Month: March 2019

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Travel

Tahquamenon Falls

Tahquamenon Falls State Park is a great destination in the Michigan Upper Peninsula. We made this a stop on our way to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore so we weren’t there overnight. You can camp in the park if you are planning a longer trip. This is a beautiful area and would be worth a trip to the UP all on its own.
Tahquamenon Falls State Park is around 50,000 acres stretching over 13 miles. Most of this land is forested and great for hiking.  The highlight of the park is of course the waterfalls of the Tahquamenon River. There are two major viewing locations- the Upper Falls and the Lower Falls.  There is a trail in-between the two if you want to hike and see both sites. The Upper Falls is one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. A few miles downstream are the Lower Falls. The Lower Falls are smaller waterfalls surrounding an island. You can rent a rowboat at the Lower Falls to view them from the water or from the island. Since we were only there for the afternoon we didn’t take advantage of this option. We viewed the falls from the land. There are great viewing decks offering lots of opportunities for great photos!
Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub is right on-site at the park and offers microbrews and standard pub-style food. Of course, you are in the upper peninsula so having a pasty is a must! A pasty is similar to an empanada or other meat and veggie-filled pastry. The brewery has several microbrews on tap that are made locally. What specifically is available does vary based on the time of year you are visiting.
The park is open year-round. Of course, your best bet for hiking and camping will be in the summer. Check out this website for more information on activities to do in the park during all seasons http://www.exploringthenorth.com/tahqua/tahqua.html.
If you are planning to camp we would recommend booking your campsites ahead of time as this is a popular summer destination in Michigan and campsites do tend to fill up. Use the MI reservations website to reserve your spot online https://midnrreservations.com.
For more on the Pictured Rocks check out our post:
Exploring The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Tell us your favorite Michigan Upper Peninsula destinations! Leave us a comment below!
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Travel

Calle Ocho Music Festival

The Calle Ocho Music Festival happens every year in March in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami. We did not plan our trip around this festival but we happened to discover that it would be during our trip. We decided we should check it out since we wanted to see and eat in Little Havana anyway. The festival is the largest Latin American music festival in North America and it is free to attend. It takes place along several blocks on Calle Ocho. There are stages set up every couple of blocks with live music. The festival is very crowded and can be a bit crazy as with any concert or music festival. We didn’t spend any lengthy amount of time at any one stage but when we did pass by the stages the music we heard was all very good. There were larger crowds around each stage and lots of people dancing and having a good time!
We were really there for the food! There are street vendors along both sides of the street selling all sorts of wonderful food! You can find any kind of Latin American food you want at this festival. We saw Mexican, Argentinian, Puerto Rican, and Cuban to name a few specifics. We spent our time walking down the street in search of great street food to try.
We had some really awesome carne asada- that was the star of the afternoon for us! We saw this meat grilling on a tipi shaped wood-fired grill (pictured below) and decided we had to stop at this food stand. We got the steak which came with fried plantains, something similar to coleslaw with fresh cilantro and potatoes. It was a lot of food but we did manage to try a few other things as we walked. We also tried a sweet corn pie which tastes like a corn pudding that is fried like a pancake and then some cheese is melted in-between two patties like grilled cheese. We also had a fried empanada. The shredded chicken was the only filling in the empanada we had. It was not bad but we were expecting a filling more like what we had in Chile where there was always meat and cheese inside not just the meat. We felt like it would have been better with cheese as well as shredded chicken. This is just our preference and of course, different cultures make their empanadas differently. We also only tried them from one food stand so maybe others had different fillings.
While at the festival, you can see Domino Park and the iconic Calle Ocho rooster statues which you always read about when researching what to do in Little Havana.  It is good to know that a lot of the businesses and restaurants in Little Havana are closed during the festival. You can buy beer and other drinks from some of the bars in the area and from other street vendors. But if you are looking to sit down inside for a meal or a drink you will likely need to leave the festival to find something. We sat and enjoyed our carne asada at the Cuban Memorial Boulevard Park. This is a small park just off Calle Ocho with a memorial to those who fought for Cuban independence. It had a few benches with seating.  A lot of the street food available is easier to walk around with while you eat. You can also find less crowded areas along the sidewalk to stop and eat your food if needed.
One big thing we definitely noticed was the lack of bathrooms. We were expecting at least one or two areas with porter potties or something since it was such a large festival. We passed a few restaurants that had signs saying $2 or $3 to use the bathroom. We finally came across a couple of porta potties tucked back away from Calle Ocho. Those were free to use but were out of toilet paper. There happened to be a vendor selling soft drinks and water right next to these porter potties. He did have napkins he was charging for if you wanted to use some in place of toilet paper. So especially if you are drinking while at the festival just be aware that finding a bathroom may not be as easy or cheap as you expected.
We took an Uber from Miami Beach to the festival. Uber rideshare is a great option to help keep your Uber costs down. Do be mindful that the festival is very crowded so the traffic getting there can be a bit crazy. Our Uber driver was able to drop us off within a block or two of the festival and then made sure we knew where we were going. A tip if taking an Uber away from the festival when you are ready to leave-  walk a block or two away so that you can more easily be picked up away from the crowds. If driving yourself to the festival be prepared to pay for parking and we would recommend getting there early before traffic gets too crazy.
We had a great time at Calle Ocho! Whether you are there for the food, the music or just to have a great cultural experience it is worth a visit if you are in Miami in March. Again be prepared for big crowds. Knowing some Spanish is helpful when ordering food. If you don’t know any Spanish you can certainly point to what you want and still get by. We never felt unsafe or unwelcome while we were there. We saw lots of other tourists as well as locals. Our Uber driver recommended keeping your wallet in your front pocket and for women keeping your purse or bag close to you to avoid pickpocketing. We would second this recommendation and recommend not bringing a large purse or bag, just a small crossbody bag for women is a good idea. Again we had no problems but this is just good advice whenever you are somewhere with a large crowd.
For more information on this event check out this website:
https://carnavalmiami.com/events/calle-ocho/
Check out or other posts for more information on the Miami Beach area:
What to Do and See in Miami Beach
A Foodies Guide to Miami Beach
The Broken Shaker – Best Cocktails in Miami Beach
Tell us what Festivals you have been to and would recommend! Leave us a comment below telling us when and where we should explore next!
Categories
Travel

