Cali Dream

We started the trip doing what we love most: walking to explore the city. But I have to confess one thing: walking in San Francisco requires a lot of energy and determination. You might see on the map that a place is just 5 minutes away and think, 'I can walk there,' but then you come across a hill that really challenges your physical strength.
We chose the Hotel Majestic, and I could not be happier. This hotel has an amazing location, and you can easily go to each side of the city. Also, the staff was so kind and helpful. We could visit some places by walking, train, and Uber. They already had breakfast on our tariff and a huge bedroom and bathroom. Everything a traveler needs when travelling.

From all the places that we visited (and I listed below), I have to point out what I love the most:
1) Alamo Square and the Painted Ladies are on the same block, and they are beautiful. The view that you can get of the city is OMG. No words to it. Just trust me and go!

2) Mission Dolores Park is the place where you can sit and enjoy the view for hours. Maybe a picnic, a friend reunion, or see the sunset. And I definitely suggest that before leaving this area, you walk to Tartine Bakery and pick up some sweets to go. I know the line is huge, but it's worth it!

3) The Golden Gate Bridge is a must-see, of course. My tip is: if you have two or more days in San Francisco, you should try to see it on your first day. If you go on day one and it is foggy, you still will have another shot on other days. Someone had given me this tip, and I thought I should only see the open sky and go, but I couldn't explain why, but we were on Mission Dolores, and it was a blue sky, but when we took an Uber and went to the bridge, it was completely foggy! And DO NOT go in the mornings. Go on afternoons after 1 pm, which increases your chances of seeing without the fog.

4) Walking on Embarcadero is so beautiful and calm. You should definitely do it if you have time. Also, if you like to walk, you can walk from there to other Piers.

5) Chinatown is fascinating and so full of places, cultures and food. We stayed there for a few hours and loved it.

6) Fisherman's Wharf has good options for entertainment and food. It could be a great stop to play, eat, and see Alcaraz Prison.

7) I recommend taking a cheese bread and a coffee at Cafe de Casa (Brazilian coffeehouse) and going to Ghirardelli Square to get the most famous Hot Fudge Sundae. This is definitely the best Sundae that I already had.

On the third day, we took a plane to Los Angeles and were already very surprised by the great weather and blue sky.

To explore this area, I suggest that you rent a car to make the most of your trip, as we did. Things can be very far in LA, and you also get a lot of traffic depending on the time of day, so be calm and relaxed on the day.

Since we love the beach, we decided to stay in Santa Monica, but we went to LA and spent the entire day there enjoying ourselves. I honestly suggest doing this, not only because the vibe in Santa Monica is wonderful (as are the restaurants), but also because I found LA quite expensive.

We stayed at the Ocean View Hotel, which not only had the amazing view of the beach, but also had the BEST location. We did not use the car in Santa Monica, because everything we needed was so close! We could go to Target, restaurants, coffee shops, pharmacies, you just cross the street, and you arrive at the Santa Monica Pier. The service was good and the bedroom was clean.

About LA, this was what I definitely recommend going to and why:

1. Griffith Park has the most AMAZING view of the city. You can not leave LA without going there. It is totally free to access the area (you just pay if you want to go inside the observatory), and the sunset and sunrise here its STUNNING. Especially for the sunset, I recommend going earlier and guaranteeing your spot, because it can be full of people.

3. To get your dream photo with the Hollywood sign, you can try (as I did) at these places:

4. 1) Griffith Park

5. 2) Dolby Theatre

6. 3) Lake Hollywood Park, where I definitely got the best pic of the sign. It can be a little difficult to park, but I thought it it worth it to wait your spot.

8. The Walk of Fame gives you a lot of entertainment, looking for your favorite artists and celebrities. It is so fun to find some people. Also, the Dolby Theatre is right there, and it is nice to see the place of the Oscars, and be at the famous stairs. This place also has an open-air shopping center where you can have something to eat and rest a little.

10. The Beverly Hills Area and Park is a great place to slow down a little bit, enjoy the gardens, and see these great houses. We liked this area so much that we went twice. Also, the Rodeo Drive is in the same place, and you can walk everywhere because it is less than 5 blocks.

12. To have a great meal, I recommend going to the Grove and having Lunch at Sogno Toscano Restaurant. This spot seems to take you on a trip to Italy, enjoy great food and vibes.

We started the day around Malibu and finalized on Venice Beach.
We started the day driving on the beautiful Pacific Palisades. I hope someday we could come back to do it all, but with a baby girl, we thought it would be too much. But I highly recommend that you do it, if you can.

Our first stop was Las Tunas Beach and the Malibu Pier. The place was full of surfers enjoying the waves. It was very nice to sit and see.

Close to it, we went to Adamson House and Museum, where you can walk through great gardens and take great pictures.

Zuma Beach is also a great beach to stay for a while, enjoy the view, and the sea.

Venice Beach was our last activity of the day, and we had a blast here. We walked from our hotel to the beach (it was a 15-minute walk), super easy to do it and you can also ride a bike or skate (if you are into). We stopped at the Peruvian Bowl and had the best Ceviche bowl in years. Healthy, light, and delicious.

On our walk back to the hotel, we were surprised by a beautiful sunset, which perfectly ended the day.

Santa Monica is a delightful beach that appeals to everyone. Whether you enjoy good food, exercising, enjoying the beach, going out at night, or relaxing by the sea... I would go back countless times!

You can not leave Santa Monica without going to the Pier. This is the place to eat, drink, take pics, relax, and have a lot of fun. There is a park inside, a lot of food, and places to sit.

I was surprised by how beautiful and organized the Santa Monica State Beach is. You can enjoy the sand, take good walks, ride a bike, run, play some sports, and enjoy the sea. The water was clean, and the sea was good for swimming as well.

At night, I strongly recommend going to downtown or the Third Street Promenade to eat, drink, and enjoy the night. There are so many good options of restaurants to go to that I leave the city with FOMO feeling. My top recommendations are:

• Kazunori - Surreal sushi and Temaki. This place is always full and has a line, but it's worth it.

• UOVO - very good Italian food and service.

• Bay Cities Italian Bakery - It is like a market and also a sandwich shop with very good options to go. We bought two to have dinner, and it was perfect. They are HUGE; one sandwich can serve two people, depending on how hungry they are.

• Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee - SPETACULAR Doughnuts. We went twice because we loved this food.

1. The last thing I recommend is taking a stroll through Palisades Park to enjoy incredible views and add it to your travel memories. You might see some street performers and enjoy a bit of music as well, creating the best vibe.