jessies__journeys

That Friday mood 🥳🥳 Getting to experience That Friday mood 🥳🥳 
Getting to experience the Brooklyn Bridge without anyone else was one of the highlights of our NYC trip 🥺 my tip: go early!! We were on the bridge around 8 am and the only people we saw were occasional joggers 😍
After visiting the bridge: 
✨ get a casual breakfast at Butler 
✨explore the iconic dumbo street (Water & Washington St)
✨ Pebble Beach: one of my favorite views of the bridge 
✨Brooklyn Bride Park: perfect for a morning stroll
Still reliving this view 🤯🤯 Here’s a list Still reliving this view 🤯🤯
Here’s a list of the best observation decks in NYC: 
✨ Edge (pictured here): Take an elevator 100 floors up and you’re greeted with 360 degree views of NYC! This is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere 🤯 this deck is less crowded and one of the cheaper options, but it is said some of the others have better views. 
✨Empire State Building: The oldest observation deck in NYC and located in one of the most recognizable skyscrapers in the city. This is also one of the more expensive decks in the city and the most popular. 
✨ Top of the Rock: sometimes overlooked for the other more well know observation decks, but it is argued that this deck has the best views of Central Park. Top of the Rock also has 3 different observation decks and is one of the more affordable options on this list. It is however the lowest deck on the list. 
✨One World Observatory: this is the deck on One World Trade Center and is the 7th tallest building in the world. Something to note about One World is that the observation deck is indoors. It’s also located in lower Manhattan so you don’t get the other iconic views the decks above get!
✨Summit One Vanderbilt: this is an immersive experience with art installations and floor to ceiling mirrors. This spot has the best views of the Empire Stare Building. Def adding this one to the list for next time 🤩
Me contemplating if I could figure out a way to li Me contemplating if I could figure out a way to live bicoastal 🤔 
Not a surprise but the entire time I was in New York, I fantasized what it’d be like to live there for a year or two. It definitely doesn’t align with where I’m at in life now, but I think younger Jess would’ve mentally thrived in NYC 🙈
If you’re wanting to find hotel views like this on your next NY trip, check out the Arlo Nomad. We booked the sky room for a night and although it was a bit of a spurge for a budget traveler, waking up to those views was worth it 😍
Spent the last few days in NYC and I’m already t Spent the last few days in NYC and I’m already trying to find a time to come back. The views are 🤯🤯. My favorite places to view the Brooklyn Bridge were: 
✨ Brooklyn Bridgd itself! Go early and you can have the bridge almost to yourself. The views from the Brooklyn side overlooking Manhattan first thing in the morning were 🤩
✨Pebble beach: Where this shot was taken! Love that you can get the whole bridge in frame. 
✨Brooklyn Bridge Park: waterfront park and the perfect place for a stroll.
✨Westlight: Rooftop bar overlooking Brooklyn. The views and atmosphere were better then the drinks/food imo.
•
•
•
•
•
•
#dumbo #brooklynbridge #pebblebeach #iloveny #hellofrom #outdoorsygirl #newyorkcity #citygrammers #citykillerz  #travelgirlsgo #girlstravel
As excited as I get to check things off my Washing As excited as I get to check things off my Washington bucket list, I equally start to panic that’ll I’ll run out of hikes to do and views to chase. But then I remember I’m coming up on year 6 of living in Washington and I’ve barely made a dent 🤯🤯
The longer I’m here, the longer the list seems to be. Years later and I’m still completely blown away by the beauty of this state 🤩
📍Hurricane Ridge
Two of my favorite Washington things: mossy trees Two of my favorite Washington things: mossy trees and crystal clear rivers 🤩
You don’t have to travel all the way to the Hoh rainforest to see mossy trees in Washington. They’re actually located in the forests of a lot of local hikes. 
📍Twin Falls
My level of excitement for officially having 10k o My level of excitement for officially having 10k of you in this little adventure community❤️🙈
I’m so happy you’re here— here’s a little intro:
Hiii, hello, I’m Jessie! I’m based in Seattle but part of my heart will always be in California where I spent most of my life☀️. Oddly enough, this outdoor obsession is a relatively new one 😱. I actually grew up a competitive gymnast and spent almost 0 time outdoors. It wasn’t until I moved to Seattle and finished my Master’s degree that I discovered what having a real hobby was like. I went through a bit of an identity crises after my degree and somehow found myself in the mountains and planning weekend adventures. Now you can find me working a corporate job in tech and adventuring on the weekends. I promise you can do both! 
Though most of my page is centered around the PNW, I’m excited to share more of this years upcoming travels chasing all the best views. Happy to have you on my journey 🥳🤍
Walking into 2022 like 😃. If you’re looking Walking into 2022 like 😃. 
If you’re looking for a family friendly short snowy walk in the cascades, rainy lake is the perfect spot ❄️
The last of the fall photos until I turn my feed u The last of the fall photos until I turn my feed until a little winter wonderland ❄️. I think I’m officially ready to accept the changing of seasons now. 
📍Somesville Bridge
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Itineraries, Road Trip · February 21, 2021

