Growing up visiting family friends with my family in San Diego, California has become a second home and a safe place for me. The ocean, culture and way of life are what I dreamed of every time life seemed a little too out of control on the East Coast. It had been a year since my mom passed and I was so ecstatic when Austin and I decided to take our first cross country trip back to California. This time to places we had never been: San Francisco, Yosemite, and Mammoth Lakes!

San Francisco

Day 1:

Mission Dolores Park

After taking a magical walk from our AirBnB through Golden Gate Park and Inner Sunset we arrived at the Mission Dolores Park! I’m a firm believer that a park makes a city, and this park was flawless. Being on east coast time we went early when there weren’t many people in the park, which was really special. We laid on the grass, soaked in the sun, and watched the airplanes from Fleet Week wiz above our heads. I would recommend bringing a blanket and snacks if you are going to stay there all day (we just winged it and were a little unprepared)!

Day 2:

Nourish Cafe

We woke up starving for a “nourishing” breakfast that would get us through the long day we had planned. We found the perfect place, Nourish Cafe, and became addicted! As creatures of habit, we walked back twice in two days because it was that delicious! Definitely try out their açai bowls and toast options. The Mediterranean toast (hummus, tomato, basil, olive oil and sea salt) is pictured below; 10/10 would recommend. We only went for breakfast, and my biggest regret of the trip is I wish I tried one of their bowls for lunch!

Baker Beach

What would a Megan and Austin trip be without an accidental visit to a nude beach! All kidding aside, this was honestly a stunning beach that we couldn’t believe existed within the city (could this city be any more perfect?)! Panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the mountains while just steps away from the bustling city blew us away. Our favorite part was while climbing up the rocks on the beach we spotted a small pod of dolphins that proceeded to swim around us (pictured below).

 

Day 3

Golden Gate Bridge

Not going to lie, it was intimidating thinking about walking across the Golden Gate Bridge, which is 4,200 feet long and high as a 65-story building. Luckily, once we got on the bridge and saw the 360 views of the city, mountain and ocean surrounding us, we completely forgot about the height and distance we had to go. We walking from foggy San Francisco to sunny Sausalito, which was a surreal experience.

Bar Bocce

Bar Bocce was absolutely the place we needed after becoming insatiable after a long trek across the bridge. Not only was the pizza delectable, the views were so stunning we thought we were in a coastal town in Europe.

Muir Woods

After lunch we decided to Uber to our next adventure, Muir Woods! The trees in Muir Woods are over a 1,000 years old and have grown over 260 feet. We couldn’t stop looking up the entire time there, and may have tripped a few times for not looking down. Such an incredible spot only a few miles from the city.

 

Yosemite

Day 4

Valley Floor

We rented a car and drove to Yosemite, stopping along the way at a local farmers market to taste California’s famous produce. We were really excited to see the National Park and when we finally reached Yosemite’s Valley Floor we decided to hike the first path we saw (we don’t remember the exact trail head name because we had such a rush!). We climbed up until we saw the incredible view of the famous Half Dome and the Valley Floor. Once it started getting dark we went to the Valley Floor to enjoy the sunset’s reflection on El Capitan. Truly a magical day.

 

Day 5

Tunnel View

We were surprised that the most famous view in Yosemite was not a hike-able destination. Instead, we had to drive there and park in a parking lot. This didn’t mitigate from the actual scenery it was just a bit hectic with all the cars and people. I would recommend going early to get a slice of heaven for yourself.

Cathedral Lakes Trail

After taking it easy the day before we decided to choose hike the 8.6 trail to Cathedral Lakes. Since we saw Tunnel View that morning we went a little later to this trail then we should have an ended up climbing down as fast as we could to escape the night. We saw a coyote (pictured below), but besides that because of the altitude there was no human or animals in sight. The temperature dropped dramatically as we climbed, but it was absolutely worth it.

 

Mammoth Lakes

Day 6

Wild Willy’s Hot Springs

We drove late into the night from Yosemite to Mammoth Lakes. After our chilly hike the previous day, we wanted to find a place to warm up and found the most amazing hot springs! It was a little hard to find on a GPS, but once you go off the main road you will hit a dirt parking lot that has a long wooden path that leads to these gems! There are a few pools dotted around the valley. We spent a really lovely morning here warming up, relaxing and taking photographs of the unobstructed mountain views.

 

Crystal Lake Trail

One of the most amazing things about Mammoth Lakes is, quite obviously, all the lakes! The Crystal Lake Trail gave us a birds eye view of the the lakes in the valley. Although this hike is only a little over three miles, it goes straight up and is pretty difficult. The higher you hike, the more rewarding the view. Prepare to be sore the next day.

Day 7

Rainbow Falls

This is a 4.8 mile very moderate hike, that leads you to a gorgeous waterfall and Devils Postpile National Monument. We spent the afternoon listening to the waterfall while eating lunch. It was a wonderful last day hike for us before heading back to San Francisco to end our trip.