney but we had a blast. Definitely make a reservation ahead and request to be set at the pool. We lucked out with a poolside table/lounge chairs and spent a few hours having drinks & apps.
Veranda Al Fresco (Hotel Figueroa) : Hotel Figueroa has an awesome pool with really nice decor. The restaurant next to the pool is called Veranda Al Fresco. I am not sure how you get pool side seating and if you have to call the hotel or restaurant however, looked super nice. We ate at Veranda Al Fresco which had good food. I think their menu options were much more limited due to COVID and had to serve everything in disposable plates/cups however, I am sure in normal times, this is a really nice experience having dinner here! They were super safe/careful with COVID.
Santa Barbara
Where To Stay (Santa Barbara)
Hotel Milo ♡ : We absolutely loved Hotel Milo. It is very centrally located right on the beach, walking distance from Stearns Wharf and an easy walk to everything on State Street. They also offer free bikes with your room which is the best way to get around Santa Barbara. Right across the street from the hotel is an awesome bike path that goes along the full length of the main beach. You can also bike or walk pretty much anywhere on State Street from Hotel Milo. They also provide bike locks making it easy to park and walk around the area. Staff was super friendly & nice. The rooms were nice & cozy and the property itself was very nice with fire pits & seating.
Hotel Indigo : The location of this hotel couldn't possibly be better. Right on State & Anapaca Street. 2 minute walk from the Funk Zone/all of the SB wineries, 5-7 minute walk to the beach & Stearns Wharf, 10 minute walk to the heart of State Street bars & restaurants. Rooms are really small (eco/European style) however, if you get the deluxe rooms, they come with awesome an patio! If you plan to be in your room a lot, I recommend staying elsewhere. If you plan to be out and about during a quick weekend and want the most convenient location at an affordable rate, stay here. You can park for free at the train station across the street or its $50/day to valet. They also allow you to rent bikes free which is an awesome perk! Ask about the ACME discount for the neighboring restaurants & wineries, they have awesome deals & discounts (Loquita, The Lark, Lucky Penny, Helenas Bakery, Santa Barbara Wine Collective etc).
Where To Eat (Santa Barbara)
Flor De Maiz ♡ : We loved Flor De Maiz. Excellent cocktails, chimichangas, tacos & guac. Location is right along the beach off of State Street and has an excellent Happy Hour from 3:00-5:00 daily (everything is $8 - make sure you are seated on the bar/patio side to get the HH deals).
Loquita ♡♡ : Amazing Spanish Tapas restaurant on State Street. I would say this is a must-do in Santa Barbara for dinner one night. Their patio is incredibly beautiful with tons of flowers, plants and decor. The food and drinks here are phenomenal along with the service. We got their prawns, veggie paella, octopus and churros. Everything was amazing.
Zaytoon ♡: Great Mediterranean spot a little off the beaten path of State Street. Their patio is GORGEOUS with tons of greenery, plants, strung lights & fire pits. I’ve gotten both take out here and sat on their patio for a full service dinner. The atmosphere and food are phenomenal if you like Mediterranean food and found their prices to be super reasonable. They had awesome hummus, babaganoush, haloumi/watermelon skewers, & lentil soup. Great wine list & cocktails as well.
Arigato Sushi ♡ : Delicious and fresh sushi spot towards the end of State Street. Food, service and wine were amazing. Super cute patio with string lights & heat lamps.
Boathouse at Hendry's Beach ♡ : Scenic beachfront lunch/brunch spot right on Arroyo Beach (about 10-15 drive from downtown SB). Be prepared to wait if you go during peak weekend brunch hours, however, can take a walk on the beach or get a cocktail while you wait. If you don't feel like waiting for a table, you can always just order food to go and have a picnic on the beach! The beach itself is really beautiful, dog friendly & much nicer than the main beaches in Santa Barbara.
Mony's : Best tacos & burritos in the Funk Zone! They have a ton of great sauces/salsas for the tacos. I think their best menu item is by far the steak burrito, a must have!
Helena's Bakery : Great local bakery & coffee shop inside of the Santa Barbara Wine collective. Great coffee & breakfast options.
