It’s been a week since we got back from California, and I’m already wanting to go back! We had such an incredible time. But really, when does one not have an incredible time in California. :)
We packed a lot in to 11 days, so it’s looking like this might be the longest blog post I’ve ever written! Hope you’re ready ;)
Since we had been in Pennsylvania visiting family, we decided to keep our RV stationed in Phoenix and fly directly to Los Angeles for some time in the city without the RV. Although it was bittersweet to leave our home on wheels, we were SUPER grateful we made this decision because it allowed us to experience Southern California without having to worry about where to park a 39″ foot long giant. :) We’ll be coming back through all of California with the RV in the fall, but figured sans-RV was the best way to experience the LA area.
Day 1
We traded the RV for a Mazda6 Grand Touring and WOW did we ever wish we could keep it. It was a 2017 model (as compared to our year 2000 RV) and we’ve clearly been missing out on the whole rearview camera with sensors, popup driving display screen which shows your speed, and 35 MPG thing! We especially loved driving it down Route 1, from Malibu to Laguna Beach – but more on that later. :)
Our first day, we arrived to our AirBnB at 1:30 AM and tried to get some sleep before exploring all different parts of Los Angeles!
We began at Madame Tussauds, so that if we didn’t see any celebrities the rest of the trip we could at least have pictures with their wax figures. Ha :) Seriously though, it really is amazing how real some of the wax figures look! I especially like when they wax figures set up in a scene that you can interact with, like this one of Cameron Diaz. (Cameron says our movie filming went great. ;)
Another thing I appreciated about Madame Tussauds Hollywood, just like the location we visited in New York, is how well each area is laid out – from historical figures to music celebs and so much more – you really can get your photo with just about any big celeb. Needless to say, it made a great start to our time in LA. :)
Next, we did a Warner Bros. studio tour, where we got to see the behind-the-scenes of many popular movie and TV show sets. My favorite part of the tour was getting to see Ellen’s studio. Hud’s fav was a room filled with Batmobiles. :) And for Friends lovers, they even have a replica of the Central Perk Cafe set there.
Something that amazed us is how many movies will use the same streets on Warner Bros. property to film. They’ll just change up the scenery a bit, hang different signs on the buildings, and install different doorknobs (we found out that this can determine the time in which the movie is being portrayed), and it looks different enough that most people would never notice. The picture above is at the cafe from La La Land, which has also been used in other films as another type of building.
After the tour, we went into a working Warner Bros. studio to watch a filming of The Conan Show! It was so interesting to see Conan in real life; he really interacted with the audience well and went off-script more than we expected.
Just before sunset, we went to the OUE Skyspace L.A. downtown, and it was SUCH a beautiful view! We could see lots of helicopters flying to and from downtown, the mountains in the distance with the Hollywood sign, and a gorgeous setting sun. It was the perfect place to relax and appreciate the beauty of the city from a 360-degree view of it.
There was also some fun things to do within the building itself. They are currently adding interactive exhibits about the music and film scene in LA, but our favorite activity was the Skyslide. This slide drops from the 70th floor, nearly 1000 feet above the city, outside to the 69th floor. It was definitely a thrill, and at the same time I wish it dropped more because it was so much fun!
We ended our first day at the Desano Pizza Bakery, which is known to have some of the best pizza in LA. They make authentic Italian pizza and wow was it ever good! They even have a dipping station where you can mix your favorite toppings (mine were olive oil and parmesean) to dip your crust in!
What is also especially neat about Desano is that it’s not a traditional pizza shop; it has a really neat environment that is perfect for hanging out with friends. They even have wood burning ovens out in the open so that you can watch your pizza being made. This was the perfect way for us to end our first day in the city!
Day 2
The next day we went to a taping of Let’s Make a Deal! We had fun dressing up in American flag onesies and participating in dance parties during commercial breaks haha. They really try to keep the crowd upbeat so that the energy comes across on the TV.
It was a great morning; the only problem was that it lasted longer than we thought (the whole experience took 6 hours even though filming was only for about 1) and we missed attending the James Corden show taping, which was next on our agenda, by 15 minutes! We were disappointed, but it worked out okay because it gave us time to experience the great LA rush hour traffic (ha :) as we drove to Anaheim, where we spent the next few days.
