Garagiste Wine Festival in Paso Robles
Most people who know me know I love wine. But more than the actual drink, I love the friendships and conversations built around wine. It's been a form of bonding with my female friends and having wine nights began nourishing amazing friendships. So we headed to Paso Robles for the Garagiste Wine Festival for a weekend of fun!
California Oktoberfest at Alpine Village
Alpine Village, in Torrance, California, is about 20 minutes south of Los Angeles. The Steinhaus Tavern at the village was built by European immigrants over 50 years ago and serves craft beers and homemade sausages year-round. There is also a German Market that is open year-round with a butcher, bakery, and other imported items. They have special festivals at Easter and Christmas as well as different beer festivals. But it's their Oktoberfest that won me over! 50 people ban together to build the 32,000 sq.ft. tent in the parking lot of Alpine Village to accommodate the 60,000+ people that come to Oktoberfest each year.
Ziplining Near Yosemite National Park
Yosemite Ziplines and Adventures is a family-owned and operated ziplining ranch and is about 1 hour away from the east entrance of Yosemite off Highway 140 near the town of Mariposa. It was a perfect way to escape the busy summer Saturday Yosemite crowd.
Hiking to Half Dome in Yosemite National Park
The Half Dome hike has amazing scenery with up close views of Vernal and Nevada Fall. Whatever your level or desire, there are multiple hikes and stopping points along the Mist Trail and you can turn around at any time. So here is a breakdown of the hike up to Half Dome and some facts you'll need if you're lucky enough to get to the summit!
Bridge to Nowhere Hike
The Bridge to Nowhere hike was one of those mysterious, must-do hikes that I seemed to hear about as soon as I moved to Los Angeles. This hike is epic for a reason! It's beautiful, rugged, filled with river crossings, bungee jumpers, a beautiful bridge and even some waterfalls and swimming holes! I never thought I could find this type of terrain so close to LA!
Trying the Flying Trapeze in Santa Monica
I am afraid of heights, always have been, always will be. Yet, it's never stopped me from attempting to conquer them. From jumping off buildings in stunt shows to hiking to the top of Angels Landing, I've managed to drag my jello legs to staggering heights and do my best to not to look down. So why not try the flying trapeze?
Hidden Valley Hike - Joshua Tree National Park
The next stop was the popular Hidden Valley Trail. This hike is a popular one for many reasons, it's surrounded by picnic areas and a nearby campground, it's right off the main road, it's only a one mile loop, and it's a gorgeous nature walk that is well maintained and easy for all levels.
49 Palms Oasis Hike at Joshua Tree National Park
49 Palms Oasis is a 3-mile roundtrip hike to a fan palm oasis and takes between 2-3 hours to complete. It's considered moderately strenuous and ascends 300 feet each way. This hike has it's own access road off Park Boulevard and therefore does not require an entrance fee.
Emerald Pools Hike- Zion National Park
The Emerald Pools hike is an easy and quick hike that is great for all ages and hiking abilities. There are three stops along the way; the lower, middle, and upper pools so you can plan your hike accordingly or hit all three for a 3 mile roundtrip hike. This is one of the parks most popular hikes so it gets very crowded on the narrow parts of the trail, but it is worth every busy step.
Hiking The Narrows - Zion National Park
The Narrows is one of the most unique and beautiful hikes in America. It was ranked #5 in National Geographic's America's Best 100 Adventures. This gorge runs along the Virgin River in Zion National Park. The entire trail is 16 miles in length and goes from the Temple of Sinawava to Chamberlains Ranch where there is a campground for two-day hikers.
Angels Landing Hike, or the SCARIEST HIKE EVER!
I knew the Angels Landing hike was going to test me. Zion National Park is a part of the Mighty 5 parks in Utah (Arches, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Canyonlands, and Capital Reef). Located about 3 hours from Las Vegas, we were able to get there, park, take the shuttle to the visitor center, and then shuttle to The Grotto (the start point for Angles Landing) by noon.
Big Bear California Winter Travel Guide
For being so close to Los Angeles, this recreational town was the perfect weekend getaway. Big Bear Lake has a little bit of everything from sports and adventure, to shopping and relaxing, to great food and cabins. In the summertime, the lake is used for jet-skiing, water skiing, fishing, and other water sports.
The Pacific Crest Trail and the Wild Effect
With award season in full gear and Oscar buzz for the movie Wild, I began wondering what effect this will have on the Pacific Crest Trail next year. Will the serene woods be filled with new hikers who became inspired to look beyond the world they know? Or will there be an epic number of inexperienced hikers all trying to escape their painful pasts. Instead of the usual bearded and dirty thru-hikers will it be crying, divorcee's carrying condoms?
7 Resolutions for a More Adventurous New Year
I'm a huge fan of resolutions. I'm a fan of lists in general, and goal lists that I can cross off are the best kinds! But this year I want to do something different. Instead of the vague and hard to achieve "lose weight", "save money", "complain less", I've decided to combine my resolutions with my bucket list. These tips for keeping adventurous will also lead to new places, interesting people, and overall growth and happiness. They'll help to create memories, conquer fears, and discover new joys. So here are my 7 resolutions for a more adventurous new year!
Kayaking in Marina Del Rey
Simply to test out how cool California is, I hiked up to the Hollywood sign in the morning and hit the seas by noon! Marina Del Rey is about 20-40 minutes from downtown Los Angeles depending on traffic. From the starting canal, the marina opened up to waters filled with sailboats, fishing boats, condos, and waterfront shops.
Sturtevant Falls - The Best Hike Near Los Angeles
Who knew that a gorgeous 50-foot waterfall existed within 30 minutes of LA? This girl! Sturtevant Falls was my favorite hiking discovery when I moved to Los Angeles. I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t have to drive hours or spend an entire day hiking to find it! Chantry Flats is just north of Pasadena.
Where does Monica Go?
I've chased stage dreams in Chicago, country music dreams in Nashville, and am now in Hollywood living the dream. I'm passionate about getting people out of their comfort zone and experiencing life to the fullest. So join me on this crazy journey and let's see what kind of trouble we can get into!
Hiking La Jolla Valley to Point Mugu
Point Mugu is one of the best hikes in Malibu, California. It runs through La Jolla Valley and ends at Point Mugu State Park. Just beware of the Malibu mountain lions!