Hiii everyone! Last weekend I took a short trip down to Southern California for my birthday to see some of my best friends from college (Chapman University). After spending four years there for school, my list of recommendations for what to do/see in the area could go on and on and on! So, I thought show you just a few fun spots that I visited this past weekend.
Los Angeles Area
Cabana Cafe at The Beverly Hills Hotel
This place is pretty much iconic. It’s been around for years and is definitely one of the places where you have a high chance of seeing a celebrity. Sadly, Talia and I didn’t see anyone when we were there! It’s super expensive to stay in the hotel itself, which is why I recommend just going for brunch.
Shopping at The Grove
The Grove is an outdoor mall in LA, full of cute shops and restaurants. It’s super aesthetically pleasing – pretty plants and fountains everywhere!
Santa Monica
Luckily for me, one of my best friends Nicole just moved to Brentwood which is right by Santa Monica! This is without a doubt one of my favorite places in Southern California. The pier has a mini amusement park and lots of tasty food, the beach is beautiful, and Third Street Promenade (pictured below) is just a few streets up and has amazing shopping!
Third Street Promenade
Really scored at Zara while I was there… be sure to check out their new spring collection!
I was super bummed because the day I went last weekend it was POURING down rain. And lemme tell ya, that’s not a pretty sight in LA. The streets flood and people forget how to drive lol. But on 99% of days it’s gorgeous.
Dinner at North Italia
HIGHLY recommend North Italia for dinner! Wish I could’ve gotten a few photos of it during the day… the interior is so cute! The food is delicious and so reasonably priced for the atmosphere of the restaurant.
Lemonade
Lemonade is a chain restaurant and is one of my all-time favs. They’re located in Orange County too, but we went to the one in Santa Monica. It’s a super casual place where you just order and then sit down, but the food is super tasty. The name comes from all the different flavors of lemonade they sell! SO GOOD!
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
This famous street located in Venice Beach is a hub of cool shops, restaurants, galleries, and more. Check out Salt & Straw Ice Cream, The Butcher’s Daughter, and cute stores like Burro, Show Me Your MuMu, Gorjana, and Pixi!
Orange County
Orange
Chapman, where I went to school, is located in Orange, CA – just 10 minutes away from Disneyland. 🙂 It’s a lot closer to the beach cities – Huntington, Newport, Laguna, etc. so that’s where I spent a lot of my time when I lived down there! Orange itself is a cute little historic town with yummy cafes, adorable boutiques, and of course, Chapman. I personally feel like it’s worth visiting if you’re in Orange County. For food I’d stop by Growl Juice Bar, The Pie Hole, Pizza Press, The Wall, and Blue Bowl (see below). They’re also in the middle of putting in an Urth Caffe! Boutiques: CocoRose and Laurenly, for sure!
Newport Beach
There is so much to do in Newport Beach! It’s most known for Balboa Island + it’s boat filled harbor. Unlike Laguna Beach where the coastline curves in and out, making smaller more intimate beaches, Newport is pretty much just one long stretch of beach. The restaurants etc. in the area have super beachy/surfer vibes and I love it!
Lido Marina Village
Ok this little village is the CUTEST! Coffee shops, boutiques, restaurants, all right on the marina and as trendy as ever.
Sessions West Coast Deli
I actually went to Sessions for the first time and it was sooo delicious!
Bear Flag
This is another must-try food place would be Bear Flag. Everyone raves about it and for good reason! I didn’t go there on this trip but their clam chowder is my favorite!
Laguna Beach
Let me just start this off by saying that it was pretty chilly last weekend, so I didn’t actually go to the beach in a bikini and layout and swim or anything. When I do do that though, my favorite spots in Laguna are Shaw’s Cove, Thousand Steps Beach, Crystal Cove, and 3 Arch Bay. A lot of times I like to pick up a Banzai Bowl on my way back from the beach!
The Main Beach in Laguna is like the central hub of the town, with restaurants, stores, etc., and it just spreads out from there. A few recommendations: The Deck (restaurant/bar right on the beach), Sushi Laguna, Gelato Paradiso. They also have an LF there which I always stop in to! (Shoutout to my best friend Brooke for showing me all of the best spots)!
Feel free to contact me if you need more suggestions! These are only a few of the best spots in SoCal!
Thanks for reading! 🙂
XO Sorelle