What to Do and See in Miami Beach

We are typically pretty desperate for sunshine and warm weather by February/March since we live in Michigan where it is cold and usually snowing until mid to late April. We searched for a direct flight out of our local airport in hopes of a quick beach getaway and decided on Miami. Since we wanted a beach vacation we decided to stay in Miami beach, not in Miami it’s self. We also wanted to see the historic Art Deco area so we landed on an Air B and B in South Beach. South Beach has a reputation for being a huge party area which is really not our scene. If that is what you are looking for you can definitely find it quite easily in South Beach. If you are like us and that isn’t what you are looking for don’t worry, there is way more to South Beach than just being a party town! Here is our list of what to see and do in South Beach besides just embracing the party scene.

The Beach:
Of course, if you are staying in Miami Beach you are likely there for a beach vacation. The beach here is awesome! White sand, turquoise waters, and lots of space. The beach is wide and goes on for miles!

We stayed near Lummus Park which is right along the beach. The park has a large outdoor workout space with lots of equipment and lots of volleyball nets. There is also a nice bike path you can walk along to get views of Ocean Drive and the Art Deco without having to be hassled by the street vendors or restaurants trying to get you to come in or sit down for a meal with them (we talk more about this in our where to eat in Miami Beach post, you can find the link at the end of this post). There are public bathrooms with shower stations you can rinse off at after enjoying the beach.  There are multiple points of entry to the beach on the island so wherever you are staying there will be public beach access nearby. The beach can get crowded but as we said it goes on for miles so if you happen to enter the beach in a more crowded area you can keep walking either north or south until you find a quieter spot. The beach is lined with lifeguard stations all decorated different colors going along with the Art Deco theme in the area. There are areas where you can rent kayaks, stand up paddleboards, and jet skis on the beach if that is something you are interested in.

  • Miami Beach

South Pointe Pier and Park:
If you walk all the way south on the beach you will come to South Pointe Pier. From the beach, you can get to the pier and to South Point Park. You will likely see many people fishing from the pier. You can also get great views of the beach from the pier.

