The Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve in San Diego is an incredible place to hike, offering a unique combination of cacti, pine trees, wildflowers, and ocean views. However, there are six trails here, so it can be hard to know where to start or which Torrey Pines trail to hike. I’ve hiked all six Torrey …
Driving up to the summit of Haleakala National Park is one of the most memorable things you can do while in Maui. I loved driving up to the summit, but there were definitely some surprises — like how cold it was and how many bicyclists were zooming down the side of the road. Here’s what …
An absolute gem in San Francisco is the Japanese Tea Garden, which is nestled inside Golden Gate Park, a beautiful place to visit nearly any day of the year. Here’s everything you need to know before visiting the Japanese Tea Garden (Golden Gate Park) to make your visit more meaningful. Why Visit the Japanese Tea …
Thinking of visiting Death Valley but you only have a day? No worries, a day in Death Valley National Park is possible. Yes, the park is huge, but there are several highlights in Death Valley close enough together to where you can easily see all in one day in Death Valley. A bonus: All of …
I visited Lake Manly in 2024. It’s a rare, temporary lake in the driest place in North America. Does that not blow your mind? If you’re wanting to see this incredible phenomenon, follow news alerts from the national park about current conditions. Lake Manly can appear as quickly as it disappears. Here’s everything you should …
Black sand beaches are rare. The Big Island of Hawaii has seven black sand beaches. But one stands above the rest as the largest, most accessible, and, dare I say, most beautiful. The Punalu’u Black Sand Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii is arguably the best black sand beach to visit in Hawaii. Here’s …
Wondering how to do a day trip to Channel Islands National Park? I journeyed to Channel Islands with 12 family members. It was a long day but a good one. After my experience, I put together this guide with everything I wish I knew when I did a day trip to Channel Islands National Park. …
Imagine heading into a store, down a set of stairs to find yourself looking out at the ocean from inside a sea cave. Does such a place exist? Yes, at the Cave Store in La Jolla! The Cave Store is one of seven sea caves in La Jolla, California, but it’s the only one in …
Thinking of stopping at the Pismo Beach butterfly grove to see thousands of Monarch butterflies clustered in the trees? This only happens a few months of the year in winter as the butterflies migrate south along the California coast. Here’s your guide to how and when to see thousands of Monarch butterflies during their winter …
I visited Pinnacles National Park for a day and found its hike to Bear Gulch Cave and Reservoir to be one of my favorite hiking trails I’ve ever done. The park isn’t that big (and it’s actually the smallest national park in California), so I felt that just doing this one hike was enough to …
