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Itching for Adventure: San Diego Daycation's

Casey Blatt — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:49:03 +0000

When it comes to vacations, it is hard to find many places to beat the perfection that San Diego has to offer. From the epic surf, to the authentic Mexican cuisine, to the flawless weather and of course the good looking crowds, it’s no wonder San Diego is among the highest ranked vacation destinations in the country (U.S. News). But even sunshine burns if you get too much, and after 22 years, even this beautiful place I call home gets old.

That being said, I have been itching to get the f*ck out of Dodge. With big travel plans on the horizon [NYC & Paris, weeeee!], I have been looking for new and inexpensive trips to squeeze in between the long, slow work weeks. I like to call this a Daycation… a day or two away from home where you can unplug and relax without having the burden of paying an arm and a leg to get away for a night. If you can afford it, a quick ticket to Vegas or Scottsdale are great options, however both of these destinations can be on the more expensive side of the continuum.

Luckily, San Diego is in close proximity to a handful of other great places to visit [this does not include LA, because LA is the only a vacation if you pay a ton to stay at an upscale resort filled with people who think they are more important than you]. Good thing the weather in this part of the country is very conducive to road trips, because it looks like my car will be getting a lot of miles in the coming months as I check each of these great weekend getaways off of my list!

Temecula Valley

Temecula: Our close neighbor to the Northeast, Temecula resides in Riverside County and is conveniently located off of the I-15 about an hour north of San Diego. With over 35 wineries, nine golf courses and the massive Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula is a popular destination for Southern Californian’s looking for a weekend vacation. Seasonal festivals and vibrant nightlife will keep the fun alive at any time year, or any time of day. This is the perfect daycation for wino’s and poker players looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of coastal life.

Palm Springs

Palm Springs: This desert oasis is most notably the home of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts [and Stagecoach] Festival, but attracts many visitors year round from all walks of life. Previously known for being a popular retirement destination, Palm Springs has transformed in the past 10 years or so to become a resort town for country club aficionados, artists and design junkies alike. The town reeks of vintage charm with it’s 1970′s architecture, Native American inspired art and long stretches of lawn dotted with aquamarine swimming pools. This is the perfect leisurely daycation for those looking to do nothing but lay in the sun with a cool drink in hand.

Anza-Borrego Spring Wildflowers

Anza-Borrego National Park: Located just east of Temecula and south of Palm Springs, Anza-Borrego is California’s largest state park and boasts 600,000 acres of mostly unspoiled wilderness with 500 miles of dirt roads and 110 miles of hiking trails. Like the rest of the Coachella and Death Valley’s, the area is laden with history and artifacts that will keep your inner Archaeology buff on your toes. Aside from the breathtaking day-time activities, Anza-Borrego is also very well known for it’s insane celestial display by night, and was even dubbed by USA Today as, “a stargazer’s paradise”. This daycation is perfect for the outdoorsy type looking to explore all the great features the desert has to offer.

Rosarito, Mexico

Rosarito, Mexico: Once you get through the tedious line at the US-Mexico border, it is only a 20 minute drive straight down the coast til you arrive in one of Mexico’s top resort towns on the West side. In addition to spectacular surf swells year round, Rosarito is very well known for their Puerto Nuevo lobster. For only $30, you can have all the chips, salsa and lobster your seafood loving heart desires. Add a couple cervezas with an unobstructed view of the Pacific Ocean, and it feels like you are hundreds of miles from home. Rosarito is the ideal daycation for an easy get away on any budget, or for those looking to relive their spring break at Senor Frog’s.

Newport Beach

Newport Beach: Just 45 minutes north of San Diego on the I-5, Newport Beach is a home-away-from-home for San Diegans. Whether you are looking for a romantic getaway, traveling with kids in tow, or just skipping town with some friends for a couple nights, there is something for everyone in Newport. Dining and nightlife have always been great draws for tourists, but the locals live for gorgeous days spent playing at the beach and cruising Balboa Island. This is the perfect daycation for those looking to relax by the water!

