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| The half way point at Glacier Point, Yosemite |
This was one of my favourite holidays, for all sorts of reasons. We flew into Las Vegas, hired a car, and drove through Death Valley, to Yosemite, to Sonoma, and San Francisco, before driving down Highway 1 to San Diego and, finally, flying home after a few nights in LA. I had the BEST time. Each place we visited had it's own landscape, food and atmosphere and our daily routine changed with each city.
Here are some of my favourite memories:
- Stargazed in Death Valley and Yosemite
- Watched the sunset over the Grand Canyon
- Drove an automatic car on the 'wrong side' of the road
- Pulled a one-arm bandit in Las Vegas
- Cycled along Venice boardwalk
- Scuba dived in La Jolla's magical underwater kelp forests
- Hiked until my feet blistered in Yosemite National Park
- Screamed on the Giant Dipper in Santa Cruz, followed by a snacking on a corn dog
- Escaped from Alcatraz National Park
- Visited Hollywood Bowl to watch an anniversary screening of Back to the Future, with the original score played by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
- Got a parking ticket in Venice for parking facing the wrong direction
- Spied a little brown bear eating his dinner from brambles in Yosemite
- Watched Cirque du Soleil's Mystere
- Cycled across the Golden Gate Bridge
- Posed next to Route 66 signs in Seligman, Arizona
- Cheered for San Francisco Giants at their bayfront stadium, against San Diego Padres
- Kissed at the top of Santa Monica pier's Ferris wheel
- Paddled in the Pacific Ocean at California's beautiful beaches
- Slipped on rock at Huntington Falls in Golden Gate Park (and walked around with a soggy bum)
- Ordered expensive steaks which were carved table side at Carnevino in Las Vegas
- Stumbled upon an in-store (mewithoutyou) at San Francisco's Amoeba Records
- Watched dolphins jumping in and out the water from Carmel beach
- Shopped in Beverly Hills and squealed a little in front of the Beverley Wilshire
- Cracked open a rock crab on Santa Barbara's Stearn's Wharf
- Ordered off-menu Animal fries at In-N-Out Burger
- Celebrated 4th July with San Diego's Big Bay Boom fireworks display
- Went to a gig (Soak, The Echo in Los Angeles)
- Snacked on dim sum in San Francisco's Chinatown
- Mixed a souvenir cup cocktail at the Purple Zebra in Las Vegas
- Toured a vineyard (Sanford Winery, from Sideways!)
- Walked down Bubblegum Alley in San Louis Obispo
- Ordered dinner at some of San Francisco and LA's amazing food trucks
- Admired McWay Falls
- Toasted marshmallows for s'mores under the stars at El Capitan Canyon
- Ate a burritto in San Francisco's Mission District
- Sampled some of Sonoma county's pinot noirs and chardonnay... and pinot gris... and sparkling...
- Queued to see the pandas at San Diego Zoo
- Scoffed doughnuts at San Diego's 'Donut Bar' (Creme brule, maple bacon, and boston cream. Fit.)
- Watched waves crash into the cliffs along Big Sur's coastline
- Ate BBQ food at LA's 97 year old Grand Central Market
- Laughed at seals, sealions, and elephant seals
- Stood on the outside of an historic cable car up and down San Francisco's hills
- Camped in Panamint Springs, Death Valley, after day time temperatures of 120F
- Watched surfers ride the waves, including my very own surfer on his first lesson in Venice
- Took in the views at the top of Mammoth Mountain in Mammoth Lakes
- Guzzled local craft brews and visited breweries and tap rooms
- Snapped a photograph of Bixby Bridge
- Explored the International Surfing Museum in Huntington Beach
- Saw the lone cypress on Pebble Beach's 17 mile scenic drive
- Posed in front of the Hollywood sign in Griffith Park
