Aside from my fashion hobby, I’ve come to have a liking for traveling over the years. I think part of that comes from never stepping foot outside of the country, and knowing that there is so much to see outside of the United States thrives my urge even more. One state that I recently came across is California, and both times that I’ve gone I didn’t want to leave; I would honestly say I was close to crying when I had to return home to boring New Jersey. California has everything, and by everything I mean deserts, beaches, cities, wineries, mountains -- you name it, California has it. Each city has its very own culture; each place you visit has a different atmosphere that prevents you from ever leaving. Based on my own travels, I’m going to share my favorite places in California that I guarantee you’ll have the same reaction to as I did if you go.
The Bay Area and Orange County
I’ve been to two major cities, and minor cities surrounding them. San Francisco and Los Angeles are polar opposites, but I love them both equally. Los Angeles has so much culture; from rappers Tupac and Kendrick Lamar that rose to stardom from Compton, to lavishing and luxurious hot spots in Beverly Hills and beautiful beaches such as Santa Monica, LA has a distinct taste in culture. San Francisco has a colorful and preppy ambiance with a mixture of historic landscapes and abstract designs throughout the city. The Painted Ladies are located right in Alamo Square where "Full House" was filmed, as well as the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge that brings you out towards Sausalito, a hilltop town in the Bay Area where you can shop your savings away (as did I). I’ve also had the pleasure to venture out towards Huntington, which is a suburb close to LA where the surfers and beaches are correspondingly as hot as one another. Oakland is another hip city located in the Bay Area that gives off a refreshing vibe of scenery.
National Parks
Yosemite National Park and Muir Woods are the most scenic, peaceful, and stress-relieving areas that I’ve been to in my life, and I know I have a few decades of life ahead of me, but I don’t think something else this eye-catching could exist. The trees are so enormously tall that you can’t even see the tops of them. Nature is so refreshing; you can hear waterfalls in the distance. Don’t get me started with the mountains -- they look like a desktop screensaver. I never thought I would become one with an eye for nature, and I was very reluctant with traveling to these areas, but I encourage anyone to go and explore these areas.
Deserts
Joshua Tree is a place that has been popularized recently of models for publishing agencies and celebrities promoting products (Vanessa Hudgens, Sprouse brothers, IMG Models, etc.). The atmosphere it gives off is an earthy adobe and grounding spark that creates curiosity and adventure. Hiking isn’t the only option either -- exploring the amazing grounds that this place holds with abstract rock formations and sunset views of a lifetime, you will see a whole new side of Earth that no one will ever come across in their life unless they travel to Joshua Tree, California.
Wineries
Sadly, the drinking age in the United States is 21 and when I went to Calistoga, I was served grape juice instead. The valleys that these wineries are in are so colorful, filled with vineyards and vibrant patches of gardens that are filled with fruits and vegetables. The mountains located in Napa Valley are so majestic.