After walking along the pier you can take the path through South Point park. The path goes along the channel so you can see the boats coming in and out as you walk. There are lots of benches if you want to stop and sit while enjoying the views. As you continue walking there are a few restaurants and some green spaces where you will see people sitting in the shade enjoying a picnic or just relaxing. There is also a small park with some water fountains we saw kids running through and playing on. If you do have kids this could be something fun to do to if you are looking for a break from the beach. You will also walk past a marina full of very large, impressive boats/yachts which you can admire as you go. This channel is also where the cruise ships leave from. We saw multiple cruise ships leaving just about every day we were there.  Since Miami is on the east coast of Florida you don’t get a sunset over the beach but if you sit on the benches at South Pointe park you can get a sunset over the city. We brought our own bottle of wine and had a relaxing time here watching the sunset.

Art Deco:
The area of South Beach near Lummus Park is the historic Art Deco district. There is an art deco welcome center where you can get information about the area. We did not go in so cannot comment on everything they have to offer. We walked around on our own and were able to see all the major Art Deco buildings in the area. The majority of these buildings are on Ocean Drive and Collins Street. Most of the buildings are hotels, shops, or restaurants. Ocean drive is quite touristy and is definitely where you will find the party scene. We suggest walking on the sidewalk along Lummus Park which is across the street from Ocean Drive. That way you can get better views of the Art Deco and take photos without being hassled by street vendors or the restaurants asking you to come to sit down for a drink or a meal. The buildings are lite up at night so even if you aren’t much of a night owl it is worth walking around this area once it gets dark so you can see everything lite up.

There is also a lot of really amazing food in South Beach. For more on where to eat check our post, A Foodies Guide to Miami Beach And for the best cocktails in Miami Beach check out our post The Broken Shaker – Best Cocktails in Miami Beach

We really enjoyed Miami Beach and would love to go back! We highly recommend this as a great beach vacation spot for anyone!

Leave us a comment and tell us your favorite beach or weekend getaways!

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Travel

A Foodies Guide to Miami Beach

There is a lot of great food in Miami Beach! This is a very international area where you can find all kinds of different food. Of course, Cuban food is a must! But outside of that pretty much anything you want, you can find. Miami Beach and South beach in particular gets a reputation for being an expensive destination. You can spend a lot of money on mediocre food here for sure. Also, you can find great, authentic food for cheap if you know where to look.
 
A general rule for food in South Beach- Ocean drive is the main street near the beach and it where a lot of the Art Deco buildings are located. It is lined with restaurants and bars with outdoor seating. It is tempting to sit and eat, drink and people watch here but we would advise against it. You will find okay food catering to tourists who will most likely never be there again. A lot of the restaurants are serving very similar menus, nothing unique about each place. If you eat here, the food won’t be bad but it also won’t be great and you will pay way more than you would like. We ate on Ocean Drive our first lunch in the area before we really got our bearings. We shared one dish and drank just water and ended up spending approx. $50.
 

 
This area is also big for nightlife. A lot of these restaurants and bars have live music at night. The Art Deco buildings are all lit up at night which is also fun to see. We walked along to see the lights and ended up stopping into one bar to see some of the live music and get a drink. We are not big on going out, the party scene is not really our thing, but we thought while in South Beach we should enjoy some of the nightlife. We looked over the menu and quickly did some math on drink prices. Draft beer was $16 and so was a small cocktail. Most of these places serve giant cocktails in a large fishbowl type of glass. They charge $38-40 for one of these. If you are both going to get a drink you spend almost as much on two draft beers or two small cocktails so we opted for one giant cocktail to share. We got a mojito and again the drink was not bad but it was just your standard premixed mojito, nothing special about it so in our minds not worth $40. One last note is that there are a lot of street vendors walking around trying to see various goods as you are in the restaurants. A polite “No thank you” will get them to move on but don’t be surprised if you are haggled a few times. So if you feel like you must spend some time on Ocean Drive we would recommend doing one night for a drink or two at one of the restaurants/bars during some live music, nothing more.
 
 
Now that all that is out of the way, time to talk about the great food we do recommend. Walking even one street away from Ocean Drive and the beach you can find some really wonderful food and much more affordable prices.
 
La Ventana Traditional Colombian Food- We loved this place, we walked by and it smelled awesome!  There is outdoor and indoor seating available. We tried what we could call a sampler platter, listed on the menu as “Picada for two people”. It offered traditional Colombian sausage, blood sausage, pork chicharron, grilled chicken, plantains, potatoes, and came with three traditional salsas to try. Everything was amazing! We were super excited to try the blood sausage since it is something we hadn’t had before and you can’t readily find in the U.S. It was our favorite thing on our platter of food. The restaurant also offered multiple other dishes and tapas options so if you wanted to try one or two of the things from this large sampler platter you could order just those things as tapas.
 
