California - Top 5 destination in the world!

Fall has arrived in Truckee and we’re settling in and exploring our new, small-town mountain life. So far, so beautiful!

Arriving back to the states after a year of traveling was a trip in itself. Eggs stored in the supermarket refrigerators, easy to navigate sidewalks, gluten free options galore (!), drivers who (mostly) follow the rules of the road, English everywhere! 

The best part about returning was reconnecting with our tribe. We returned to Los Angeles and spent a couple of weeks visiting with my family, pet/house-sitting for my brother and sister-in-law, hugging our daughter and my mom and enjoying frequent visits to Trader Joe’s. Then we started the trek north through California making stops and visiting with everyone along the way.  Shout-out to all who hosted us, we thank you!!!!

Before jumping into the details, here’s our takeaway - California easily hits in the top five most beautiful destinations we’ve experienced in the world - full stop. Yes, that’s a big statement and it’s not just because we’re native Californians. From Southern California to the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Northern California, you just can’t go wrong. And, after being gone for a year, we were reminded with every stop we made just how stunning the coastlines and beaches are, just how delicious and beautiful the wine country is and just how easy it is to get from the city experiences of San Francisco to the largest alpine lake in North America, Lake Tahoe (our new home).

Our first stop was Santa Barbara where we had a few nights to ourselves again. Oh how we missed the fresh California summer fruit - the strawberries of the central coast are unrivaled! - farmers’ markets, stunning coastlines, beaches and of course, California wines! And yes, we ended up joining an ‘ol favorite wine club while at the Foley tasting room, The Society, in downtown Santa Barbara - twist my arm David, “For Science”! Ironically, we found ourselves having tapas at a cute little spot (very gluten-free friendly) Loquita. The diversity California offers, also unparalleled.

From Santa Barbara we ventured further north towards our favorite, lesser known, wine region - Paso Robles. I suppose you could say this travel day was also a wine tasting day - best way to travel! On our way to Paso Robles , we stopped in the Solvang / Los Olivos area. If that name rings a bell it’s because this wine region was featured in the 2004 movie Sideways. We visited the famous Sanford Winery as well as Firestone Vineyard.

Though I’m not much of Pinot Noir fan we did find a few white wines that were quite enjoyable. Apart from the wines we also really enjoyed driving through this part of California again, it had been awhile. The rolling hills, blue skies, ranch lands, rural roads and farms have their own beauty and are a nice break from the more bustling Santa Barbara area. After some lunch and a break from wine tasting we safely made our way to Paso Robles to visit friends. Not to worry, there was plenty more wine to drink there, along with delicious food, beautiful scenery and great company. 

Paso Robles is perhaps not as well known internationally (or even nationally) as Napa or even Sonoma, but we tend to like even better. There are beautiful winding mountain roads that bring you to stunning wineries with each curve in the road or uphill ascent. AND, there is also a burgeoning wine maker community, with many tasting rooms based in Tin City where you can easily walk from one to another. Also, the vibe here tends to be more relaxed than Napa or Sonoma with independent wine makers expressing their artistic sides through the only drinkable form of art. 

From Paso Robles onward to San Jose and San Francisco for more visits with friends, more delicious food, cocktails and wine of course. Everyone loves San Francisco, but please remember the saying, “the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco” - and that was true during our July visit. The suitcases were unpacked to find long sleeve shirts, sweaters and a hat. Weather aside, it can still be a beautiful time of year with a crispness in the air.  We enjoyed a Giants baseball game, a ferry ride to Sausalito with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and back towards the city - all reminding us of the charm of this unique city.

After all the north bound driving through California we finally made our way east to visit family in Sacramento. Though many don’t realize it, Sacramento is the capital of California. It has some nice sights to see and a smaller city feel. The capital building always surprises me with its grandeur, and the historic old Sacramento and waterfront area are also fun to visit. During the summer, you might catch the State Fair or enjoy some time swimming, kayaking or White Water rafting on the American River. Our favorite spot to eat is Siblings restaurant and its family of local cafes, Pushkin’s and Babes. There are a few in the Sacramento and Roseville area and we love them for being 100% gluten free with delicious food for both vegan, vegetarian and meat eaters. 

Finally we headed into the Sierra Nevada Mountains with our GPS set to “home”. For now, home will be in Truckee, about 25 minutes from Lake Tahoe, a small mountain town we consider our #happyplace. What awaited us was some unpacking, organizing and prepping for all our friends and family who would be visiting during the coming months. And we couldn’t wait… time on the lake with picnics, kayaking, stand-up-board paddling, s’mores on the deck and of course a good game of dominoes. We couldn’t be happier to be “home”. 

Next up… Winter is coming!