Preface: This post is a few weeks behind our actual adventure. Hopefully, I”ll get caught up to our current location soon.

I have looked forward to going to California for as long as I can remember. Daydreaming of the Pacific Ocean, surfing, and sandy beaches.

I was completely out of my element when we arrived into California and saw the landscape. Mostly desert as we entered the state… the mountains began to fill the landscape. Green, the lovely color green that we missed SO much in the desert. I was surpised to see massive green hills with houses dotting the landscape randomly. Currently, we have saw only one housing addition. Homes are spread out and poking up from the gorgeous green hills. This adds a much more varied landscape to look at while driving and definitely provide some beautiful sunsets.

We stayed outside San Diego about 45 min away in a campground that was in it’s own hilly green paradise. Our site overlooked a pond and we fell asleep each night to the lovely sound of crickets so loud we could hear them through the camper walls. Our campground, Woods Valley Kampground & RV Park, had a little farm with chickens, goats, and even a miniature cow. SO CUTE. My husband and the boys enjoyed fishing from the little pond and running through the grassy lawns. We really couldn’t have asked for a better place to stay and actually talked of extending our stay at week end.

Our first afternoon trip, we took to the shores of San Diego to a little district called La Jolla. They have a little beach, referred to as the kid beach, with a barrier to decrease the force of the waves. Rocky cliffs drop off into the ocean where sea lions and seals gather for naps in the glorious sun. I’m not sure I can possibly express my shear joy at watching these amazing creatures talk, sleep, and walk (Is that really a walk? More like a waddle and slide!) They were precious and an amazing sight to watch while enjoying a pleasant beachy afternoon.

These beautiful creatures inspired so much joy in my heart as I watched two share a kiss. One could say I was a bit smitten with them too. Here’s a link if you care to watch. Be aware one wild man sits in the back and howls at his friends for attention, which isn’t well recieved. They end up in a sort of sea lion brawl. Haha.

Just to the right of the cliffs where the sea lions laid was La Jolla sea caves. Exploring them with a large boot proved to be quite difficult. Climbing wet rocks was a hoot… Needless to say we only made it into the cave, but not quite all the way through. We had fun and many laughs, which truly is all that matters to us.

The landscape breaking off into seascape was breathtaking. We enjoyed several sunsets on the beach and cliffs, just absorbing this phenomenal gift. At one point, we stood, backs to the water to take a gorgeous family sunset photo… only to be plummeted by the rising tide! Laughing, we ended up soaking wet with some really blurry family photos that will never be replaced.

When my husband and I got married, I chose ranunculous flowers for our bouquets and decorations. The way they layer upon themselves to become such fluffy little creations just amazes me. We heard that there were flower fields in the area and with these being my favorite flower…. Of course- We HAD to go! An evening of wandering through ranunculous flower fields and mazes and looking out on the pacific from our high view point was truly a spectacular event.

one can not go to flower fields without oh- so-many photos…. well… you can, but what fun would that be?!

Coronado Island was another destination that was a must-see on our list. Known for it’s red roofed victorian hotel cleverly named “Hotel del Coronado” and it’s superb beaches. We enjoyed an early lunch and a beach day exploring and playing in the sands. The waters were not warm enough for swimming, but provided the perfect shocking splash for running from the surf. The island has some cute shops and is definitely a great way to spend an afternoon.

Our last few days in San Diego were spent whale watching and exploring some pretty impressive playgrounds and parks. Balboa park is a huge “cultural” park inside San Diego which is home to several museums, gorgeous structures, fountains, and even a botanical garden. Adjacent to the San Diego zoo, it allows families to explore much of what the city has to offer all in one location.

Our whale watching tour did not turn out, as it was overcast and the whales decided they didn’t want to be seen. We do highly recommend the agency we used, as they provide everyone with a free ticket to return if they do not see whales on the tour. Check out Hornblower tours if you are ever in the area. From our experience, we recommend going on a sunny day in hopes that the whales will be more active.

For all of you out there… I haven’t had the chance to share my dream with you. I hope to one day write a book. I’m not certain what this book will be based on, but I do hope that this blog will provide the pathway to this dream. If you read my blog and enjoy our photos, please like, comment, share. This will help increase awareness of the blog and assist in helping me reach my dream. Thank you all so much for your support and as always, see you next week!