 
 
Las Olas Café- This is a Cuban cafeteria/café serving food all day long as well as espresso and freshly squeezed juices. There is a window you can just walk up to on the sidewalk and order coffee, juice, and food to go or you can go in and sit down. The place is quite small with only a few tables and was crowded each time we went. For lunch and dinner, there are multiple traditional Cuban foods you can choose from. These are already prepared and kept warm on hot plates and visible behind the counter so you can choose what looks good. They also have empanadas and other Cuban pastries. We went here twice for breakfast and once for lunch, needless to say, we loved it! It is your typical small, neighborhood place that you can tell locals keep coming back to. We had breakfast sandwiches the first time we went for breakfast and they were huge! We both only ate half and saved the other halves for the next day since we had a microwave in our Air BnB. The next time we had breakfast there we ordered one breakfast combo (since we had seen how much food this was the previous time we were there). This comes with a coffee or an orange juice, two eggs however you want them cooked, french fries or home fries, a choice of bacon, sausage or ham as well as Cuban toast on the side for about $7. We enjoyed both breakfast options that we tried and really enjoyed the espresso as well! We had americanos for our espresso each time we were there. They had all your standard espresso drinks as options as well. The last time we ate here we ordered a Cuban sandwich to go and ate it on the beach. This was by far the best Cuban sandwich we have ever had! We got one to share because again the portions are large. That was definitely enough food for lunch but it was so good we could have easily both finished our own. We would highly recommend this place. Great food, great atmosphere, and affordable prices.
 
 
My Ceviche and SoBe hostel bar- My Ceviche is a small, hole in the wall kind of place with a small counter you walk up to and order from. There are a few tables outside on the sidewalk. If those are taken the SoBe hostel is right next door which you can eat at as long as you order a drink from their bar. My Ceviche offers ceviche, tacos, and poke bowls. We devoured our ceviche without stopping to take a picture, sorry! But it was awesome! We also had ahi tuna tacos which we did stop and take a picture of before eating. The food was really good, fresh, and affordable. You could also easily take this to go and enjoy your food on the beach.
 
 
Gelato Go- For a good dessert, Gelato Go is a great option. We stopped here after our dinner at My Ceviche on our way back towards Ocean Drive to see the Art Deco buildings lite up. You can try three flavors if you order a large (you will get one scoop of each). They have fresh fruit flavors and more creamy and chocolate options.
 
 
Babylon- Babylon is a Turkish restaurant with great food and also a very nice outdoor patio area. The patio is light up with string lights at night, not the best for getting great photos but it makes for a nice atmosphere for dinner. We would recommend the stuffed cabbage appetizer for sure! We also shared a Turkish meatball dish which was really good.
 
 
 
Taquiza- This taco shop is a bit further north than the places we have listed so far. It is near 14th street, an easy walk along the beach if you are staying further south as we did. It is a block off the beach and has both indoor and outdoor seating. They offer a variety of tacos. The tacos are priced individually so you can order as many as you want and whatever kinds you want. They had chicken, shrimp, veggies, crickets, carne asado beef, beef tongue, barbacoa, pastor, and carnitas. We’ve had a lot of pastor in our travels to Mexico, and this pastor was the best we have found in the U.S.
 
 
 
Puerto Sagua- This is another Cuban diner serving food and espresso all day. There are tables you can sit at or there is a large counter area you can sit at. We had breakfast and coffee here one morning. Their breakfast is your traditional diner breakfast, they have several breakfast combos including eggs, hashbrowns or home fries, breakfast meats, Cuban toast, and a coffee included. Their café con leche is amazing! They bring you a cup nearly full of steamed milk and a small metal craft of espresso. You then pour the espresso into your milk so you could use less if you don’t like your coffee very strong or if you aren’t a big espresso drinker.
 
