Tag: travel

Napa Valley

Napa Valley Guide- Where to Go, Eat and Sleep

Posted on by claire
If you’ve seen my Instagram, you know that I went to Napa Valley earlier this month.  I have to say that going to Napa with my husband was such an amazing trip for me.  I went to Napa with a friend and it was fun, but I really wanted to experience it with my husband.  Not only is Napa romantic, but it's such a beautiful place to experience with someone you love.....and I learned so much. Many people think that going to Napa is just about drinking lots of wine. Well, for some it is, but for us we loved learning about how wine was made and how each one is different, in addition to tasting many wines. It’s actually inspired me to take some classes in wine making. What I have to say next may make you sad.....going to Napa on a tight budget is hard.  Many of the hotels in the area can be very pricey and many of the most popular wineries charge a fee for tastings.   As with any wine tasting trip, you don't want to stay in a hotel that is too far away because you have to drive. You could take an Uber or hire a driver...Read More
san jose del cabo, claire bahn

San Jose del Cabo, The Top 5 Places to Visit

Posted on by claire
I love going to Los Cabos.  If you’re not familiar with the area, Los Cabos is made up of Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo and the area in between is called the "Tourist Corridor," see the map below for details.  I did a blog that was more focused on Cabo San Lucas last year, so this time I wanted to do a blog that focused more on San Jose del Cabo.  This was our first time staying in San Jose del Cabo and we decided to checkout all of the current hot spots.  We checked out several places, but these are the 5 places and events that made the list.   [caption id="attachment_3588" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Map of Los Cabos. Copyright ontheworldmap.com[/caption]   Top 5 Places to Visit in San Jose del Cabo   Flora Farms Flora Farms is an oasis just outside of San Jose del Cabo, literally off the beaten path.  We took a taxi from our hotel in San Jose del Cabo and I joked with my husband that is was "probably located on a dirt road", well 5 seconds later we turned onto a dirt road.  I had no idea what to expect, but as soon as...Read More
Monterey Tides Hotel

Monterey Tides Hotel Review, Monterey Area Hotel

Posted on by claire
I recently spent two days at the Monterey Tides Hotel in Monterey, California.  As some of you might know, I grew up in San Jose, California so my family would often drive south to Santa Cruz and Monterey for day trips.  I always remember passing by this hotel on the way to go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium as a kid.  It was a Best Western then and now it is a more upscale Joie de Vivre Group owned hotel.    I fell in love with it's beachfront location and thought that it would be a fun place to stay, now as an adult I finally got the chance to check it out.   My first experience with the Monterey Tides Hotel as an adult was getting breakfast with my family a couple years ago and being pleasantly surprised by the renovations and the good food.  A made a mental note at that time that I needed to come back and spend a couple days at the hotel with my husband.  The hotel has a laid back beachy vibe and the staff was lovely and super helpful.  The time that we were there was during spring break, so the hotel was being...Read More
sanctuary beach resort, Claire Bahn

Sanctuary Beach Resort Review, Monterey Area Hotel

Posted on by claire
My husband and I spent three days and two nights at the Sanctuary Beach Resort in Marina, CA, just north of Monterey, CA.  We had a wonderful time and I would definitely recommend it for people that are looking for a quiet, restful, low-key get-away.   We were there at the end of March, which was during spring break so there were several families on the property, but it was still very quiet and tranquil. One of the nice things about the resort is that it has lots of Adirondack chairs overlooking the ocean so that you can watch the sunset in the evening.  They even do a bonfire every evening which was fun... and to top it off, the room has a s'mores kit with everything you need for the perfect evening around the fire.  The resort does have a pool and hot tub so that you can relax even when it’s chilly outside .... like it was when we were there. We were lucky enough to get an ocean view suite on the second floor, so the view was spectacular.  We enjoyed watching the sunset from the room every night.    [caption id="attachment_2722" align="aligncenter" width="900"] The resort has Adirondack chairs...Read More
paso robles

A Weekend in Paso Robles- What Not to Miss

Posted on by claire
So if you've seen my Instagram, you know that I love to go wine tasting. In addition to going to the Santa Ynez Valley I also like to go to Paso Robles which is 3 to 4 hours away from Los Angeles.  When we go to Paso Robles we usually spend 2-3 days, after that my husband and I are over wine tasting.  That's why I also give suggestions on other things to in the area besides wine tasting. So, here is my list of things to do when you're in Paso Robles for 48 to 72 hours: Where to Stay in Paso Robles La Bellasera Hotel Every time we’ve been to Paso Robles we stay at La Bellasera, it's centrally located and has nice amenities.  They call it a "luxury hotel", but I feel that it's a solid 3.5 star hotel.  If you don’t want to venture out for dinner after a long day of wine tasting, the Enoteca Restaurant on site has a great menu. Where to Eat Breakfast  Vics Café is our only go to spot for breakfast. We stumbled upon this restaurant on our first morning in Paso, 3 years ago. I was pleasantly surprised by the...Read More