Days 3-4
This Anaheim VRBO hosted us, and it was THE coolest. Probably the nicest house we will ever stay in for the rest of our lives! We found this vacation rental through Anaheim Vacation House, and they were a true joy to work with from the very beginning. The house we stayed in had EIGHT bedrooms, six bathrooms, a huge private pool and jacuzzi, grill and big patio set, large kitchen, game room, and so much more. We seriously did not want to leave! It was an incredible getaway, and the location is 15 minutes from Disneyland and the Anaheim Convention Center (where we were attending a conference).
The house comfortably sleeps 19 people, so it would be a perfect vacation retreat for six couples or 3-5 families. And if you split the nightly rate, the cost would be incredibly reasonable for a more luxury experience than you could ever get staying in a hotel. The house came with every amenity we could think of and was really well styled – even the bathrooms were beautiful. We wished we would have invited our families because it was truly an experience we will never forget! We spent the majority of our time in the pool and jacuzzi and it was just amazing!
While in Anaheim, we attended VidCon. Many of the YouTube creators that we follow spoke there, and we enjoyed learning from them, as well as from industry leaders such as the CEO of YouTube and co-founder of Instagram. Hudson and I both have degrees in marketing, so it was really neat to hear directly from these people about where they think the ever-changing world of online video is heading.
The best part of VidCon, though, is getting to see YouTube creators interact with their fans. We even got to meet some of them, which was a lot of fun.
Our favorite part of the conference was getting to sit down and talk with one of our favorite YouTube creators, DevinSuperTramp. He creates amazing, adventurous videos and is super genuine and kind. Excited to continue following his work!
While at VidCon, I also got to fulfill a childhood dream of being “slimed” by Nickelodeon. Ha, we had such much fun walking around and seeing all the exhibitors at the conference!
Day 5
Since we had Industry passes, VidCon actually provided most meals, but one night we had dinner at The FIFTH, Anaheim’s only rooftop restaurant. I love eating outdoors to begin with, but it was an especially beautiful night and we had a great view of Disneyland. It was the perfect place to relax after a long day at the conference!
We didn’t stay too late, but they were setting up for some live music – it would have been even more fun to stay for that and the Disney fireworks! Hudson and I both ordered the bacon & swiss burger (big fans of anything with bacon on it) and it was absolutely delicious.
Day 6
We had heard amazing things about the Anaheim Packing House, so for dessert the next night we visited the Crepe Coop stand there and OH my goodness was that ever a treat. First of all, the Anaheim Packing House is the cutest historical landmark turned food-and-music venue. There was live music and just so much energy there!
Crepes really don’t get any better than at the Crepe Coop. We both tried their new menu item, an Oreo Crepe! Chocolate batter, chocolate spread, Oreo crumbs, cookies n’ cream gelato, cool whip, and an Oreo chocolate candy bar. Talk about bite after bite of deliciousness! It was so filling that I couldn’t even finish the whole thing, but I know for sure that no crepe will ever compare!
After four days in Anaheim, we headed back to Los Angeles on Monday for probably my favorite day of our trip!
Day 7
We visited Rodeo Drive, known for some of the fanciest shops in LA…and for lots of nice cars. I think we saw more Lamborghinis than people! :)
We checked in to the Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel in Beverly Hills, which is the only hotel directly on Rodeo Drive. The location alone would make it the perfect place to stay, but also it’s called Luxe for a reason – it is super glamorous! There is a red carpet-like feel as you enter the lobby, where they offer breakfast, afternoon light bites, and an evening food tasting as part of their Luxe Club experience.
The room felt like a perfect retreat. Everything from the linens to the macaroons and wine they provided for us was so nice! Our room looked out onto a huge patio, perfect for escaping the busyness of LA. The penthouse floor of the hotel is called Rooftop 360 and includes a spa, lounge, and fitness area – take a look at those views, they made me for once actually want to work out!
Thanks to the Luxe Rodeo Drive’s “Rejuvenate on Rodeo” package, we spent our afternoon at the Spa on Rodeo rooftop. This package includes the Luxe Club experience as well as a facial or massage. I received a facial, and Hudson chose the massage. It was a super relaxing experience amidst a packed trip and really felt great. The Luxe spa offers a wide array of spa treatments. If you want to feel like a celebrity, this is the place to go!
