TRIP TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA

OC first timers here! We were fortunate enough to travel with Aj’s family to California for a summer vacation. We had a blast exploring as much as we could in the beautiful area of Orange County. Aj and I stayed on Balboa Peninsula in a quaint Airbnb on the corner of Balboa and 10th. This location was perfectly centered – 1 block from the beach and 1 block from the bay.

We frequented the boardwalk to get to all the restaurants and shops that Balboa had to offer. While waiting to get into our Airbnb, we walked to the Balboa pier where we took in the impeccable views of the beach and ocean. This was the cliche ‘ah-ha’ moment of okay, yeah I’m in Southern California.  

After walking around for a while we decided to stop into Stag Bar + Kitchen right by the pier for a drink and quick bite.

Our dinner spot came recommended from several articles (like this one from Thrillist) we read while planning for the trip – Mamma D’s. And let me tell you… it did NOT disappoint. I’ve never encountered a friendlier restaurant staff. We were offered a slice of fresh warm garlic bread as we were placing our name for a table (*Internally thinking* uhhh hello, do you know me? OF COURSE I’ll take some fresh warm bread!). We went on a Thursday night and the wait to be seated was around 20 minutes which is not bad at all. Our meals were delicious – I recommend getting their special pink sauce on your choice of pasta, it’s a homemade mix of marinara and alfredo and it was amazing.  

Day 2 – Beach day! My staple vacation activity. There’s not much I enjoy more than just laying out, enjoying the peaceful sounds of the ocean and collecting seashells that wash ashore.

Later that day, the rest of AJ’s family arrived and we met up with them along with additional extended family (who live in California) at Laguna Beach Brewery. After some mingling, eating and drinking we walked a block over to the beach to stick our feet in the water. Laguna Beach is absolutely beautiful.  

Next we went on a hike! … well, kinda. We went to Crystal Cove state park and we were excited to get some exercise with a view. Most of the ‘hike’ was on a paved path with the occasional sand path that usually lead to a lookout point with an amazing view of the ocean. We were in direct sunlight the entire time so be prepared with water and sunscreen if you would like prolong your experience.

As we continue on our SOCAL trip, we find ourselves at Huntington Beach. The day was spent walking the beach and stopping to eat lunch at a restaurant at the top of the pier.

IT’S THE CATALINA WINE MIXER! OMG! Words cannot express the special place in my heart Catalina Island now has. I’ve never been somewhere so beautiful before. Though we were only there for less than 7 hours, we had the most amazing time.

As our week comes to and end, I’m reminded with these photos as forever memories of how amazing this trip was. It’s the simple things that mean the most to me. Sitting on the beach, having a drink by the fire pit, or lighthearted moments with family. That’s all I need. Sometimes life is stressful but when you take the time to relax and truly enjoy every moment, you’ll start to notice what’s really important.