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Beer & Bikes on the Beach: A Craft Beer Bar Crawl in Los Angeles

Self-Guided Craft Beer & Bikes on the Strand Bar Crawl in South Bay, Los Angeles
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A self-guided craft beer bike tour in Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Manhattan Beach. Drink locally brewed craft beer on the Strand in South Bay, Los Angeles, California!

The South Bay is our favorite part of Los Angeles. The South Bay in Los Angeles is home to several cute little beach towns, such as Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Redondo Beach, as well as the beautiful high bluffs of Palos Verdes. It’s where we always stay when we’re in Los Angeles. It’s conveniently close to LAX, and removed from the crazy Los Angeles traffic hell. What’s more, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Redondo Beach are all connected by a wonderful bike and walking path along the beach known as The Strand. Walking along The Strand, you’ll find everything you’ve ever wanted out of your Los Angeles beach experience: tan, fit people playing volleyball; long haired dudes surfing sick waves; chill bros whizzing by on rollerblades carrying Starbucks. It’s classic Los Angeles. Not only are these towns home to great beaches, good surf, plenty of sunshine, and delicious food, they also have a variety of local craft breweries and tap houses! So we figured, what’s the best way to visit beach towns? By bike, of course! And thus, The South Bay Craft Beer & Bikes Bar Crawl was born.

     The self-guided tour we’ve laid out below makes a great day long date for two (or like, your entire group of friends). It takes you to 8 bars and breweries in 3 towns: Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Manhattan Beach. And the best part? The South Bay Craft Beer & Bikes Bar Crawl can be done for as low as $100, including bike rental and so much beer! Oh and did I mention you’ll sample at least 29 beers? You might want to split a couple of those growlers.

By the way, we’ve created a super handy FREE downloadable Google Map & PDF for the South Bay Craft Beer & Bikes Bar Crawl. It’ll make this whole drinking beer and biking thing a lot easier, trust us. Enter your email address below to have the map delivered straight to your inbox.

Without further ado, we present to you our The South Bay Craft Beer & Bikes Bar Crawl. 

The Strand bike and walking path in Redondo Beach, Los Angeles, California.

The Strand bike and walking path in Redondo Beach, California. Photo Credit: “Redondo Beach – 038” (CC BY 2.0) by SupportPDX

Redondo Beach, California

     The South Bay Craft Beer & Bikes Bar Crawl  – SBCB&BBC for short (okay maybe the name doesn’t work as an acronym) – starts in one of the larger South Bay beach towns, Redondo Beach, located just north of Palos Verdes.

Here are some random facts about Redondo Beach that I found on Wikipedia just now:

  • Lia’s Dad grew up in Redondo Beach. Which isn’t really that interesting, but it does give us sort of half local’s cred, because Lia’s been coming here for her entire life to visit family. Also, her dad still knows the location of every Starbucks and surf shop in town. Yes, my father-in-law grew up surfing, too. We’re all California stereotypes here.
  • Redondo Beach was home to the filming of the classic television series, Baywatch.
  • Fox’s The O.C. (which everyone knows is way better than Baywatch) was seen filming at Redondo Union High School, Redondo Beach Pier, and local parks.
  • The area of Redondo Beach that starts in Palos Verdes is known as “RAT” (Right After Torrance) Beach. Cute.
  • Redondo Beach was described “The Gem Of The Continent” in the Los Angeles Daily Herald in 1887. Aww, that’s sweet.

Chill vibes. Anyway, all you really need to know is that there’s a sweet pier, some docks, and a bunch of great places to drink craft beer.

South Bay Beaches in Los Angeles on The Strand

South Bay is our favorite part of Los Angeles. Great vibes, good surf, plenty of sunshine, and tons of craft beer! Photo Credit: “Los Angeles – USA” (CC BY 2.0) by -marika bortolami-

Where to Start the South Bay Craft Beer & Bikes Bar Crawl

Before we can start the South Bay Craft Beer & Bikes Bar Crawl, you’ll need to park your car and rent a bike – both in Redondo Beach. We recommend starting early, like around lunchtime. 

     Look for parking in Redondo Beach near the bike rental spot that we recommend, Perry’s Cafe and Beach Rentals*. Conveniently, you can also get a delicious brunch at Perry’s before you rent your bikes! Check out the breakfast menu and the bike rental prices. (If you’re rad and have your own bike, just skip to step 2 and park nearby.) After a hearty brunch (the better to help you soak up all the craft beer you’re about to drink), rent your bike (better make it an all-day or 24 hour rental, just in case) and begin the half-mile jaunt to the first stop on The South Bay Craft Beer & Bikes Bar Crawl.

