Tag: Vacation

Top Ten … Coachella Road Trips

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Whether you are going to weekend one or weekend two, why not make the most of your vacation and take a pre or post (or both) Coachella road trip to squeeze the maximum amount of fun out of your trip! The last two years, we managed to fit in a bit of a pre and post road trip, partly because there are so many great places to see and explore in that part of the world, and partly because traveling 1400 miles from Vancouver we wanted to make the journey worthwhile! I ideally like to sandwich the craziness of the festival with some relaxation either side, with the option for a crazy night if the mood should take. We typically stay in or around Palm Springs before Coachella, and then afterwards head off on another adventure, we’ve visited Scottsdale, Las Vegas and The OC in the past two years.

Here are my top ten picks for road trip destinations (some I’ve been to, some I haven’t) all within a few hours drive of the festival grounds in Indio.

  1. Grand Canyon (approx. 6hrs)
    Yes, it is a bit of a drive, but boy is it worth it! Undoubtedly one of the most amazing natural wonders, it really is something you have to see to believe. This is definitely the place to go if you are looking for a more low-key break, there are some great hikes, but if that’s not your cup of tea, just having a wander around is enough. I splurged when I visited and took a helicopter ride which I would definitely recommend doing, it is so cool to get a completely different perspective of the canyon and really helps you to grasp just how big it is. Make sure you catch a sunrise or a sunset, or both, the views are incredible.

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    The Grand Canyon
  2. Scottsdale (approx. 4hrs)
    Scottsdale was an unexpected discovery we made back in 2014 after our first Coachella, we picked it because neither of us had been before and it wasn’t too far from Indio. I absolutely loved Scottsdale, and will definitely go back and explore again at some point in the future. There is some great shopping, a taste of the old West, amazing Mexican food, and stunning sunsets on offer.

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    Stunning Scottsdale
  3. LA (approx. 2hrs)
    Los Angeles, is more than Hollywood, there are so many unique area’s to explore, from Venice Beach to Universal Studio’s. LA can offer you a relaxing pre/post Coachella vacation, or if you’re in the mood a crazy few days of partying. The great thing about LA being so big and diverse is that it means there are suitable options for all budgets, and some awesome things to see and do for free.
  4. The OC (approx. 2hrs)
    Orange County has so much more to offer than angst ridden teens like some television shows will have you believe. From stunning scenery and quaint towns there is a lot to check out. I’ve been to a couple of places; Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach and Anaheim (see number 9) mainly fueled by my love of said angst ridden teen shows and loved all of them. I’m a sucker for a great beach and The OC certainly delivers on those!

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    Newport Beach sunsets
  5. San Diego (approx. 2.5hrs)
    San Diego has been gradually creeping higher and higher up my travel list. I’ve always been put off by some of the bigger tourist attractions, but lately some Pintrest research has made me reconsider. Beautiful beaches, enclaves of bars and restaurants, what’s not to enjoy? I’ll certainly be visiting the next time I am in southern California.
  6. Palm Springs (approx. 30mins)
    Literally a stones throw away from the festival grounds is the desert city of Palm Springs. We usually stay in Palm Springs the few days before Coachella, last year we stayed in Rancho Mirage which is pretty close by. Beware, hotel prices hike up around festival time, so plan ahead. If you aren’t camping at the festival, there is a good chance you’re probably staying in Palm Springs already. It’s a unique place surrounded by high peaks and big blue skies. The perfect place to recharge and rest by the pool with a cocktail in the blistering sunshine.
  7. Las Vegas (approx. 4hrs)
    Not had enough partying over the weekend? Drive over to Las Vegas where the party never ends! The great thing about Vegas, in my opinion, is that it’s a destination where you can literally do everything. Want to relax by a pool and have a few spa treatments? You got it! Want to party 24/7? Sure! Want to eat amazing food, and have some fancy cocktails? You’re spoiled for choice! Want to see an amazing show? Take your pick! Want to gamble the night away? That’s what Vegas is all about!

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    Vegas baby!
  8. Santa Catalina Island (approx. 3.5hrs including boat ride)
    Catalina is one of those places I stumbled upon a while ago and have been wanting to visit ever since. A short 75minute boat ride from Newport beach, the island offers scuba and snorkeling, hikes, beaches and restaurants.
  9. Anaheim (approx. 2hrs)
    Why not head over to Anaheim where you can visit Disney and embrace being a big kid! Hang out with Mickey and explore the vast park full of fun and adventures. The area is pretty much centered around Disney, but if that is the purpose of your trip then embrace it. Downtown Disney is a wonderful place to wander around in the evening, and if you are spending a day at the park make sure you stay to check out the phenomenal fireworks display at night.

