LA Trip Part 1! 8-12-22

Hey, hey, hey friends! I’m just going to dive right in to all things LA because who doesn’t love Cali?! I think my family’s trip to LA in June was truly one of the best family trips we have been on! It was so so special, and could not have been planned out any better. Shout out to my mom who has been planning this trip since spring break of 2020!

We began our trip with a relaxing long weekend spent at the Terranea, a resort located in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. It was the perfect way to start our trip. We arrived in LA late afternoon/early evening and the drive down to Rancho Palos Verdes was full of the most incredible views! Here are some of my pictures.

~Stay~

We stayed at the Terranea Friday through Monday, it was just the right amount of time. We enjoyed so many delicious meals, the Lexus driving experience, sitting by the pool, paddle boarding adventures, golf, and just REST! Our room was great, we had easy access to the fitness center, and had excellent service throughout our stay. There are beautiful hiking trails located right on the property. It was by far one of our favorite resorts and one that shouldn’t be missed on your next trip to California!

~Restaurants~

Lobby Bar and Lounge (click HERE for more) – We enjoyed our first meal in California here! Our flight had gotten in late afternoon/early evening and we didn’t arrive to the Terranea until late evening so eating at the bar and lounge was really our only option. It was great! We ordered several appetizer-like items and shared them between all four of us. We LOVED the charcuterie board and the guac and salsa. So yummy! There was also a fabulous cover singer performing and we all loved that. It was a great way to start our trip!

Catalina Kitchen (click HERE for more) – The best breakfast ever! The restaurant is set against the prettiest views of the resort looking over the blue water, the pool, and the California vegetation. My go-to order on any breakfast menu is the avocado toast, but this one was especially delicious! And the fruit here was AMAZING. Every fruit cup I ordered anywhere was so fresh, the fruit was perfectly ripe, and I realized how much I like honeydew! 🤣🤣🤣 Other items we ordered were the breakfast sandwich, the omelette, and the banana’s foster pancakes. We loved it all!

Nelson’s (click HERE for more) – Nelson’s was definitely the most casual restaurant we ate at and we ate there twice. It was so yummy! They serve everything from salads and seafood, to burgers and tacos. We sat outside almost on the edge of the cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The outdoor picnic tables and sand made it feel like we were eating right on the beach. Our view of the sunset was perfect at dinnertime. I will share some pictures below! I loved the salad I ordered the first time, and then I got the veggie tacos and they were great as well. I also had the best Nutella ice cream sandwich for dessert!

Mar’sel (click HERE for more) – This was our fanciest dinner. My dad ordered a drink that came in a smoky glass box that infuses the drink with s smoky flavor. It was really neat to watch! Our charcuterie board was excellent and the servers even came out to cut the meat in front of us. So cool! My family got the pasta dish, a salad, and filet for our entrees. I topped my meal off with three flavors of sorbet, they were so delicious and refreshing. We enjoyed just being together all dressed up! One of my favorite things, haha!

The Grill at the Resort Pool (click HERE for more) – The Grill at the Resort Pool served your typical pool bar food with lots of snack options as well as entree dishes. Again, one of my go-to orders is the hummus, pita, and veggies, and I loved it! We also had some great mango smoothies and strawberry daiquiris. I can’t ever get enough of those! We spent a lot of time at the pool so we loved this place.

~Activities~

Golf – The 9-hole par-3 course at the Terranea had the most breathtaking views. It’s for sure the prettiest golf course I have been on! My sister, dad, and I had an afternoon tee time and we played all 9 holes. The course overlooks the water, cliffs, and stunning houses. We were just in awe the entire time! A must-do when you go to the Terranea, even if you aren’t a big golfer!

Paddle Boarding – MY favorite thing we did! The views were incredible! We had a great tour guide that took us along the coast and talked all about California sea life. Looking up at the cliffs from our paddle boards was truly jaw-dropping. I’m amazed by God’s creation every single day! I do have to say it was a bit of a challenge to get out on the water and stand up with the waves, so I would not choose this activity if you have never paddle boarded before.

Falconry – This was an experience! Joe Roy III, the falconer at the Terranea shared his passion for birds and explained the birds’ responsibility for discouraging seagulls and other pesky birds from taking over the Terranea grounds. He brought several of his falcons and even brought an owl! It was really neat.

Whale Watching Tour – On our last day the Terranea arranged a whale watching cruise for us. We boarded the boat at Long Beach port and enjoyed a breezy afternoon on the water. We saw hundreds of dolphins and sea lions. No whales unfortunately, but I guess technically dolphins are whales! We all loved it.

Lexus Driving Experience – My sister’s favorite thing! We spent a couple hours with two Lexus cars, the Lexus LC and the LC Convertible. We drove up and down the coast, explored the city, and visited Torrance High School, where Beverly Hills 90210 was filmed. My mom and I were so excited! She grew up watching that show and now I love it too. My family split two and two into each car and swapped throughout our trip. It was perfect!

We truly loved everything about the Terranea, I would go back in a heartbeat! Part 2 of our LA Trip was up next! Stay tuned for my next blog post.

xoxo, Joanna