Weekend Travels: Los Angeles, CA
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If you follow me on Instagram, you'd know that I love to TRIP. Weekend trips have become a mainstay in my antisocial life and a distraction from the daily stresses of Houston. In February, I took 3 weekend trips and the first was to Los Angeles, CA. It was my first time going there and I had no concrete plans on my "to-do list" which is weird for me. As I get older, I'm getting better at going with the flow and that's what I did on this trip. My decision to freestyle this trip was a good one for me and it also confirmed what 'type' of traveler I am. At the end of this post, I'll tell you exactly what I mean, give you 3 take away tips for traveling and my opinion on Los Angeles. ENJOY!
Tammy Turns Tourist:
Usually when I visit a new city, I try to take the off beaten path and do what the locals do. Every now and then I want to see the popular sites. This time I saw a few. And being a lover a fashion, my FIRST stop was the Fashion District! Next I headed passed Hollywood Blvd. and made it to Runyon Canyon. It was my first time hiking and I was hooked! It was one of the most challenging, yet gratifying, physical activities I’ve ever done. Now I love to hike!
Foodie Heaven:
I LOVE FOOD, but I think you guys knew that already. This trip I got to try In and Out Burger, Korean bbq, and a cronut for the first times! For those of you who aren't familiar with the latter, a cronut is a donut made out of a croissant and proof that God is real.
Street Art:
Growing up in San Antonio, TX, I saw lots of graffiti on abandoned buildings, street signs, and school bathrooms lol. Since becoming a fashion blogger, I have developed more of an appreciation for street art. It's really beautiful to look at and even more beautiful to shoot in front of.
Life Is A Beach:
What's a trip to L.A. without a trek to the beach? I got to visit Venice Beach and when I say I had never seen sunsets like these, they were absolutely breathtaking. This is the perfect place to mediate on God's gifts and find inner peace. This was the one part of L.A. I wish I could've taken home with me.
My trip to L.A. was an interesting one. I took a newer friend along, reconnected with an old one and saw a cousin that I hadn't seen in 7 years. I went to a nightclub in Santa Monica, road the Metro bus, and hiked in Runyon Canyon. Overall, it was a decent trip. My favorite part was the beach. It really gave me a sense of calm and peace. This trip was also confirmation that I am an "Independent Traveler". I enjoy doing things on own my time without consulting others. I don't like feeling compelled to do anything if I just want to be lazy nor do I like waiting on others. Patience has never been my strong suit and it's something I need to work on.
Here are some take-aways from this trip that you should consider before hopping on a plane:
1. If you can afford to splurge on a hotel in the center of a city, DO IT! We stayed in Culver City which was beautiful and quiet but it also increased our commute time, thus taking away time from other things we wanted to do. When you only have a couple of days in a city, time is precious.
2. Trip alone if you are PMSing (lol), have a lot on your mind, or just simply want to be one with yourself. It isn't fair to subject anyone to your moodiness if you can help it. I take trips alone often but this time I invited someone along even though I really should've gone alone. My friend is great and I love her, but I really just needed some alone time. And it's okay to feel that way.
3. If flying out of an international airport, ARRIVE EARLIER THAN EARLY! We arrived at the airport almost 2 and a half hours before our departure. We were literally running to the gate trying not to get left because security was so terrible. At this time I didn’t have TSA Pre-check which definitely would've come in handy.
Have any of you ever been to L.A.? What did you do while you were there?