Places to Eat in Monterey, California

After a fun morning completing the 17-Mile Drive, we headed a very short distance north to Monterey for lunch. It was a beautiful and sunny day as well as a holiday so I shouldn’t have been surprised by all the traffic and people, but it was nuts! We drove around for a while looking for …

Continue reading Places to Eat in Monterey, California

California’s 17-Mile Drive

After incredible days driving the Big Sur coast and hiking in Pinnacles National Park, we decided to spend the last day of our long weekend taking a road trip from Carmel-by-the-Sea back to San Francisco for our 9:30 p.m. flight home. I had no idea how expensive it would be to stay in Carmel and …

Continue reading California’s 17-Mile Drive

Hiking in Pinnacles National Park

Our travels have taken us to some beautiful places, both at home and abroad. While I’ve always found those outdoor experiences to be highlights of our trips, it wasn’t until we moved to the Pacific Northwest and really picked up hiking as a hobby that I’ve intentionally planned vacations around spending time in nature. Meaning, …

Continue reading Hiking in Pinnacles National Park

Driving Big Sur

Brian and I had Presidents' Day off and United miles burning a hole in our pocket so we booked a getaway to a new area of California for both of us—Big Sur. Brian had met a customer in Monterey once, but I’d never spent time south of San Francisco and was looking forward to exploring …

Continue reading Driving Big Sur

Hiking in Malibu, California

After an incredible day hiking in Channel Islands National Park, we were ready for more time outdoors in the sunshine exploring Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountain Recreation Area. We made the time outdoors happen, but there wasn’t much to be done about the sunshine. Apparently even Malibu sometimes has its gray, rainy days! We …

Continue reading Hiking in Malibu, California

A Day at Channel Islands National Park

On January 31, Seattle-area news outlets reported that there had been 28 rainy days in Seattle throughout the month, tying records set in January 1953 and 2006. We’re pretty accustomed to clouds and rain after having lived here almost five years, but even this was a bit much for me! I don’t mind the rain …

Continue reading A Day at Channel Islands National Park

Iceland Itinerary

This spring we’re meeting my parents in Iceland for a week. It’s an interesting time of year to go. We’re a bit too early for whales and puffins, and some of the recommended day-hikes are still inaccessible. However, we should be there at an ideal time for spotting the Northern Lights--assuming the solar flares and …

Continue reading Iceland Itinerary