• About
  • Blog
  • Working together
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Girl Gone Travel

Girl Gone Travel

North America, Travel
/
March 14, 2017

Road Tripping in Los Angeles

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share

Driving through Los Angeles means getting stuck in traffic. Unless you plan on staying put in one neighborhood (and why would you?) you might as well prepare yourself for the inevitable.

With every trip I have gotten better at being more patient with what is a true LA experience and reaching out to locals who are great at letting me know about travel times to avoid and expressway to skip all together. But if you do get stuck in traffic, the best thing to do is take a deep breath, find a fun tune, and enjoy the ride.

It is with this pocket full of positivity that my family and I head out to explore some favorite spots in and around Los Angeles. We started our trip with a hike on the Santa Monica Mountains (read Hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains). Leaving early not only helps to avoid the heat during the hike and the crowds, but also the traffic. As we left Santa Monica we decided to take the longer path along the Pacific Coast Highway 1 which added almost an hour to our trip, but was totally worth it just for the views. It made for a great day.

The following days didn’t disappoint either. Other stops included:

Aquarium in Long Beach

We avoided traffic and made the 1+ drive to Long Beach in the early morning hours. The sunny was bright and the weekday vibe was serene in this coastal town. We had breakfast at popular Potholder Cafe (come hungry!) while people watching from their outdoor area. While I had the honor at speaking at the annual We All Grow Summit in the gorgeous Hotel Maya, my family spent their time exploring the fun and engaging marine life exhibits at the Aquarium of The Pacific. From watching sea lions play to admiring neon coral and learning about marine animal sounds, the 2+ hours just seemed to fly by.

Serenity at the aquarium

Hotel Maya lobby

Brunch in the Arts District

Located in the eastern side of Downtown LA is the Arts District, a haven for creatives, hipsters, and those who love them and the freedom of expression that it inspires. Colorful murals and trendy cafes and shops make this a fun place to explore, especially after brunch with our friends, Captain and Clark.

Troublemakers. Album to drop soon.

We got to enjoy some good eats at Zinc Cafe and Market, and of course, an impromptu Gin tasting at The Spirit Guild, because why not?

Zinc Cafe and Market

Cheers! It’s 5 o’clock somewhere!

Donuts!!

After all that walking around it only made sense to head out in search of something sweet, and no other place spoke to us more than the 30-year-old Korea town favorite of California Donuts.

Tacos at Hermosa Beach

My favorite parts of road tripping in LA are the parts that take us to the beach! They each have their own personality and vibe and I cant resist dipping my feet in the sand. When you need to escape the traffic, and if you are lucky enough to be visiting during the week, definitely find your beach and relax. In Hermosa, we got to do just that while also enjoying some shrimp tacos at Killer Shrimp. A must!

Sunset in Venice Beach

This eclectic, loud, crazy, fun, busy spot is one to check out at least once when visiting. Tip: there are tons of parking lots with various prices. We found the best spot to be on Speedway and Rose Ave., which at the time of this post was about $4 cheaper than the others and stayed opened till midnight.

If after walking the strip you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, take a walk over to the beach. This is where we watched the sun set and we even got to see a whale at the distance!

Driving in Los Angeles is everything you have heard it to be. Some times are worst than others, and if possible, you just learn to avoid those. Not worrying how to get around or that you are going to get lost helps too and makes the yucky part of LA – the driving in traffic – feel really insignificant when compared to all the awesome road tripping experiences through diverse and beautiful county has to offer. For more on this great destination read: Los Angeles from a New Yorker’s Point of View.

Related

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share
Pin this Post
Share this Post
Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

You May Also Like...

Christmas Tree Hunting in Long Island, NY

December 12, 2008

Fort Tryon Park, Washington Heights, NY

December 10, 2008

Winter afternoon in the Bronx Zoo, NY

December 16, 2008

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Previous Post
Hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains, California
Next Post
The awakening that is Banksy’s Walled Off Hotel, Bethlehem, Palestine

About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons and 2 puppies. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

Categories

  • Asia5 Post(s)
  • Caribbean17 Post(s)
  • Central America4 Post(s)
  • Europe53 Post(s)
  • North America315 Post(s)
  • Oceana1 Post(s)

Contact

  • carol@girlgonetravel.com

Follow @girlgonetravel

Hubby and I recently went to check out office spac Hubby and I recently went to check out office spaces for our business. We (I) started getting caught up in the perceptions of what other people might think about our business, or rather, how successful or serious it was with us operating it from our home. So, in order to keep up with the Joneses, we went out and searched. And immediately were like, "Nope."