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     *Important Note: Perry’s is only open during the high season, which starts in May. If you’re visiting South Bay in the off-season, we recommend renting at Marina Bike Rentals instead, and skipping the first stop – it’s a bit too far. Instead, your first stop will be at King Harbor Brewing, below.*

The South Bay craft beer & bikes bar crawl on the Strand in Hermosa, Manhattan, and Redondo beaches in Los Angeles.

Don’t get excited. This is 2 flights. Also, friendly advice: don’t start the day off with 2 flights.

The Redondo Beach Brewing Company

     Your first stop for beer is the Redondo Beach Brewing Company. While the name might be a slight misnomer (they don’t actually brew their own beer here), the Redondo Beach Brewing Company has an impressive beer list with about 40 taps, most of which are from Los Angeles or nearby. The vast selection ranges from sours, to Belgians, to porters and stouts. A flight of 4 beers at the Redondo Beach Brewing Company costs $11.

Our favorite Los Angeles area (and nearby) craft beers at the Redondo Beach Brewing Company were:

  • Anderson Valley Bourbon Barrel Pumpkin Ale from Boonville, CA
  • Belching Beaver Peanut Butter Milk Stout from Vista, CA
  • Modern Times Black House Nitro Coffee Stout from San Diego, CA

     Once you’ve finished your first flight, hop on your bikes and head to the next spot. As The Strand becomes the harbor, you’ll be met with dozens of boats to the left and a parking garage on your right. Lock your bike up in the rack and head down a set of well marked stairs to the docks, where you’ll find your next two stops.

King Harbor Brewing Company, a Los Angeles area brewery on The South Bay Craft Beer & Bikes Bar Crawl

King Harbor Brewing Company, a Los Angeles area brewery on The South Bay Craft Beer & Bikes Bar Crawl

King Harbor Brewing in Redondo Beach

     Your second stop on the South Bay Craft Beer & Bikes Bar Crawl is King Harbor Brewing, whose in-house brewed list of craft beers is packed with hits. Your first thought might be “This place is small. They brew here!?” Well, not here, exactly. This is the tasting room. The actual brewery is located about two miles away. But don’t worry about the specifics. Just focus on the beer. There are 16 locally brewed craft beers available on tap. The flights here are “Choose Your Own Adventure” and the price is scaled depending on the beer. You can pull off a flight here for $12 and up.

     One of the most popular craft brews from King Harbor Brewing is the Coconut IPA. I think I should confess something: I’m not that into IPAs. I know. I can already feel my friends in the Bay Area disowning me. Look, they’re usually too floral, too bitter, and lack real complexity outside of the hops of choice.  Bearing that in mind, I LOVED the Coconut IPA from King. It has a toasted coconut taste, with the floral quality of IPA, and a lighter body. It’s the perfect beach beer.

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Our other favorite locally brewed craft beers from King Harbor Brewing were:

  • Darkness Before Dawn: A very dark, full-bodied creamy stout.
  • Blackberry Before Dawn: A very dark, full-bodied creamy stout made with blackberries, which add a slight tartness.
Naja's Place, a Los Angeles area brewery on The South Bay Craft Beer & Bikes Bar Crawl in Redondo Beach, California

Naja’s Place has gnarly taps and surfboards on the ceiling. Rad, dude!

Naja’s Place in Redondo Beach

     A grueling 1 minute walk down the Redondo Beach  boardwalk puts you at Naja’s Place, where you’ll see the most beer in one place on The South Bay Craft Beer & Bikes Bar Crawl. They have a stunning 88 beers on tap here, and all of them are from California! Given the decor (or lack of), intimidatingly long menu, and super knowledgeable bartenders, it’s clear this place is all about the beer. Fair warning: this place gets packed on the weekends and evenings.

     Naja’s Place does not have flights. Beer prices range from $7 to $9 a pint for most beers, and $8-$10 for specialties. After much discussion with the helpful bartender, I decided on the Stoutella from Knee Deep Brewing. The name says it all: a Nutella Stout! If you ordered the Peanut Butter Stout at Redondo Beach Brewing Company, expect something similar, but with a chocolate and hazelnut finish. My mouth is watering just remembering it.

     When you’ve finished your beer, hop back on your back and continue down the strand towards Hermosa Beach.

The Hermosa Beach Pier boardwalk in South Bay, Los Angeles, just off the Strand.

The Hermosa Beach Pier boardwalk on a foggy yet beautiful day.

