Sometimes it is really nice to just get away from the cold and head somewhere warm and nice, even if it’s only for a couple of days. The weather in California was just amazing, and the vibes of the state were immaculate. It wasn’t as busy as I thought it would be, which was good. I loved walking around and seeing all the palm trees. It made me feel like it was summer when in reality, it was freezing in Minnesota. I also went there to attend my cousin’s wedding, and that was also super fun!
~First Destination~
When I first got to California, my family and I went to Anaheim, which is a big area with a lot of Arab food and culture. We went mainly for the food and to visit some family friends who live nearby. Later that night, my cousins and I walked around for a little bit, got ice cream, and then headed back to the hotel to sleep. That was pretty much all we did the first night.
~The Second Day~
The next morning, everyone gathered at a restaurant in Anaheim called Little Arabia for brunch. It’s known for having some of the best food in the city. They mainly serve Lebanese cuisine, but they offer a little bit of everything as well.
The food was amazing, and the vibe felt like early summer—it was so relaxing to be away from the cold. Even though the kids made it chaotic, the vibes were still great. Later that day, my cousins, brothers, and I went to Laguna Beach, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica. Everything was close to each other but Laguna Beach.
~Laguna Beach~
Laguna Beach was our first stop since it was the closest to us. We didn’t do much besides walking along the beach, but it was really nice and relaxing.
~Beverly Hills~
We then headed to Beverly Hills. I had so much fun just walking around the streets and browsing in the fancy stores like Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, and many more. I love cars, especially the fancy, bougie ones, and so the streets were full of them. Wherever I’d go, there would be a Lamborghini, G-Class, or a Ferrari driving around. I probably saw one 2025 Nissan and that was it. We then went to the rich neighborhoods in Beverly Hills and that by itself was a separate experience. The palm trees surrounding the houses, the fancy gates, the design of the houses, the greens around the houses–everything looked unreal to me.
~ Santa Monica ~
we headed to Santa Monica because I wanted to see GTA in real life. If you don’t know, GTA is an action-adventure video game series based on Southern California, with Santa Monica serving as the primary location in the game.
Anyways, we went there and I couldn’t tell you how happy I was. The beach, the ferris wheel, the music in the streets, and the vibes were just indescribable. The vibes were so GTA coded and I loved that. I was so happy I got to see it in real life. I also went to the beach for a bit and took a ton of pictures with my cousins. I did not want to leave because it just felt unreal. So my advice is: if you ever go to California, you have to go to Santa Monica!
~The Last Stop~
Sunday was the day of the wedding, and it was in Grand Venue in Los Angeles, so we didn’t do much earlier in the day. We woke up, had breakfast, swam at the hotel for a little while, and then went back to our room to get ready for the wedding.
The next day was our last day in California, and since we were flying back to Minnesota that night, we wanted to keep it simple and relaxing. We woke up and went downstairs for breakfast, then my brothers and I went on a walk. The weather was warm and really nice, which made it even better. After that, we went back to the hotel and swam again. The pool was on the top floor of the hotel, which made it even more fun. Overall, it was a calm and perfect way to spend our last day before heading home.