 
 
Lucali’s- As foodies, we were surprised we hadn’t heard of Lucali’s before our friends filled us in, thanks @thepassportpair for the tip! The original is in Brooklyn and people stand in line for hours waiting to try the pizza. You can watch this YouTube video to see why: pizza in its purest form. There is a restaurant in Miami Beach and so of course we had to try this pizza. The menu is straight forward, just pizza, calzone, and a few side dish options. You can add basil and garlic to your pizza free of charge. You can also add pepperoni, Portobello mushrooms, red bell peppers, onions, and hot peppers each for an additional charge. The crust is thin and crispy, the sauce is delicious and the toppings add just enough flavor without overpowering something else. Keeping it simple pays off for sure! We added garlic, basil, and Portobello mushrooms to ours. It was a pretty big pizza and we ate it all while we were there! You can also get a good look at the pizza oven and see them rolling out the dough and making the pizzas while you eat. It is really impressive to watch. Well worth the short Uber trip away from the beach (the South Beach Trolley also goes right there!). The best pizza we have ever had hands down! We will be working this spring and summer to perfect our own pizza dough making skills at home in our pizza oven!
 
 
 
One last tip for eating in Miami Beach is that most of the restaurants include an 18% gratuity in the bill. They typically don’t tell you this when they bring you the bill. So if you aren’t paying attention you could end up giving a double tip.
 
For the best cocktails in Miami check out our blog post- The Broken Shaker – Best Cocktails in Miami Beach
 
Did we miss anything? Leave a comment if you have other great foodie destinations in Miami Beach!
 

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Travel

How to: $1,500 Extended Weekend Europe Trip for 2

We both have full time jobs in the United States, and due to that we have some constraints around how much time we can take off for travel. We have been experimenting with the idea of how to pull off a long weekend trip with two major constraints that everyone has: time and money. This only works if you are within driving distance of a major hub airport in the US (we are closest to Chicago and Detroit so we look at both fares when planning trips). This post is broken out into the top expenses and how we minimize them.

How to Find a Cheap Flight: $800 for 2 Round Trip Tickets

Usually, when we talk to someone about traveling they think the flights are going to be extremely expensive to go to Europe. A lot of this is due to their inflexibility: you can easily pay over $1k per ticket to go over to Europe, or you can often pay less than $400. When we say flexibility, that means both time and location: in the summer you will have a harder time finding cheap fares. Also if you are not too picky about where you are going it broadens your options even more. Here is what we do:

  • Go to Google Flights
  • Type in your nearest major international airport (Chicago O-Hare for us!)
  • In the “where to” box type in “Europe“
  • Type in your date range – we have been doing Thursday to Tuesday trips because most flights to Europe leave late at night (after 7 or 8 pm) and return during the day on the way back – remember you lose time on the way there but make it back upon your return.
    • For example, we found a flight from Chicago to Copenhagen that departed at 10:05 pm CST and landed at 1:20 pm CET. If you can power through that first day you can get a good (if not a bit delirious) afternoon at your destination before having the best sleep of your life Friday night.
  • When you hit “search” you won’t just get a list of flights. A map will pop up which has the cost of the flights from your airport to different destinations. As you move/zoom the map, it will reload for those locations. If there is nothing looking good at the moment, change your date range a bit or look back in a couple of days. Flight prices change all the time. This is where you might need to be a bit flexible.
    • You can also add in a “non-stop” filter to make sure you are only looking at direct flights. This will narrow it down even more, but it’s just that much more time you don’t have to be in an airport.
    • Google Flights also lets you track prices if you find a route that you are interested in
  • Don’t believe us? Sign up for Scott’s Cheap Flights for inspiration.

Lodging $50-100/night = $300

It is a good idea to keep proximity to mass transit in your consideration when booking your lodging. Some countries are obviously more expensive than others which you should take in consideration when booking your place. A couple of tips to keep your costs down:

  • Stay away from major hotels
  • Use AirBnB & Booking.com, find where you want to stay and sort/filter by price
  • Stay in a hostel if you are on the super cheap
  • Keep transportation in mind from a location standpoint: you can find a farmhouse out in the country for very inexpensive but you’re going to spend more than that on Uber/car rental.

Food: $50/day = $250

We are foodies. This is where we will gladly blow our budget and probably be willing to spend a bit more. You can definitely spend less than $50/day. There are a couple of key things you can do to keep your costs down:

  • If you are on the super cheap – go to a grocery store. You don’t eat out every day at home so you can save a ton by cooking at your AirBnB. Even if it is just some basics like fruit/granola bars/bread/wine (yes we know that last one isn’t food!) will save you a bunch of money in the long run. It’s also just fun to go into international grocery stores!
  • Look for lodging that includes breakfast (a true B&B) we always look at Booking.com
  • Avoid buying alcohol and ‘fancy’ mineral water at restaurants
  • Get to where the locals go. For example, if you’re in Athens, don’t eat in the Plaka neighborhood. A few blocks away you’ll pay 1/3 the price for a more authentic gyro. It isn’t too hard to find these spots, there are are a few things to look for
    • Away from the tourist areas (not filled with tourists… they are easy to spot)
    • Be cautious of TripAdvisor – we use it a lot and it can be good for info, but it is heavily used by tourists so it is typically skewed. Lonely Planet is a good second source that can be a bit more reliable.
    • This is not to say there aren’t really good restaurants in the touristy areas, but you will definitely pay a premium for them.

