Extended weekend trips to California are a great way to feel like your on vacation even if it's just for a couple of days. A few months ago, I found an incredible deal to Los Angeles and have to book it. My husband and I were celebrating 3 years of marriage and thought, what better place to celebrate than by the ocean! Read about how we got there, what we did, where we stayed and more:
How to get there:
Los Angeles is a big and very popular city. That being said, almost all airlines fly to LAX, or surrounding airports such as LGB and BUR. We took Spirit and the total cost was $85 round-trip.
When to go:
I feel like there isn’t ever a bad time to go to LA due to it’s year-round warm weather. However, summertime can definitely be uncomfortably hot and in the winter, it can rain and cool down a bit much. We went in October, and it was absolutely perfect. Not too hot, not too cold.
Where to Stay:
The first night there, we stayed at an Airbnb in Topanga Canyon. The Airbnb was a quaint little cabin in the woods, but there were definitely a few things to note. The cabin was very earthy? - not sure if that’s the right word to describe it. Basically part of floor inside was this rock formation that felt like you were actually outside. There were a few bugs and it wasn’t the cleanest Airbnb I’ve been in. However, overall it was a good experience. Topanga Canyon is about a 45 minute drive from LAX (depending on traffic). You feel like you are completely out of the city, which was really cool. The other two nights we stayed with family in the valley. Someday, I hope to be able to stay in two of my bucket list LA hotels:
The Beverly Hills Hotel: the cutest, pink hotel with Hollywood glamour written all over it.
The Ritz-Carlton: located at Marina Del Rey, this fab hotel is right next to the marina and is as dreamy as they come.
What to Do:
Malibu - We drove along the coast and stopped for coffee at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (my new favorite chain coffee). We later found a place to pull over and walk on the beach. It was all very beautiful.
Los Angeles Country Club - My cousin is a member and invited us to join him for dinner. The land is the second most expensive (the first being Central Park) in the USA. No phones are allowed and there is a strict dress code. It was a breathtaking view and the food was delightful. *You do have to be a member to go here, but it was such a nice place, and I wanted to mention it in case you ever get the opportunity to go!
Santa Monica Pier - We walked up and down the pier and observed all the carnival rides and tourists. This is where Route 66 ends and there is a sign on the pier that you can take you picture by. It was a sight to see, but very crowded.
*Parking is $12 unless you park on the street a block away from the pier
Korean BBQ - this was my first experience with Korean BBQ and it was quite the experience. We went to a restaurant in Beverly Hills called Genwa. It was a mix between hibachi and BBQ. You basically pick out what meat(s) you want and they cook it in this circular grill at your table. Then they bring what seems to be hundreds of small tin bowls filled with different sides and sauces. It was a grand presentation and the food was very good.
Ready to take a trip to LA?