Recently, I have discovered a whole new world. The landscape was beautiful, I could breath when I was there and it was literally made up of all my hopes and dreams. No, this isn’t a place that I dreamt about while I was sleeping. This place is totally real. And its name: California.

So far, I have lived in two distinctly singular states. The first one being Pennsylvania, and the second and current one being Florida. Each of these states have their own unique qualities that humble me to call them both home. First of all, PA is where I grew up. Good ‘ole Scranton. My favorite thing about living in PA, not including the fact that my family and friends live there, is the mountains. I’m not a hiker or mountain biker, but I am a huge admirer. It gives you something to look at. And when you stand on top, you feel monumental. As for Florida, it may not have any mountains, but it sure is hot. There is no better way to spend your Thanksgiving break than on the beach thinking how you’re not up north in the cold.

The best part about California is that you get the best of both worlds (thank you Hannah Montana). There are giant, rocky mountains that look like they were painted onto the skyline. Plus, you get all the heat of Florida without the humidity (my hair loved that). It can be 100 degrees outside but it doesn’t even feel like it. The best part is you can actually breathe without feeling like your lungs are being crushed by 22 gallons of water. It’s almost like Florida and PA combined my favorite attributes and formed an oasis.

If you ever find yourself on the west coast, try to do as much as possible. Even if it’s something really touristy, it’s great to do everything at least once. Hollywood Boulevard and the Walk of Fame was crowded, but for a person who loves big cities, LA was fantastic. If you want something a little more low-key and not as hot, San Diego is the place to be. The San Diego Zoo was unlike any other zoo I have ever been too, and it definitely requires sneakers. In Coronado, I had the best Sheppard’s pie I have ever tasted at the popular Irish pub, McP’s. That is actually where they filmed the bar scene in “American Sniper”. If I wasn’t on vacation and my family and I hadn’t tried to experience everything, I probably never would have gotten the chance to walk along the Santa Monica Pier or eat a bone marrow burger. It sounds weird, but I would highly recommend trying the one that Eureka! makes.

While I was there I had all the comforts of both my homes, without actually being home. The whole time I was there I was in a good mood which rarely happens. I think it is uncommon that a person finds a place that they genuinely feel at home when they are there. When that happens, you need to go with your gut and do something about it. I’ll get back to California one day, hopefully for good, so I can continue to explore and experience all it has to offer. But for now, all the memories that I made in the short time that I was there truly make California the Golden State.