This was our very first time to California. I don’t know why it’s taken us so long to visit, especially since we have family in California. It was my cousin’s wedding which we were photographing ( you can see the wedding here). Our schedule was pretty tight and could only fit in 1 week… yes a very long flight from Brisbane, Australia to only get to visit for a week. But in true Trang and Kostas style… we made the most of our short week. We got to spend lots of quality time with my family and my cousin kindly put us up at her place which every traveller knows, free accomodation helps A LOT!
On the days that my cousin was busy preparing for the wedding, Kostas and I went out on some day trips. We did a day in San Francisco, a day at Santa Cruz and a day at Tomales Bay. Scroll through to read about it.
1 DAY IN SAN FRANCISCO
We were real tourists visiting San Francisco. First stop was Pier 39. We are fascinated by wild life and animals… and just couldn’t help but put seeing the Sea Lions on our list to see. It just looks so out of place seeing so many sea lions just sun bathing on the pier and not minding all the crowds of people checking them out! We went down to Fisherman’s Wharf and ate us some clam chowder. We really wanted to visit Alcatraz Island but due to not planning ahead, tickets were all sold out… we heard it’s a must do… so we’ll definitely not make the same mistake next time we visit.
We then took the cable car and it was a really nice way to see San Francisco.
Of course, what’s a visit to San Francisco without seeing the Golden Gate. How magnificent! It was really windy and cold when we were there and we only walked a small section of the bridge.
And lastly, we had asked around where we should eat for dinner to truly experience San Francisco. We were recommended to go to Tadich Grill which is THE OLDEST restaurant in California! They are known for their seafood… which we love. When we arrived, it was packed full of people. We didn’t have a reservation but when asked if we’d like to sit at the bar for dinner without having to wait for a table, we said yes! The waiters at Tadich Grill wore long white coats and were fascinating to watch them work, it was service we’ve never experience before. We were seated beside the loveliest older gentleman who was having dinner on his own. He told us he has been coming here for years and he clearly remembers when he first took his wife on a date at this very restaurant. He helped us with some food recommendations and also tips on what to see and do in California. This is one of the best things about traveling… meeting people and bonding over talks of travel. We had the most wonderful meal experience. And to top it off, when we asked for the bill… we were told that the gentleman that had sat next to us had paid for our meals before he left. What?!! I’ve never been in such shock. Wow! He left without even getting to hear a thank you and appreciation. So wherever you are… THANK YOU for making our San Francisco experience one to remember. xx
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1 DAY IN TOMALES BAY
My cousin’s friends recommended us to go on a day trip to Tomales Bay. We had never heard of it before, but when she mentioned oysters… we were like.. yes!!!
It was approximately 1.5hrs drive to Tomales Bay from San Francisco. We drove through Muir Woods which was absolutely stunning. We really wanted to stop and go for a walk surrounded by those giant trees. But, we are one of those people… who rely very much on GPS. There was no reception and we feared that if we stopped, we wouldn’t be able to find our way towards Tomales Bay. In hindsight, if we planned better, we would have downloaded the map… so if you do decide a trip… please learn from our mistakes. Once passed Muir Woods, we started driving along all these cute beach towns where we stopped for breakfast and a hot drink.
We finally arrived at Tomales Bay. We had the most beautiful October weather. We went on a week day which thankfully meant very little crowds but unfortunately meant many of the places were shut. The only oyster farm we could see that was open also happens to be the most popular one: Hog Island Oysters . And on the day we were there it was “shuck your own oysters” day. At Hog Island Oysters, they have a fantastic outdoor seating area by the water, you can bring your own picnic/ bbq while you have your oysters there. We had the best day having a long picnic lunch, by the water and beautiful Sun.
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1 DAY IN SANTA CRUZ
Anyone who knows Kostas, knows that he is crazy about mountain biking. Almost all our trips, he will sneak in some mountain bike riding. So the one thing he requested while we were in California was a trip to visit the Santa Cruz bike factory where they let you trial out their latest bikes on some fantastic trails nearby. Anyone who knows me, knows I have no interest in mountain biking. So while Kostas was having fun riding, I explored Santa Cruz on my own.
I first headed to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. I was there on a weekday and quite overcast day, there was no body around… complete contrast to what my friends had told me about how crowded and busy it Santa Cruz can be. I’m not a crowd lover so I welcomed the quiet beach and lay there reading. It wasn’t long until I got hungry and decided I was due for a change in scenery. So I went to a nearby town called Capitola where someone had recommended that I go since I love taking photos. There were these cute beach houses painted in vibrant colours by the water and all the surrounding cafes and restaurants were also so cute. I was just about to pick my lunch spot when Kostas rang to tell me he had finished his ride.
So, we ended up buying the most delicious Arepas from a food truck and eating it at The Natural Bridges State Beach. The views there were stunning and reminded us very much of The Great Ocean Road.
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So there you have it, our very short trip to California, definitely not our last. Would love love to come back and do Yosemite, Big Sur and Joshua Tree!