During my last year of law school, I finally took advantage of my week off for spring break and flew out to California to see one of my sorority sisters! It was my first time visiting and I was so excited to explore the area. It’s crazy how you can step foot in a place and immediately feel like you belong/were meant to be living there/need to move ASAP!!
If you’re headed to Southern California soon, here are 7 ideas for what to do in the area!
1. Hermosa Beach Pier + Walk the Strand
Since my friend lives in Hermosa Beach, we walked down to the pier there. The Manhattan Beach Pier is more well known and is located in the town right next to HB! Either one will give you gorgeous views of the ocean and the town behind you. Afterwards, you can continue walking along the Strand (a 22 mile paved path that runs from Pacific Palisades to Torrance).
2. Eat a delicious brunch
One morning, Kelly took me to a restaurant near her house and we enjoyed a leisurely brunch, filled with mimosas of course!
P.S. here are a few vegan-friendly restaurants to try next time you’re in SoCal: The Spot, The Veggie Grill, LA Vegan, Fala Bar, and Equelecua Cafe.
3. Check out a local bar
As for nightlife…There are SO many bars in Southern California. It really depends what kind of scene you want to check out! We mainly stayed in Hermosa Beach, but we did venture up to Culver City one night.
4. Drive up the Pacific Coast Highway
We dedicated a whole morning to driving up the PCH towards Malibu and enjoying the scenery. Miles and miles of ocean never gets old. We even stopped along the highway for a photo op!
5. Hike Runyon Canyon
To make up for all the brunching and boozing you may be doing, head over to Runyon Canyon for an easy hike! You’re also likely to see a celebrity at some point (we saw two).
6. Griffith Observatory
If you’ve gone for a hike at Runyon, you’re pretty close to the Griffith Observatory. Here, you can check out (mostly free) exhibits and get an awesome view of Downtown Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign.
7. Catch a Sunset
Basically anywhere you go to watch the sun set will be fantastic, especially if you’re sitting on the beach. However, I highly recommend driving down to Palos Verdes and watching the sunset by the Point Vicente Lighthouse.
I’m currently planning my next trip to the west coast and counting down the days until I can put my toes in the sand. Have you been to Southern California? What was your favorite activity?