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    Just meeting Mickey Mouse, as you do!
  10. Santa Barbara (approx. 3.5hrs)
    You’ll probably be beginning to spot a recurring theme here, beautiful coastal California beaches are my weakness. Just a bit further up the coast from LA, Santa Barbara is famous for it’s beautiful beaches, fancy boutiques and nearby vineyards. Perfect for a relaxing break, soak up the sunshine and recharge your batteries.

 

So that’s it, these are just some of the many wonderful places to visit, within the vicinity of Coachella. I highly recommend planning ahead as a lot of people have the same idea and places get booked up well in advance. That said, if you are heading a bit further afield you might have a bit more luck if you’re looking for an off the cuff adventure. Most importantly, enjoy exploring this beautiful corner of America.

Leah Explores … Gibsons

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Last week my mum came to visit on a spur of the moment trip. She was only here for a week, so I wanted to make sure that we made the most of her time here. She has been to visit me here in Vancouver many times before, and so is familiar with all the “tourist” things to do. It’s now a nice challenge to find new exciting adventures for when she is here, we already did a seaplane tour earlier in the week, so we chose to explore Gibsons, which is a tiny little town on the Sunshine Coast towards the end of her stay.

*disclaimer, I experienced no sunshine on the Sunshine Coast*

Gibsons isn’t somewhere people tend to flock to, even people who live in the lower mainland. It has a very small population and is a popular retirement destination. Although part of the mainland, Gibsons is not accessible by car, so after a short 45 minute ride on a BC Ferry to Langdale, from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver, we jumped on the first bus which took us right to Gibsons Landing in around 10 minutes, easy peasy!

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Gibsons is pretty tiny so it is easy to have a stroll around and see the town by foot. We looked in some of the cute and quaint shops, and then wandered over to Molly’s Reach (most famous for its part in the CBC show The Beachcombers) for lunch with a view of the water. Afterwards we walked down to the marina to look around and admire the beautiful scenery before jumping back on the bus and ferry to head back to Horseshoe Bay.

We knew this wasn’t going to be a huge adventure, and  didn’t stay and explore for too long because the weather was pretty dismal, and honestly there isn’t a ton to do in Gibsons. That said, I would definitely go back, preferably in the summer when the weather is a bit nicer, and explore further, and even head up the Sunshine Coast to Sechelt. All in all it was a nice way to spend an afternoon and explore somewhere that is definitely off the beaten track. I would definitely recommend Gibsons as a day trip for those looking for something a little different to do without having to travel far.

 

Top Ten … Coachella Tips

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Coachella is just around the corner kicking off the music festival season. I’m sadly not going to Coachella this year, but I’ve been the previous two years, and have had an absolutely amazing time. Here are my top ten tips on how to get the most out of your festival experience, make your life a little bit easier and most importantly help you have fun!

 