Goat Tree : Goat Tree is a great spot to stop in for breakfast/lunch/brunch. They have a beautiful patio & awesome breakfast.
Lucky Penny : Take away pizza & salad spot in the middle of SB. They also have a ton of tables set up in the parking lot where you can eat & have wine/beer - good spot to stop while wine tasting all day! The Californian Pizza was delicious, especially the lemon ricotta!
Joe's Cafe : Old school, greasy spoon type breakfast spot that’s been on State Street for 92 years. We enjoyed our breakfast and the old school feel of Joe’s!
Santa Barbara Shellfish Company : This is definitely the happening seafood spot on Stearns Wharf. They have tons of local seafood, crab, shrimp etc. I would get there before the 12:00 lunch rush as it seems there is a wait after 12:30 or so.
Backyard Bowls : Awesome smoothie and acai bowl spot (I believe there are a few in different cities within California). Super healthy and delicious.
Things To Do (Santa Barbara)
Rent bikes ♡♡ : Definitely rent bikes while in Santa Barbara! It’s a great way to get around and see the different beaches/bars/restaurants.
Beaches : There are a few different beaches in Santa Barbara you can go to. We stayed across the street from West Beach which was nice. We also made our way down to Leadbetter Beach which was a bit nicer (it also looks like you can rent paddle boards, kayaks etc) and off the main strip of Santa Barbara. There is also Arroyo / Hendry’s Beach (10-15 min from downtown) which is really scenic with a great outdoor boathouse/restaurant right on the beach which is super nice!
Inspiration Point (Hike) : Fantastic & gorgeous hike about a 15 minute drive from downtown Santa Barbara. I would say this is a must do while in SB. It's an intermediate hike so you break a good sweat with a decent amount of elevation but isn't a huge physical or time commitment hike. Roughly 4-4.5 miles roundtrip (depending on where you park) and took us just under 2 hours. Views of the ocean & SB from the viewpoint are definitely worth it!
Wineries & Breweries (Funk Zone) ♡ : There are tons of adorable wineries & breweries on/around E Yanonali Street (right off State Street). You could make a whole day of winery hopping as they’re all right next to each other.
Municipal Winemakers ♡♡: This is my favorite winery in Santa Barabara. Their wine is amazing - red, white, rose, all were awesome. My favorite is their "Make The Time Dark Red", a Cab Sauv/Syrah blend. Their patio & tasting room are adorable too.
Paradise Springs ♡ : I stopped in for a wine flight and absolutely loved it. It’s super cute inside and on their patio! Wine was great/reasonably priced and had great service.
Santa Barbara Wine Collective ♡ : Great spot for a wine tasting! They aren't a winery themselves, they are a collective of different wineries/vineyards in the area. If you stay at Hotel Indigo, you can buy 1 tasting, get the second free which is an awesome deal. We loved the wines we tried here and their tasting room/patio is gorgeous!
Figueroa Brewery : We were pleasantly surprised with this awesome brewery! They have a great selection of beers, including a spiked spicy pineapple kombucha ("Pineapple Chili") which was our favorite! They have an extensive beer list, seltzers & spiked kombuchas. We really enjoyed their patio & flights before dinner.
Oreana Winery : Laidback friendly winery in the middle of the Funk Zone. They had a nice patio & heat lamps setup for COVID. I think they normally have live music on the weekends on the patio too!
Vineyards: There are tons of vineyards as well about 30-40 minutes away. We didn’t have enough time to go out to the wineries but there are supposed to be some really nice ones!
State Street: State Street is filled with tons of awesome wineries, restaurants, shops and bars. It’s fun to just walk around the area and pop into different spots. There are sections blocked off that are pedestrian only for walking (however, not sure if that is just a COVID thing or if parts are always like that?) We stopped in to Sandbar Cocina y Tequila for pre-dinner drinks and a snack. Definitely looks like a fun spot to have drinks/casual dinner and/or watch sports. Cute decor and food looked good.
Newport Beach
Where To Stay (Newport Beach)
We always stay with my husband’s family in Lido Isle which is an awesome little island off of Newport Beach. We love staying here and walking around the quiet & quaint little island. If you are visiting, it is probably best to stay as close to the beaches as possible (either Newport Beach or Huntington Beach).
