SAN DIEGO - A Californian Summer - Part TEN

San Diego. Famous for it’s zoo. It’s sunshine and the Old Town. It’s less than 20 miles from Mexico it’s often why people start a Californian adventure near the top where its often colder and spend the end of trip further down where the sunshine warms your soul. There’s loads to do here if you have the time. We stayed on Coronado Island. There’s a really famous hotel here called The Hotel del Coronado which is over 150 years and was the location for the film “Some Like it Hot”. We went for a slightly cheaper option in the same location. It was a very average and large hotel with a pool. Nothing bad to say but it was bland and beige and next time I’d focus on a different area.

The first thing we visited was the famous zoo for the afternoon and evening. It’s located in Balboa Park which can be a day out in itself. The zoo is a beautiful sprawling attraction with lots to see. The highlight for us was the elephants and the sky ride cable cars that give you a view of the City. Go at sunset for a magical experience!

The next day we drove to the Gas Lamp Quarter/ Little Italy. It’s known for the entertainment, cafes and restaurants. We ended up parking and walking around and getting a little lost looking for something we never seemed to find. We did make it down to the water and the boats and very close to all the planes taking off overhead. We managed to get lost into what felt like the industrial side so I’d definitely try and find out a specific place to visit or you can can find yourself just wandering. There are Italian cafes and bars but it didn’t feel like we ever found the heart of the acti

The historic Old Town area of San Diego was a fun few hours to visit the town, which feels like something out of an old film or Coco! It’s a Mexican vibe with lovely eateries but lots of entertainment and shops for fun including magic shops, wrestling mask shops, you name it! It’s quite historic and has a touch of a' ‘theme park’ version of a Western town but it is worth a trip especially if you love Mexican food!

I liked San Diego but maybe it was the hotel we were in but I didn’t feel deep love for San Diego until we drove to La Jolla. (Pronounced La Hoy-ah) I think I often expect too much of Cities. They are almost never my favourite part of a trip and it’s so hard to find the hidden gems. But this area made the visit worthwhile. The drive here was an eye opener of some of the most beautiful houses we’d seen in the whole of California. It was by far my favourite area and I wish we’d stayed out here, even though it’s a far way out from the city centre. A beach town, which a cool vibes and a cute little shopping street in the centre. We managed to find a small cove to spend the day at opposite some sea lions. Lola managed to catch some fish rockpooling and we all managed to do a quick beach clean too though the area was in pretty good shape. She wanted to hold her fish before we put him back. We also found a brilliant surf themed restaurant here for dinner called Duke’s - named in honor of native Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku, an Olympic swimming and water polo medalist and the father of modern surfing. Brilliant food, setting over the water and the service was perfect. If you come to San Diego and don’t stay here, I’d make sure you leave at least an afternoon/evening to enjoy the best experience.

Where we stayed

Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa - 2000 Second Street, Coronado, California 92118 USA

We paid £495 for 3 nights although we left after 2. (Short story… Last minute change of plan after Disneyland was calling our name!)

What to do

San Diego Zoo is a great day out – one of the largest zoo’s in the world! It is located in Balboa Park which is a day out in itself

Bilboa Park - Balboa Park is home to more than 16 museums, multiple performing arts venues, lovely gardens, trails, and many other creative and recreational attractions, including the San Diego Zoo.

Little Italy area - cafes, restaurants and Italian influence. Though do your research as to so you don’t waste your time walking around!

The San Diego Old Town - The Mexican influence and historic part of San Diego. Museums, shops and restaurants. A fun few hours.

Coronado Island. Visit the famous Hotel del Coronado for drinks, or the beach.

La Jolla - the beast beachy area of the City. My top recommendation!

Duke’s La Jolla - Perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner. A surf inspired restaurant overlooking the La Jolla Cove and serving good food and great for kids.

If you have time and an empty suitcase, you can also go shopping in Fashion Valley

Yucca Valley & Joshua Tree - A Californian Summer - Part Nine

The Joshua tree only grows wild in this one area of the Mojave desert, The Joshua Tree National Park. It’s known for its wild scorched landscape, gnarly looking Joshua trees and acres of isolation, attracting bohemian travellers for solace and tourists to visit the sprawling open plains, the Park offers. We booked an Airbnb in the Flamingo Heights area of Yucca Valley for two nights. The place offered everything you can imagine with a back drop that had to be seen to be believed. The desert is hot. We stopped at a supermarket for supplies on the way through, being cautious not to buy frozen items that would melt by the time we arrived. A keyless entry to an oasis of solitude and surrender.

The Rosy Boa had a container pool and airstream in the garden, acres of land surrounding it and a stylistic modern design. With the stillness of the area, the beauty and the sunsets you can only imagine how many artists, musicians, writers must come here for breathing space and creative inspiration. We ate, we swam, we kicked around the dust, ran through Joshua trees and nature hunted. We watched films, read, stayed in PJ’s all day and washed clothes. We arrived day 21 into our trip and it’s a relief to find you’ve built in places to rest and recharge. I’ll say it again - August in the desert is hot. There are a few things you can visit and see recommended to us, we just didn’t get there. Would I stay here again though? In a heartbeat. If you are looking for something as a complete antidote to the craziness of LA only 2-3 hours away. This is your place.

Where we stayed

The Rosy Boa via Airbnb - Yucca Valley, CA 92284, USA

We paid approximately £403 (currency conversion) per night and stayed for 2 nights.

What to do

Joshua Tree National Park - Find all the information you need to explore.

Pioneer Town - The main town area.