Hermosa Beach, California

Hermosa Beach is an adorable little beach town. The Hermosa Beach Pier is the main spot in town, and nearby you’ll find loads of excellent places to eat, drink, and shop. One weird quirk that I’ve never understood is that all of the street signs are in a sort of Lord of the Rings font, which is super adorable.

Here are some other sweet truth bombs about Hermosa Beach:

  • A very long time ago, Hermosa Beach was a lot of farmland and barley, with herds of sheep and the occasional horse roaming about. Picture a sheep on the beach. How cute is that?
  • The very first Hermosa Beach pier was built in 1904 out of, presumably, driftwood and dental floss. It quickly washed away and was replaced in 1913 with a much more robust version.
  • Hermosa Beach has an average of 325 days of sunshine a year, and the rest of them are all misty, gray, and foggy. We can attest that it’s still really pretty, even in the fog.
  • There is a Surf Hostel on the Hermosa Beach Pier! Check it out!

Gnarly facts, bro. Your first stop in Hermosa Beach is a little bit before the pier and just off the Strand.

Surfer statue in Hermosa Beach Pier on the Strand, South Bay, Los Angeles, California

Just a mad chill surfer bro statue in Hermosa Beach, California. Hang ten, dudes.

Hot’s Kitchen in Hermosa Beach

     It might be a little off the pier, but even locals agree: Hot’s Kitchen has the biggest beer selection in Hermosa Beach. Taps range from local selections to ubiquitous domestic beers and even some imports. You’ll find beer flights available, plus daily $4 craft beer “Dank Deals” (that’s what they’re actually called. You’re in Los Angeles, remember?).

Here are a couple locally brewed South Bay craft beer recommendations:

After Hot’s Kitchen, ride your bike to the Hermosa Beach pier and lock it. You’re hoofing it for a little while.

Street signs in Hermosa Beach, California

Check out these quirky street signs! All of the street signs in Hermosa Beach have this incredibly cute little Lord of the Rings style font. Which I love because I’m a giant nerd.

Abigaile’s in Hermosa Beach

     A block or two up from the Hermosa Beach Pier is Abigaile’s. Part craft brewery, part fine dining, part… punk rock? Totally, dude. It might sound like an identity crisis, but this place owns it. They serve up craft beers brewed in house (you’ll see the actual brewery equipment behind the bar!), locally brewed beer selections from around Los Angeles and California, and incredible food like bone marrow, chicken and waffles, and goat cheese brussel sprouts. You know, the kind of stuff that make our foodie, hipster ears perk up.

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     On weekends the place is packed with brunch goers, but by the time you arrive, they should have died down. Grab a seat at the bar to make it easier, and order a beer flight. This is a good place to grab some snacks as well (but save dinner for the next spot). Lia really likes the sausage stuffed fried olives. I, on the other hand, think olives are best served in the trash, so it’s your call.

Beer flight at Hook & Plow in Hermosa Beach, California, on the Strand in South Bay.

Everything is better when served on a California shaped wood slab. Especially locally brewed craft beer at Hook & Plow in Hermosa Beach, California.

Hook & Plow in Hermosa Beach

     Located a couple blocks up Pier Avenue, this place seems to have been made for us. The decor is all wood, succulents, and Mason jars (we’re stereotypes, and I’m not even mad about it). Another pointless reason we love this place? Their flights are served on California shaped wood boards. We have the same one at home, because everyone in California is obsessed with California. You can buy your very ownCalifornia wood board on Amazon too! Anyway, their flights are $12, and you’ll find some excellent selections. These were our faves:

  • Blood Orange Amber Ale from The Dudes in Torrance, CA. Tastes like an orange creamsicle.
  • The Patsy Coconut Rye Stout from Barley Forge Brewing Company in Costa Mesa, CA. A light bodied stout that tasted like coconut cream.

If you’re getting hungry for dinner, this is the spot. The food is on the pricier side, but it’s worth every penny. If you can, arrive around happy hour (3-6PM on weekdays). Our food recommendations (I’m not going to lie. We ate here like 8 times):

  • Seafood Chowder: It has bacon in it and it’s amazing.
  • Furikake House Fries: Truffle oil, seaweed flakes, parmesan, and incredible house made ketchup and mustard.
  • 30H pulled pork sandwich: braised with craft beer, of course.
  • Flat iron steak: with fingerling potatoes and smoky grilled piquillo peppers
  • Pear and burrata salad: with truffle oil and hazelnuts. Add scallops, too.

