Hello, Everyone!
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I’ve put off writing a blog post about Shanghai for so long. Not because I haven’t wanted to, but because it’s a place so close to my heart. This city that I’ve lived in throughout high school, the place that I call home. It’s impossible to know where to start or how to scratch the surface on this bustling city of 26 million people—it makes New York City feel like a suburb. More people live in Shanghai than in the ENTIRE COUNTRY of Australia.
As a native Southern Californian whose family trips usually consisted of beach and sand, I’m not sure I would have believed you if you told me that one day I’d consider northern Norway my favorite winter vacation. Yet one week, three aurora sightings, 1,000 km of driving, endless islands scattered with picturesque rorbu fishing houses and countless bowls of fish soup later, here we are. Continue reading “Everything to Know for Arctic Norway”
In my mind, California’s central coast is one of the most beautiful and underrated regions in the state. When my husband and I had the chance to visit Lompoc one weekend with Explore Lompoc, we jumped at the opportunity! This area was first inhabited by the native Chumash people, and the name “Lompoc” is derived from the Purisimeño language meaning “lagoon.” Since then, the city was incorporated in 1888, and became known for its flowers, art, diatomite mine, Vanderberg Air Force base and wine.
From our weekend in Lompoc, here were our top 10 favorite things to do:
This beautiful mission is part of the La Purisima State Historic Park, which covers 1,928 acres of land. The mission was originally built in 1787 near the southern part of Lompoc city, but after an earthquake destroyed in the mission in 1812, it was relocated a few miles northeast. The mission was rebuilt in linear fashion to better withstand future earthquakes, making it the only California mission not designed in a quadrangle. This beautiful and uncrowded mission is my favorite in the state!
Bodger Trail is the top-rated hike in Lompoc. This steep 0.7 mile incline leads to a breathtaking panoramic view of the city and the flower fields, making it a short but sweet climb to a beautiful vantage point.
Speaking of flower fields! Lompoc is known as the “City of Arts and Flowers,” and also is known as the flower seed capital of the world. If you’re visiting between April and September, chances are you will see some beautiful blooms somewhere in the city—whether they be wildflowers or commercial flower fields. Be sure to check out Lompoc’s Flower Tracker before you go!
There are 40 murals distributed throughout this adorable small town, and a map for that can be found here. The murals highlight Lompoc’s heritage, and are a great way to learn more about the history, economy and culture of this adorable place. Swing by the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Bureau to grab a map and tips on what to do/see along the route!
Do the 30-minute drive from Lompoc town through some beautiful vineyards and rolling hills to get to Jalama Beach and catch some waves, nap in the sun, stroll along the coast or explore sea caves. You can also bring your furry friends ($3/dog) or try camping (starting at $30/night) here!
Taste some of the best wine that the Sta Rita Valley has to offer. Lompoc’s wines are delicious, and you can be sure that you’ll have some great conversations and meet wonderful people as you explore Lompoc’s Wine Ghetto! Our favorite winery is Montemar Wines, which has some amazing pinots/syrahs and a large outdoor patio complete with games, live music and an organic garden. Also, this spot features the first ever wine barrel ceiling!
This local favorite café features adorable, colorful art and some delicious coffee options. My favorite from here is the dark chocolate mocha with lavender! Southside Café sits right in the heart of Old Town Lompoc, and is a great starting point as you embark on your mural hunt.
Also located in the heart of Old Town Lompoc, Hangar 7 is a charming gastropub that has delicious flatbreads (all of which you can sub gluten-free crust for at no additional charge!) and local wine/beer options. The aviation theme is apparent all throughout the lounge, and you might even find a helmet signed by Elon Musk.
Lompoc has incredibly temperate climate and never really gets too hot or too cold. This is part of why it’s so ideal for growing flowers, and also makes the town a great place for a pool day! We enjoyed an afternoon lounging at the Hilton Garden Inn.
This now abandoned drive-in theater is a great place to swing by for a quick photo on your way to the mission. Fun Fact: this drive-in was heavily featured in the 2004 film SIDEWAYS, starring Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Sandra Oh and Virginia Madsen.
BONUS: VISIT THE AMERICAN WILD HORSE SANCTUARY
We unfortunately didn’t have time to do this in our whirlwind weekend, but Lompoc’s Return to Freedom horse sanctuary is dedicated to preserving America’s wild horse population through conservation, advocacy and education. These 5,000 acres span four different locations and are home to over 500 horses and 42 burros. You can tour the sanctuary by reserving a photo safari in advance!
