I was able to spend just under a week in LA recently. It was only my second time to the city, and I feel I could be there for months without fully experiencing everything it has to offer. I did have a great trip, and here are a few of the highlights.
Spots
Santa Monica Pier
The Santa Monica Pier is a tourist must-see. This pier is in so many iconic LA movies, shows, and photos. It has a carnival feel with rides, games, and plenty of fried food. We decided to go on the Ferris wheel, and I’m so glad we did! We ended up seeing a whale while we were up there. Apparently, it is whale mating season. Who knew?
Marina del Rey
We actually stayed in Marina del Rey at Kyle’s brother’s place. It was so fun to walk along the docks and check out all of the cool boats. One night, there was even a Christmas boat parade! A bunch of boats got decked out in Christmas lights and paraded around the harbor for hours. Very festive!
Food
Tony P’s
Breakfast at Tony P’s in Marina del Ray was delicious. I got the “Marina del Ray”omelet, which is really just a fancy veggie omelet. We sat out on the deck and checked out the view of the water while we ate.
The Butcher’s Daughter
I had seen this place in so many blogs and vlogs, and I had to try it out. It is a vegetarian/vegan place, and although I’m not a vegetarian, I do enjoy meatless meals. The restaurant is beautiful, and the food is delicious. I got a gluten-free BTL with some sort of veggie bacon, and I added an egg to the sandwich.
The Cheesecake Factory – Santa Monica
I feel a bit silly mentioning The Cheesecake Factory since it’s a chain, but it was actually so much fun to visit! The restaurant has a really cool patio where you can look over blocks of busy shoppers. It felt great to be outside enjoying the beautiful day while eating lunch. I got the four cheese pasta (gluten-free of course).
Chill
Poolside
Some of my favorite moments of the trip were just chilling by the pool. Most pools in LA are open all year and some are even heated. Although my trip was in December, every day had highs in the 70s or 80s.
Manhatten Beach
Of course, we had to go to the beach at least one day. Kyle used to live in LA, and he recommended Manhatten Beach. I’m so glad he did! Manhatten Beach is an adorable beach town with the most gorgeous beaches. There was hardly anyone there when we went, and it felt so great to just lay in the sand and relax.
Watch my vlog of the trip here:
