I first want to start off by saying, I traveled with two of my best friends and our personalities mesh well for spending 10 days together.  And that’s my first tip: make sure you can spend that much time in a car with the people you choose to go with.

Our trip started by flying from Pittsburgh into San Francisco (we booked a one-way flight about two months in advance for $72). Second tip: always keep an eye on flights. A majority of my trips have been because of spur-of the-moment price drops and the inability to resist booking a cheap flight. We left the day we graduated from our master’s program May 12).  We rented a ford fusion that was great on gas and really comfortable. We packed light (mostly gym clothes). Our goal for this trip was to have a few things we NEEDED to see and then just go where the wind took us.

Day 1: Got into San Francisco late and stayed with a friend in Santa Rosa.  This area is near Napa and great for breweries and wineries. 

Day 2: We went to the Muir Redwoods and spent a few hours there and checked out the touristy areas of San Fran (Lombard Street, Pier 39, took the tram).  We also ate at Taco (can’t for the life of me remember where this was but the baja shrimp burrito was to die for).  We headed back to Santa Rosa to go out with our friend for and beers at Fogbelt Brewing and unlimited sushi at a local spot.

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Day 3:  On our way to Monterey we stopped and got a small cooler back with cold cuts and snacks (we all agree this was a great meal).  We ate sandwiches while watching people surf. Although not part of our original plan we stopped and spent a few hours walking at Point Lobos (GORGEOUS and 100% outdoes Big Sur).

We spent time in Monterey and stayed with a friend in Gilroy (quite a drive, but we had a free place to crash).

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Day 4: Unfortunately there was a mud slide a few months before and the PCH was closed off for some distance after Big Sur, so we drove as far as we could (about three hours), then turned around and drove back out to the main highway to San Simeon.  There is a really cool castle here, but we aren’t really castle people and we were sticking to the natural sights.

Day 5: We headed to Santa Barbara, and let me tell you, if I had a lot of money and time, this is where I would spend a lot of time. It’s a cool beach spot. We drove around UC Santa Barbara, spent time eating and drinking near the ocean and again, had sushi.  We thought about doing a wine or craft beer tasting tour, but decided to just explore on our own (literally just put the map away and walked). There is PLENTY to do here if you’re a foodie. Stayed in a cheap motel that we could walk to the main downtown area from.  

Day 6: We drove through Malibu, watched LOTS of surfing, and headed to Hollywood (overrated). We went and saw the sign and the stars and then headed out of LA (traffic is awful and I really would not go back here). *There is pot everywhere FYI (not a hater, just letting y’all know). Stayed at Surf City Hostel in Hermosa Beach. Everyone we met there was SO nice and from all various parts of the world. We ate, drank, and watched the sunset.

Day 7: We got our butts up bright and early to catch some waves (well one wave to be exact because surfing is hard) with Venice Beach Surf School. This was by far my favorite day and I think Meg and Paige would agree. We were just having a blast and the people running our lessons were great (total typical “surfer dude” vibes).  After surf lessons, we grabbed a spot on the beach to enjoy the sun. Tip 3 (or maybe more of a note): Surfing is a full body workout and you will be exhausted afterwards.

Day 8: We drove to Lake Montezuma, AZ (about 7hrs).  On the way we stopped at Joshua Tree National Park (pack your sunscreen and ensure you have a FULL tank of gas before embarking on this trek).  This is a cool drive because you go from coast to city to desert. We stayed in an Airbnb, but I would recommend Sedona if you’re willing to splurge on a room. The red rock is really pretty when the sun is setting (MUST SEE).

Day 9: We drove up to the Grand Canyon and spent about 4 hours there, walking, taking the bus to different places and grabbing some pictures. Very cool to see but I’m more excited to head to Lake Powell at some point. Tip 4: Pack lots of water and snacks. We felt light headed from the height.

I’m not providing pictures of the Grand Canyon because it literally does not do it justice.

Day 10: We got up early (like 4 a.m. I think) and drove to Phoenix to take a hot air balloon ride (found a Groupon).  After the hot air balloon ride, we checked into our hotel for the day, which had a pool, and we spent the final day of our trip laughing about the experience and talking about the next trip we can plan together (the three of us will be reunited for Labor Day 2019).

We all flew out of the Phoenix airport the next day for about $120 each (booked in advance by watching flight prices on Google Flights). I can say without a doubt that I will head back to Santa Barbara at some point, and I would like to go North from Santa Rosa to explore the Pacific Northwest, but this trip was certainly one for the books and I would do it all again.

*There are definitely parts of this trip that were left out.  I hit on my favorite moments/sights. Most of what saw was free (just driving the PCH).  I think we spent approximately $1,200 including food, flights, car, and lodging.