That evening, we got all dressed up and attended a movie premiere for The House! It was in the TCL Chinese Theater, a historic theater on the Hollywood Walk of Fame where many premieres are held. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime type experience and, although we didn’t get to see them, Jeremy Renner, Amy Poehler, and Will Ferrell were somewhere in the crowd! The movie was okay, but to be honest our favorite part of it all was the free popcorn and soda! :)
After the premiere, we walked to Qwench Juice Bar for one of my favorite treats: acai bowls! My sister introduced these to me two years ago, and now I try to take every opportunity to eat them. :) The only problem is that on the East Coast, there are not too many options. I had heard amazing things about Qwench, and their acai bowls were even more delicious than I expected!
We also tried a wheatgrass shot and fennel lemonade, which were great as well. Our favorite part was seeing how they would use actual whole fruits and veggies to create the menu items. Javier, the person who served us, was SO nice and he said that he’s been working there 17 years – which I think says SO much about the company! He explained that the wheatgrass shots have 120 vitamins and minerals, and that each item that Qwench serves is packed with nutrition.
Day 8
The next morning, we went to a taping of The Voice! (By the way, it’s super easy for anyone to get free TV show taping tickets, just go to 1iota.com. We also got the movie premiere tickets there!) We loved seeing the judges (Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Hudson, Blake Shelton, and Adam Levine) up close. It was so interesting to see how, although they are huge celebrities, they are also just normal people.
We expected The Voice to be really scripted but it actually wasn’t at all! It was a taping for the blind auditions, so it was really neat to watch their chairs spin around and then the judges arguing about which judge the contestant should choose. There were some amazing contestants; we were really impressed and look forward to watching the upcoming season!
The Voice taping took most of the day, but afterwards we went back to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. We were looking at the celebrity stars, when we came across this guy who would put your name on a star for $5. We later found out that to receive a star, it costs $35,000! So we got quite a bargain ha :) We may have never starred in a movie, but we sure have watched a lot of them! That’s got to count for something, right?!
We jumped on a Movie Stars’ Home Tour by Starline Tours and got to tour through LA seeing lots of celebrity homes! Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, and more. I enjoy learning about celebrities in their natural habitat, ha, so seeing their houses was especially interesting. The above picture is Justin Timberlake’s, and the below picture is Shaq’s!
Our tour guide was really knowledgeable – he said he had been doing these tours for more than a decade! I imagine it is difficult to keep up with all the buying and selling of different properties, but he was really on top of it – and his jokes were hilarious too! I also appreciated that we got to stop at a couple overlooks for a pretty view of the city, and to better understand he different areas of LA. I had forgotten how big the city is!
That night, we toured The Grove, which is a high-class retail and entertainment complex, very popular among both tourists and locals. We ate at Wood Ranch, which is known to be the best restaurant near The Grove, and it even exceeded our expectations! Wood Ranch is most popular for their barbecue, but everything on the menu looked so good that we had a tough time making a decision!
Hud, being Hud, tried their full rack of ribs. Thankfully they brought him lots of wet wipes – that’s the sign of good barbecue! I tried their top sirloin, and it was the best steak I’ve had in a long time. The perfect amount of juiciness and flavor! The meals were so big that we both ended up having leftovers. Wood Ranch was a really fun atmosphere, and since they have 15 other locations across California, I’m hoping we can visit another one next time we come through Cali.
Day 9
We decided to experience life beyond the city of LA the next day, and go for a drive down part of Route 1 / the Pacific Coast Highway (or as the locals call it: PCH)! We started in Malibu and then went through Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Dana Point. This was Hud’s favorite day, especially because he has never been to California before! The beaches were so beautiful and it was a really special time just talking, singing, and looking at the views while roadtripping.
We especially realized how nice it was to do this roadtrip in a car vs. the RV! As I previously mentioned, the 2017 Mazda6 Grand Touring we were driving was amazing! It drove really smooth (especially compared to the RV) and was super roomy for a sedan. I was looking at the Mazda website and love that it says it’s “capable of going above and beyond in delivering a fun driving experience that still maintains practicality and efficiency” – that is so true! It’s won a number of awards, and I can see why.
First, the vehicle comes with SO many safety features. To name a few…there’s the Lane Keep Assist System, review camera with sensors, cruise control with close proximity warnings, traffic sign recognition (amazing, I know!), and Smart Brake Support System with collision warning. Needless to say, this car helps keep you safe! It also gave us peace of mind when merging lanes in the busy LA traffic. We really struggle with blind spots in the RV but with the Mazda6’s tech-oriented safety features, it was super easy to monitor them.
