Off-Beat Travel Blog
Ah, whales: these majestic, enormous marine mammals have been immortalized in our culture in everything to Moby Dick to Finding Nemo. California is the best whale watching destination in the United States, with about 20,000 gray whales making their annual swim down the coast. In this post, you’ll discover the best destinations for whale watching in California, plus everything you need to know to plan your trip!
Crisp autumn air. Crunchy leaves. Brightly colored foliage. Pumpkins, apples and spooky season – I love EVERYTHING about fall! Just one problem: we live in California, where October is obnoxiously hot and sunny. Thankfully, over the last decade I’ve learned where to find fall in California (and to ignore the fact that it’s also tarantula mating season). So here’s the ultimate guide to where to go for fall foliage, pumpkin picking, apple orchards, and a California specialty – grape stomping!
Sheer cliffs. Towering redwoods. Playful otters. Foggy beaches. Driving the Pacific Coast Highway is not only one of the best California road trips: it’s one of the best road trips in the world! And for Jeremy, it’s home: the Pacific Coast Highway runs through the middle of his hometown. Although we’ve driven Highway One dozens of times, on each road trip we stumble upon new hidden spots, points of interest, towns to explore, and restaurants to return to again and again. We’ve included them all in our massive guide to the best Pacific Coast Highway stops!
Barking sea lions. Salty air. Waves crashing on critter-filled tidepools. Driving Pacific Coast Highway is the most beautiful road trip in the entire world (we’re biased, but it’s true). This massive 10-day California coast road trip itinerary covers all of our favorite Californian things: sunny beaches and foggy coastline, swaying palm trees and towering redwoods, playful otters and flomping elephant seals, fresh oysters and vintage wines – there’s even a clothing-optional hot spring, if you’re up for it. Here’s everything you need to know about driving Highway One (aka the Pacific Coast Highway)!
Snowy mountains. Powdery slopes. A shimmering alpine lake. Semi-creepy frontier history. Every year for the last 7 years, we’ve visited Lake Tahoe for a weekend of snowy fun, skiing, and hot tubbing! Although Lake Tahoe has a reputation for being pricey, it absolutely does NOT have to be! We’ve created the guide we wished we had when we moved here almost a decade ago, with ALL the things you need to know about planning a Lake Tahoe winter trip on a budget. From how to plan a trip to Lake Tahoe affordably, to which ski resorts to visit, to what to do if you don’t ski or snowboard, to all the things nobody tells you about visiting Lake Tahoe, this massive guide has everything you need! See you on the slopes this season *insert guitar riff and cringey 80’s ski montage here.*
Crisp mountain air. Shimmering lakes. Scenic drives. Colorful fall foliage. Welcome to June Lake, California: a rustic, quirky little mountain town in the high Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains packed with scenic trails, awe-inspiring views, and alpine lakes. This Eastern Sierras getaway has some of the best fall foliage in the state, plus skiing, snowboarding, fishing, hiking, hot springs, and more! Also, it’s kinda haunted, which we consider a major plus. Here’s 12 things to do in this charming mountain village getaway!