Save dessert for another spot. Chill, bro – we totes gotcha covered. Fersh.

Clock tower in Hermosa Beach, California, on the Strand in South Bay.

These gorgeous old clocks on the pier, as well as beachy street art, add charm and character to quirky little Hermosa Beach, California.

     Now is a good time to take a little breather and walk down the pier (and look for the resident dolphins). If it’s around sundown, definitely find a spot on the beach to relax and watch the sun set. Hermosa Beach’s sunsets are breathtaking, and no trip to California is complete without watching an ocean sunset. If you’re lucky, some mad chill surfer dude with a ukelele will be serving up chill vibes nearby. (That’s not like, a joke. That’s realistic. One time I went surfing in Hermosa and as I walked back across the beach, a surfer bro with a guitar gave me the hang 10 and asked if it was “crunchy” out there. It was totes crunchy that day, actually.)

After your romantic moment of California happiness (peace and love, brother!), hop back on those bikes and continue up the Strand towards Manhattan Beach.

Manhattan Beach Pier by demxx, on Flickr
Photo Credit: “Manhattan Beach Pier” (CC BY 2.0) by demxx

Manhattan Beach, California

Redondo Beach has its docks and marina charm; Hermosa Beach has chill, grungy surfer vibes; Manhattan Beach is, by comparison, posh. It shares the same love of beach volleyball and surfing as its neighbor beach towns along the Strand, but it’s decidedly more upper crust. Its hilly downtown can be explored from the starting point of the gorgeous Manhattan Beach Pier.

Here are some useless facts about Manhattan Beach that probably won’t be relevant to you at all:

  • Their school districts are REALLY good. There’s like 8 different school rankings on their Wikipedia page.
  • Speaking of their schools, Hannah Montana’s school was actually on location here in Manhattan Beach. You’ll catch views of the Manhattan Beach Pier in the show’s intro, too.
  • Some other notable TV shows and movies filmed in Manhattan Beach: Starsky & Hutch, Tequila Sunrise, Veronica Mars, Jerry Maguire, Point Break, Against All Odds, and the video for White Walls by Macklemore. And a bunch more.
  • The Beach Boys used to hang out and surf in Manhattan Beach, and they mention it in Surfin’ USA.

Totes chill, dudes. Chyea! Anyway, park your bike at the pier and hike up the hill to the next stop.

Cali Creamin vanilla cream ale at Brewco in Manhattan Beach, South Bay, Los Angeles California

This is the Cali Creamin’ nitro vanilla cream ale. Its incredibly foamy head tastes like Butterbeer. SO good!

Brewco in Manattan Beach

The penultimate stop on the tour is a tap house and sports bar with a rotating So-Cal craft beer menu. When we visited, they offered 2 pre-set beer flights. If you’ve had your fill of California craft beers (bummer, dude) Brewco has a great selection of Belgian beers. But in the spirit of keeping it local, these were our fave craft brewed California beers:

  • The Nothing Imperial Stout from Smog City Brewing in Torrance, CA. Aged on raw cacao nibs. Dark and bitter. Just like my heart. What? I’m totes JK, dudes.
  • Cali Creamin’ Nitro Cream Ale from Mother Earth Brew Co. in Vista, CA. This delicious vanilla cream ale has a frothy, creamy vanilla head that reminded me of Butterbeer (like, at Harry Potter world in Universal Studios. You know. The good stuff.) It was definitely one of our absolute favorites of the day.

Down your beers and hit the street one last time for the very last stop on our craft beer bar crawl!

Simmzy's beer flight in Manhattan Beach, South Bay, Los Angeles, California.

The beer flight at Simmzy’s is served on a tiny surfboard, because of course it is. I love you, South Bay!

Simmzy’s in Manhattan Beach

Our very last stop on The South Bay Craft Beer & Bikes Bar Crawl is Simmzy’s, which is a totally chill sports bar with, of course, a fantastic selection of locally brewed craft beers. There are 24 drafts on tap. These were our faves:

  • Mocha Machine Porter by Beachwood BBQ from Long Beach, CA. Smells like coffee, tastes like coffee.
  • Gypsy Tart Brown Sour by Bruery Terreux from Anaheim, CA. Flanders-style brown ale; tart, sour, dark and syrupy.

You did it, bro! Celebrate your success by drunkenly inhaling a stuffed Apple Caramel Doughnut from Simmzy’s. Or, if you need a pick-me-up, stop by Manhattan Beach Creamery for a cupcake and a Cold Brew Nitro Float (that’s coffee with an ice cream float, not beer).

