La Jolla, California, the Jewel of the West Coast

1 April 20253 May 2025

After a long day of hiking in Poway, my friends and I decided to spend the rest of the afternoon in La Jolla, an exclusive, upscale suburb of San Diego. La Jolla means “the Jewel” in Spanish which is befitting its name with perfect weather year around, high end fashion boutiques, picturesque coastal bluffs and a scenic seaside.

My favorite hangout is La Jolla Cove, a sandy beach inlet with crystal clear water. This beautiful harbor is also home to sea lion colonies, pesky pelicans and gorgeous blue Brandt’s Cormorants. I enjoyed the time I spent at the beach, watching the noisy sea lions bark for a spot on the rocks. More often than not I would stroll out to the craggy coastline to watch them fight for their small piece of high end real estate. Along the beach, there is a small, cave-like cluster of rocks where I could have a much closer view of the seals. The opening into the cove provides a perfect frame for some amazing wildlife photography.

Often times I would check out the walking path above the cove where I could take in the dramatic cliffs. The stunning views of the shoreline and the cove below are the reason why some refer to this area as the California Riviera.

We decided to stop for drinks at Duke’s La Jolla, to enjoy the views of the upper level which look out into the Pacific. We thought about booking tickets at the La Jolla Playhouse or even playing a round of golf at Torrey Pines Golf Course, but since we were celebrating my friend Kristy’s birthday, we made reservations at George’s at the Cove which gave us plenty of time to stroll Prospect Street with its upscale shops and boutiques.

I never tire of the scenery at La Jolla cove, nor strolling the streets of its downtown. This is truly a Southern California paradise.

Have you had the opportunity to visit La Jolla, California? What are your favorite restaurants and shops? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave your message in the comments section below! Many Thanks for checking out my fun evening in La Jolla and wishing you many Happy Travels!

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What to See and What to Do:

La Jolla Cove – stroll the beaches and check out the amazing wildlife at The Cove!

La Jolla By the Sea – explore the boutique shops and enjoy a fabulous meal in La Jolla!

Where to Stay:

La Jolla Cove Hotel & Suites
1155 Coast Blvd.
La Jolla, CA 92037
Telephone: 858 459 2621

Where to Eat:

George’s at the Cove
1250 Prospect Street
La Jolla, CA 92037
Telephone: 858 454 4244

Duke’s La Jolla
1216 Prospect Street
La Jolla, CA 92037
Telephone: 858 454 5888

What to Eat:

Mexican cuisine, especially tamales
California wood-fired pizza
Southeast Asian foods
Sushi
Seafood
Local Wines

What to Read:

The Dawn Patrol, by Don Winslow
San Diego Noir, by Maryelizabeth Hart
I So Don’t Do Mysteries, by Barrie Summy
Under the Perfect Sun: The San Diego Tourists Never See, by Mike Davis

Photo Guide for La Jolla and nearby San Diego:

La Jolla Cove
Downtown La Jolla
The Botanical Building and Lily Pond at Balboa Park
Greetings from San Diego mural on the sidewall of Belching Beaver Brewery
Sunset Cliffs
Old Town San Diego

San Francisco’s Iconic Golden Gate Bridge

26 January 201514 September 2024

Whether it is the Arch of St. Louis, the Alamo in San Antonio, or the Space Needle in Seattle, very few iconic images compare with the glorious representation of a city than San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

It is impossible to imagine San Francisco without thinking of its spectacular bridge. Regardless of the number of times I travel to San Fran, I am not satisfied until I drive over it or walk the span for breathtaking views of the city. Once the largest suspension bridge in the world, visitors can walk, bike, drive or ride over the two-mile platform that connects the city of San Francisco to Marin County.

It was an overcast day on my last visit, but I layered up and made sure I would be comfortable for a stroll across.

The Golden Gate Bridge was not named for its color but for the strait that it spans, Opening in May of 1937, this steel suspension bridges retains a main span measuring 4,200 feet.

As cars drove across the bridge during my walk, I could hear the whirring sound of the tires and the hollow thumps from the grates that offer views into the water below.

