Earlier this month we enjoyed a day at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It is always fun to go in the winter because the boardwalk is decorated for the holiday season, and it is a lot less crowded than during the summer months. The only drawback is that half of the rides are closed, but we had fun and filled up our day anyway!
The weather was mild and I was able to wear a long sleeve tee with a scarf and leave my sweatshirt in the car. These sneakers were comfy and helped me last throughout the day; and keep up with my kids! haha
We enjoyed the mini golf, which is where this cute little turtle was located. Of course, we indulged in boardwalk food and went on the bumper cars. Fun!
If you are looking for a great pair of wide leg jeans, these are on sale! They also come in standard sizing, plus sizes, petite, and tall sizes. Love that! I am wearing petite.
In case you are local, I highly recommend heading to the boardwalk before the summer crowds! Love!
No vacation is complete without a trip to the beach! During our road trip, we spent a quiet, relaxing day at Pismo Beach. They too have free parking! Love that!
We spent the morning on the beach. Part of our morning was talking and reading, and then we also went in the water. It was fairly warm compared to our Bay Area beaches!
For lunch, we went to our favorite burger restaurant, Cool Cat Cafe on Pomeroy Ave. They have a wide variety of burgers, meals, and vegetarian options. It was delicious, as usual!
After lunch, we went back to the beach and repeated our morning. It was relaxing, fun and perfect for a summer vacation day. If you are from California and you have not visited Pismo Beach yet, what are you waiting for? Definitely enjoy the beach and town before fall hits!
Well, that’s about it. The beach is always a great family fun day, and it always provides a relaxing vibe. Before summer ends, I recommend hitting your favorite beach.
pictured: Alamitos Beach in Long Beach, California
We took a really quick road trip down to Long Beach, California over the 4th of July week. It has been difficult to plan a big vacation because my daughter is taking a summer school class and my other two kids have sports commitments throughout the summer. So, we took an opportunity to take a quick road trip when we saw there was a break in the schedule.
My middle child is looking at colleges to apply to, and Long Beach State University has a program she is interested in, so we decided to take a quick road trip to Long Beach. We spent a full day at the University touring around and eating on campus. It looks like a nice school to put on her list! Of course, in addition to checking out schools, we found a few fun things to do in Long Beach, California while staying in town.
Long Beach is home to a pier which offers delicious restaurants, candy shops, and fun little shops. We enjoyed spending some time there and getting candy apples. Stay tuned for my restaurant recap which will post tomorrow! We also went to a couple of museums and the beach. Here are a few fabulous things to do in Long Beach, California if you are ever in this part of Los Angeles.
Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum
The Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum is a small celebration of artwork and culture from the islands in the Pacific, and Oceana in general. We enjoyed seeing and learning about a few traditions from the islands, such as the personalized love sticks young men would stick into the home of a young lady they were courting as a proposal of marriage.
This museum is a must-see when you are in the Long Beach area! You can learn more at their website at pieam.org.
Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA)
pictured: work by Fernando Botero and an outdoor sculpture from the events garden
The Museum of Latin American Art is across the street from the Pacific Islands Ethnic Art Museum, so you can visit both museums in the same day! Love that!
This museum showcases a few collections from Latin American Artists. We enjoyed seeing collections from Yolanda Gonzalez and Fernando Botero. Botero was my favorite. The MOLAA also has special events, and the exhibitions rotate. You can learn more about the MOLAA at MOLAA.org.
Alamitos Beach
Of course, how can you visit Long Beach without going to the beach?! The word “beach” is literally in the name! haha
Near the pier you will find a beautiful beach, which isn’t too crowded, named Alamitos Beach. It is a nice escape from the city, which still has a city view on the backside.
You know I will always plug a great handbag! This tote bag turned out to be perfect for a road trip! It is really comfortable to wear while stuffed with random items, and it can double as a great beach bag. The seams must be pretty tight because I didn’t get one grain of sand inside. Love that!
What was packed in my Long Beach suitcase:
It was a quick trip for only two days, but we enjoyed the attractions we were able to see while visiting Long Beach. Stay tuned for my restaurant recap, which will post on the blog tomorrow.
Thanks for stopping by!
XOXO Cathy
pictured below: work by Yolanda Gonzalez from the MOLAA
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