Tag: Venice Beach

Our 25th anniversary in California & Nevada

Reading Time: 12 minutes
California & Nevada, USA (April/May 2017)

After seeing an airfare sale we decided at short notice to take a trip to the USA to mark our 25th anniversary of being together (we left our children at home with their grandparents since it was during school term).

We have been to the USA a few times so planned our itinerary with a combination of places we have been before which we enjoyed (like Universal Studios and Venice Beach in L.A.) and also added in some new places we wanted to experience for the first time around Las Vegas and Palm Springs. We had a really enjoyable time and fortunately everything went smoothly, thanks to some good planning and resources such as the TripHobo app.

People travelling: Two (me and Steve)

Trip duration: 12 days / 11 nights

Total cost A$5,250 (Flights, accommodation & rental car) plus spending money Continue reading “Our 25th anniversary in California & Nevada”

The appeal of Venice, California

Reading Time: 10 minutes
Venice, California, U.S.A.
Venice Beach, Los Angeles (Feb 2016)

Venice Beach is only 25 minutes drive from LAX and is walking distance from Santa Monica.  It has always been famous for its boardwalk, canals and beautiful beach and now also offers a shopper’s paradise on Abbot Kinney Blvd.

The beachside community was founded in 1905 and developed by an eccentric millionaire named Abbot Kinney. He modelled the town after his favourite Italian city of the same name, complete with canals and plenty of pizza stands.

It has had its share of rough times with gangs in the past and has a massive homeless problem (like many places in the USA) however we love Venice for its character and down to earth vibe. We have visited eight times over the past 25 years and each time it feels like not a lot has changed since our first visit in 1993. Continue reading “The appeal of Venice, California”

This is L.A.

Reading Time: 18 minutes
Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
Venice Beach, L.A. (April 2017)

I have been to L.A. many times. My first visit was as a child, aged 9, with my family. I returned when I was 23, with my boyfriend (now hubby), and we have been another 7 times since then, mostly as a couple, twice with our children. We all love this city. It’s big, diverse and has a great climate. There’s something to offer for everyone, whatever your tastes or interests.

We often return to the same places, each time relieved to see only subtle changes, generally for the better. Although we like going back to places we know, we also try to discover and experience something new each time.

Apologies in advance, this post is quite long – I have so much to say about this city. Hopefully you will find my tips useful if you are planning a visit!

This is L.A. Continue reading “This is L.A.”