One of the benefits of living on the lake … birthday parties on the lake! There are a handful of great boating operators on Lake Wakatipu, and good thing for that since there are many tourists looking to cruise the lake. One of the most fun and funky businesses is the Luanda Experience – complete with lava lamps and shag carpet! And a 30th celebration just wouldn’t be complete with out a jump into the freezing cold Queenstown lake!
We stayed in some pretty unique places on our California Road Trip, but I would have to say El Capital Canyon was a pretty special place! This campground resort offers all types of accommodation options – from tents to cabins to luxury yurts – you are sure to find something that suits your style. Located just outside of Santa Barbra, we found this site a great place to break up the drive from San Francisco back to Santa Monica.
We made it to San Francisco – the turning point for our sibling road trip in California! San Francisco was amazing … beaches, city life, and hipster neighborhoods. We loved exploring the city in a quick 24 hours – needless to say we will be back for more exploring!
Next stop on our California Road Trip was Santa Cruz – a quirky surf town filled with summer tourist there to enjoy the sun. To be honest, Santa Cruz wasn’t my favorite. I had high expectations and even went into the visit with the potential to fall in love with the city and want to move. However the city had a dirty vibe and was filled with tourists!
That being said, I think we did find the good – we went for a few rides in the amusement park and walked around downtown area. My brother had the best time of us all as he went for a great surfing adventure!
What can I even say … Big Sur was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen! As many of the guide books say, Big Sur is not a destination, but rather an experience spread over a large amount of space along the West Coast of America. We took over a day and a half to explore the area and take in all of the sights to see. A – must – do.
Our perfect Santa Barbara morning turned into an even lovelier afternoon! The sun was out and we took full advantage. We explored the oceanfront as well as entering into the Funk Zone for a bit of wine tasting in the urban wine trail. From there we headed to the Santa Barbara Mission and finished the day at The Lucky Penny – fitting since we seemed pretty darn lucky with our day in SB!
After a jam packed Friday spent in Santa Monica, including an evening hike up Runyon Canyon to see a foggy Hollywood Sign, we sipped some coffee and ate a big America breakfast then hit the road to Santa Barbara. After doing a bit of research I realized that we were going to catch the Saturday local farmers market located right off State Street. Lucky us! Post farmers market stroll we walked around town, taking in the sights and stopping along the way to discover what was around.
About 4 months ago – when I was still in the planning process of my trip back home to America – we decided to organize a sibling roadtrip. The three of us had never explored California and it seemed like the best opportunity to spend time together and see new places!
Santa Monica was the perfect place to start our 7 day California adventure. After arriving into LAX, around 8PM, Â we headed straight to In and Out Burger (something my brother had been dreaming about for days!) and then onto my best friend from childhood’s house to stay the night. The next day was filled with Southern California sunshine, sandy beaches, bright colors, and exciting times. We rode the West Coaster, ate salsa and tacos, and explored Santa Monica by foot!
I am in love with Kennebunkport, Maine… summer flowers, painted buildings, quaint shops and lobster pounds… a stunning coastal Maine spot. We spent a quick afternoon strolling the main street and popping into little shops and pretty buildings. From Kennybunkport we headed to Porpoise Cove, a short 5 minute drive outside of town for lobster and onion rings on the dock!
After two full days exploring the city we decided to do a few ‘touristy’ activities on our last day! First up – a stroll in Central Park followed by a cruise to the Statue of Liberty and an evening on top of the Empire State Building. Even though I have spend a ton of time in the city over the past 5 years, it felt refreshing to visit the more popular sites and experience the city through the eyes of a tourist.
My Life in New Zealand 