Joshua Tree Birthday Weekend

For my last birthday, I didn’t want a big party- it’s been a long (and rough) year so I just wanted a fun girl trip with close friends. We ended up taking a quick, super chill roadtrip to Joshua Tree for the night and it was honestly the perfect, relaxing trip I needed!

My friend Jet has a big Jeep so the four of us piled in and it was the perfect roadtrip car for our group! We found a shortcut to Joshua Tree that cuts through the Mojave Desert and basically cut out all freeways after Primm. It was so much fun!

The drive was super cool and the weather was perfect so we got to enjoy all the desert vibes and the crazy hills along the way (us the added bonus of no traffic). I wouldn’t suggest that route at night because there are very few service stops and absolutely no lights so it might not be the safest (I’m guessing desert wildlife is a lot more frequent out there too). 

We arrived so much faster than expected so we headed straight for Joshua Tree National Park. I have the America the Beautiful pass which was a great deal- it’s $80 for the whole year and gets me into all the national parks for the year. We started at Skull Rock and did a little climbing.

Then we hiked around the Barker Dam trail which was gorgeous.

After this we headed out for lunch and grabbed pizza at Pie For the People- it was some of the best pizza I’ve had in forever! The pie was MASSIVE and they let us do half and half- we couldn’t even decide which half was better!

By the time we finished lunch it was time to check into our Air BnB. We got a super cute room close the the main road and it was perfect for our overnighter.   We grabbed a super chill dinner and some supplies (key lime pie instead of cake and some chips and salsa) and then just hung out in the room. My friend, Cielo even brought her karaoke machine so we had an absolute blast! If you missed the Instagram Stories- they're saved in my story highlights!

The next morning, we grabbed a quick breakfast at the Frontier Cafe and then headed to Pioneertown! This stop was so fun- it’s got all the cute kitschy pieces from an old Wild West set and it makes for some really cute photos (well, usually). 

After this we decided to grab brunch in Palm Springs since we were pretty close and I’d told the girls all about the bacon flight at Cheeky’s. We got there with plenty of time before the restaurant closed and had one of the most fun brunches I’ve had in forever. I love Palm Springs and I can’t wait to do another girl trip here and show them around all the other cool spots!

Our last stop on the way back was at the Cabazon Dinosaurs. We had a little too much fun here!

A huge thanks to my girls for the awesome birthday weekend!!!

Grand Canyon West with Grand Canyon Destinations

Our tour was complimentary from Grand Canyon Destinations; however, all opinions are my own!

Naturally, the Grand Canyon is on pretty much everyone's bucket list. 

I've visited a bunch of times in my life, but never as an adult and never with friends. When we had the opportunity to do a private tour to the West Rim, we jumped at the chance. We went as a small group of four (me, Stephanie, Miranda, and Melissa) and started bright and early. Grand Canyon Destinations does pick-ups and drop-offs at a ton of locations on the Strip so we picked Planet Hollywood since it's central and parking is still free (this is one of the reasons a lot of us locals love to shop and eat here- we save that precious parking money).

The drive up was super quiet and cheerful- we were all so excited and the Sprinter tour bus was super comfortable. The seats were spacious and there were charging ports so that we could keep all of our devices in check. Our driver, Rigo, had water and snacks for us at hand but we'd brought some of our own too so we really didn't need any! 

We made a quick stop on the way up so he could pick up our lunch and used the opportunity to take some fun photos!

The Grand Canyon West tour is pretty easy to follow- inside the Hualapai reservation, you use the provided transportation that is included with your entry fee. This has three different drop-off points and goes in a loop with shuttle buses.

We started at Hualapai Ranch which is a fun western themed area. There are shops and snack spots and a ton of photo opportunities!

Our next stop was Eagle Point- this is where you do the Sky Walk (if you choose to, that is). We were gifted passes for the Sky Walk and got so lucky because the line was relatively short! Stephanie and I are not fans of heights but we both made it comfortably- it's really not that bad!

You also can't take anything with you on the Sky Walk to avoid any safety hazards. That was comforting! There's a large amphitheatre and the Native American Village at this stop too- so many great photo ops and lots to learn!

Our last stop was Guano Point- there are some really cool photo stops here and a lot of areas where you can just sit and enjoy the views.

We did a lot of that!

A huge thank you to Grand Canyon Destinations for the amazing day trip with my friends!!!

24 Hours in San Antonio

I really love Texas, there are so many cool cities to see and great food to eat. I don't; however, love driving through Texas. It's a multi-day ordeal and I have to break it up with at least one cool fun stop.

If you're going in the late spring through early fall, be prepared for massive humidity. This was our first non desert stop on a very long trip and the weight of the air was crushing my airways. It's asthma hell. I usually breathe better in humidity but this was a ton of humidity hitting very suddenly. That said- dry shampoo and shower wipes are your best friend! Don't forget sweat proof and smudgeproof makeup and you should be just fine.