Transportation: Stick to a Plan $100

With transportation, you typically have a trade-off: time vs. money. Public/mass transportation has economies of scale going for it, but it usually has the downside of not dropping you off where you need to be and taking longer than the alternatives. Bus/train/subway/etc. are all inexpensive options – especially when you are leaving the airport. The more individualized and faster but much more expensive option is Taxi/Uber. Maybe not nearly as available but what of a middle ground is an UberPool, which can be surprisingly economical but will take a bit more time. As for airport parking, you should look at parking at a hotel – we use Way.com with success. You basically rent a parking spot from a hotel near an airport and they let you use their shuttle service. We have paid as little as $5/day to park but the rates can vary.

Summary – $1,450 Total 

$50 leftover! You can travel on the cheap – and you will probably feel like a baller if you take a weekend trip to Europe. Most of the travel tips in this post are principles that apply to more than just Europe. Everyone has their own priorities to keep in mind when planning a trip.

Would you ever do a long weekend in Europe? Please drop a comment below!

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Travel

The Broken Shaker – Best Cocktails in Miami Beach

First of all we loved this place! We went twice during our trip and probably would have been there more if we had stayed closer to it. This restaurant/bar is inside the Freehand Hostel. They have a pool with a large garden area around the pool full of lawn chairs and benches for seating. The pool, restaurant, and bar are all open  free of charge, even if you are not staying at the hostel.
The pool is open all day and there is an all-day food menu. We are not sure if you can order drinks at all before the Broken Shaker is open. The Broken Shaker’s hours may change but while we were there they opened at 1 PM on the weekends and 5:30 PM during weekdays. They have a set cocktail menu with a short list of cocktails that are changed out seasonally and every month but also it is a full bar so whatever you want they can make you. The first time we went we just sat down and had a waitress come to us with menus and we ordered cocktails off the menu.
The second time we went, we walked up to the bar to order our drinks. We told the bartender we liked Rye Whiskey and asked if he could recommend something. He made us an amazing Monte Carlo. We had dinner with our drinks on our second time here. They have your usual bar/pub food options, but maybe a bit elevated. We shared a double cheeseburger with fries and it was probably one of the best burgers we have had. If you are in Miami Beach this place is a must! If you are wanting to relax with a good cocktail this is your place!
Leave us a comment below to tell us your favorite cocktail spots!
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Travel

Long Weekend in San Diego

We did a short trip to the San Diego area visiting Erika’s aunt who lived there at the time. This worked out well since we had a place to stay and basically a free tour guide during our trip! She actually lived in Carlsbad so we did not stay in the city of San Diego, we were just outside in the surrounding areas for most of our trip. We did some site seeing, got to do some kayaking, surfing, and beach time, and finally ended our trip with some wine tasting in Temecula Valley which is about an hour outside the city (we will talk more about that in a separate post). We don’t have as many food recommendations in this post since we did a lot of eating in or packing picnic lunches since we were staying with a local. We will share with you a couple of places we did enjoy.

One of the first places we went was to Mt Soledad National Veterans Memorial. The memorial sits on top of a hill that offers great views of the city, the surrounding mountains, and the coastline. The memorial is meant to honor all veterans ranging from the Revolutionary war to more current events. The memorial is open for visitors daily and admission is free.  It is a nice place to go to get some great views of the city.

From there we headed to Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. This is a park that overlooks the ocean near the La Jolla area. We spend some time walking around and taking in the ocean views from up on the top of the cliffs along the coastline.  There are multiple hiking trails in the park to explore. If we had more time we would have loved to spend more time here and do some hiking. We were told that often times you can see people hang gliding from the cliffs. We didn’t see any the day we visited but it would definitely be a beautiful spot for this if that is something you are interested in doing.