The apple caramel stuffed donut from Simmzy's in Manhattan Beach, California, in South Bay, Los Angeles.

The apple stuffed doughnut covered with salted caramel, chopped pistachios, and vanilla ice cream from Simmzy’s is incredible after a long day of drinking a ton of craft beer. Or like, anytime.

The South Bay Craft Beer & Bikes Bar Crawl: Locations

Here’s a handy list of all the places along the Strand that you’ll be visiting on this self-guided craft beer bar crawl. But to make it even easier, we’ve compiled the entire post into a handy dandy FREE printable map with directions (and a Google Map, in case you’re more of a digital dude).  I know, we’re the best, right? Sign up to below to have the map delivered straight to your inbox.

  • Hook & Plow: 425 Pier Ave, Hermosa Beach CA | Open 11 AM-10 PM daily
  • Brewco: 124 Manhattan Beach Blvd, Manhattan Beach, CA | Closes at 11pm
  • Simmzy’s: 229 Manhattan Beach Blvd, Manhattan Beach, CA | Closes at 11pm
  • Manhattan Beach Creamery: 1120 Manhattan Beach Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA | Closes at 10, 11 on weekends

Looking for even more amazing South Bay craft beer breweries? Local expert Craft Beer Guy has a comprehensive list of South Bay breweries! And if you’d like to spend more time in Los Angeles, here’s a quick guide to Fun Things to Do in Los Angeles, aka the World’s Worst City (look, we didn’t come up with the name. But it’s true. Don’t hate us, we’re NorCal). 

Hey, we’d love to hear how your bar crawl turns out. Tell us all of your ridiculous bar crawl stories in the comments below!

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A self-guided craft beer bike tour on the Strand in South Bay, Los Angeles! Drink locally brewed craft beer in Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Manhattan Beach.

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Comments

  1. Vrithi Pushkar says: March 18, 2017 at 5:03 pm

    I love Craft beer. I need to do this when in California. Thank you!

    Reply
  2. kellybarcus says: March 26, 2017 at 4:49 am

    The Strand is one of our favorite places to ride our beach cruisers. And love the idea of making your own pub or food crawl. We did that once in SF where we rented bikes and rode from chocolate shop to chocolate shop! It was so much fun!

    Reply
    • Lia says: March 27, 2017 at 5:53 pm

      That’s an awesome idea! Although the hills in SF make biking a much more challenging task. The Strand is quite a bit easier for a novice bike rider like me!

      Reply
  3. Eloise - MyFavouriteEscapes.com says: March 26, 2017 at 1:12 pm

    I’d love to visit California one day. And now that I’ve read your article about all the craft beers, I’m even more interested!!!!! 😉

    Reply
    • Lia says: March 27, 2017 at 5:52 pm

      We’re only slightly biased, but California is the best place in the entire world and you should definitely come visit 🙂

      Reply
  4. Dhaval Parmar says: March 27, 2017 at 12:09 pm

    This is an incredible and comprehensive list! Totally bookmarking this for the next time we visit there!

    Reply
  5. Luke Marlin | Backstreet Nomad says: April 3, 2017 at 8:09 am

    This is such a great guide, I just wish I had read it before I was in CA last December!

    Reply
  6. Lloyd Brown says: April 13, 2017 at 7:17 pm

    Thanks for the mention; cheers!

    The Craft Beer Guy 😉

    Reply
  7. Dan Clinton says: July 27, 2017 at 1:31 pm

    This looks awesome.
    The link for map isn’t working, any idea why?

    Reply
    • Lia says: July 28, 2017 at 4:48 pm

      You’re totally right, thanks for calling that to my attention! I removed the links. Instead, please use the forms to get your downloadable map. It’ll be sent right to your inbox!

