California Road Trip Part 3: Hearst Castle

We said goodbye to Cambria and headed to Hearst Castle in San Simeon. It was a clear and sunny day, perfect to view the buildings as well as the Pacific Ocean. Our tour included a nice overview of the amazing grounds, including the Neptune Pool and the indoor Roman Pool. The main house, Casa Grande, had spacious sitting rooms with large tapestries, a dining room with ornate carvings on the ceiling, and a movie theater. It was surreal to think someone called this place "home".

California Road Trip Part 2: Cambria

After Santa Barbara, we headed up to Cambria for the night. We stayed at the Cambria Pines Lodge, our accommodations were a pleasant surprise, several cottages and larger lodges were nestled among a wooded nature setting. We took an evening stroll with the kids in their pajamas. After a hearty breakfast and a walk in the gardens, we headed to Hearst Castle.

California Road Trip Part 1: Santa Barbara

Our big trip this summer was a road trip along the California coast up to San Francisco. Our first stop was Santa Barbara, we visited the zoo and then headed to the pier for a stroll and then lunch.

Getty Villa

The Getty Villa... can I crank up some Italian opera? Sam wasn't too crazy at the thought of going to a museum, until he was given a kid's brochure telling him to look for artwork using the picture clues inside. Then he started enjoying the scenery and beautiful gardens as much as the rest of the family. I love watching Sam and Anna from afar, feeling comfortable in their environment, discussing art, architecture, life.