Living in LA definitely comes with its perks, and one of them is being in close proximity to Mother Nature. So this year, I wanted to ring in the new year with a road trip to Big Sur, one of my favorite places.
Day One - NYE
A friend met me in LA and we began our journey on New Year’s Eve. No better time to start than on the brink of 2020!
As we drove north, we took in the views at Pismo Beach and Morro Bay before checking in at the infamous Madonna Inn for the first night. This is an iconic motel with a ton of personality, which made it the perfect place to celebrate the end of a DECADE. Our night included a live band, complete with lots of balloons, glitters and dancing and a hot tub/pool area that was pretty much empty. A magical beginning for our journey!
Day Two - Take in Highway One Views
I woke up feeling ready to make my way to one of my favorite places, Big Sur. We drove up the beautiful Highway One while taking in the scenery. This place is so incredible that it’s almost surreal! It’s hard to even describe it in words.
Apparently, people only began settling in Big Sur about a century ago, and the highway was only built in 1937. Even today, there are parts of Big Sur that get zero electricity, which would explain why it’s so untouched (in the most beautiful way).
I am reminded of how grateful I am that I can be transported into a different world by just driving up the coast, and one with breathtaking views at that!
We eventually reached our destination, Fernwood, where I’d booked a tent cabin right next to the Big Sur River, deep in the Redwoods. We settled in and looked forward to another day of adventures.
Day Three - Explore Big Sur
In the morning, we went to Dejteens for breakfast, which has the cutest, coziest atmosphere and great food! The interior is all wooden, with paintings and plates lining the walls - it really takes you back in time! Then, we stopped at the Henry Miller Library which, pro tip: provides free coffee and tea for the wandering soul.
The day almost couldn’t get any better, but as we explored Big Sur, I discovered a new path to the most beautiful beach at Andrew Molera State Park. I have to warn you though - it’s an easy hike but we had to cross the Big Sur River, which was actually freezing! But it ended up it making the trek more adventurous and gave us the perfect excuse to build a fire when we got back to our campsite.
After warming up next to our fire, we drove up the coast to go stargazing, which pretty much blew my mind. We even saw a shooting star! I’m not sure if anything could ever come close to looking at stars without light pollution - it’s pretty amazing.
I originally wanted to go to the Esalen Institute, which I highly recommended for nighttime hot springs with star views that are incredibly breathtaking but it was sadly booked out. Next time!
Day Four - Return feeling oh-so-good
On the last day, we packed up and started heading back down south. We wanted to take it easy and just explored as we went along. We did stop at Piedra Blancas to look at elephant seals, which are just the weirdest most fascinating animals, before getting home.
It’s always bittersweet to come to the end of a trip, but I always come back rejuvenated and excited for new things to come.
Nature will always be my church and bring me back to my center. After this trip, I’m feeling inspired to create new and magical things in 2020! I can’t wait to share it all with you guys.
XOXO,
Jemma
P.S. if you’re wondering about what I’m wearing… I’m testing out our brand new Cowgirl Dress (in Natural Cream) and Cowgirl Top (in Pink Floral)! I’m also wearing our Sherpa Beanie, Forest Jacket and our Muir Jeans in Cowboy Denim and Midnight, which was basically my uniform throughout the whole trip.