Palm Springs, CA, USA

*As you can probably tell, the theme for the past couple of months has been the West coast. Next month, I will switch to the mideast and East coast because most of my trips will take place there! Enjoy! :)*


Like all places in California, Palm Springs is warm and absolutely one of THE BEST towns I have been to. It's a small town but has a big personality to it. There is an art crawl type of thing every week that lines the whole main street. Honestly, there isn't much to say about this small town but once you go, you'll see why the only way to experience it, is actually going to visit it.

(Image Courtesy to Shiva2731)

First, this town is famous for some of the most favoured celebrities of our nation's history. Marilyn Monroe, for example, had a giant statue placed in the middle of the town just for her. Elvis and Priscilla Presley have a home nestled in that little area. Gene Autry, America's favourite singing cowboy, has a bronze statue made in his honour. All three of these celebrities and hundreds more, have their names imprinted on a stone star in the ground. These stars are known as the "Palm Springs Walk of Stars". The stars are placed up and down the walkways so don't be surprised if someone stops and looks at one when you're walking around.







Let's move on, shall we? Palm Springs is popular for two things, golf and it's celebrity residents. What if you don't like golf or big name stars? Arrangements can surely be made for your trip to be just as great as those who love golf and are interested in the famous citizens. Take a trip to a spa somewhere in the town like Riviera Palm Springs. This spa will take all the tension away for sure and make you take it easy. Or, visit some of the incredible restaurants that are on the main avenue. Some of my favourites are Lulu California Bistro, Azul Tapas Lounge, Las Casuelas and Le Vallauris. It is quite hard to choose favourite shops, restaurants and sights in this town but it doesn't take long to see them all. Also, in almost every city in the nation, there is a fast food place put right in the middle of the town. Not in Palm Springs. Palm Springs pushed all the fast food restaurants to the borders of the city so no place is the same.

This post is kind of harder to end because I feel as if there is so much more to say but I've explained all the parts I can. Take a chance to visit, yet another small town, and stop by the King of Rock n' Roll's residency or see the 50-foot tall Marilyn Monroe or spend all of your money on food and clothes. Whatever you do here, will be great I promise. Have fun! :)

San Francisco, CA, USA.

The city by the bay, one of the cities that gets destroyed the most in movies. People from all over the world come to this city just because of all the sites and culture it has. If you haven't been to San Francisco, this post will sum up the city for you but still make you eager to go.

Have you ever heard so many different languages in one place? French over there, Chinese right here, Korean somewhere by that building and German over at that hot dog stand! The amount of people within the city's walls is shocking. All speaking different languages but still being able to communicate. There are several tours offered in this place and if you choose to do the audio tours the languages are endless. If you want to visit a place of certain culture, I would advise visiting Chinatown or Japantown. Bustling with the tourist crowds, it is very hard to navigate through but if you stop into the shops and restaurants it becomes less of a crowd and more just locals. It's absolutely remarkable.

(Image Courtesy to Ritz Carlton)

San Francisco's Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in the nation as well as the biggest outside of Asia. Being one of the most popular tourist attractions, it is also one of the most crowded. Gift shops and unique dining places are distributed along each side of the street. Try to not waste your time in the gift shops though, try to learn some about the history and what the people do, not just on bobble heads and t-shirts. Japantown holds the same opportunities as Chinatown but with a different aspect of culture. Yes, there is a lot of cultural cuisine and shops but they also have cultural entertainment and experiences. In the courtyard, festivals and activities are held for visitors. Again, like most attractions, there is a massive amount of people, all trying to see the same thing. But, it is quite interesting for those who haven't been out of the country and want to learn more.

If you want to learn some of the history of old San Francisco, look no further than the Alcatraz Penitentiary. The island in the bay is know as "The Rock" and is known to hold the most dangerous of criminals such as: Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Robert Stroud "The Birdman of Alcatraz, and so many more. All of which convicted unforgivable crimes. Taking the tour, enables you to view every cell and hear inmates stories about the Battle of Alcatraz, the Escape from Alcatraz and several more. Every year, there is a race starting at the prison and ending at the Golden Gate Bridge. You have to swim through ice cold water and then run to the finish, to feel like the escapees. 