The men who designed the bridge were Joseph Strauss, Irving Morrow, and Charles Ellis. But it was Joseph Strauss, a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, who provided oversight for the day-to-day construction of the bridge beginning in January of 1933.

It is said that Strauss became fascinated by bridges during a hospitalization in Cincinnati. With a view of the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge from his hospital room, he would later be employed by a company that specialized in building them.

The view of the bridge from the southeast side visitor parking lot shows the roadway straight through to the other side. The visitor’s center, gardens and café are accessible from this lot and it is a great starting point for enjoying scenic overlooks and vistas.

The Golden Gate Bridge is open 24 hours a day and it is estimated that approximately 110,000 vehicles travel over the bridge on a daily basis. That does not include the 10,000 pedestrians and 6,000 cyclists that cross as well.

Tolls are only collected in one direction as you head into San Francisco from Marin County. There is a toll charge of $7.25 for 2 axles and motorcycles (as of this writing).

Enjoy the San Francisco rite of passage by walking or biking the Golden Gate Bridge and you will see San Francisco from a whole new perspective.

Have you visited San Francisco and was the Golden Gate Bridge on your itinerary? How did you cross it? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading about my short post about the Golden Gate Bridge! Wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Golden Gate Bridge
P.O. Box 9000, Presidio Station
San Francisco, CA 94129-0601
Telephone: 877 229 8655 or 415 486 8655

Admission Fee: Walk or bike the Golden Gate Bridge at no charge. There is a fee to travel by car, so check the website for the most recent information.
Hours: The Golden Gate Bridge is open 24 hours, seven days a week.
Amenities: Parking, welcome center, cafe, bookstore, historical site
Scenic View: From several vantage points from the Golden Gate Bridge, explore the Pacific Ocean and surrounding mountains.
Length of Visit: 1 – 5 hours depending on how you explore the park
Tips for Your Visit: Access the bridge from both the north and south. Where comfortable shoes for walking across the bridge. The six lanes for cars is tight, so be mindful of other drivers and keep your eyes on the road.

Where to Stay:

Sheraton Palace Hotel, now The Palace Hotel
2 New Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Telephone: 415 512 1111

Where to Eat:

Castagnola’s – The restaurant is known for its soups served in bread bowls. Select the clam chowder bread bowl or the lobster bisque bread bowl.
Ghirardelli Chocolate Company – The world famous hot fudge sundae is the best seller.

Where to Drink:

Iron Horse – Their signature drinks include the James Bond Martini, Goldfinger, Alice in Wonderland, Tiki Temple and Happy Fortune.

What to Read:

Cool Grey City of Love by Gary Kamiya
San Francisco Stories by Jack London
Zodiac by Robert Graysmith
Alcatraz-1259 by William Baker

Photo Guide for San Francisco:

Aquatic Park is the best place to photograph San Francisco’s waterfront
Broadway Street in North Beach for its neon signs and was formerly known as the area’s “red light district”
Chinatown is absolutely amazing for taking photos of America’s oldest Chinatown.
Coit Tower for 360 degree views of San Francisco and the harbor
de Young Museum Observation Deck located at Golden Gate Park is perfect for panoramic photos of the city. Bypass the line to enter the museum to reach the Hamon Observation Tower to take your photos.
Fort Point is a decommissioned military base on the waterfront which provides outstanding views of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge
The Marin Headlands is one of the best places to photograph the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge
Treasure Island for spectacular views of San Francisco’s skyline
See the entire city of San Francisco from Twin Peaks

The Liebster Award: Nominating Fellow Travel Bloggers for their Exceptional Talent

10 July 201431 August 2024

I want to extend a humbling thanks to the wonderful staff of bohotraveller at http://bohotraveller.com/ for nominating me for the Liebster Award, an award by fellow travel writers who in turn recognize other writers for their amazing contribution to travel! I am overwhelmingly grateful for the recognition as I had recently started sharing my travel adventures this year! Here is what bohotraveller had to say about my travelblog:

A travel bug bit her when she was a little girl and her passion for travel increased multifold when she took up a job as Assistant Purser on the SS Vera Cruz. What hooked us to her blog was the amazing collection of pictures from around the world and her coverage of Arizona just blew us off our feet. So before we spill more beans on her, why don’t you pay a visit to her on https://www.thesuitelifeoftravel.com/ and get in touch with this lovely traveler!