One, it was an additional expense that we were taking on to convince other people of whatever we (I) thought they needed to be convinced of. And two, it felt like....well, like working out of an office, something which I personally haven't done in over a decade (almost two now) and which my husband just escaped from!

And lastly, we like to go out into the communities that our clients serve, but also that we live in, and get to experience it all ourselves. It makes us a great agency.

I share all of this because I am slowly coming to accept that there will always be those who will make a determination of who we are as people, as professionals, as a business simply from what they think they know, not from actuality...and..we (I) am still working on breaking down the toxic traits of corporate / professional influence and narratives.

As once a full-time travel blogger, I experienced first hand what it is to be dismissed and not taken seriously. But, because of my travel blogging work, I have visit over 40 countries (and still counting) and have been published and spoken on stages around the world. That doesn't just happen.

All this to say, as I (we) move away from renting an office in order to be taken more seriously by the corporate world...and save ourselves some money in the process...we are reminded to work on ourselves and on being our own biggest cheerleaders and advocates. Sure, we seek out support and mentorship and always work on learning and refining our skill. But can't pay attention to what others might be thinking. It will never be an accurate portrayal.

And a lesson to never, ever spend more money than we have to just to convince others how serious we are in our commitment to our work. In the meantime, our current office spaces are working out just fine.

#entrepreneur #smallbusiness
A band of misfits on a beautiful Finger Lakes nigh A band of misfits on a beautiful Finger Lakes night.

Life is too short and time too precious, so make sure to spend it with people who bring you joy and make you laugh. Whether it’s one person or more…it’s not the number of people, but the quality and kindness of their hearts that counts.

Here are some of the kind, sweet friendships we’ve been so lucky to have cultivated in our new home. Kisses and hugs @haejones32, @sarahloublagg, @nevetsretlaw, and @jerakahheady.

Till our next gathering! 

#friends #fingerlakeslife #fingerlakes
My happy place: the farmers market. It’s the sea My happy place: the farmers market. It’s the season for all the fresh, local, delicious goodness of the Finger Lakes to take center stage.

The region has a lot more than fried and fast food to offer locals and visitors. The vast amount of organic and locally sourced food is something that is really celebrated here. Even more so the fact that it is accessible and not exclusive to the privileged.

From cider to cheese to meats and veggies…all local, all from a passionate farming community. 

Oh, then, the artisans. *swoon* So much handcrafted beauty. For example, this beautiful hat from @easylivinghats. I have been wanting one of her hats forever and finally got not one but two! And her team, seen here, is so sweet and helped me find the right fit. Support local, shop small, be happy in the process. 📸@ithacafarmersmarket. 

#fingerlakes #myflx #farmersmarket #shoplocal #shopsmall
Hey, wanna come to a cool event in one of the cool Hey, wanna come to a cool event in one of the coolest places I know in Ithaca? (Read on!)

Today I took a stroll into the pavilion of the @ithacafarmersmarket. There was no market today, and though still a lovely space when empty, nothing compares when the market is buzzing with food purveyors and food-lovers! It is exciting and a favorite pastime of ours. Even more fun is when there is a special event happening!

And with that, I want to let you all know about the upcoming @tasteoftheflx taking place on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, at the Ithaca Farmers Market and offer you a discount code for your ticket! Use BRAVE20 for $20 off of either ticket tier.

The event will feature 50 + vendors, music in 3 acts, and a full evening of celebration! Taste of the Finger Lakes serves the dual purposes of showcasing the dynamic Finger Lakes food and beverage industry while raising funds for 3 non-profits doing the important work of improving access to healthy food across the region. Local, good food for a good cause...the best combination!

If you already have your ticket or plan to take advantage of this discount code to purchase it, let me know! I hope to see you there!

#fingerlakes #tasteofthefingerlakes #flxfood #flxeats #farmersmarket #ithacany
Cheers and Happy Pride to this beautiful, inspirin Cheers and Happy Pride
to this beautiful, inspiring, proud community full of people that I love so much.

To my LGTBQIA+ family and friends, know I adore you, would fight for, and support you always. You make my life and the world a more beautiful place. I celebrate you today, this month, and always. 

Thank you for being you. 🌈

#pridemonth #loveislove
What a stunning day to be on the lake with my fam. What a stunning day to be on the lake with my fam. We missed spending time with each other and it was time for us to slow down and bond. Even the surly teens eventually gave in to the fun and smiled a few times. Have I told y’all how much I love our new life here?

#lifeintheflx #fingerlakes #lifeinthecountry #soflx #thisissoflx #Lakelike #myflx #keukalife #winecountry

Copyright © 2022 Girl Gone Travel | Privacy Policy | Copyright Notice