Can I be honest? The last 5 weeks FLEW by, and my heart is hurting a little bit that this year’s summer road trip is over! The last two weeks of our trip felt like it passed by faster than the others. The OR and Northern CA coast offered the best scenic drive and I wish so much that I could just jump in the car and drive it again! If you ever have the opportunity to drive hwy 1 down the west coast, do it!!! The beaches are beautiful, the trees are huge, and the weather is cool (which is so nice for our desert dwelling family!). During our time in Oregon and California we were able to see some family, but spent most of our time on the coast, hiking, resting, and playing at the different beaches along the way.

The RV (who we lovingly refer to as Wilson the Winnebago) was a great experience and will forever change the way our family road trips. It came with a TON of learning curves (national park length limit rules, don’t put the slide in or out unless everything is out of the way, be careful opening the door when parked next to a curb because the step WILL come out) and we traveled slower than the map told us it would take to get to each destination. But the memories we made (movie nights cuddled up, conversations, skunk visitors (yes, skunks!), will last a lifetime and we are counting down the days till our next adventure.

OREGON

SIGHTS AND STOPS

Bo and Vine: While in Salem, OR we get to make one of my favorite stops on the route! We visit our friends (who moved away from AZ about 4 years ago and I beg to come back every time we see them), and stop in at Bo & Vine, a burger restaurant that was one of LGD’s first commercial projects. It is always so much fun seeing how the space is doing and watching the brand and business grow. Our sweet family friends also opened another restaurant since we have visited last, Basil & Board, and while there we got to take a look at that one too! If you are in the Salem area, I would definitely recommend lunch or dinner at these spots!
Depoe Bay: The Oregon Coast is so beautiful and all along it offers little beach towns with yummy food, cute houses, and fun shopping. Cannon Beach is a popular spot (for good reason!) and we have visited on last summer, but this year we stopped at Depoe Bay and had so much fun in the shops and seeing the sights. Depoe Bay is the location for the world’s smallest harbor (I didn’t realize that was a thing, but it is super pretty), and is also the whale watching capital of the OR coast. WE SAW A WHALE! While standing at the shore we were able to see multiple whales playing in the Bay. Hopefully the next time we are there we will be able to see it a little closer on a boat.
In the area of Depoe Bay was Devil’s Punch Bowl State Park, the towns of Newport and Lincoln City, the Florence sand dunes, and so many beautiful lighthouses, our favorite being Heceta Head Lighthouse! I would love more time to explore and meander through these areas again, we will definitely be back.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

SIGHTS AND STOPS

Northern California was beautiful and the drive down the coast through Big Sur was so much fun. The best part of driving down the coast in the RV was the ability to just pull over at a turnout over looking the water and stay the night. While in California we had the opportunity to paddle board, hike, and eat A LOT of seafood.

Fern Canyon: By far our favorite hike of the trip. I was a little worried that it wasn’t going to be as great as we all remembered it being from a past visit, but it didn’t disappoint. This place is truly MAGICAL! The hike from the beach into the canyon along the creek is stunning. It’s an easy hike and the views up the fern covered canyon walls are so beautiful. The movie Jurassic Park 2 was filmed in this canyon and you can definitely imagine why. It really feels like a dinosaur could just come walking out at any time. The trail was a bit busier than we had hoped, so instead of taking the short loop we continued into the canyon. This had us jumping from rock to rock through the creek, climbing little waterfalls, and balancing across down trees. It was such an adventure and I can only imagine what was going through the kids imaginations as we hiked through. The drive to get down to the trailhead is steep, narrow, and bumpy. We took the Jeep, and would recommend NOT taking an RV down. If you are ever in this area this is a MUST STOP. I promise it won’t disappoint, it truly is magical.
Sail Monterey Catamaran Tour: This was a great excursion for our family and the captain was so friendly which made it a great experience. We took a catamaran out in Monterey Bay and had a close up view of the sea lions and seals that hang out along the piers. Sailing was fun, windy, and super relaxing.
Adventures By The Sea Paddle Boarding: Also in Monterey Bay, this was definitely an adventure for us. We took the boards through the bay along the beach line and were as close as we could get (the rule is to stay 60ft away) to seals, and sea lions. We also paddled through the harbor which was really pretty, but also a little crazy… I think I yelled, “don’t run into that boat!” 100 times.! The kids had so much fun and I am excited to take them to paddle board on the lakes in AZ soon!
Carmel: Oh, Carmel by the Sea. Every time I am here I don’t want to leave. This little town has so many shops and restaurants to explore, beautiful storefronts, and little alleyways that make you feel like you are in another time. Our favorite store to stop at is Thinker Toys (because toy stores are the best!). Thinker has a really fun and unique selection of toys and the best selection of kids books. I was so impressed and thankful for the diversity represented on their bookshelves. We picked up quite a few new books! The whole town is dog friendly, beautifully landscaped, and I could wander it for days!

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

SIGHTS AND STOPS

We made our way down into Southern California by the request of our middle. He loves Huntington Beach and was set on recreating some past experience there. So we did! We found a fun RV park in Newport Beach and were able to enjoy the area for a couple days. While there we visited two dog friendly beaches. This was a first for us and it was SO MUCH FUN. Pete LOVED playing in the water and chasing around with the other dogs. I didn’t know that I would find so much joy in watching him play… Yep. I said it, totally becoming a dog mom! We also took in the beautiful Lido Marina Village, and I gathered some fun inspiration for our team and clients.

Malibu Farm: The yummiest vanilla latte, healthy breakfast, and just a great atmosphere.
Shorebird: Also soooo delicious. I am craving it right now!
Shoppe Amber Interiors: It was so great to see so much beautiful home decor in person. I have followed Amber Interiors for quite awhile and love her designs. Her product and selection are beautiful. We definitely took home some inspiration!
Jenni Kayne: Another amazing designer with a beautiful store in Southern CA.