CALIFORNIA · USA
Brief History/Information
California is the most populous U.S. state, with Los Angeles as its largest city and Sacramento as its capital. California is famous for its Pacific coastline, mountains, deserts, forests, agriculture, entertainment industry, and technology sector.
California has a lot of history. In 1542, Portuguese explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo became one of the first Europeans to explore the California coast. In the late 1700s, Spain established a chain of Catholic missions and settlements throughout California. After Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, California became part of Mexico. 1846–1848, during the Mexican-American War, the United States took control of California.
LOS ANGELES
About L.A.
Los Angeles is the second-largest city in the United States and became an official city in 1850. The arrival of railroads in the late 19th century and the discovery of oil in 1892 fueled rapid growth. The film industry took root in the early 1900s, turning the city into the entertainment capital of the world.
What we did
Places of Interest
SAN FRANCISCO
About S.F.
In San Francisco, The 1848 discovery of gold caused San Francisco's population to explode from roughly 1,000 to 25,000 people in a single year as 49ers and international prospectors arrived. Waves of Chinese immigrants arrived during this era, establishing what is now the oldest and largest historic Chinatown in North America.
What we did
Places of Interest
SAUSALITO
About Sausalito
Sausalito is a scenic waterfront city in Marin County known for its Mediterranean-like atmosphere, floating houseboat community, and stunning views of the San Francisco skyline. The town's population surged during WWII when the Marinship corporation built Liberty ships along the northern waterfront. In the 1960s, abandoned shipyard slips became home to a famous bohemian and houseboat counterculture where artists and musicians—including Otis Redding—found inspiration.
What we did
This is where my sister lives. She took us on an amazing and not very difficult 5 mile hike (Cabello Point to Kirby Cove, on All Trails), under the Golden Gate Bridge, then around it, then above it… we could have gone on it, but by that time we were pooped. Get there early because it gets crowded.
Yosemite National Park (California), 1890. (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
About Yosemite
Yosemite features sheer granite cliffs, exceptionally tall waterfalls, and old-growth forests at a unique intersection of geology and hydrology. Half Dome and El Capitan rise from the park's centerpiece, the glacier-carved Yosemite Valley, and from its vertical walls drop Yosemite Falls, one of North America's tallest waterfalls at 2,425 feet (739 m)high. Three giant sequoia groves, along with a pristine wilderness in the heart of the Sierra Nevada, are home to a wide variety of rare plant and animal species. This is truly a beautiful park and should be on everyone's bucket list.
What we did
We booked about six-months in advance to sleep on Yosemite property and there were only three rooms left (which is what we needed) at the Yosemite Valley Lodge. It’s pricy and doesn’t have air-conditioning, but it’s on property which is what you pay for… conviencnce. There are good restaurants on property too.
Hikes of Interest
Grizzly Giant Loop Trail/Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias - South Entrance (Highway 41)- 2 mile loop, 380 elevation. We did this hike on our drive into Yosemite.
Lower Yosemite Falls Trail- 6 min walk, 1.2 mile loop, 59 elevation
Tunnel View - A roadside overlook on Highway 41 gives you an instant, postcard-ready frame of El Capitan on the left, Half Dome in the distance, and Bridalveil Fall on the right.
Glacier Point - A paved, drive-up overlook accessible by car (or seasonal tour bus) that places you high above the valley for a breathtaking, bird's-eye look straight across at Half Dome.
El Capitan Meadow - You can pull your car right up to the meadow on the valley floor to stand directly beneath the massive vertical granite wall and scan the cliff with binoculars for rock climbers.
Bridalveil Fall Trail, South Entrance (Highway 41)- .7 miles out/back, 82 elevation. Plunging 620 feet (189 meters), often the first waterfall you'll see when entering Yosemite Valley. A paved trail leads from the parking area to the base of this waterfall, which flows year-round.
Glacier Point Trail, South Entrance (Highway 41)- .6 mile loop, 49 elevation. Enjoy a short stroll to the Glacier Point overlook, iconic views of the valley floor, Half Dome, and the high Sierra.
Lower Yosemite Falls Trail- 1.2 mile loop, 59 elevation. It's a waterfall so high it has to take a break and rest twice in the course of its descent. It's tallest in North America and fifth tallest in the solar system. Ten times taller than Niagara or Shoshone Falls, nearly twice as tall as the Empire State Building, The lower fall, which you'll be seeing up close on this hike, is the shortest section of the fall, but it's still 320 feet (98 meters) high.
Sentinel Dome and Taft Point Loop- 5.2 mile loop, 1,108 elevation. Scramble up the side of the granite dome for stunning 360-degree views of Yosemite. Enjoy views of El Capitan and Yosemite Falls.
BODEGA BAY
About Bodega Bay
Bodega Bay is a scenic coastal town and harbor in Sonoma County. It’s famous for its rich maritime history and role as the setting for Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller The Birds.
What we did
Here, we looked for the perfect and most delicious grilled oysters. We went to three different oyster restaurants and loved every single one of them… all done perfectly and different from one another.
Places of Interest
Bodega Bay Oyster Company: this was our first stop and in my opinion, the best.
The Marshall Store Oyster Bar: this place has a great atmosphere and outdoor seating.
Hog Island Oyster Bar: by the time we arrived, they were already sold out! That alone should tell you something.
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