Many thanks to bohotraveller for taking an interest in my blog and for the nomination! It has been such an amazing experience to share stories with others who are just as passionate about travel as I am! I look forward to posting more information that I hope can be helpful to all my readers with their travels and thank you for your continued support! I can’t thank you enough for the honor, bohotraveller! Muah!

Having accepted this nomination, I have answered the ten questions that were provided by bohotraveller and have thoroughly enjoyed this process as it has taken me back to some of most memorable adventures!

Question 1: Tell us a little about yourself. And do add something that we do not know about you!
Travel is my passion and I currently work in pharmaceuticals on the research development side of the industry. I have been an active traveler for most of my life living on both coasts of the United States! I am an insane lover of all animals, especially cats, big or small and have one of my own named Sammy. When I was in the sixth grade, I won the highest honors for a singing contest for the state of Ohio!

Question 2: What is your blog about and when did you start?
My blog is a compilation of travels that I have experienced both internationally and in my backyard. You can find an opportunity to write a story if you just look for it and explore the places that interest you, even in your own hometown! My first blog post was published on January 1, 2014!

Question 3: Why did you feel the need for a blog?
I have always been fascinated by travel writing, and kept journals of my cruise ship life and all of the travels I had experienced since my early vacations. I did not have the courage to submit my writings to be published, but my friends and colleagues encouraged me to start a blog as a way to keep up with me and my travels. And voila! It has since become a passion and second career, to say the least!

Question 4: What is your most favourite destination till date?
Working on cruise ships, this was always the question I dreaded to answer. Mainly because each place that you visit will usually make an impact on you in one way or another. But to be fair in answering, I would have to say Bali, Indonesia, for several reasons. It was my first major solo travel trip with the help of a Balinese friend that I stayed in contact with over the years since my cruise ship days. Secondly, I was invited private Hindu ceremonies that brought me closer to the culture of the Balinese. Finally, if you have ever seen photos of Bali, you can see the beauty in the island and the diversity that you can experience here!

Question 5: What is next on your bucket list?
I have a bucket list that seems to be unending. This year I will be hitting Madeira, Portugal, Vietnam and Cambodia as well Nova Scotia and New Brunswick! Next year I have already begun planning my two top bucket list items which are trips to Israel and Machu Picchu!

Question 6: If you could live only in one place all your life, which place would you choose and why?
I have always been fascinated by the Italian culture and their way of life. I would have to say that living in Tuscany would be the ideal place for my laid-back personality and love of wine. The only drawback would be that the weather can be cold at times.

Question 7: What is the biggest challenge that you have ever faced in your travels to date?
Having missed my connecting flight to Venice, I worked with the ticketing agent to “creatively” create an itinerary that would allow me to arrive before the cruise ship for which I was scheduled to embark the next day. Within a 24 hour period, I had visited five countries. The route went from Newark, NJ where I was to fly into Heathrow, England and taxi to Gatwick. The time to reach Gatwick was too short, so the agent booked me on a flight to Frankfurt, Germany. Upon arrival they immediately provided me a ticket to Paris, France, as there were no seats available for Venice. From Paris, I boarded the final leg of my flight, finally arriving in Venice, Italy! I was about 10 hours late from my initial arrival, but I somehow managed, with the help of the airline staff, to make it before my cruise the next day!

Question 8: You are a seaside person or a mountain person? And why?
Maybe it’s my living on cruise ships for so many years, that I love the sound of water and love to watch the waves crashing on the beach. It is such a therapeutic experience for me to smell the salty air and sink my toes in the sand.

Question 9: Apart from travelling, what else do you really enjoy doing?
Photography! From family photos to landscape and animals, I absolutely love to capture incredible sights on film!

And with that said, I want to once again thank bohotraveller for their kind words of introduction, the nomination and keeping in touch for some travel inspiration!

For some, travel is an outlet that takes one to a whole new level in understanding culture, seeing the beauty in the world and experiencing an education that you can’t always find at home! This is what I found in MY nominees for the Liebster award!!

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