California Archives - By Travel And Error

May 20, 2019

My Top 8 Things To Do in Newport Beach, CA

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit Newport Beach, CA for my full-time job. Between long days spent at the event hotel and pure exhaustion from being around people 24/7, I didn’t get to do as much sightseeing as I would’ve liked to. Keeping in mind my limited free time, here are my recommendations for the top 8 things to do in Newport Beach, CA. Top 8 Things To Do in Newport Beach Newport Beach is located in Orange County, between Los Angeles and San Diego. The best airport to fly into is John Wayne Airport (SNA) but if prices are $100-$150 less at the bigger airports, I would recommend LAX as it’s closer. Traffic is pretty terrible during rush hour so expect delays and high ride-sharing fees! 1. Spend a few hours exploring Balboa Island. Think charming, quaint and very expensive. Walk around and look at the beautiful cottages (aka very nice homes)! You can leisurely stroll around the whole island in about an hour. Grab a chocolate-dipped frozen banana or Balboa Bar (aka ice cream sandwich dipped in chocolate with toppings of your choosing) at Sugar & Spice. Ride the Ferris Wheel at the Fun […]

September 5, 2018

One Week in San Diego

Travel/Trip Itineraries

Have you heard the rumors about San Diego? It’s always sunny, they say. The beaches are the most beautiful, they say. You must get the fish tacos, they say. Well, what they say is true. This past week, I spent one week in San Diego and loved every.single.bit of it. Take a gander at what to do in San Diego in seven days. Pin this to save for later! One Week in San Diego Day 1: Getting there: I found a great deal from Detroit to San Diego via Spirit Airlines and jumped at the opportunity when I got an extra 50% off coupon and had points to use. A non-stop flight is about 4 hours, so be sure to pack lots of snacks, books and entertainment! Transportation: I decided to rent a car since I was going to be there for a full week and found the cheapest rental via Pacific Rent A Car. There are many other options, but this (price) worked great for me. What to do & where to eat: I love to do research prior to a trip and I kept seeing Communal Coffee pop up on my Pinterest and Instagram feeds, so this was […]

November 11, 2016

Pancakes with Javon // Flashes of Gratitude Friday

Flashes of Gratitude Series/Life Style

Welcome to Part II of my November series, Flashes of Gratitude. After being inspired by Glitter Guide’s challenge to notice and be grateful for the big and small parts of your everyday life, I decided to write about what I’m thankful for every Friday this month. Last week, I wrote about love and loss and how this painful season of grieving has also demonstrated to me how to love other people well. Today I’m highlighting my gratefulness for people that go out of their way to demonstrate generosity and kindness to strangers…something I’ve personally been trying to work on. Keep reading to learn why sharing a meal, pancakes specifically, is the reason why I’m grateful today. This is my friend Jenny. She is wise, thoughtful and a beautiful person inside and out. When my phone dings in the wee hours of the morning, I know it’s Jenny sending me some sort of funny story or encouraging scripture. She is the type of person that you just want to be friends with. On a recent work trip out to California, Jenny joined me mid-way and turned it into a bleisure vacation. She and I started off in Sacramento, next explored Sonoma and ended our […]

November 8, 2016

24 Hours in San Francisco

Travel/Trip Itineraries

After the 24/7 fast-paced days at a work conference in Sacramento and the relaxing, wine-filled afternoons in Sonoma, San Francisco was a welcomed change of pace. I get excited by the prospect of big, bustling cities and feel a little bit like it’s Christmas morning when I get to explore a new area. Since I only had 24 hours in this city, I kept my itinerary rather short. One of my best friends, Jenny, joined me for this trip. It’s always nice to have a travel buddy…thanks, Jen!!! Read below to hear how I spent my short stint in “The Golden City”. Itinerary 10 AM: Left Sonoma and drove the 1.5 hours to San Fran. Checked into Villa Montes Hotel in San Bruno. We decided to stay outside of the city because it was cheaper and closer to the airport. Since we weren’t going to be staying there long, we wanted our lodging to be easy and inexpensive. Villa Montes also offered two free cab rides to the hotel/airport — nice perk in this pricey city! 11:45 AM Dropped off our rental car at the airport and took the BART into downtown San Francisco. From the airport to the Embarcadero exit, […]

October 31, 2016

Sonoma, I’m In Love.

Travel/Trip Itineraries

Ah, the infamous wine country. Have you been? I’ve heard from multiple people that once you go, you’ll want to return every year. Before I went, I thought, “Why would you ever want to do that? There are SO many other places in our world to see.” Then I experienced the laid-back and friendly atmosphere, rolling hills of lush vineyards, and seemingly endless wine tastings (starting as early as 9-10 AM)…and I GET IT. Sonoma Valley, you won me over and I’m already itching to return next fall. Take a gander at my recommendations of where to eat/drink/taste, what to do, and where to stay. Book a trip to wine country and you won’t regret it! P.S. Who’s joining me for next year’s trip?! A big thank you to my friend, Jenny, who flew out to enjoy wine country with me! EAT // DRINK // TASTE Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery: After checking into our VRBO (more details below), Jenny and I made our way to Sebastiani Winery. We parked our car in downtown Sonoma, which is quaint and adorable, and walked to Sebastiani. It’s only about a 5-minute stroll from downtown. They have a beautiful garden area outside where you can sip and […]

My Top 8 Things To Do in Newport Beach, CA

One Week in San Diego

Pancakes with Javon // Flashes of Gratitude Friday

24 Hours in San Francisco

Sonoma, I’m In Love.

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