If you feel like you didn't get enough items crossed off of your 2016 bucket list, or you have the sudden burning desire to travel, now is the perfect time to pack your bags and hit the road.
Last year my sister and I did the classic Cali road trip in August, and it was honestly one of the best trips I've ever been on. I will literally give you your travel itinerary from Denver to California, hitting all of the major Insta-worthy stops.
What you will need:
1. Some good music, because even if you make five different playlists, you will still hear them all about 50 times.
2. Make sure you bring a travel buddy because the drives are not always easy, and you want someone to keep you entertained.
3. Water and snacks to keep you going. Duh.
4. A tent because you're going camping!
5. And a hammock, because they are dope and you never know when you need a hammock.
Decide what route to take:
Top to bottom, bottom to top; I'm sure they are both great, just pick one. This is a good time to figure out about how long it will take to get from place to place on google maps so you know how many days and nights you will be gone for. We did the whole trip in about nine days.
Booking Hotels/Hostels:
Once you know the route you are taking make sure you book a place to stay for each night. I recommend Hostelworld.com 100%. You meet so many people when you stay in a hostel who are also traveling and it is so much cheaper. You might not be able to book it everywhere, but if you can, do it. We also stayed two nights in an Airbnb, which is also 10 out of 10, would recommend. And don't forget to book a camp site for the night of out in the woods.
The Trip:
Day One: Yay so exciting! We took the Honda from Denver up through Utah, and all I have to say is, BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS. We discovered them accidentally during our drive and distracted ourselves until sunset because it was just so damn beautiful. The most gorgeous salt I ever did see.
Your first night will be the sketchiest of them all just because the cheapest thing is to stay in a hotel somewhere in the middle of Nevada. Because of the amazingness of the salt flats, we ended up only getting there around midnight when it was dark and creepy. Do not recommend. But you only need the place for sleep anyway.
Day Two: This day is the most exciting because you will arrive in Cali! We made it up to San Francisco and took some obligatory Golden Gate Bridge photos. Unfortunately it wasn't the most sunny day of the year, but the bridge was still visible and that is all that really matters. Pier 39 is a really fun spot to check out the seals and eat delicious fish. We found a Hotel towards the south of the city where it was a bit less expensive.
Day Three: Don't eat anything that could potentially make you nauseous on this day because you have some windy roads ahead. You'll be amazed at how many times you will want to stop and get out to take photos and then realize there is still so much more ahead! We made it down Highway 1, all the way to Big Sur, where the views were absolutely stunning.
There is a place called Pfeiffer Beach that we were told to check out, and what a great decision it was! I'll let you check out the scenery for yourself when you get there.
This is also the night where you can pull out the camping gear and s'mores. We arrived just in time to set up the tent before it got dark and then woke up to the most amazing view. I would recommend to stay two nights here instead of one so your not in a rush like we were. The place we stayed at was called Ventana Campground, and yes, we were allowed to make a fire there.
Day Four/Five: Malibu! We found a cool Airbnb in Calabasas to stay at for the next two nights, these were more of our hang out and laundry days. Being on the road all day can be pretty exhausting, so it is important to make sure you have a couple days to relax and rejuvenate.
There you can do some shopping, celebrity siting, and have a nice night out at a restaurant. This is also a great time to go to the beach and take some photos of the lifeguard huts.
Day Six/Seven: These next two nights we stayed in a Hostel in Santa Monica. I will probably have to write a whole other article about Hostels and why they are so fantastic. Being around a bunch of people your age from around the world is the most exciting thing, you never know who you will meet.
Other than obviously going to the Santa Monica Pier, we rented bikes to ride around Venice, laid out on the beach, and finally found a spot for the hammock!
Day 8: This is the day when you start slowly making your way back towards Denver. However you still have time in the morning to stop through Hollywood. First we went to the boulevard, which honestly wasn't too exciting, so we headed up towards the Griffith Observatory instead. The view from there is absolutely amazing and you could see the Hollywood sign in all its tiny glory.
We drove the entire day until we made it to Las Vegas where we crashed at a cheap hotel for just about eight hours. You could also stay at the Venetian if you prefer.
Day Nine: This is just a long day of switching off driving and trying to get home in one piece. Wishing you could have stayed longer, but happy to get home to your own bed.
If you really want to travel, you don't have to wait to save up a ton of money, just pack your stuff and hit the road for a few days. August is the perfect month to do that.
Now all you have to do is book, and go!