I also loved the elegance of the car’s design mixed with so many technology and entertainment features. There was a big touchscreen display with navigation, and something I’ve never seen before in a car is what they call an “Active Driving Display.” This popped up when we began driving and would show our speed! Now that we’re back in the RV, Hud hasn’t yet gotten used to not having that! We really enjoyed driving the Mazda6, especially on the Pacific Coast Highway.
Our favorite location in our PCH daytrip was in Laguna Beach. I had been there before, but had forgotten about how beautiful it was! The sky with the rocks and the ocean altogether was just incredible. Especially as the sun began to set. I just stood there thanking God for this amazing trip and how blessed we are to live in such a beautiful country!
But that wasn’t the end of our time in Cali. That night, we checked into The Orlando Hotel which is in mid-city LA, making it a quick driving distance (or walking distance, in our case) to just about anywhere! It’s right between Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. The first thing we noticed was that the staff was SO nice – everyone from the front desk attendants to the maintenance crew was kind and made us feel special.
I also really liked the boutique elements of The Orlando. The bathroom was especially fancy, which I learned from this trip that that’ something I especially appreciate – maybe it has something to do with having a really small shower without much water in the RV. :) Another thing we need to figure out how to get in the RV is a rooftop pool. ;) The Orlando’s pool was amazing – if we didn’t have so much planned, I could have sat out there all day! And, there is a juice bar right outside the hotel, so win win win.
Day 10
This was our final day in LA – so bittersweet! Sweet because of LA Insider Tours making it so special. They hosted us on their “Teens and Tweeners” tour (Hud got a good kick out of that) and customized it based on things we had already seen. We loved SO much about the tour, but the best part was that it was private, not rushed, and completely customizable. You have 8 hours with the guides so if you want to stay longer in a certain place, they are really flexible and cool with that. They have a great pre-planned agenda, but if you’d rather see something else, they will take you there instead.
In our case, we really wanted to see Griffith Park, where there is a great view of the city and the Hollywood Sign. They picked us up from our hotel and took us there first thing in the morning, which was really smart to avoid the crowds (something we would not have thought of). I was snapping pictures of the Hollywood Sign when they told me that there was an even better view of it that they’d take us to – it’s not well-known by most tourists and was amazing! It’s things like that which we’d never know about if not on a customized tour like this.
One of our favorite parts of the tour was a bike ride from Venice Beach to the Santa Monica Pier! It was a great way to experience the beaches and get to see the different atmospheres of both. They also took us to see more celebrity homes we hadn’t seen on the other tour, and many other places as well. Hud and I always say when we are traveling to a new place that we wish we knew locals who could give us a tour of the best things to see and do, and this was THE perfect way to get that local perspective from people who are some of the most knowledgeable about the area. One of our guides (we had two, both of which were amazing!) they call the walking encyclopedia!!
We also appreciated how the guides were our built-in photographers for the day. They knew all the best spots. Whether you are new to LA or only have a day to spend in LA, LA Insider Tours is an incredible way to experience the city!
After our tour, we walked from The Orlando Hotel to the Red O Restaurant for dinner. Run by celebrity chef Rick Bayless (winner of Top Chef Masters 2009), this is a go-to place for many celebrities and we quickly saw why. It is truly an experience like no other. The restaurant is in a great location, has such a beautiful and peaceful atmosphere, and makes such delicious food!
We sat outside (again, something I love to do) and had fun just counting the number of exotic cars that drove by while waiting for our dinner! We ordered a special for two: a steak and lobster combo with tortillas, taco fillings, and more sides than you can imagine! The platter was huge, and the Mexican flair on turf and surf was so unique and just incredible. Let’s just say there’s no way I could ever make that nice of a meal, especially in the RV! ;)
Our waiter was so kind as well. Eating at Red O was truly an incredible way to end our last full day in LA, and we were so grateful.
Day 11
Our last day was pretty relaxed, we spent time hanging at the hotel (and the pool!) before flying out of LAX back to Arizona, where we are now. We were welcomed with 114 degree heat, so if anyone knows how to put a rooftop pool on the RV, you’re hired! :)
We are so grateful to have had such a special experience in Los Angeles and Anaheim. Special thanks to the companies who provided some of these experiences for free in exchange for us sharing our honest opinions about our experience. California was truly incredible, and we can’t wait to go back there in the fall!
