You probably know where this is going with the title ... I went on another vacation to California for the fifth time! You’d think at this point I’d be sick of it, but truly I am not. Cali is one of my favorite places in the world to visit. Of course, I’m determined to travel around the world and discover as many countries and cities as possible before I kick the bucket, but I’m still always down for another adventure in the Golden State!

My dad had to go over to Newport Beach for Shamrock, a company that he works with, to do some business. My mom and I were invited to go with him once again. My sister also managed to take a week off from work and the four of us flew over to have our family vacation. It was extra special because Lauren is getting married next summer, so it was our last vacation with just the four of us! We spent four days in Newport, one day in Anaheim, and the last two days in Santa Barbara after my dad was done with work.

It’s been almost a week since we came back from California. Now that I’m back and busy with my internship and blogging part-time, I could really use a margarita and an influential book sitting the poolside in noncloudy sunshine! But I’d be more than happy to reflect our amazing trip with y’all.

We stayed at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa for the first few nights while in Newport. It was perfect because it was right next to Fashion Island, a beautiful outlet mall where we mostly walked around, got coffee and shopped. We spent our time in Newport by doing that, walking around Balboa Island, and relaxing at the Marriott’s pool. That gave me the opportunity to wind down after a so far super busy summer and drink an uptown margarita, sit in the hot tub (if the wind got too breezy), and read Ainsley Earhardt’s "The Light Within Me".

Unfortunately, my chest became roasted red. So bad that it was painful to take showers afterward, it felt like I was bathing in lava. But I don’t regret relaxing in sunny paradise!

Two of my favorite things to do in Newport Beach: walk around/shop at Fashion Island and get frozen bananas at Balboa Island!

Y’all, these banana treats are THE BOMB. I was honestly not expecting to like them that much, but I was so pleasantly surprised. The chocolate covered ones with all the toppings on the menu on it were a hit. Definitely worth blogging about it!

Dont be too fooled though, it may sound more healthy with the banana 😂 My family and I kept joking about that. But hey, it’s still a perfect splurge to treat yo self!

What’s great about Newport is that it’s only a ten minute drive to Laguna Beach, one of my favorite places to go in Southern Cali. We spent an afternoon and evening there, mostly just dining, exploring the beach and checking out the (overly expensive) shops. The beach is obviously the best and most iconic part. A perfect place to relax and have fun photoshoots!

On Day 4, my dad had to work all day so the three of us ladies got to spend a girls’ day at the happiest place on earth: Disneyland!!

It was indeed a very magical day. It could not have been any better. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to park hop to Disney’s California Adventure, but it was still a full day well spent at the Magic Kingdom! The whole day at the park cost around $500; $381 for our three tickets to the park, $100 on food and $30 on parking. Not too shabby, especially for how expensive Disney is!

Being a roller coaster/adrenaline junkie myself, we got to go on plenty of thrilling rides that I love including Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (my favorite), Space Mountain (my second favorite), Splash Mountain, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Indiana Jones Adventure, Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Snow White’s Scary Adventures. You can't go wrong with any of those rides, they're worth it even when the lines are almost two hours long!

(P.S. I highly recommend downloading the Disneyland app to check wait times for rides or shows, and don’t forget to buy some FASTPASS tickets!)

Other than either riding rides or waiting in line for rides, we got to watch some fun shows in honor of the Pixar Festival including the Pixar Play Parade and Together Forever - A Pixar Nighttime Sepctacular, which is still going on until September.

I love Pixar movies, both old and new. So the fest definitely brought back both old and recent memories!

The Toy Story float during the Pixar Play Parade on Main Street USA

We also ate some super delicious food, obviously! From churros to Mickey Mouse shaped ice cream sandwiches, we were living the experience up to the fullest potential. Popular opinion: all kinds of food taste way better at Disneyland!

It’s impossible to not smile while at Disneyland, whether you’re a Disney fan or not. I was in all smiles throughout the entire day. I felt like a college blogger turned princess!

After one last full day arm Newport Beach spent with two of our college friends (who live and work in LA), we drove three hours through LA and made it to our next destination: Santa Barbara. It was such a beautiful city full of missions churches and cute small town shopping areas. One of the highlights was going wine tasting at SAARLOOS AND SONS in Los Olivos. It was so relaxing and perfect for a sunny day outdoors. And for a bonus, we got to eat cupcakes with the wine!

On our last full day in Cali (sigh), one of my dad’s Santa Barbara native friends took us out on his boat into the Pacific Ocean. The areas we drove around were supposed to be areas invested with great white sharks, but we didn’t see any – which was unfortunate but also relieving. We did see a few harbor seals pop their little heads out of the water, and they looked so adorable I wanted to pet them! Our friend also showed us all the houses along the beach shore owned by either celebrities or successful business workers, including Oprah, Ellen DeGeneres, and Steven Spielberg. They all had to be at least over $30 million (not too expensive, right?). The best part about the boat ride; however, was driving back when the wind picked up big time and the waves coming toward us were super choppy. Our friend increased the speed of the boat and we went flying over a ton of waves. Sometimes me and my sister were in midair! It was so fun, like being on a roller coaster. My sister, my mom, our friend, and I loved every second of it! My dad, on the other hand, not so much.

To top off the night, we explored the tangerine and lemon gardens of Montecito before having dinner at our friend and his wife’s house. It was indeed a beautiful and adventurous day, the perfect way to end an amazing vacation! Now I realize it's time for me to go to bed as I type this.

