​With the state of international travel still uncertain, I am continuing to explore parts of the U.S. that I've always wanted to see. One of the locations on my list was Miami. In general, a lot of the places on my U.S. travel bucket list are ones that have their own unique personality or famous landmarks. To me, Miami has always seemed like this incredible slice of Latin and Caribbean culture in the United States. Plus, the crystal blue water and beaches don’t hurt either.  So, naturally, I was thrilled when my friend Kirsys agreed to meet me in Miami for a much-needed girls getaway. 
​
By heading there in September, we avoided the busy spring break season, and hotel prices were cheaper. We booked a stay at the Red Hotel South Beach. The hotel is in a fantastic location in Miami Beach at Collins Ave and 30th. We were close enough to walk or take a short Lyft ride into South Beach without constantly being around the noise of South Beach. The hotel had a pool and bar/restaurant, plus they provide free beach towels, so we didn’t need to pack our own. It was also right across the street from a gorgeous beach area.

Overall, I thought this hotel was a pretty good deal. They don't provide free guest parking, but they do have a deal with the nearby Ace Hotel to provide parking for an extra $35 per day. The biggest downsides were that the hotel sometimes smelled strongly of marijuana. To each their own, but if you're like me and have a sensitive noise, this could be bothersome. Also, the shower in our room smelled really awful and more often than not, the person who was supposed to be working the front desk wasn’t actually there. That being said, I still think this is a great budget hotel choice for Miami and would recommend it.  

For our first night in Miami, we had dinner at Havana 1957, a Cuban-themed restaurant in South Beach. Fun fact: Miami Beach provides a free trolley service, and we took the trolley to this restaurant on the corner of Washington and Española Way. If you’re looking for some great Cuban ambiance in South Beach, I’d recommend this restaurant. 

Nearly everything on the menu sounded delicious, but if you want to save a little money, I’d say opt for an appetizer and mojito – because obviously you have to enjoy a mojito there too! I ordered the stuffed green plantains. You get four different cup-shaped pieces, each filled with a different item: shrimp, chicken, ropa vieja, and ground beef. 

After dinner we took a walk on Ocean Drive, the main beachside street in South Beach. It was a Saturday night, so the crowds were out and about. 

The cool thing about Ocean Drive is that you get to see lots of the Art Deco style and bright colors that define Miami Beach. We had tried to go to a well-known venue called Mango’s, which is known for live Latin dance shows, but unfortunately the cover was $30 so we passed on that one. 

We started our second day with a trip to the beach. Before the trip I kept seeing weather forecasts of rain, thunderstorms, and clouds, but we actually lucked out with the weather; it was a gorgeous sunny day.

The beach area we went to was across the street from our hotel, and it was a fantastic spot. The water was clear, which is excellent for snorkeling. Plus, it wasn’t super busy, so you can really enjoy the space and relax. I couldn’t believe how warm the ocean water is too; it was the perfect temperature for swimming!

After a few hours at the beach we went to Little Havana in Miami proper. The primary part of Little Havana you want to explore is Calle Ocho. This street features plenty of great Cuban restaurants, music, and fun energy. We had an early dinner at Sala’s restaurant in Little Havana, which had some live Latin music provided by several musicians/singers. I ordered the Camarones (shrimp) al Ajillo with rice and vegetables.  

From Little Havana, we went to the Wynwood Arts District to check out the Womanish exhibit, which was currently in town. The exhibit featured art installations centered around the female experience. I really enjoyed getting to see this, so if you learn that Womanish is coming to your city, definitely get yourself a ticket. Shout out to Kirsys for finding out about this exhibit!

On our third day, we went back to our beach spot, where we met one of Miami’s coolest residents, Christina, a 67-year old Brazilian woman who was every bit as fun and spicy as I could only dream of being. 

Later on, we made our way to the Lincoln Road Mall, an outdoor shopping area in South Beach. We stopped for a drink and snack at a restaurant there before eventually making our way back to the hotel.

For dinner, we went back to Washington and Española Way – this time for sushi at Moshi Moshi. Then, we returned to Ocean Drive for a drink to celebrate our last night of vacation. Ocean Drive was considerably less busy this night, but considering it was a Monday and not the busy season, it wasn’t too surprising. 

