When the Danish flavors of Solvang drew us to California’s Central Coast earlier this year, we chose to make San Luis Obispo our home base. It was the perfect choice as there are so many fun and free things to do in San Luis Obispo and in nearby cities. Affectionally called SLO, this college town… Read More Exploring The Best of San Luis Obispo
Sometime around six months into the quarantine life, I decided I need something that looked a little different. I zoned in on Solvang, a Danish-American city in Santa Barbara County. I had no real idea what to do in Solvang or whether there were actually people of Danish descent who lived there, but it intrigued… Read More 15 Things You Can’t Miss in Solvang, the Danish Capital of America
Lake Tahoe is one of California’s outdoor gems, full of opportunities for escape year-round. While skiing and snowboarding are the predominant draws for the snowy months, there are plenty of other things to do in Lake Tahoe in the winter for those who aren’t as inclined to hit the slopes. We visit Lake Tahoe almost… Read More Winter in Lake Tahoe: There’s More Than Skiing!
Along California’s famous Highway 1, Monterey, Carmel, and Big Sur are well-known, and then people often skip down to Morro Bay and Pismo Beach. In between those popular spots though, there is a string of charming seaside towns. If you put together all the things to do in Cambria, Harmony, and San Simeon, you’ve got… Read More A Day Trip to the Magical Seaside Towns of San Simeon, Cambria & Harmony
Yosemite National Park is one of the United States’ most well-known national parks, and certainly the most iconic in California. There are so many things to do in Yosemite, one or two trips is not enough. I’d visited Yosemite before as a youngster, but it was my partner’s first time when we visited this summer.… Read More A 3-Day Itinerary for Yosemite National Park
With months of shelter-in-place orders in many states and international travel nearly off-limits for Americans, this summer’s seen a surge of interest in getting to the great outdoors. Add that to the normal mix of folks who were already planned to go explore our country’s blessed natural wonders, and we’ve got a problem: no camping… Read More The Beauty of Camping in the Middle of Nowhere
San Francisco may be a pricey place to live, but one of its beauties is that there is so much packed into this little 7-mile-by-7-mile city. You can have the most luxe, elite experiences, or you can enjoy it without spending much at all. To help you plan a trip that’s light on the wallet,… Read More 53 Free Things to Do in San Francisco
While Napa Valley is arguably more internationally famous, Sonoma’s wine country has really captured my heart over the many years I’ve lived in the Bay Area. Not only is it closer to San Francisco, its slightly less famous status means even the best wineries in Sonoma tend to be more relaxed and less crowded than… Read More 5 Sonoma Wineries You Cannot Miss
I first visited the Monterey Peninsula as a kid during a spring break road trip. While there were just as many things to do in Monterey and its surroundings back then, the only memory I have of the trip is of the famous 17-Mile Drive. Fortunately, the Monterey Peninsula makes for a fantastic weekend getaway… Read More Our Favorite Things to Do in Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea
Like many of San Francisco’s residents, my friends and I often head out to various parks and reserves around the Bay Area for weekend hikes. But besides a trek out to Lands End every 18 months or so, I’ve never actually hiked within city limits. So this weekend we decided to head toward the 16th Ave. Tiled… Read More Urban Hike SF: Interior Greenbelt, Mount Sutro, and 16th Ave. Tiled Steps