We spent the rest of our first day in La Jolla which is along the shoreline. This area offers lots of shops and restaurants as well as beautiful views of the ocean. While wandering through this area we stopped at the Sunny Jim sea cave which was an old bootlegger cave during prohibition. There is a cave store where you enter and you can buy souvenirs it is about $5 per person to go down into the cave. From the store, there is a tunnel that was dug out by hand to allow access to the sea cave. It is a pretty short path, less than a 5-minute walk from the store to the cave. The stairs in the tunnel are pretty steep and small and can be slippery with the water. From the cave, you get views out to the ocean and you can see the water coming in and out with the waves. We would highly recommend visiting if you’re in the area!

One of our favorite things we did in La Jolla was sea kayaking. We did this through a company called La Jolla Kayak. They had tandem kayaks and single kayaks available. We went in a tandem. The hardest part was getting out past the wave break. We were instructed on how to do this and most people in our group got past it without a problem. After you are past the wave break the water is calm and it is pretty easy to kayak around the area. We had two guides and a group of about 8-10 people. The guides educated us on the history of the area and the wildlife in the area. They brought us over to where the sea caves are so we could get a good look at the caves. It was a bit wavy by the caves the day we went so we couldn’t get up super close. If the water is calmer you can kayak right up to and into the caves. We did get to kayak by several sea lions as they were sunbathing on the rocks nearby. The water is fairly cold, on average 55* to 61* F. If you do want a wet suit to help you stay warm during your tour they are available to rent. Coming back in with the waves was a lot of fun because you are basically surfing them. That being said about a quarter of the people went sideways and got a bit wet. Check out their website for specific tours and pricing options. https://www.lajollakayak.com/tours/.  

La Jolla has great park spaces near the waterfront to take advantage of. After we did our kayaking tour we had a picnic lunch in the park and spend some more time walking along the coastline.

The next day we headed to the beach in Carlsbad for some surfing. I don’t know if you’ve heard about it but surfing is big in California!  There are multiple companies to do lessons, and people that offer surfing lessons. We booked a lesson ahead of time online with Carlsbad SoCal Surf Lessons. This was a private lesson that was one hour followed by an hour of surfing on your own. Rusty the instructor was a great teacher and an awesome guy in general. If you’ve never surfed before, this is a great place to learn (not too crowded).

After surfing we headed into San Diego. We spend the afternoon in Balboa Park. This is where the zoo is located if you choose to visit. The park has a lot of other attractions worth seeing as well. This is a 1,200-acre urban cultural park that is absolutely beautiful to walk through! The park has many gardens, walking paths, and open green spaces to sit and relax as well as museums and theaters. There are also several restaurants and shops in the park to enjoy.  We would definitely recommend visiting if you are in San Diego. For a full list of events happening in the park, you can check out their website. https://www.balboapark.org/. Sunset is a really pretty time to see the buildings and the theaters in the park.

Food: We do have a couple of recommendations

In-N-Out Burger: This is going to sound funny to anyone on the West Coast. But In and Out is a must-try while in California. It’s a fast-food burger place offering burgers, fries, and shakes. It is a chain that you can find throughout California and maybe in other states as well. We do not have them in Michigan or anywhere we have been in the midwest of the U.S. If you are craving a good, greasy burger this is your place! Yes, it is fast food which we normally do not enjoy but this place is worth a try. 

Harbor Fish Cafe: This place is right on the beach in Carlsbad. It is a casual place with great fish tacos! Fish tacos are definitely a must eat while in California. The tacos here are huge! There are fried and grilled fish options available. 

Cardiff Crack: This is a term used locally to describe Burgundy Pepper Tri-Tip. You can buy this at the Seaside Market– here is the address 2087 San Elijo Ave, Cardiff, CA 92007. This is a tri-tip steak with a Burgundy Pepper marinate. Our last night we picked one of these up and grilled it up for dinner with a nice bottle of wine. It was really good! We will be attempted to recreate it at home at some point. It isn’t easy to find tri-tip steaks in markets/grocery stores where we live in Michigan so that will be a challenge. We would highly recommend getting this while you are in the area!

Our final full day we spent heading out to Temecula Valley for some wine tasting. We will do a separate post on that with more information.  After that, we, unfortunately, had to head home the next day. This was a pretty quick trip for us,  we would love to spend more time in this area at some point. California has a lot to see and do. We will eventually make it back to the west coast!

We know we missed things on this short trip, leave a comment below to tell us your favorite places in and around San Diego!