New Year, New Adventures. Will and I typically do a January trip somewhere warm as we need a break from the San Diego cold, it feels funny to type that but anything below 60 degrees is cold and just isn't our jam. I could feel the adventure itch coming about a month after we got home from Bali so I started to look for opportunity and say it out loud I WANT TO TRAVEL!

This is how I manifest: Want it, Decide it, Say it!!!

As the Universe would have it, Will and I had a stretch of days off the day after Christmas that lined up together and we jumped on the opportunity to go for a travel. I was determined to get my swimsuit on so I looked into Costa Rica, Hawaii and Mexico but I had no idea that the flights would be so expensive.

I find it exhilarating to travel on a budget.

However, I’m not necessarily into the cheapest of cheap. You can say I like a good deal! There was no way I was paying quadruple the price for flights (yes, that’s how crazy expensive it is to travel on Christmas!) so we needed a different plan to spend these magical days off together. We thought of driving to Mexico but I wanted to try something new.

Ever since we got Luna, our 1972 travel trailer, we have been dreaming up some fun camping adventures and road trip travels. Luna is not completely finished, ok actually, she's really just an open box at this point and the goal for her to be completely renovated and road ready by June 2019 (hello summer camping and long beach days!)

Camping Yes Camping! Will, who is quite the planner, he went to work exploring the options of getting consecutive days somewhere within a 6-8 hour drive from San Diego for a camping adventure. The California State Park system's website lets you purchase campground sites up to 6 months in advance, but it is not easy, and usually they are sold out within minutes. I know how hard it is to get a camping spot in San Diego because I have tried so many times to get a beach spot for consecutive days and it has NEVER happened (if you have any tricks please let me know!)

All of that being said, I was pretty sure Big Sur would be a stretch. But as my husband always says- I am a great manifester!

I believe and lean into possibility especially when it feels impossible.

The Universe again, said GO! Everything aligned perfectly, and I'm not just talking about the camping spots. Will’s parents also let us use their new motorhome to stay in for this adventure and we had my Croatian twin friend Adria and her husband join us for this last minute trip. They brought their drone and captured some INCREDIBLE footage.

Here is the breakdown of our 4 day road trip:

Where we stayed

We broke up the trip into a few spots not only because the drive would be 7+ hours but also because we wanted to get a feel for what we would want to do on the next road trip with our own trailer. We left around 6pm on Friday night and hit no traffic. It took us a little over 3 hours with our In-N-Out stop. I'm a fan of the grilled cheese protein style and the husband gets a few double doubles. If you are coming from the South and have any sort of large vehicle (like a camper or motorhome) I would not recommend stopping at the In-N-Out close to UCLA #noparking.

Our first stop was at Carpinteria State Beach Campground, which at night looked just like an asphalt parking spot. However, when we woke up we were steps from the gorgeous beach and could smell the ocean air. There are not a lot of trees in the campground which I didn't mind because the sun had a chance to shine through. The cost for our small space was $45 . I highly recommend a beach walk in the morning.

We journeyed further North for 2 hours where we stopped at Morro Bay for a bite to eat. If you stop here with your camper it is easier to park on the street a few blocks back from Embarcadero. Most restaurants on the water are located on Embarcadero and there is not much parking for larger vehicles.

From Morro Bay the road up to Big Sur is narrow and curvy. It took about 3 hours but I think that is because my husband drives a bit slower due to the fact that I get car sick. From what I could see (I try and keep my eyes on the road) and the turnout we pulled over on the views are incredible! The drive boasts the most beautiful cliff line and turquoise water you can image. Those Pinterest pictures don't lie!

We finally pulled into Pfeiffer Big Sur Campground which was our home for 2 nights. The campground was beautiful with huge trees, campfire pits and hot showers. This park is completely different than the beach camping I am use to. It reminded me of the times my parents took us up to Yosemite for our yearly camping trip as kids. It was gorgeous and is located on the Big Sur River. The price tag was ridiculous as well at just $35 per night.

On our way home we stayed at the Morro Bay State Park Campground and it is just steps away from a the Morro Bay State Park Marina which has a delightful little dock that looks out at the big rock from a view different paths. We took a coffee walk around the bird watching trail and also got an elevated view of the sunset on another path close by where you can see the bay and the ocean all at the same time. The campsite cost $45 a night.

What To Do

Hikes

We decided to do 2 smaller hikes with beach views as we are beach people. The first place we stopped was Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park which was 12 miles south of our camp ground in Big Sur. The main feature of the park is McWay Falls, which drops over a cliff of 80 feet into the Pacific Ocean. The park is also home to 300-foot redwoods which are over 2,500 years old . There is really no "hiking" involved but this is a must see.

Partington Cove was our second stop and I would consider it more of a hike. There is no parking lot so you will need to find parking on the side of the road. Once you enter the dirt trail you have the option to go left or right. If you go left it will lead you to a tunnel. From there you will be out on a stunning cliff where you can view the coastline for miles. If we were to do this hike again I would pack a sandwich and enjoy it out on the cliff.

Turn Outs

My recommendation - stop at the turnouts! The view at every turnout is incredible and the pictures you take will bring a smile to your face when you are scrolling through your camera roll.

Elephant Seal Rookery

You should definitely stop here. I've never seen the elephant seals in person and can't imagine that I will ever get closer. These guys are HUGE! They make hilarious sounds, and all of their mannerisms will make you giggle. They reminded me of an extra large version of our French Hailey. If you have time take the trail and read up on how far they swim, how much they weigh and how the females don't eat for months at a time!!

What We Packed

The 2 most important things you can pack are a huge jacket and food. Seriously, it was very cold and there is no way I would have survived tent camping. At night it was in the 40’s and during the day around 55 degrees. We went the last week of December so if you are going in summer it may be different. However, I would still bring layers, socks and plenty of blankets. I brought an old set of uggs as well as some hiking shoes (nothing fancy just good 'ol Nikes). I forgot to bring flip flops and my feet were freezing in the shower (plus, ewwwww!), so I suggest packing a pair of flip flops even if it is Winter. You will definitely want to pack a beanie and or a hat. I wore no make up at all which is very typical for me. I brought my tea tree wipes and even used those as a bird bath method as well as my Cocokind rose toner and Franklin and Whitman face serum to make sure my skin didn't dry out. These are usually the only things I put on my face besides doing a mask here and there. I like to bring this routine with me wherever I go. As for food, I didn't feel like there were a lot of options for eating out so I’m really grateful we brought our own food.

What We Ate

We packed bread, avocados, salsa and eggs. Coffee, honey, milk and collagen. We pre bought items for dinner, brought yogurt, chips and apples for snacks. Even though I came prepared with chocolate Will found Ben and Jerry’s ice cream at the Big Sur Lodge and we devoured it on more than one occasion. We basically lived off of avocado toast, coffee, chips and ice cream. Not so healthy, but to balance it all out we brought our Berkey water filter (yes, we did!) and healthy human water bottles. I'm proud to say we didn't use a single plastic water bottle, drank the purest water and we were extremely hydrated.

On the drive home we made a few stops to plan our next camping adventure with Luna.

There are a few campgrounds we are definitely staying at next time that are just outside of Big Sur and beachside. There is also a fun little restaurant with the most amazing view called Centrally Grown that we stopped at in Cambria. The food and service were great and there is not a bad seat in the house.

The last stop we made was in San Luis Obispo at Scout Coffee. It was quite possibly the cutest coffee shop I have ever seen. I was ready to move in before I even tasted the delicious brew.