  1. GET A LOCKER – We didn’t get one the first year, but we did last year and it was honestly the best $34 I have spent. Plus you get $20 back when you return the key so it’s really only $14. It meant that when we left our tent in the morning we could load up with everything we needed for the day and night; cardigans, hats, sunscreen, change of shoes, and not have to worry about looking like crazy bag ladies. Believe me when I say it gets cold in the desert at night, and changing into leggings and a long sleeve shirt or cardigan makes all the difference after being in the blistering sun all day.
  2. LAYERS AND SUNSCREEN – I cannot stress how hot it can get in the desert during the day and how cold it can be once the sun sets. Make sure to apply sunscreen regularly, you don’t want to get burnt on Friday and be miserable for the rest of the weekend. Wearing a hat is a great way to stay cool and keep the sun off your face too. The layers are for nighttime, waiting around for the headliner to start it gets pretty chilly, so being able to add an extra layer or put more clothes on is a welcome addition. Be prepared for all weather conditions too, the first year we went, there was a crazy sandstorm, and I was so glad I had a scarf and sunglasses with me so I could cover my face.
  3. FREEBIES – Make the most of the freebies available. Sephora has an amazing booth that has hair and make up stations so you can make yourself look picture perfect ready to step over to the photo station. One year they were giving away hair ties as you entered, another year they had a Instagram powered vending machine that dropped a prize when you posted with a certain hashtag. Another booth was giving away Fruttare ice lollies, and last year the JBL booth had free massages, and an awesome photo booth.
  4. GET MERCHANDISE EARLY – If you want to get something from the merchandise booth I advise you do it early, especially if you are there for Weekend 2. Sizes and styles sell out, so don’t wait and end up disappointed. Plus if you get a locker you can just put your new t-shirt, poster, tote in there and not have to worry about it for the rest of the day.
  5. USE POLO GROUND TOILETS – This is something I wish I had discovered earlier, porter potties are the worst part of the festival experience, in my opinion. There are a couple of real washrooms located in the festival ground, near the Craft Beer Barn. Don’t be put off by the long lines, they move quickly and it is so worth the wait for flushing toilets and sinks with running water and soap. If you find that you need to use the porter potties, I suggest going to the very back where they have washrooms in trailers which are a step up from the porter potties. If all else fails and you find yourself having to use the porter potties, do so early in the morning. They get emptied and cleaned overnight so are pretty bearable early in the morning.
  6. NO METAL TENT PEGS ALLOWED – We had our metal tent pegs taken away from us before we entered the camp ground the first year we went. You can buy plastic tent pegs at the general store in the camp ground, but we didn’t discover that until the last day, and so ended up using water bottles and suitcases to weigh our tent down; not the best plan in the world especially when there is a crazy sandstorm happening. My advice; take out your metal tent pegs and buy some plastic tent pegs in advance.
  7. MAKE A NOTE OF KEY LOCATIONS – The camp ground is huge, make sure you know which street your tent is on, or where you need to go to get picked up, there is nothing worse than coming back to the camp ground after a long day to find yourself aimlessly wandering looking for you tent or pick up point. Another tip I would recommend would be to arrange to have a plan should you get separated from your party. Pick a tent, sculpture, booth to go to should you end up split up from the rest of your group so you don’t spend hours looking for one another among the thousands of people in the grounds.
  8. USE THE APP – Plan ahead and use the app. It is a great way to plan the lineup you want to see and arranges it by time and stage, giving you a rough idea of when you should head to different stage to see an artist. The app also has a list of vendors, as well as a map which can be incredibly helpful if this is your first time at the festival. Look at the line up beforehand, you can listen to artists you aren’t familiar with and maybe even make a new discovery that you might want to check out. Festivals are a great place to discover new artists.
  9. HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE! – You cannot take food or drink into the festival grounds, but you can take an empty or reusable water bottle so you can refill it at one of the many water stations dotted around the festival ground. Sometimes the lines can be pretty long, but they tend to move quickly, filling up once a set has started is the best time as the lines are a lot shorter. There are many vendors selling water, but at $2 a bottle it can quickly add up whilst you are trying to stay hydrated in the hot desert sun.
  10. GET A BATTERY PACK – Yes, there are charging stations located throughout the festival grounds, but they are always very crowded. Some of the booths have charging stations too, but once again you are not guaranteed a space, and if you are camping you don’t want to have to turn your car on just to charge your phone. I got myself a battery pack, and it was a bit of a lifesaver, as it was small enough to stick in my purse and charge my phone on the go. Make sure you put your phone on flight mode whilst charging as it makes the whole process a lot faster.

Most importantly make sure you enjoy yourself, Coachella is such a wonderful experience so make the most of it! Explore the festival grounds as it is full of amazing sculptures, booths and fun things to see. Whilst it is great to see your favourite artist, try and mix it up and see new artists and bands you might not have heard of before, festivals are wonderful places to discover the next big thing. I once read that you should treat festivals as taster sessions as you can always catch your favourite artist next time they come to town. I try to stick with that theory to some extent, but sometimes you just have to see the entire set, so soak up every minute and enjoy!

 

 

Leah Explores … Capitol Hill and Ballad

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Last weekend, I went of my first trip of the year, with three of my best friends to celebrate one of their birthdays. We went to Seattle to explore Capitol Hill and Ballad, and I had a fantastic time. It was so nice to go to somewhere familiar like Seattle, but avoid doing all the cliche tourist things that I have done so many times before. The main purpose of our trip was to eat, drink and be merry,whilst doing some exploring and boy did we succeed!

We rented an Air B&B apartment in Capitol Hill, which is the trendy residential area to the east of the main downtown core, where there are restaurants, coffee shops and bars aplenty. After a painless trip across the boarder on the Boltbus we headed out to explore.