I'd visited San Antonio a few times before but not long enough to really do much and this trip was actually even shorter. We Somehow crammed in most of what I wanted to do and here is my mini guide for 24 Hours in San Antonio.

Where to Stay

If you want to see all the sights downtown, opt to stay by the Riverwalk. We stayed at Drury Plaza San Antonio which was literally right above the Riverwalk and had access just down the elevator to the walk level. It made wandering the restaurants and shops (as well as hopping the boat tour) so quick and easy.

A couple notes on our hotel- we loved it. It was comfortable for the dogs, parking was convenient, they provide a legit hot breakfast for free, and it was actually much prettier than I expected. At the time of our visit, the decor was a bit dated but very classic. They've since redone the decor to a more modern look. I cannot stress enough how amazing the location was for us. Perfection. Also- there is a rooftop pool! I wish I'd gone! That view would have been gorgeous.

What to Do

The Alamo- You cannot visit San Antonio without visiting The Alamo. It's the most famous landmark in San Antonio and given the history and significance, you absolutely have to go. It's very close to the downtown area so it's an easy walk. Go early in the day before it gets too crowded!

 

San Antonio Riverwalk- Another place you must visit at least once. There are tons of restaurants and shops lining the river and it's really a fun stop. Pick up some souvenirs, grab some Tex Mex, and just enjoy the scenery! If you have some time and really want a quick and easy way to see it all, take a Rio San Antonio Cruise. It's relatively cheap and a great way to learn some facts and history in a relaxing setting.

We didn't have a lot of time in San Antonio- literally 24 hours. We also had the dogs with us and the humidity was so crazy that my asthma was miserable. I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital at one point! That said, we missed out on some of the things I wanted to see so I've listed some other options below!

La Villita Historic Arts Village- I love art villages like this, especially historic ones. They're always fun to wander and take photos and a lot of times, you find the best unique souvenirs here!

Briscoe Western Art Museum- I like Western Art so this would have been such a fun stop for me. It's also right downtown so it's conveniently located close to the other attractions. 

Buckhorn Saloon & Museum- I really wanted to visit the Buckhorn. I'm not usually a history buff but when it comes to Texas and the rest of the South, I like the educational things. We did wander past it so I got some photos of the outside!

What to Eat

I know I've said this throughout this post but I wish we'd had more time. There are so many awesome restaurants in San Antonio and we really only ate at one place- Iron Cactus. Part of this was because we got into town late and there weren't a lot of places open late on a weeknight. The service was great, the food was yummy, and the ambiance was wonderful since the restaurant is right on the Riverwalk. Perfect evening dining! Even so, there are a number of places on my list for my next stop in San Antonio and I'm sharing them below!

Casa Rio- Tex Mex is clearly a huge draw in San Antonio and this place is right along the Riverwalk and has the pretty colorful umbrellas you see in all the Pinterest pictures!

Ocho- Take one look at the Pinterest photos of this restaurant and you'll know exactly why it's on my list of restaurants to visit in San Antonio. Also- I do love Cuban food.

Texas Land & Cattle- There is no shortage of chain restaurants along the Riverwalk. It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but I'm a sucker for a Texas style steakhouse. The prices here aren't crazy and the selection is pretty good.

Bella on the River- This Mediterranean restaurant has been on my radar for a little while. It's highly rated and has a gorgeous, romantic atmosphere. Plus it would be a great change once you've gotten your fill of Tex Mex!

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Fab Fridays

Good morning!

Today is my sweetie's birthday so since he's OLD (sorry, hun), it's only fitting that I'm posting about dinosaurs.

So earlier this month, Corey and I decided to take a little trip down to So Cal to visit a few places around the Palm Springs area. Corey has never been and I've visited a few times but still hadn't seen a bunch of the things I wanted to see.

I knew I wanted to stop at the Cabazon Dinosaurs on the way down because I had never been there and also because Kathleen from Carrie Bradshaw Lied shared her visit and it looked pretty funny. Since it was literally along the way, we made a little stop of our own.

There is a huge outlet center right down the street that looked amazing but we didn't have a lot of time (and I didn't have the money) to stop. There was also a taco place that had great reviews but it hadn't opened on time when we got there and we didn't feel like waiting around. The area looks like a great place to spend an afternoon shopping and (if it's open) enjoying some tacos that sure looked great on Yelp. 

All in all, definitely a fun stop if you have time!

Weekend Plans: Dinner for Corey's birthday! As I write this, I haven't figured out WHERE we are going. But it will be great and he will LOVE IT (because he has to).

Weekend Jam: Yeah Boy by Kelsea Ballerini (still listening to my ACM 2017 playlist this week).

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