Iconic eateries of the area worth a visit include Pappy and Harriets and La Copine

Rosy Boa Airbnb in Joshua Tree National Park

Chalks take Cali

Rosy Boa Airbnb in Joshua Tree National Park

PALM SPRINGS - A Californian Summer - Part Eight

Palm Springs. That delicious deserty hot spot where heat and 70’s chic reign on. We hit Palm Springs on a Friday for the weekend. It was an opportunity for pure relaxation and having trouble deciding where I wanted to stay between The Parker at Palm Springs, a long term dream with a hefty price tag or the hip Ace Hotel, I decided to split our funds and stay at both to get the best bang for our buck! Knowing nothing about Palm Springs except it’s hot, deserty and home to Coachella Music Festival I decided two nights at the affordable and hip Ace Hotel and one night at The Parker.

It was an average of 117 degrees whilst we were there in August so it’s not really time for traipsing between hotels but I’m so happy we did. On the way through we drove through a gorgeous strip of shops and restaurants. Lots looked shut as I think many close or reduce hours for parts of August whilst the temperatures soar and people stay inside the air conditioning or glue themselves to the side of a pool. I mean I’m pretty sure I could have fried an egg on our car bonnet. But there’s something special about a palm tree that makes it all ok. For three days we decided to make the most of these two amazing hotels. We managed to venture out for a ride past the windfarms and a trip up the Aerial Tramway (2 and a half miles up above the desert floor for a birds eye view) . It was also the time to stop off at one of the famous designer shopping outlets they have here for a browse and to buy another suitcase for all the extras we seemed to have collected along the way! In 100+ degree heat, the air conditioning feels marvellous though nick managed to also buy a winter featherdown coat which was the most bizarre experience to purchase in 117 degrees. Gives me the sweats just thinking back about it now.

The Ace. We like the Ace. It’s got a hip, relaxed vibe. I’d describe it as army barracks for rock stars. And for us! It’s not glamorous in contemporary comparison but it’s old school cheese and pineapple sticks glam. The bedchairs have head shades, there’s inflatables in the pools left by previous guests, you can drink and swim til’ the early hours. The rooms are a little small and dark and if the neighbours above aren’t of the quiet persuasion you might mistake them for elephants, but it’s unarguably a FUN place to stop for a couple of nights. We hung out in the pool all day on the first day next to a bandmember from an English band from my teenage years which took me back! The kids fitted in just fine and The Kings Highway restaurant attached has a really slick Wild West vibe, a great menu and a cracking breakfast. We ate here for dinner too and it’s available to visit, even if you aren’t a hotel guest. I can confirm the coffee is also excellent.

The Parker. For our final day we discovered the magical world of The Parker. Will we ever be the same again? Oh Parker, what a place. Continuing with the old school vibe but this time, it’s like you turned up to some zillionaire’s estate who is actually a fully fledged rock star. The star of course is the Parker itself. Everything was beautiful and chic in a 70’s relaxed Cali vibe. The bedroom, the toiletry tray, hello Hermes and Aqua de Parma! The French onion soup delivered by room service came via heaven. Outside, there’s 10 different flavours of lemonade at The Lemonade Stand and a mean frose. (Frozen rose, with Cointreau and strawberrieswas my bang) The hotel has class, beauty, art, style, a warm pool and wonderful happy valet boys in their pink shorts. I’m not going to lie, it’s full on bougie country club and if your kids are nightmares then stay well away. This is civilised chic, but we met loads of new friends at the pool from LA couples who travel here every year for a week long vacation just to drink and have fun, to hip young families with toddlers and even a hen and stag party who were all drinking champagne and beer in the pool and welcoming us to join them. It was an experience to say the least. We ate at Norma’s their outdoor restaurant in the evening which was delicious. a small menu but they catered for the kids on request too. The tiny extortionate smores box may not have been up to Ojai Caravan Outpost standards and the Security were a bit precious on our check out day when we wanted to hang out for lunch in the aftenoon, but if you can cope with that it a freaking dream of a place. Parker - you have my undying love.
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Where we Stayed

The Ace Hotel - 701 E Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92264. Cost approx £430 GBP for 2 nights in a family room. (£215 a night) via booking.com

The Parker at Palm Springs - 4200 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92264 Cost $308 USD for one night in a deluxe double room. Booked direct with the hotel. Note we spoke to them and had to miss out one of the kids on the form so that the computer would say ‘yes’. The classic trick of telling them 3 kids will share one bed saved us an extra $308 . This was a bargain rate as the hotel was having some construction work whilst we were there and some of the areas weren’t available. It didn’t seem to make any difference to us though and for that price we were over the moon!

We also Visited

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway - 1 Tram Way Palm Springs, CA 92262. Phone: (888) 515-8726. This is apparently the world’s largest rotating tram car and takes approximately ten minutes each way. At the top the temperature can drop by 30-40 degrees which wasn’t a problem for us as it took us from ‘so hot it’s hard to breathe’ to ‘rather pleasant’! At other times I’d imagine you’d need to take a jumper! At the top there’s restaurants, observation decks, a natural history museum, documentary theaters, plus a gift shop and hiking trails. It’s not snazzy or modern. More like going back to the 1970’s, but even if you just stop for an ice cream and a drink and enjoy the views its definitely worth a trip. Cost - between $16.95 and $26.95 per person for a both way ride.

Desert Hills Premium Outlet - 48400 Seminole Drive, Cabazon, CA 92230 All the shops you can want or need in a large but walkable designer outlet. It is outside though so remeber the sunscreen for when you aren’t inside! There are several shopping areas like this. Do a simple Ecosia Search for shopping in Palm Springs to find the one that suits what you are looking for.

In and Out Burger - there are a couple on the map surrounding the area. We came for a drive in meal on the way home from the shops. It’s basically an institution in the States. A fast food burger joint with good fast food - if you like that kind of thing. Cheap, easy and convenient and whilst in America you got to try eating American!