Have you ever vacationed in California? Comment and share your experience down below, I’d love to read about it!

Hey, y'all!

I apologize for the long delay, I just came back from my summer traveling adventure in Southern California and Chicago. I'm bummed while writing this because it makes me wish I was back in either one of those places! On the bright side, there is still half a summer vacation left with much more adventure and blissful moments to come. And now first, I can share with you my Californian adventure!

Our first stop in the Golden State was Los Angeles. We left from Cleveland at about seven in the morning and landed at about noon, which was nine in the morning in Cali. My mom and I picked up our rental car and drove right to In-N-Out Burger in Culver City because we were starving as heck! It was worth the wait to eat, nothing satisfies my stomach like a juicy double-double.

After lunch, we drove to Venice Beach and walked to the Santa Monica Pier. We walked into a few shops, took some pictures, and watched the surfers at the beach below catch some big waves. It was really cool not only to embrace the Californian atmosphere but to see the famous pier for the first time!

After the pier, my mom and I drove to my favorite spot in LA, the Grove. I absolutely love visiting there, it has the majority of my favorite stores (Anthropologie, J. Crew, Zara, Madewell, Barnes & Noble, etc.), it has many cool Hollywood events throughout the year, and it's the great place to spot celebrities! Unfortunately, there was no sight of Ellen DeGeneres or Jennifer Aniston. Though on the bright side, we got to stroll through the original Farmer's Market!

My family and I love all Farmer's Market, especially this one because it's more wide-open and has more options for purchases to buy. Plus, they have much more food options, such as bakeries, juice bars, sandwich shops, pizza parlors, because a various amount of fresh foods that make an enjoyable lunch.

After a successful hour in the Grove, we drove for an hour and a half to Mission Viejo to stay two nights with our good friends. We had a pleasant dinner at a Mexican restaurant near the lake, and then we treated ourselves with ice cream at Creamistry. What's so cool was that it was made freshly just by using liquid nitrogen and cream, how cool is that?! And the ice cream was so creamy and delicious, I wish there was a Creamistry located in Northeast Ohio!

The next morning we took a trip to Laguna Beach and ate a wonderful breakfast at the Rooftop, which was literally a rooftop restaurant! Nothing makes a morning better with a view of the beach and warm cup of a warm coffee with lots of vanilla.

After breakfast, we could not resist a walk on the beach shore and a stroll throughout the small town nearby.

We drove back to our friends' house and decided to have a small pool party with dinner included. I was super excited because I finally got to use my new donut float! It was so fun and relaxing to float around in the nice pool, I still DONUT wish that paradise had to end!

The next morning, we joined one of our friends for a sweaty workout at a boot camp called Mission Viejo. It was a very tough workout, but it was so worth it. If you're looking for a good gym to find your motivation, WrightWay Fitness is the place to go!

If you want to learn more about WrightWay Fitness, go check it out at http://www.wrightwayfit.com, I guarantee you won't regret it!

We packed up our belongings and drove straight to our next destination, San Diego. My dad had a business conference to attend for the week, so we made reservations at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort.

That night we spent walking around downtown Coronado and checking out some of the area's coolest sights, including the famous Hotel Del Coronado. The resort is full of super sweet restaurants and shops, it's like a hotel and mall combined! It kind of felt like walking around the Titanic.

Fun fact, it's the same place where Marlyin Monroe's Some Like It Hot was filmed!

My mom and I's original plan on our first full day in San Diego was to visit SeaWorld, but instead we were inspired to take a trolley tour around the city. We toured downtown, Little Italy, Balboa Park, and stopped in Old Town. We walked around the historic area and admired the old-fashioned architecture and buildings. And lucky for us, it was Taco Tuesday!

The next day, we took our inner daredevils to a whole new level ... paragliding. As much as it was terrifying, it was such a surreal and amazing experience. The thought of jumping off a cliff and soaring through the sky, no boat or car attached, never came across me. Once I got into the air, however, I felt like I was flying like Peter Pan!

Even though one of my worst fears is heights, I can guarantee that it is an experience that you will never forget for the rest of your life. If you're like my dad and get motion sickness, however, it may not be a super good choice.

One of my favorite beaches in California is La Jolla. The love the way the rocks are formed along the shoreline with grottos in between. The color of the ocean was a sapphire blue, and the best part was watching sea lions swim near the beach!

The dock pier was the perfect place to catch a better glimpse of the seals and beautiful ocean, despite getting hit by a few big cold waves.

Our final day was a more history-based day. My parents and I drove to USS Midway Aircraft Carrier. Not only is it a Navy Pier museum consisting of many aircrafts used during big wars, most of which were built in Southern California.

We got to take a tour throughout the never-ending corridors of the ship, including some of the biggest control rooms I have ever seen. It was mostly the history behind everything that fascinated me. To think of all the men and women who fought, both in air and on land, is incredible. Walking through the each room and up every stair made me feel like I was a part of all those historical events.

Before our last Californian dinner, we walked around the beautiful Balboa Park and checked out the landscape and stunning art collections. The lush gardens were the coolest attractions of the park. The bushes and trees were very-well trimmed, and flowers blossomed practically everywhere. Walking through a lovely garden resort is a great way to sum up the final adventures in the beautiful state.

I was sad to leave, and I am still sad that I left. But I know I'll be back again many more times in the future. Hopefully one day I will be able to attend the Oscars and get the opportunity to explore new areas in the Southern state as well as visit old favorites.

Next stop, Chicago!