Santa Barbara Sunset

Santa Barbara: Sometimes called the “Pacific Riviera,” Santa Barbara is reminiscent of the Mediterranean and is located only three hours north of San Diego [one of the most beautiful coastal drives I have ever experienced]. Santa Barbara has lots in common with San Diego, from it’s Spanish history, gorgeous weather and long stretches of beaches, to it’s nearby wine tasting and plethora of outdoor activities. With two large colleges in the heart of nearby Goleta County, Santa Barbara has a youthful vibe that appeals to anyone looking to have a few drinks and wander State Street for some great shopping and people watching. This is the perfect daycation for anyone just looking to hop on a train and get out of town, but still enjoy an active, fun-filled weekend.

Escondido - Black Roses

WillowWoodMusic — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:52:03 +0000

I’ve been spending a lot of time in the high desert recently, it’s a strange and beautiful place. Mind-numbing in the daytime, magical at sunset, and never-ending at night. It’s not hard to get lost in yourself out there, and I’ve found the best soundtrack to describe this feeling is the debut album from Nashville band Escondido – ‘The Ghost of Escondido’.

Rather fittingly, i rode along past Oceanside and the coast yesterday, not far from the city of Escondido. As a non-Californian, I’d only ever heard of this place from Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale’s 2006 album ‘The Road to Escondido’. I wonder if this album or the city itself were the inspiration for this new desert rock soundtrack from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros member Tyler James, and clothing designer/stylist Jessica Maros?

Have a watch of this beautifully hazy video for ‘Black Roses’. Shot in the Palm Desert, it’s the perfect soundtrack to a steaming hot day when all you want to do is sit in the shade with your feet in a cool oasis.
These guys are a band to watch, they recorded the album live in one day, which gives it that soulful, unpolished sound, as if it all just came completely naturally.
You can hear the Edward Sharpe influence, and Maros’s voice is similar to sister duo First Aid Kit, or some of The Pierces slower songs. The video itself is reminiscent of Neil Krug’s psychedelic 70s style that these bands have also used to transport us back to an era when everything was slower and more colourful.

If that wasn’t enough, they also have a song called Willow Tree, i think it’s fair to say we’re on the same page here.

- N

rear view travels

patriciaddrury — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:10:23 +0000

black and blue

patriciaddrury — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:54:20 +0000

black and blue

patriciaddrury — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:54:09 +0000

glory

patriciaddrury — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:52:48 +0000

Spring Break-Palm Springs Lunch & Rancho Las Palmas Resort

beyondblyss — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:35:18 +0000

We are ready to relax, hop on the lazy river and enjoy the water-slide at our resort.
My girlfriend Julie has been going to this resort for years. She knew it was exactly the way we wanted to spend our last few days.

Sunday afternoon lunch at In N Out Burger was a must! Boys loved it and compared it to Dicks. That is their favorite.
I love they use only fresh ingredients, real ice cream for the shakes and never frozen ingredients.

This is the resort we are staying;
We checked in and it was off to the pool.

Our room was located on the golf course. The boys loved it in the morning watching all the golfers.

Loving the lazy river… This is Jaden at the top of the water-slide.

Off to the main pool for torpedo game and playing ball.

It was high 80′s -time for a refreshing cocktail.

The boys were having the time of their lives.
More spring break updates to follow soon….

mochachino mood

patriciaddrury — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:59:07 +0000

go in peace

patriciaddrury — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:25:11 +0000

Juicy Party | JuicyChella13

epdiamond — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 22:08:43 +0000

Photos courtesy of Chriselle Lim, Jana Williams and Who What Wear.

beyond the trees

patriciaddrury — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:02:53 +0000

yin and yang

patriciaddrury — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:58:50 +0000

desert chic

gypsy robe — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:07:55 +0000

Every April thousands of people flock to the desert for this little festival called Coachella…

Fun Foto Challenge: Roads

patriciaddrury — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 14:13:25 +0000

http://lingeringvisions.wordpress.com/2013/04/12/cees-fun-foto-challenge-roads/

Weekly Photo Challenge: Change

patriciaddrury — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 01:17:32 +0000

This week, we want to see photos that represent change. Depending on where in the world you are, this could be a winter landscape blossoming to spring, or vice versa. It could be a picture of a place you’ve left behind and hope never to return to, a photo of a place you hope to reach, or a snapshot of where you currently stand in a journey. Perhaps you’ll capture your child on the cusp of a developmental milestone, or the sun just about to flip the switch between night and day.