Lompoc is a beautiful and underrated California gem, and I hope I’ve helped convince you to add it to your list the next time you drive up the central coast!
This guide is written in partnership with Explore Lompoc. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you so much to the City of Lompoc for making our weekend here a trip to remember!
Known as the American Riviera, Santa Barbara is a quintessential California coastal city filled with natural wonders and Spanish-style architectural charm. Whether for a fun girls’ trip or a romantic couples’ escape, you can bet Santa Barbara will be the perfect place to spend a relaxing weekend.
Continue reading “The Ultimate Santa Barbara Weekend Getaway”
Few things make me sing, “California, here we come,” more than driving up the 101 to Santa Barbara. The ocean views, swaying palm trees and blue skies will draw you in, but staying at a place like the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort really seals the deal and makes you never want to leave this beautiful coastal town.
Continue reading “Hotel Review: Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort”
If you’ve ever wanted to sleep suspended high up from a cliff in a transparent pod, look no further. Tucked away in the Sacred Valley of Peru and just a couple hours drive away from Cusco, this one-of-a-kind experience will take you cliffside above the Urubamba River.
Chances are you’ve seen this unique hotel somewhere on Facebook, Instagram or Buzzfeed if you enjoy perusing unique travel experiences. I can’t remember the exact platform on which I first saw this hotel, but just a quick video of the world’s first-ever “hanging lodge,” and I was immediately sold. My husband and I decided if we were ever going to Peru, we simply HAD to do this.
So let’s be honest—the experience is not cheap. We paid something like $445 USD per person, plus $85 USD for the photo package. But let’s break down what it includes:
And as far as the photo package is concerned, it’s 100% worth the splurge. Our photographer, Diego, would speedily climb past us and hang off of cliffs to get the photos of us. It’s worth capturing the memories for this once-in-a-lifetime experience, and also a lot safer than (and not nearly as stressful as) trying to take photographs yourself!
There are only three pods (each can hold 2-4 people), so reservations naturally run out quickly for this experience. We booked our sky pod six months in advance of our Peru trip, and already we snagged the last available slots! Each pod has beds, solar-powered lights, a bathroom (with a “dry toilet” system) and a 300 degree view of the valley below.
We got picked up in Cusco’s San Blas district around 2:00pm, and transported to the Sacred Valley. After a quick review of how to do Via Ferrata and getting fitted into our harnesses, we were on our way, climbing up the mountain. Random buses filled with tourists would occasionally stop below us to watch us climb, shouting at us and cheering us on.
At the 300 meter point (almost 1,000 feet!), we hit a suspension “bridge” of tightrope wires. We were told to walk across—and to push AWAY from the wall (toward nothingness) as we crossed the rope. Okay, no big deal. I reached up for the wires and made a comment about possibly being too short. One of our guides then proceeded to tell us that a 6-year-old did this, so we were fine. Alrighty then.
In total, we climbed up 400 meters (1,300+ feet). But the pods that we slept in were a slight decline from the highest point we reached, which meant we slept at 300 meters up. That’s still the equivalent of climbing a 90-story building, though!
We hung up our helmets and gloves, and ate a dinner in the main communal pod that our guides prepared on a stovetop hanging off the rocks in the cliff. A truly unique thing to witness!
The food was prepared from frozen ingredients they carried in their backpacks, and we ate a squash soup, salad, a quinoa/chicken dish and dessert. They even were able to accommodate my allergy restrictions, and had a separate gluten-free banana bread that I could eat for dessert when they gave everyone else brownies! They also gave each couple (there were six of us total) a bottle of wine.
We conversed over our meal as it started to rain. After dinner, we were told we’d need to climb further to get to our rooms, and my husband and I were specifically told ours was the furthest and most difficult to get to. “Be careful, because it’s also dark and very slippery when it rains,” they said. My mind was racing, wondering why I had JUST drank wine. But we made it up to our pod without issue, climbed onto the wooden deck and then down into the room as though descending into a submarine. Our feet hit the bottom of the pod, and we were immediately excited by the adorable setup we saw before us.
It’s hard to get to sleep here, not because it’s uncomfortable (the bed was sooo soft), but because sleep almost feels like a waste of time. Here we were, lying in a bed far above the ground and surrounded by incredible views of the valley below—what were we doing sleeping?! In hindsight, I definitely would’ve set an alarm to wake up more than an hour before breakfast so we could sit on our little patio with the pillows/blankets they provided for us and taken in the breathtaking views.