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The water tower in Volunteer Park

First up was Unicorn, a carnival themed bar just a short stroll from our apartment. It was here that I had one of the most delicious and outrageous meals I have ever eaten; a cornbread waffle pulled pork sandwich. Believe me when I say it was as a good as it sounds. I paired this beast of a dish with a ‘Unicorn Jizz’ coacktail (I couldn’t resist the name) which was ridiculously sweet and yummy! We then headed over to Elysian Brewing, to start on the craft beer portion of the weekend. I have a confession to make here, I’m no beer aficionado, but I was promised by my friend that by the end of the weekend I would be one step closer to being so. I started off with the Day Glow IPA followed by a glass of the Splitshot which was a milk stout and absolutely delightful. From here we wandered over to Rhein Haus which is a cavernous bar that was very lively and offered drinks by the litre. Our final stop of the night was decided to keep it classy and went just a few doors down to Cannon, a fancy bar that describes itself as a “whiskey and bitters emporium” where I had a very yummy, but very strong gin based cocktail called a Hotel Georgia.

Saturday saw the peak of our exploring. We started out late morning when we headed for brunch in a lovely little spot in Capitol Hill called Witness. Once again I indulged in another over the top decadent meal (treat yo’ self, am I right?) called a Croque’d Toad, it was described to us by our waiter as being like a toad in the hole, a croque monsieur and eggs Benedict having a baby. He wasn’t far off with the description and it was every bit as good as I imagined it would be. We then walked over to Volunteer Park, where there were some stunning views of the city from the top of the water tower (which also helped burn some calories!) From here we headed back to our apartment for a quick rest to recharge our batteries before he headed out for round two.

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The Croque’d Toad at Witness

The first stop on Saturday take two was Poquito’s, also in Capitol Hill, to make the most of their happy hour and enjoy some yummy margarita’s and guacamole. From here we Uber’d (is that a verb?) over to Ballad which is another neighbourhood located to the North West of the city, for the craft beer section of our day. We began in Stoup Brewing, where I tried the Pale Ale and the American sour.We then walked around the corner (literally) to Reuben’s Brews where I had my favourite craft beers of the weekend; the Seattle Milk Stout and the Cherry Weisse. Both were absolutely delicious and I would definitely have both again. Our final stop of the craft beer tour was Populuxe Brewing, which was by far the smallest venue tucked away in a tiny little house. Here I tried the Ballad Blonde and American Stout, rounding out my attempts to become a craft beer connoisseur. By this point, some of us (no names mentioned) had had our fill of craft beer. We headed west to the historic district of Ballad Avenue, which is full of bars, restaurants, and shops. We had dinner at Bitterroot BBQ a trendy rustic style restaurant where we shared ‘The Cowboy Killer” platter, which was yummy.

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Flights of craft beer at Stoup Brewing

By Sunday, it was safe to say we were all a bit tired, so we had a nice relaxing morning in our apartment before we had to be out at noon. Our first port of call was Porchlight Coffee and Records just a short walk away. We enjoyed some delicious coffee and relaxed in this lovely little coffee shop for a while. Afterwards we stopped in at The Elliot Bay Book Company, somewhere I was particularly excited to go to. I can’t resist a good independent book store, and this one was particularly dreamy. Next, we stopped by the Starbucks Roastery and Tasting Room on Pike Street (when in Seattle…) for a quick look around. Across the street was Six Arms, a pub that had a great beer selection, where two of my friends had been before, here I had the Terminator Stout and the very yummy Pomegranate Cider. Our final stop for our time in Seattle was the Cheesecake Factory. As a bunch of Brit’s living in Canada, we were all pretty excited to get our fix of enormous portions and of course,  decadent cheesecake.

Our journey back to Canada on the Bolt Bus was as pain free as our journey down, and we arrived back to some classic Vancouver weather; rain. All in all, I had a fantastic weekend, and I loved exploring a different side of Seattle that I hadn’t seen before,  I felt like it was a great way to reinvigorate a city where I felt I had seen it all before. I would highly recommend Capitol Hill as a great way to see a different side of the city.

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Sneaky Space Needle views from Capitol Hill

 

Upcoming Adventures

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It’s nearly March (where did January and February go?) and I haven’t been on a proper trip yet. Actually, that isn’t necessarily true, whilst I was back in England for Christmas and New Year, I did visit with friends in Gloucester and Manchester for a few days. But, I’m not counting those little jaunts as they definitely counted as social visits. So, with that in mind I decided it was time to nail down a plan of action for the rest of year and give myself something to look forward to.