Our last day was really the only time we hit bad weather, but truth be told, it wasn’t terrible though – mostly just some little drizzle and clouds. We started by making our way to the Design District, which was recommended to us at the Womanish exhibit. It’s basically Miami’s version of Rodeo Drive. However, if you’re not a millionaire who regularly shops at stores like Prada or Gucci, this may feel rather boring. As someone whose wardrobe primarily consists of Target and Old Navy, I was curious to see what these stores are like. So, we decided to wander into Dior. Let me tell you, the security in that place protects those products as though it's the Smithsonian. A security guard followed us around the entire time, and the whole experience did not sit right with me. No sir, I’m not going to steal his ridiculously overpriced sweater – that’s not even cute! 

After the Design District we moved to a far less hostile area, the Bayside Market at Miami’s harbor. This is definitely a prime tourist spot. We stopped for a final drink and snack at Mambo Café right on the water. I ordered a piña colada, and since I was in Florida and feeling adventurous, decided to try alligator bites. Yes, that’s actually a thing there. Go figure. 

Let me tell you though, those alligator bites were surprisingly good! They looked like popcorn shrimp and tasted like a middle ground between fish and chicken. 

Once we were done it was time for me to head to the airport. I had booked a later flight but arrived at the airport extra early. Therefore, I tried to see if American Airlines  could get me on an earlier flight instead. Not only did I make it onto an earlier flight, but I was bumped up to business class. That was a nice surprise! However, my excitement quickly dissipated once I realized the man in my row two seats down was going to blatantly leave his mask below his mouth the entire flight - even though he wasn’t eating or drinking.

Eventually I had to say to say something to a flight attendant, who was super cool and asked the guy to put his mask up. I know American Airlines has had some recent backlash, but I was exceptionally impressed by them during this trip, so way to go American.

I’ll plan to share another blog post with specific Miami travel tips as well, so stay tuned for that. Lastly, I want to thank my good friend Kirsys for an incredible girls trip!

For anyone who has traveled between Los Angeles and Grand Rapids, Michigan, you’ve almost always had a layover in another city. Well now, there’s an airline flying between these two cities and here’s the kicker: the price is ridiculously cheap!

I’m talking about Allegiant Air. I recently booked a last-minute flight to Michigan in October because the flight was that inexpensive. The cost for a non-stop round-trip flight? $112!

There are some caveats, though, so you need to have a relatively flexible schedule. The first, is that you have to pay for a checked bag or large carry-on one. Personal items such as a small backpack or purse are included with your flight purchase. You’ll also have to cough up a little extra money to choose your seat. Unfortunately, with these budget carriers you tend to have to pay for any additional luxuries, but considering the larger airlines practically do the same thing anyway, why not go for the cheaper flight? 

I mentioned earlier that you need to have a flexible schedule, and that was no exaggeration. Allegiant only flies between Los Angeles and Grand Rapids on Thursdays and Sundays. That being said, if you can work around the dates you want to fly, you’ll find yourself a heck of a deal. 

After nearly a decade of living in Los Angeles (though it was broken up by 2 and ½ years in New York and then Michigan), you’d think I've seen enough of California. That’s the thing about the Golden State; there’s so much to explore of this insanely beautiful part of the country.

I knew for my 34th birthday I wanted to travel. However, with the uncertainty of international destinations still prevalent, I’m hanging tight on that dream trip to Spain for now. 

My parents were coming out to join me in a road trip up the coast several hours from Los Angeles. Our plan was to see Solvang (a Danish-themed town), Pismo Beach, Mediterranean-inspired Santa Barbara, and Ventura. 

After my boyfriend and I hosted my parents for dinner at our apartment, my folks and I left the following morning.

Our first day was spent in Solvang. Aside from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, I really didn’t know much about Danish culture before visiting this place. However, I was surprised to find Solvang decorated in windmills, and the addition of wooden shoes in the gift shops - items typically associated with Dutch culture. My guess is that’s why Solvang is often confused to be a Dutch-themed town rather than Danish. Nevertheless, the architecture definitely had a European aesthetic to it, which was fun to see. 