(Image Courtesy to iNe Tours)

There is so much more to talk about but I don't want to spoil it. If you've already been here, I would propose going again because chances are you missed something. Ride the cable car, take a ferry, ride a bike across the Golden Gate. Just unwind, have fun and learn a thing or two. Good luck! :)

Park City, UT, USA

When most people hear of Park City, they think of the Sundance Film Festival, skiing, or they haven't even heard of it. Park City is home to several amazing ski resorts and the Sundance Film Festival which brings many celebrities to this town who produce or star in the films. A lot of people would think that living in Park City would be great during the Sundance days but as a student, it is terrible. The tourists are very rude to the locals. Anyways, the films are shown in many different areas around this town and all of these films are worth while.

(Image Courtesy to Time Magazine)

If you look at the photo at the left, there are a lot of people in line to see a film for Sundance. Yes, it is that crowded during this week. People from all over the world visit Park City just to see these films that may become super popular. It's truly incredible if you ask me.







There is more to this town than just movies. Utah is known for the "greatest snow on Earth" so we have amazing snow sports. The skiing is just fantastic. Two of the three resorts in Park City allow both skiing and snowboarding and the other is just skiing. Just recently two resorts were merged so the resorts in this town are: Deer Valley, Park City, and the Canyons Village. In my opinion, all of these resorts are really great and fun for everyone.

At Deer Valley, there are restaurants, hotels and lodges that you can ski right up to. The resort offers lessons to kids and adults if you are just learning to ski. It is a great program they have set up because they provide lunch for the participants and give them helpful tips in order to become the skier they want to be. At Park City, it is a bit more intriguing to those who like to try new things. There is a half pipe that has been used as a prop in a couple movies, which is pretty cool. The terrain park, set up near the base, has jumps and rails for anxious people. The Canyon Village is home to the orange bubble chairlift. This chairlift has a clear, orange shield that can be put up and down just like regular footrests. Also, it's heated. A few things these resorts have in common are: great restaurants, summer concerts and festivals, and summer sports.

Park City is a tourist town but has some of the best recreational activities. Or, if recreation isn't your thing, then stay in one of the many hotels and relax with a massage or a fancy meal at the top restaurants. I hope this makes Park City appealing to those who like to have a little adventure here and there! :)

Mesa Verde, CO, USA

For UEA break, I went to Mesa Verde, Monument Valley and Moab. But this post is about Mesa Verde. To be honest, I am not a fan of camping or like anything outdoors. This was actually pretty rad though. If you've never been you're probably asking, what is Mesa Verde? Well, I hope I answer that by the end of this blog.

Mesa Verde is or should I say was home to many Pueblo Native Americans. The Pueblos built their houses in the sides of canyon walls. The houses are made of bricks, rocks and sticks stuck together by mud. I must say it is pretty cool. They had to climb up and down the walls of the canyons to just get to their house. Imagine if you had to boulder down a vertical wall of rock with no footholds just to get home. Sounds tough, right? There are several places you can go inside of such as: Balcony House, Spruce Tree, Long House and many more.

Cliff House (Image Courtesy to Live Science)

Wherever you look in these canyons there will be a building, but they are very hard to find due to the colour and style. Some are in clusters, such as the cliff house above, and some are just scattered houses by themselves. Those can be mistaken for just holes in the rocks instead of windows or buildings. If an opportunity to go take tours of these houses arises, I would highly recommend it.

It is great for kids but not toddlers. You see, touching the rocks with your hands ruins the clay colour and make the rocks black. Toddlers have a tendency to touch EVERYTHING. Also, there are a lot of ladders to get into and out of the houses so they may be scared. It is really fun for everyone though and it's a great learning experience. If you want to try something new but not too crowded this is the right place. :)

Maui, HI, USA

Straying from the topic of Southern California, but staying with beaches, allow me to talk about Hawaii. Hawaii seems to be everyone's go-to vacation spot already but I feel like I could make you want to go even more. Honomanu Bay is a discrete beach located in the Ko'olau Forest Reserve. The bay doesn't really have normal sand, it has black rocks that make up the beach. Some may say, oh that's not a beach because it doesn't have sand. I beg to differ. It is very much so a beach as anywhere else on this island is. You don't need sand to have a beach.

