Los Angeles, California
Hello friends! It’s been a while since I’ve returned from California but I’m finally just now getting around to writing about it! It was a great trip - we stayed in central LA for two nights and Dana Point for two nights, and we also went to a wedding, Magic Castle, and Disneyland!
Accommodations:
We stayed in a couple different places during our trip and they were both great! For the first few days, we stayed at a perfect little Airbnb near downtown LA, and for the second part of the trip, we stayed at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort. They both worked out great for all of our activities on the trip!
Food/Drinks:
- Harpoon Henry’s: This was a perfect little breakfast place in Dana Point! It was right on the waterfront and had great food and even better views! 😊
- Paradise Cove Beach Cafe: We took a little road trip to Malibu for the afternoon one day and got dinner and watched the sunset here. It was a beautiful spot right in Paradise Cove and I would suggest making a pit stop here if you can!
Things to see & do:
- Magic Castle: This was by far one of the coolest experiences of my life! A little bit of quick info - Magic Castle is an invite only members club where you can watch magic shows, eat, drink, and explore all of the magical parts of the clubhouse. We had a wonderful dinner, walked around and watched several magicians perform their tricks!
- Disneyland: One of my favorite places on the planet! 😍 If you haven’t been yet, you absolutely need to go. We went in mid December and everything was decorated for the holidays - the rides, the food and every part of park. We also got to check out the new Star Wars land that had just opened up! See below for some more Disneyland tips 👌🏼
- Newport Beach: On our last day, we walked around the Newport area and checked out the pier and the farmers market that was going on. It was so cute and quaint - I would definitely go back!
Disneyland Tips & Tricks:
- We purchased the Max Pass, which is the best way to see and do all of the rides that you want to do! It allows you to get a “skip the line” pass for several of the rides in both Disneyland and California Adventure.
We also waited in the “single rider line” for most of the rides that we went on! With this line, you essentially get to go to the very front with no wait. Sometimes you get separated from your group and other times you don’t! I wouldn’t recommend doing this if you have small children that you want to ride with, but if you just want to get on the ride and don’t necessarily care if you’re sitting right next to your friends or family, then this is a great option!
Between these two Disneyland hacks, we were able to go on every ride that we wanted to go on with minimal waiting times. 😊
Disneyland also has another hot new spot, Oga’s Cantina, which can be found in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. It does require a reservation - without this you won’t be able to get in! But let me tell you, it is worth it! The drinks are great (it is the only place inside of Disneyland walls that serves alcohol) and the decorations and music are even better!
See below for photos! 😊
The entrance to Magic Castle!
Our little friend at Paradise Cove in Malibu
Beautiful Malibu ❤️
California Adventure decked out for the holidays!
Pixar Pier in California Adventure
Gorgeous views from Radiator Springs
Cinderella’s Castle decorated for Christmas!
Having fun in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge ☺️❤️
Sitting around the bar at Oga’s Cantina
DJ R3X at Oga’s Cantina!