For lunch, we went to Solvang Brewing, an outdoor restaurant that seemed to be the perfect fit. We ordered two appetizers and split them between the three of us. The first was the Sausage Sampler, which came with three different sausages, a soft pretzel, a mix of dipping sauces, and pickles. The second one we ordered was the Soft Pretzels appetizer. Both were really good and it was the perfect amount  for a light lunch. Aside from looking at the buildings, eating, drinking, and shopping, there’s not much else to do in Solvang, so you could easily spend a solid half-day here.

After wrapping up our day at Solvang, we went to our lodging for the next two nights: Vandenburg Air Force Base. Eh, excuse me, Space Force Base. It was good we had plenty to do outside of the base since it was essentially a ghost town, except for the abundance of deer, coyotes, and squirrels present. 

Day Two was spent at Pismo Beach. Dad and I went for a hike along the Discovery Trail at Pismo Preserve, a beautiful stretch of trails overlooking the ocean. The Discovery Trail was 5.2 miles long and about a 2-hour hike. It was easily one of my favorite hikes I’ve ever done. We saw so many incredible views of the Pacific Ocean throughout the trail. I swear, the water is bluer up there! I’d recommend this hike in a heartbeat. After leaving Pismo Preserve, we met up with mom in Downtown Pismo Beach. It was busy and the wind kept things chilly so we didn’t end up going for a swim in the ocean. Pismo Beach is a typical beach town with plenty of shops and restaurants to check out. 

Day Three, it was time to head back south to Santa Barbara, a place I’ve wanted to visit for a while now. Santa Barbara was easily one of the prettiest – and cleanest – cities I’ve ever seen. Nearly every building was built in that classic Spanish-style architecture that’ll make you feel as though Zorro will come swinging in from a balcony or something. Our first stop was the Old Mission, which was originally built in the 18th Century. It costs $15 to get it, and I think it is worth it. There’s plenty of history here, and it’s one of the city’s most famous locations.

We then went the Santa Barbara Courthouse. Now, you may wonder why we would decide to visit a courthouse of all places. Well, this is one of the most stunning buildings, let alone courthouses, you may ever see. After viewing the front of the building, you can wander into the equally exquisite open garden area. I’d imagine this courthouse would give the pain of jury duty a slightly less sting.

We continued to make our way toward the ocean along the city’s most famous street, State Street, which is filled with all kinds of shops and restaurants. Once we made it to the beach, we walked up the pier. There’s not really much going on aside from a few restaurants and shops, but it is cool to look back at the coast from the pier. With a nearby marina, the water is filled with all kinds of sailboats as well.

For a late lunch/early dinner, we hit up Finney’s on State Street for their happy hour. I really enjoyed this place. We ordered the soft pretzels, Baja chicken tacos, and quesadillas and once again split the appetizers among us. Everything was delicious! And a good price!

We ended the day by visiting the Chromatic Gate, a famous rainbow-colored art installation across from the beach. While the artwork was pretty, I was more excited to discover one of the cross streets it's located on is Calle Puerto Vallarta. 

Our final day (and my actual birthday) was spent in Ventura, a small and very chilly beach town about an hour north of LA. Seriously, why’s it so cold here!? Dad and I went on a morning hike to Arroyo Verde Park. While it was a shorter hike, plenty of it was uphill and we still got a good workout. Bear in mind there’s zero shade here, so if you head here make sure to bring a hat with you. Mom, Dad, and I then spent a few hours at a beach spot near the harbor. It was a beautiful beach, and while the wind kept things cool, it was still warm enough to wear your swimsuit. That being said, a dip in the ocean would have felt more like a polar bear plunge.

We ended the day with an early dinner at Masa Sushi, making it just in time for their happy hour deal. They even gave me some ice cream as a complimentary birthday dessert. 
​
Not only did I leave feeling grateful to see my folks again, but to also have the opportunity to travel and see more of this beautiful state. But don’t worry, there’s still plenty California adventures to be had. And here’s hoping by 35, Covid will be a distant memory, and I’ll be on a plane to the real Mediterranean.