Honomanu Bay (A photo I took)

Maui isn't just all beaches and great surf, there's a lot more you can do. For example, taking a drive down the coast towards Kaanapali there's so many restaurants and shops that are on the beach. For example Whaler's Village is an outdoor mall with apparel shops, dining, jewelry and much more. There are a ton of shops all around this island and all of which are amazing but I prefer the stores that line the streets in the country of Paia. Like Whaler's Village, there are all kinds of places to shop and dine. Paia is on the coast as well but on the other side of the island.

Oh my gosh, I forgot about one of the most amazing things you can do on Maui! There's boat tour where you can take a ferry around the island and swim with turtles and fish. It is honestly so much fun and a great experience. The ferry then takes you out to an island off of Maui called Lanai. Lanai is not a very touristy island, I would like to think that most tourists would be caught up with all the shopping in Maui. If you get the chance to take this boat ride, I would definitely advise doing it.

Maui always has nice days, even when it's raining, the island is beautiful. If you're lucky, you may catch a Hawaiian rainbow during a rain storm. Hawaii is an amazing state but even though plane tickets are super expensive, it is definitely worth it. Just one week here will get you tanned, relaxed and not ready to go home. Keep this place in mind when you plan your next family vacation! :)

St. Helena, CA, USA

St. Helena, California is a small town just North of San Francisco and a couple miles away from Napa Valley. This town is a very calm area about 25 miles wide and about 15 minutes away from the town of Calistoga. Lining the streets, there are vineyards and wineries that line the main road along with many shops. Right before the small street, there is a roadside burger place called Gott's Roadside. I must say that Gott's is definitely a place you want to try if you visit St. Helena. They provide burgers, fries, seafood, hotdogs, salads and so much more. But there is more than just shops and restaurants. If you are older than 21, you can buy a wine passport which allows you tours of each winery in the local area, such as: Markham Vineyards, Beringer Winery, Sterling Vineyards and many more. Or, take the wine train and wine taste in the finest train you've ever been in.

A photo I took of the Charles Krug Vineyards

There is so much more to do in this small town than just winery tours. There are trails that run through the wooded areas alongside the main roads that are open to all kinds of recreation. Also, right at the trailheads, there are several campsites open to the public. To be completely honest, I do not advocate taking any small children to this town. Not because of the wine, but simply because there is not that much for them to do here.

Had enough wine and cheese? Take a trip to the many spas that are scattered around the area that will make you never want to leave. Or, dine in some top restaurants on the main street. One of my personal favorites is, Tra Vigne. Tra Vigne, is a very fancy Italian dining establishment that will place you in the middle of Italy when you are seated with fantastic foods. Speaking of cooking, if school is on your mind and you want to be a chef, visit the Culinary Institute of America and become a wine or food enthusiast. I hope this post made you interested in visiting St. Helena. This town is a very fine choice if you want a weekend away from a busy life. :)

San Clemente, CA, USA

San Clemente Sunset

San Clemente, a great summer getaway for beach town enthusiasts. Many houses along the coast are for rent and let me tell you they have amazing views. Almost any house in this town is in walking distance of the State Beach and the main street. On the main street, there are candy shops, restaurants, souvenir shops and, of course, surf shops lining the street all the way down to the beach. On the pier, there is one restaurant on each side called Fisherman's Restaurant and Bar. If you walk all the way down the pier, which is 1296 feet long, there is a snack place where you can get sweatshirts, phone cases, snacks, and fishing gear. If you want to take a train all the way down the coast and back to just see the area, you can buy a ticket for the Pacific Surfliner. This train runs from Los Angeles all the way to San Diego.

Any time is a great time to visit this town but one of the best times is the 4th of July. Instead of parades, people get dressed up and race down the steepest hill on...office chairs!! It's really amusing and half of the town goes and lines up to see it. Later at night, people crowd the beach as far as you can see and wait to watch the fireworks off the pier. Barely any people end up in the water because it's the middle of the night and it's quite dangerous but it is so much fun. If you paddle out with surfboards, it is an amazing once in a life time opportunity. The fireworks explode over your head and there's no one out there so the water isn't crowded at all. The trip back into the shore is very hard though. First of all, it's dark and you can't see the waves. Second, you don't know where the pier is and where the beach is. Lastly, there are rocks under you and a bunch of people on the shore.
To wrap up this post, San Clemente is definitely a place to put on your travel list if you like quiet, humble, beach towns. :)