      Reply

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Meet Lia & Jeremy

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  • Jeremy and I are the kind of people who get aggressively competitive about things that most other (normal) people wouldn't consider competitions. Like karaoke. Or stand-up paddleboarding. Or berry picking. Or who ordered a better meal at a restaurant. Literally anything. . We don't even necessarily compete against each other. If we can turn something into a game, with points or strategy or a way to "win" or "lose," chances are we're gonna get competitive about it, much to the chagrin of any non-competitive friends or family members who might happen to be in our vicinity. . We developed this tendency scarily early in our relationship. Within 2 weeks of dating one another, we realized that we shared one important thing in common: we both do a REALLY good Creed impression, specifically when it comes to singing "With Arms Wide Open." So obviously, we headed to a karaoke bar to duke it out on stage. (Jeremy is the reigning champion.) . I also planned a massive, day-long Scavenger Hunt for Jeremy to celebrate Valentine's Day together BEFORE WE WERE EVEN OFFICIAL. It was as over-the-top as you can get: there were rhyming handmade clues, the involvement of multiple friends & family members that I'd barely met, and a stop at every place we'd been to together (all 6 of them. This was like, a month into us dating). It was AMAZINGLY over the top. Any other guy might have run the other way at this ridiculous display of affection, but Jeremy is my soulmate, so he was wildly impressed (and swears he will one day one-up my Scavenger Hunt with one of his own, likely involving plane tickets). . When it comes to Disney, we've been longing for something to make our Disneyland trips EPIC. Sure,our incredibly specific Disney Strategy helps, as does competitively finding Hidden Mickeys. But what we really needed was a game. Somethine to give us an excuse to DESTROY one another. To WIN. But we couldn't find one that wasn't laughably easy or targetted to kids. So ... we made our own! . Yep. That's right. We've made the most epic Disney Scavenger Hunts EVER, and we can't WAIT to tell you all about them. . But first ... tell me: what do you get weirdly competitive about? Spill!
  • All those years ago as a Cast Member, Walt Disney World was my stomping ground. I still get a little teary-eyed when I see the castle in the intro of Disney movies, because it feels like my old home. For that matter, so does Hogwarts, but I digress. . Even though Disney World in Orlando was once my home, Disneyland in Anaheim, California is closer to my home NOW. Much closer. Like, a few hours south, conveniently located near multiple family members. Muahaha. Well done, family. . We're not baller status so we don't have season tickets (to anything, just like ... generally speaking) but we do try to go at least once per year. Jeremy even finagled a trip once as the chaperone of his students' Grad Nite, because if you go to high school in California you get to go to Disneyland all night, apparently. I'll add that to my lengthy list of YET ANOTHER THING I missed out on by growing up in Kentucky instead of California, along with having O.C. lookalikes as classmates, frolicking with dolphins on my lunch break, and learning to identify non-predatory jellyfish on sight. . Here's the thing about Disneyland versus Disney World: It's a LOT smaller. That's not a downside, though. Thanks to its size, you can actually see the parks (there are 2!) all in one (long) day. . We've just published a brand new post with our favorite tips to help you take your next Disneyland trip to a whole new level. AND, we're debuting our FAVORITE way to experiencing the parks: via Scavenger Hunt, of course! Stay tuned for more info... or check out the link in our bio for a sneak preview. . Since we're sharing our Disneyland secrets, we want to know yours! What's your favorite Disney Parks tip? (Non-Disney people: what's your favorite Disney movie? Come on, join in on the love.) . . . #DameTraveler #wearetravelgirls #sheisnotlost #GirlsWhoTravel #girlslovetravel #sheexplores #WomenWhoExplore #radgirlslife #thetravelwomen #girlsvsglobe #femaletravelbloggers #girlsjustwannatravel #ladiesgoneglobal #wearetravelladies #girlaroundworld #girlsthatwander #disneyland #disneylandresort #disneygram #disneylovers #disneylove #disneyfan #disneylife #disneymagic #disneylandpark #disneylandcalifornia
  • As you can see, I managed to find the most Instagrammable macaron in all of Disneyland. I known, you're amazed - please hold your applause until the end of this post 😉 . This macaron was calling my name at the Holly Jolly Bakery (it's Mary Poppins themed, for y'all not in the know. And yes, it's adorable). It was like a sign, and the sign said "Millennial Pink Macaron $5.99." (No, it really did. Check the story on my highlights if you don't believe me). I thought to myself, self, there's no sense fighting it: the marketing team at Disney clearly GETS ME. . I bought that Millennial Pink macaron entirely, like 10000%, for the 'gram. It tasted like student loan debt and never being able to afford a house, but it sparkled in the sunlight like a diamond. 