Some of my own favorite examples of change are the light shows God has given me with His cloud formations and sunlight shows, I can never get enough:

THis weeks challenge can be an example like this:

We changed from being in a familiar, comfortable location to a being in a (sort-of) foreign one.
We changed from being on weekday, work life time to weekend, celebration time.
We cemented the changes from our old life to the new.

Some great examples of change in your worlds:

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/04/12/weekly-photo-challenge-change/

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

RED

patriciaddrury — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:53:26 +0000

pot o gold

patriciaddrury — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:50:45 +0000

Airstream vs Tree !

towedabode — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 03:32:49 +0000

Actually file this under : we dodged a bullet! Very windy here in Palm Desert. Reminds me of the Antelope Valley, but at least it’s not in the 40s! I’m standing outside drinking coffee at the door, thinking, jeez it’s windy, just better stow all this furniture. Then a very dramatic kkeeerrraCKKKKK

and slowly the tree goes over just grazing the great silver supplement. Damage report: one small bathroom vent yanked off, minor dimples to awning case, some minor scratches on coach body. . . that’s it. . . whew. . .

Guest Post: Grand Prix All-American

adohertyh — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:22:36 +0000

Today’s post comes courtesy of Piper J. Klemm:

Two-time US Olympic Gold Medalist McLain Ward and Antares F jump in the AIG Million Dollar Grand Prix in Thermal, California on March 17, 2013. Ward and Antares F won the Million Dollar Grand Prix in Saugerties, NY in September 2012.

Travel Theme: Pale

patriciaddrury — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 16:08:38 +0000

From the vivid colors of the Weekly Photo Challenge this week to this topic of Pale… I love the balance… from my perspective in the desert of southern California… enjoy!

http://wheresmybackpack.com/2013/04/05/travel-theme-pale/

Cruise In The Desert: Sue Wong At the El Paseo Fashion Week In Palm Desert

Michael T. — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 23:30:32 +0000

Designer Sue Wong was featured at El Paseo Fashion Week in Palm Desert, California. Her show was a spectacular display of intricately designed period dresses clearly inspired by “The Great Gatsby” era.

Katy Cruise asked her what drew her to the world of art and fashion. Sue was quick to respond: “I was born to be an Artist- I don’t think you can really learn to be one, and being an artist was my calling.” Sue Wong’s designs show this in every way, from her use of materials, she works with chiffon and lace to the extensive hand beading on all of her dresses. “My mantra is beauty, magic, transformation and I try to honor the ultimate feminine, which is truly the Goddess (…)”.

[worldnow id=8746855 width=420 height=315 type=video]

Her designs are one of a kind and incorporate a sense of old world couture which is not often seen in today’s designs. Sue went on to say “My inspirations are from the likes of Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow and Marlene Dietrich (…) they were the most gorgeous creatures that ever lived.”

Sue Wong’s personality is captivating, mesmerizing and powerful. She is true to her natural identity and artistic voice. Her vision of fashion and beauty captures femininity, romance and fantasy.

-Katy Cruise & Michael Trobisch EZ103.1/Palm Desert

[listicle id=15723]

Weekly Photo Challenge: Color

patriciaddrury — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 16:34:38 +0000

“Color. Splashed on the walls of cities, in batches of flowers in gardens, in the doodles of students, and on the palettes of artists, color is everywhere: it may represent our mood, and it can affect our mood. In photography, you can use a spectrum of colors to bring a place to life, or focus on a single shade to make a bold statement…Cheri Lucas

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/weekly-photo-challenge-color/

Granddaughter and me

Weeds of color

patriciaddrury — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:12:37 +0000

Nature, desertscape, iPhone

here, there and beyond...

patriciaddrury — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:24:55 +0000

Scan our QR code for coupon discount

webmaster — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:15:08 +0000