Where To Eat (Newport Beach)
Sessions West Coast Deli ♡ : Awesome sandwich spot on both Huntington & Newport Beach. Their brussel sprout Bahn Mi is phenomenal.
Sanchos Tacos : Casual beachy taco spot on both Huntington & Newport Beach. Easy to walk to from both beaches.
Arc Butcher Baker ♡ : Great dinner spot with an adorable patio out front. Their beet salad, halibut & steak were awesome.
Banzai Bowls : Smoothie/acai bowl spot on both Huntington & Newport Beach. Their smoothies/acai bowls are super tropical and delicious. Service was slow but the smoothies/bowls made up for it :)
Things To Do (Newport Beach)
Newport Beach & Huntington Beach : Not to state the obviously but the beaches in both Huntington & Newport are beautiful and awesome to just relax on for the day and grab lunch at the nearby restaurants.
The Wedge: The Wedge is a (seemingly dangerous) surfing location on the east end of Balboa known for its massive waves (up to 30 ft!). This area of Newport creates these massive waves due to the alteration of the rock jetty off of Newport Harbor. I don’t recommend swimming or surfing here but it is really cool to walk down there for the views and watch the waves.
Balboa Island: Super cute little beach town off of Newport Beach. You can drive over via bridge to get here from Newport Beach or can take the Ferry which is a fun option (you can actually drive your car onto the ferry - a short 10 minute ride). If you go to The Wedge, taking the Ferry is your best option as it’s right there. Balboa is fun to walk around, shop and get lunch/ice cream. Balboa is known for their famous frozen banana - we stopped in the original spot called Sugar 'n Spice but just got regular ice cream (which was delicious!)
Napa/Sonoma
Where To Stay (Napa/Sonoma)
We went with a large group to Napa and rented this amazing Airbnb. I would say it very comfortably fits 12 people, maybe 14 if 2 people are willing to sleep on a couch in the guest house (which is fairly quiet/private). It has an amazing pool, hot tub & backyard. The common areas are massive and beautifully decorated. I believe the house also came with a karaoke machine which made for fun evenings after wine tasting all day!
Things To Do (Napa/Sonoma)
Getting Around: We rented this amazing convertible bus for getting around Napa/Sonoma. Our driver, Camera, was amazing and very very entertaining. They provided all of our driving logistics for the weekend including transport to/from SFO Airport and to/from all of the vineyards & our airbnb for the weekend. They were very reliable and this convertible bus very comfortably fit our group of 18 people.
Schweiger Vineyards ♡♡ : This is my favorite wine of all time and are members of the wine club. Their 2017 Cab Franc is phenomenal and how I want all of my wines to taste. This vineyard is unique as it is family owned with no outside investors. The owner & his son are chemists and are very science oriented in their methods. This vineyard’s tasting room isn’t anything overly fancy but the wine & view are top notch. Can’t recommend this vineyard enough!
Antica ♡ : Antica is definitely the crowd pleaser vineyard with its views, service, olive oil and wine; I highly recommend going. Our tasting experience was incredible as they set up a large tasting table outside facing the mountains with wine, cheese, meats and sandwiches. They also took us in the old moss covered caves where they store their wines which was really really cool to see. The vineyard is situated on the top of a mountain making for insane views too. We loved their rose and olive oil.
Flora Springs : We really enjoyed this vineyard, however, it was our last stop and had drank quite a bit of wine before going. I remember us all loving their wine & tasting room however, am not sure if my taste buds were able to decipher good from bad bad wine! They set up a really awesome tasting room in their wine cellar for us which was really beautiful. Service was great as well.
Bennett Lane : This vineyard is a lot more casual with picnic tables out front. We were able to pick up sandwiches and eat them on their picnic tables and enjoy their wine/our food. It wasn’t a formal tasting, a bit more casual and fun. It was nice to break up the day here and have food in a more casual environment!
Platypus Tours : We did not do the platypus tour but did see their busses while at other vineyards. One of my good friends said this tour is a blast and wanted to add that here as another option.
* ♡ = a favorite
♡♡ = a must do