We ate our breakfast at 7:00am, which was complete with coffee, juice, eggs, granola, fruit, yogurt and luncheon meats/cheese. We then headed back to our individual pods to pack up and take some final photos in the room.
Diego, the photographer, was hanging off the side of a cliff with his camera and snapping shots from the outside looking in at us in the pod. We had a blast during this 20-minute photoshoot, and it definitely wasn’t something we could have done on our own!!!
After this, everyone met up at the top pod (ours) and climbed further up the mountain to find a trail. We wandered down the first of six zipline wires, and began or zigzag descent to the ground. One of the ziplines is even 600 meters (2,000 feet) long!!!
We hit the ground, and suddenly we were back in reality and our night in the clouds was just a precious memory. We continued on our way to Ollantaytambo, and were even given snacks for our journey. All in all, this experience was the highlight of our trip—which is saying something when you consider all the amazing sights that Peru has to offer!
Price per person:
OVERNIGHT
Via Ferrata + Zipline + 1 night –1,475 Soles (approx. $445 USD)
Zipline + 1 night – 1,385 Soles (approx. $417 USD)
Via Ferrata + 1 night – 1,385 Soles (approx. $417 USD)
LUNCH ONLY
Via Ferrata + Zipline + Lunch – 860 Soles (approx. $260 USD)
Via Ferrata + Lunch – 770 Soles (approx. $232 USD)
Zipline + Lunch – 770 Soles (approx. $232 USD)
(We definitely recommend doing the overnight and both the Via Ferrata and Zipline, if you can! It’s two incredible and unique activities that my husband and I both felt made the whole experience complete.)
If you’re in Peru and heading to Macchu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, Maras Salt Mines, Moray Ruins, Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) or Humuntay Lake, chances are you will spend a significant amount of time in Cusco.
Cusco (or Cuzco/Qosqo) was the capital of the Inca Empire from the 13th until the 16th century. This “navel of the world” boasts a rich history, and showcases a remarkable clash of cultures from Inca ruins to Spanish churches. At 3,400 meters (11,200 feet) up, you’ll likely stay a few days here to acclimate to the altitude before going on any physically taxing expeditions—and lucky for you, it’s one of the most picturesque and unique cities ever to spend time in! So while you’re in Cusco, here’s what you must see:
The main square of Cusco is a picturesque plaza surrounded by a mix of churches, tourist shops and fast food chains. (Confession: I did go to the Starbucks…twice.)
Sure, it’s touristy. But also, you must go. In fact, it would be pretty impossible to visit Cusco without passing through here at least once. You can see the beautiful Catedral del Cuzco and the Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús and get some lovely photos in front of these breathtaking buildings, and also try your luck at some snaps in the gardens or by the fountains. (In hindsight, all churches in Cusco are beautiful and many have an admittance fee, so I’m wishing we had gotten a Cusco Religious Circuit Ticket to combine our visits at a discounted price! But some of these churches will give you an entrance discount if you have a student ID on you.)
Where: PLAZA MAYOR CENTRO DE, Peru
When: If you want to miss crowds, you’ve gotta get there BEFORE Cusco Cathedral’s 6am mass. If this is too early for you (no judgment—it was hard for us, too), just try popping in periodically throughout the day. It’s usually quite busy, but you might get lucky!
The ruins of this formidable citadel are just north of the city center (and what felt like a million steps up a steep hill from San Blas). This fortress was one of the last strongholds of the Incas against the Spanish Conquistadors, and following the Siege of Cusco, was sadly used as a source for stonework to build Spanish buildings. Now, this site is largely demolished, but even what’s left behind is rich in history and eerily beautiful.
(Side note, Saqsaywaman sits right near a field of alpacas to hang out with! But fair warning, they’re not super friendly. I saw one guy get kicked!)
Cost: There are a variety of tourist tickets you can purchase for Saqsaywaman, and most will include other destinations lumped into the price. We purchased partial tourist tickets (the most affordable option) that included Saqsaywaman, Q’enpo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay for 70 soles (about $21 USD) each person. We unfortunately only had enough time to visit Saqsaywaman, but would love to visit the other sites someday when we have more time.
Hours: 7am – 5:30pm
When: This site is so large that it’s easy to find a clear photo spot, even if you’re here in the afternoon on a weekend (like us). I would say you should just visit at whatever point is most convenient for you during the day.