💎❤ . Here's the thing about Theme Park food: sometimes it's overpriced cardboard, but sometimes it's SO GOOD and exactly what you need on a hot day of rides and fun. Disney Parks food is in the "SO GOOD" category. It's genuinely amazing. It also happens to be highly photogenic, which is convenient AF for anyone looking to take pictures of themselves holding stuff in front of stuff *ahem*. . Other than waxing poetic about 'gram foods, I do have quite a few Disneyland foodie favorites. Like churros. And Dole Whips. And the Monte Christo Sandwhich at the Blue Bayou cafe. And Mickey Bars! Omg, Mickey Bars 😍those things actually manage to taste better as they melt all over your hand. Remarkable. . What about you - what are your favorite theme park foods, Disney or otherwise? Drop me a comment! . . . . #disneyland #disneylandresort #disneygram #disneylovers #disneylove #disneyfan #disneylife #disneymagic #disney #disneylandpark #disneylandcalifornia #disneystyle #anaheim #disneyparks #disneypark #disneylandforever #disneylandanaheim #disneyexperience #disneymemories #tastespotting #disneyforever #disneyside #disneyfood #darlingescapes #wheretofindme #passionpassport #femaletravelbloggers #disneyaddict #disnerd #disneyig
  • I've traveled all over, but I'll always think of Disney as the most magical place on earth. I drank the Kool-Aid HARD back when I was a Cast Member, y'all! But once you go Disney, you never go back, and I've gone WAY down this rabbit hole. . I was a WDW Cast Member the semester that I turned 21. It's been 7 years, and I still struggle not to refer to little girls and boys as Princes and Princesses when I'm strolling through the parks. Luckily, I dropped the 2-finger point a few years back - otherwise I'd probably still have people coming up to me and asking "what time is the 3 o'clock parade?" (YES, this is the #1 most common question that guests ask Cast Members, and it still makes my head explode). . Unlike me, Jeremy grew up going to Disneyland. It's his Disney "home." So on our most recent Disney vacation in May, I let him show me the ropes. I learned all kinds of tips and tricks (Disneyland and Disney World really are quite different, as it turns out), and together we created something REALLY exciting that I can't WAIT to tell y'all about. But I'm gonna stretch it out over like 83 pictures because hello, that's how this works, and also because I have a LOT of cute pictures I want to share and that's a pretty good excuse. . Have you ever been to Disneyland or Disney World? If you've been to both, which is your favorite? If you've never been to either, WHY WON'T YOU DRINK THE KOOLAID WITH US?!?!?! Drop us a comment below! . #sponsored #disneyland #disneylandresort
  • For the 2nd summer in a row, I came home. Like, HOME home: Louisville, Kentucky. Some people crave the beach or somewhere exotic and strange - I crave the familiar. I crave nostalgia. I crave friends and family and "y'all" and bourbon and summer weather and strangers striking up conversations and people letting me over when I put on my turn signal and stopping to let deer cross the road and seeing horses around every corner and the slow, heavy current of the Ohio River. Louisville runs through my veins, and I come back as often as I can. I took this picture in the garden of my childhood home. It's like, HOME home. You know what I mean? . This visit home comes right on the tail end of a series of trips, all back to back, and right before a big trip abroad (more on that later). This is my new life as a full-time travel blogger, and to be honest, I'm still getting used to it. Traveling this frequently means I have to pull out all my tricks to make myself look presentable, because spoilers: I've pretty much been carrying the same suitcase full of clothes around for 2 months now. . To keep myself looking like a Regular Person who has a job and rent to pay (which I do! I swear!), I roll my clothes (never fold!). I unpack the minute I arrive at my next destination. And I carry a small battalion of Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus with me to disguise the inevitable creases that appear in everything I own. I don't want to have to worry about much more than throwing on my clothes and heading out to see friends and family and explore my beloved hometown, so having these tools in my arsenal helps me from looking like a person who's been living out of a suitcase for the past few months (not to mention, a whole year before that). . Do you have any tips for looking fresh when you travel? Drop me a comment below! . #sponsored @downywrinklereleaserplus #spraytugsmooth #NoIronRequired #AlwaysLookYourBest #SprayOutWrinkles
  • Cayucos is the kind of place you go to escape the many, many stresses of the world. Life moves slowly here – this is SLO-Cal, after all – and you can feel your troubles drift away with the waves crashing on the beach. If Gilmore Girls had been filmed in California, it could have been filmed here. This homey, simple life beach vibe is why many families return to Cayucos year after year, visiting the same beloved places and reveling in the same beloved charm. . Before our most recent trip to Cayucos, our experience was mostly limited to surfing and eating cookies. (Oh, did I mention? There's a BOMB cookie company in Cayucos, Brown Butter Cookie Company, and we're obsessed with it.) . But our recent trip opened our eyes to the many charms of Cayucos. A quaint little main street filled with historic buildings turned into delicious farm-to-table (and sea to fork) restaurants. A slew of amazing antique shops