The Definites

These are the trips that are already booked, or may as well be and are definitely happening.

Seattle

My first trip of the year is coming up very soon. I’m off to Seattle, more specifically Ballad and Capitol Hill with some of my best adventure buddies, we went on one of my favourite trips ever to Hawaii together back in 2012. All of us have been to Seattle numerous times before (one of the perks of living in Vancouver) so I’m excited to get out of the downtown area to explore some new neighbourhoods and find some fun breweries and coffee shops to fill the days.

Harrison Hot Springs

Harrison Hot Springs is a unique little town that is less than two hours drive from downtown Vancouver, and yet it feels like a world away. It is a tiny little town situated in the Fraser Valley around the south end of Harrison Lake. I have been there briefly before, and by briefly I mean a few hours where we stopped for an ice cream and stretched our legs. So I am thrilled to be heading back there for a weekend in June with two friends for our annual weekend getaway. In previous years we have gone to Seattle, Vernon and even attempted camping at Cultus Lake, so it will be great to be able to relax and explore the surrounding areas a bit more in depth, and maybe even spot a Sasquatch.

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Last time I went to Harrison I made a friend.

The Definite Maybes

These are safe bets that they (most likely) will happen this year, but nothing is booked yet.

Silicon Valley, San Francisco and the surrounding areas

My cousin and her family have just moved to Silicon Valley through her husbands work. So I will definitely be taking advantage of this and giving them a visit at some point this year, once they are all settled in. San Francisco has been on my list of places to visit for some time so this seems like the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone and even explore a bit further afield; Berkley, Napa Valley and Carmel are all on my list.

Cabin Christmas

It has become a tradition in our friendship group that we go away for Christmas to a cabin in the woods, for the past few years we have gone to a lovely little cabin in Mount Baker, Washington. Last year I went back to England for Christmas and that was fantastic to be surrounded by family and old friends, however I couldn’t help but feeling like I was missing out by not being at the cabin. I was offered some constellation that due to the weak Canadian dollar my friends weren’t at “our cabin” and instead had gone to a cheaper alternative. There has been some discussion already about Christmas 2016, and even though the Canadian dollar isn’t looking so great at the moment, I’m sure we will find a cabin to suit our needs, even if it isn’t “our cabin” that we love so much!

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Our Christmas cabin in Mount Baker.

The Maybes

These are the places that I would like to go to this year, but it will all come down to funds and the amount of vacation time I can get from work. Some are a lot more achievable than others.

Montreal

As I’ve already said in this post, the Canadian dollar is weak at the moment, which means going down to The States isn’t as cost effective as it once was, not that that is stopping me, but it is definitely making me think. That said, domestic travel is extremely expensive in Canada (the country is huge after all) so traveling between provinces is not as easy as I thought it would be when I first moved out here. I’ve lived in Canada for five years now and have yet to leave the British Columbia and explore some of the other beautiful provinces in this stunning country. Top of my list is definitely Montreal. I have got a couple of friends who have been and loved it. From all the research and pictures I’ve seen it seems like a city in a bubble with some beautiful building and a bit of a party atmosphere, plus it’s the home of Poutine, yum!

The Rockies

Once again, a part of Canada that I am yet to experience, and definitely up there on my list. I’m not into winter sports or super outdoorsy, so I think a trip in the summer would be more up my alley, and the chance to see Lake Louise in the sunshine, is something I definitely want to do. I know my mum is planning on coming out to visit this summer, so I think this trip would be a nice thing to do with her.Plus the road trip to there would be pretty epic in itself.

Iceland

Iceland has been a country that I have wanted to visit for years, and it is definitely one of the countries I wish I had visited when I was still living in England, where it is a lot cheaper to get to. Having done some research, it is definitely still a doable trip even from Vancouver, but it might also be something I save for the next time I go back to England and make an extended stopover.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is one of those countries that constantly comes up when I am browsing through the travel section of Pintrest. Not only does it look like there are some stunning beaches (I’m a sucker for a beautiful beach) and glorious lush rainforests and jungles, but it seems like there is a new adventure around every corner.

 

I definitely feel a lot better about not having a lot booked so far, having written this all down. I know I am not going to be able to go on all of these trips this year, unless there is a lottery win involved, and my vacation time through work doubles, but I am going to do my best to see and explore as many new places as possible. I will be making the most of the three day weekends coming up in the summer and attempting to explore the beautiful city I live in a bit further.