Just a couple blocks down from the famed Plaza de Armas sits this beautiful, quiet monastery. Walking inside will fill you with a sense of wonderment, and we marveled at how empty the inside of the building was. There are no photos allowed inside the art exhibits, but you can take photos inside the beautifully manicured courtyard and feel yourself being transported to Europe.
Cost: 10 soles (roughly $3 USD)
When: We visited in the late morning (around 11am), and found the church empty and quiet, save for two other tourists.
We spent our first Cusco evening in this part of the city, and we’re so glad we did because this turned out to be our favorite neighborhood! Boasting charmingly narrow streets, hipster coffee shops, trendy boutiques, old churches, delicious restaurants and amazing views of the city, San Blas is an incredibly unique part of Cusco. I highly recommend that you either stay or explore here.
When: I would advise roaming this area in the early morning. In the late morning to mid afternoon, it gets more crowded with both tourists and taxis. But any time you visit here will still be lovely.
Qorikancha was by far the most fascinating stop for us in Cusco. This was once the temple of the sun and the most important religious spot for the Incas, but was built over as the Santo Domingo church and convent for the Spanish. While the majority of this church looks European in design, some of the foundation is still the original Inca stonework.
In addition to the unique juxtaposition of architectural styles, Qorikancha has a beautiful outdoor garden that’s worth a look.
Cost: 15 soles (roughly $5 USD)
Open: 8:30am – 5:30pm
Where: Santo Domingo s/n, Cusco 08000, Peru
When: We went in the late afternoon, but found that they were just about to close and we had to rush through. Early morning would probably be the best time to visit here.
This could have been lumped into the general San Blas bullet point as an aforementioned hipster coffee shop, but we went here multiple times and it felt cute enough to get its own paragraph. This café was one of our favorite spots for coffee, juice and snacks! And it has a beautiful view of the streets of San Blas.
Open: 8:15am – 7pm
Where: Atoqsayk’uchi, Cusco 08000, Peru
When: Whenever you’re on the street below, just look up and see whether the most ideal window seat overlooking the streets of San Blas is unoccupied. If nobody’s there, GO FOR IT!
This stone is one of the most famous examples of Incan architecture, and is part of the wall for the Archbishop’s Palace in Cusco (a popular Moorish-style museum). Since the stone is on the outer wall, it’s worth walking by on your way from Plaza de Armas to the San Blas district.
Where: Calle Hatunrumiyoc 480, Cusco 08000, Peru
When: As is evidenced by my photo NOT actually with the 12-angled stone, it gets very crowded in this alleyway midday. If you want to get a good look at the stone, I’d suggest early morning.
San Cristobal is another church located on a hillside overlooking the main square of Cusco. While it’s quite difficult to make the trek up if you’re not acclimated to the altitude yet, the views are really something spectacular. The bell tower in particular is a great vantage point!
Where: Resbalosa, Cusco 08000, Peru
This is one of the most vibrant markets in Cusco, and visiting will fill your eyes, ears and nostrils with so many different colors, sounds and smells. This is a fun place to peruse and could even be a one stop shop for food and souvenirs—as long as you have no issues with bartering!
Open: 9am – 6pm
Where: On Calle Santa Clara between Thupaq Amaru & Cascaparo
If I’m being honest, the only reason to stop by here is if you’re already headed to Saqsaywaman, since they’re a 5-10 minute walk from each other. The views are lovely looking down on Cusco, and it’s fun to see the 8-meters (26-feet) Cristo Blanco. However, it’s very difficult to take photos with him due to a fence that was put up around him.
(Fun fact—the statue was a gift from Palestinian Christians who sought refuge in Cusco after WWII!)
Cost: Free!
Open: 8am – 7pm (although I’m not sure how they’d moderate this since it’s on an open hilltop!)
Many coming to Peru find themselves in the capital city of Lima as a stopover city on the way to somewhere else–namely Cusco and Machu Picchu–but few see it as much more than that. I’ve been told by some that Lima isn’t worth seeing at all, and to spend as little time here as possible. I would disagree with this outlook, and passionately suggest making the most of every moment you spend in Lima.
Vinicunca, better known to English speakers as Rainbow Mountain, is a beautiful multicolored mountain that gets its patterns from the variance of sediment deposits that have built up over the years. Rainbow Mountain is located high up in the Andes of Peru, 5,200 meters (17,000 feet) above sea level. The colors of this gem make you want to do a double take and quick Google search to confirm that it’s even real. It’s only been on the radar for tourism for a few years, so when photos of this unique spot starting popping up, I decided we had to go whenever we made it to Peru.