selling everything from beach-house themed housewares to vintage finds with a cowboy feel. The pier, where you can watch surfers and dolphins and even catch migrating whales as they pass through on their twice annual migration. Our hosts, the @shorelineinn_cayucos, with a beautiful inn located right on the beach. And the people! Friendly, hospitable, and eager to tell you about the history of Cayucos, to share what the town means to them, and to explain why it's so incredibly special. . Cayucos is a must-visit stop on the Pacific Coast Highway. Blink as you zoom through and you might pass right through it, but stop and stay for a few days and we think you'll find its charm is undeniable, just like we did! . #sponsored #cayucos #VisitSLO #centralcoast #SLOcal #SLOcounty #PassionPassport #LetsGoSomewhere #welltravelled #travelDeeper #californiaadventure #californiadreamin #californialove #calivibes #californiacoast#visitcalifornia #californiaholics#explorecalifornia #caliexplored #igerscalifornia#relaxyoureincali #calilife #ShareSLO #TheGlobeWanderer #girlsvsglobe #LovetoTravel #DameTraveler #wearetravelgirls #sheisnotlost #GirlsWhoTravel
  • Jeremy and I both have the tendency to be workaholics. Most nights, you'll find us at home on the couch, furiously tapping away on our respective Macbooks, with some awful reality TV show playing on the projector until one of us drags the other one to bed an hour after we meant to turn in. Workaholicism (sp) is one side effect of loving your job - it doesn't feel like work when you love it! Well, until you've been working non-stop 14-hour days for like, a month straight, and it hits you like a ton of bricks and oh my god, you NEED a break.⠀ .⠀ It's times like those when we're even more grateful than usual to live in California, where weekend getaways abound, and everything you could ever want is just a few hours away. Want some snow-topped mountains? Maybe some Jurassic Park-esque forest with giant trees and massive ferns? Perhaps a nice desert? A giant lake? Wine country? Or maybe a beautiful, white sand beach with perfect waves (just a few minutes away from wine country)?⠀ .⠀ Before we were travel bloggers, Jeremy and I spent most of our weekends exploring California. We were out finding "hidden gems" before we ever wrote the words "hidden gem." Now, of course, we've written it so many times our eyes are permanently crossed and the phrase just sounds like gibberish.⠀ .⠀ Now that travel is Lia's full time job, it seems rare just to have a weekend at home. But sometimes, in between flights and international trips and adventures and catching up on laundry, we find the time to steal away on a little weekend getaway. To return to our roots. To hop in a car after work on a Friday, turn on our "Driving in California" playlist, and drive off into the sunset, only stopping for In N Out and gas before finally pulling in to somewhere new and exciting sometime after midnight. ⠀ .⠀ Cayucos, California was one of those perfect California getaways. Check out the link in our bio for 12 charming things to do in this beautiful little beach town 4 hours south of San Francisco. ⠀ .⠀ Do you like to take weekend getaways? Where is your favorite place to escape to?
  • As a stereotypical Californian, Jeremy grew up surfing (and wearing fish shirts, I guess). The first place he EVER went surfing was right here in Cayucos, California. It was magical: the air was heavy with fog, all was quiet except for waves and the occasional call of a gull, and as he waited to catch his first wave, a dolphin appeared. They became best friends and frolicked together and this is the story that Flipper is based on. . OK, I'm slightly exaggerating. But there really was a dolphin, and his first ever surfing experience was freakin' magical. . Many years later, he attempted to share his favorite California pastime with his Kentucky wife. Here's what happened: I attempted to squeeze myself into a size M wetsuit (LOL) because apparently the employees at the surf shop had never seen a fat girl before. Then, it took me a full 45 minutes to actually paddle my way out to the right spot, by which time I was cranky and my arms were aching. Every 5 seconds, freezing cold saltwater would splash in my face, causing me to shriek and nearly flop off my board. . Before I could even attempt to catch my first wave, a cluster of menacing jellyfish appeared .5 inches from my face. They waved their angry little tentacles at me. They bobbed terrifyingly in my general direction. I immediately knew I was going to die. . In the blink of an eye, I unshackled my leg from its massive, surfboard-shaped anchor and bolted to shore faster than any wave could take me, screaming my head off. The fear of those gelatanous little monsters chased me all the way back to shore. . I was later informed by my patient husband that they were a harmless species of jelly. Apparently, Jellyfish Idenfitcation is one of the things you learn when you grow up in California. . Needless to say, that was the last time I ever went surfing. These days, I prefer to swim next to Jeremy instead - the better to help him watch for dolphins, jellyfish, and quality waves. . Have you ever been surfing? Are you a mer-person like Jeremy, or do you agree with me that it is a terrible sport made for incredibly athletic people and Californians? Drop me a comment below!

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