Flight Path: 10 Days in Northern California

A detailed account of how I spent my 10 days in California.

Friday:

We were supposed to arrive at 6:30 in Sacramento, but we ran into a snag (our plane engine blew up and we had to get a different plane) so we didn’t get to my grandma’s house until 10 p.m.

If we would have made it on time, we were planning on taking my grandma out to Matteo’s Pizza and Bistro. I don’t eat cheese (no pizza for me) but they have good burgers.

Saturday:

Woke up early and walked along the American River in the American River Parkway. This is one of my favorite parks. I run, bike, and swim here. The river is super clean because it comes straight down from the mountains. Lots of fishing spots too. Be careful of the mountain lions, coyotes, and rattlesnakes. All three of those animals have chased me in that park at one point in my life.

Drove to San Jose (2 hours)

Check into the hotel – Hotel Doubletree Campbell-Pruneville. My aunt who lives in San Jose recommended that we stay here because you can walk to everything. It was so pretty. Sat at the pool and worked on my computer (typical WFH activities on a Saturday afternoon) in between lunch and meeting the family.

Lunch at Rock Bottom Brewery. Walked there from the hotel. Absolutely incredible chicken nugs, but I was also very hungry. Sat outside right next to a big white fluffy dog, made the experience even better.

Happy Hour at Lamella Tavern – I didn’t have anything to drink but water. I may have turned 21 in July but drinking in front of family is still so weird to me. We reserved three standing tables in the outdoor area and it was an absolutely incredible time.

Dinner at Vin Santo Restaurant – great spaghetti and meatballs but one portion is enough to feed four people. Luckily Mother Huntley and I split a dish so we made more of a dent in it than Father Huntely who got his own meal.

Dessert at the Doubletree – I love those front desk chocolate chip cookies!!

Sunday:

San Jose farmers market – we met at Orchard Valley Coffee which is right at the start. We got some fruit and it was delicious, the veggies looked so fresh as well. I bought some earrings and a little garden decoration for my grandma that was a hermit crab made out of a seashell. 

Drove to Martinez, CA (1 hour)

Walk around Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek – such a bougie place. Only bought Chipotle, but did some excellent window shopping.

Stayed at Embassy Suites Pleasant Hill – very fancy. Has all those indoor balconies that look down on the lobby. They have valet parking though, which is bougie and unappreciated by me. I like the autonomy to use my own car whenever I please, and I fear that we irritated the valet people from getting our car out too much.

At dinner at my cousin’s house and met her child. Usually I’m not a big fan of children, but this one (almost a year old) was okay because he really liked me.

Monday:

Walk to iHop for breakfast. Classic pancakes, nothing to say.

Walked around Lafayette Reservoir. Very pretty and worth the drive. Except why do you literally have to pay to do anything in California? It is a park, you can’t make me pay to walk around a park.

Did my work meetings in the lobby – lots of seating down there with lots of outlets.

Dinner at my aunt and uncle’s house.

Tuesday:

Yosemite day!! 3 hour drive. Stopped at a grocery store about an hour outside to get sandwiches and chicken nuggets to eat in the park. Hiked the Mist Trail (impressive!) and to Mirror Lake (not very impressive).

Stayed the night in Modesto (2 hours from Yosemite)

Wednesday:

Drive to Monterey (2 hours)

Went to Monterey Bay Aquarium – I love this aquarium. I went to it last time when I was eight and haven’t stopped thinking about it since.

Walked along the path of Cannery Row and looked in some of the stores. The walk was nice but all the stores were just souvenir stores so not very exciting.

Drive to Half Moon Bay (2 hours)

Photographed surfers at Poplar Beach. There were about four boys out there surfing in the freezing cold water. They saw I was taking pictures of them and kept waving at me, then showing off which was appreciated because I got cooler pictures.

Stayed the night at The Aristocrat – a British hotel. Very nice, gave me free mints. Ate some chicken nugs and strawberries from Safeway. I’m not a big foodie, sorry if you’re here for restaurant recommendations.

Thursday:

Walked to Mavericks Beach but not a lot was going on at 10 a.m. on a Thursday morning. Usually a big spot for surfers.

Drove to Pacifica (30 min). My friend from Madrid grew up here and was always talking about how good the surfing was.

Stopped to photograph the surfers at Sharp Park Beach, then drove up in the neighborhoods to see the houses and the view from the top. Super pretty, would recommend stopping.

Drove to San Francisco (30 min)

Presidio Visitor Center to see a view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city

Walked along Pier 39 and Ghirardelli Square

Walked to the very top of Taylor Street (very steep, not for the faint of heart)

Got food and ate lunch in the Golden Gate Park watching some people play a game of pick up soccer.

Sick from driving so much in traffic, got Jamba Juice smoothies for dinner.

Drove to Sacramento to stay at grandma’s house (90 min)

Friday:

American River Park

Worked on my computer outside in Grandma’s garden while my parents took her shopping at Costco (her favorite place on earth)

Walked to Bella Bru’s to eat lunch outside on the patio

Dinner at Matteo’s

Saturday:

Midtown farmers market – just as good as the San Jose one, very big, got some jewelry for me and earrings for Blakely. Father Huntley got some tamales. I think he loves tamales more than he loves me.

Grandma wanted to go thrift shopping after I told her it’s the only way I shop. Took her to a Goodwill but it was not good – she got some puzzles for my cousin though. Upscale Thrift was great! Cool clothes and really nice home goods as well. 

Met my cousin and her son at Swanston Park. There was a huge birthday party happening and they let him (2 years) play on the bouncy castle. He is obsessed with bouncy castles.

Walked around Old Town Sacramento – got candy at Candy Heaven. Grandma ate all my chocolate after we went to bed.

Sunday:

Breakfast at Grandma’s

Jamba Juice for funsies

Fed the ducks at the pond at American River Park and went fishing with whole family

Packed and went to bed early

Monday:

Woke up at 6 a.m. to get to the airport