Big Sur Road Trip: Must-See Stops Along California Coastline

Big Sur is one of the most sought-after locations along California’s coast. Most people often consider Big Sur a city, but it actually refers to a stretch of land along the coast. There are quite a few things to do in Big Sur, but it’s most well known for it’s seaside cliffs along Highway 1, making it the perfect place to take a road trip. Keep reading for all my tips for doing a Big Sur road trip as well as the best places to stop along the California coastline.

Where to Stay:

If possible, I recommend staying in Carmel-by-the Sea. Carmel-by-the-Sea is about 25 miles north of Big-Sur but it is one of the cutest coastal towns filled with beautiful beaches, cute shops, and great restaurants. Even if you don’t stay in Carmel, I still recommend visiting here when doing a Big Sur road trip.

Hotels in Carmel-by-the-Sea

Carmel has quite a bit of hotel accommodations, many of which I found to be more modern and trendy. I stayed at the Getaway and have nothing but positive things to say about it. The hotel had complimentary wine at happy hour, a cute patio that was covid-friendly, and a breakfast basket delivered to your door in the morning. The hotel even offered complimentary bikes to explore the town. I’m not one to rave about a hotel because I typically stay in more affordable airbnb options, but I absolutely loved our stay here and it was the perfect place to take my mom.

Other hotel options:

  1. The Hideaway–this is actually a sister hotel to the Getaway. This hotel is a bit more modern but has a lot of the same amenities.
  2. La Playa--for more of a splurge, you can get an ocean view room at the La Playa. From this hotel you’re about a 7 minute walk away from the beach.
  3. Hotel Carmel–another boutique hotel in the heat of Carmel. The rooms have a modern seaside vibe and look so cute!
Best Time of Year to Visit:

Luckily for Californians, the weather on the California coast is relatively consistent, ranging from low 60s-70s. Carmel tends to experience sunnier days in the Fall. My mom and I were here in December and we found the weather to be perfect, plus the crowds were minimal. For that reason, I recommend visiting in Fall or Winter; however, you can’t go wrong with the other months.

Things to do in Carmel:

There’s quite a bit of exploring to do in Carmel. This beach town has one of the cutest downtowns filled with adorable little shops and great dining options. After spending a couple hours perusing and eating your way through downtown Carmel, I recommend heading over to Point Lobos State Park and doing the South Plateau Trail to Bird Island. Point Lobos is a fairly big park, so there is a lot that can be explored in this area. Because we were only in Big Sur for the day, we chose a relatively shorter trail. There is a $10 entrance fee to get into this park. I saw quite a few cars parking outside the park to avoid paying, so that is an option as well.

This is a 1.6 mile roundtrip hike with little elevation gain, so it is a great hike to do with the family. The trail takes you through a forest and ends with coastal views.

Prior to arriving at the end of the trail, there is a turn off for a beach called, “Gibson Beach“. There is a set of stairs that lead you down to it, so it’s pretty hard to miss. This beach was definitely the highlight of the hike, it was secluded and one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve seen in California.

Must See Stops Along California Coastline:

After leaving Carmel by the Sea, you will want to stop at Bixby Bridge. This is the iconic bridge that people think of when they hear ‘Big Sur’. The views from this bridge were INSANE, the water was so clear and the surrounding cliffs were massive. We stopped at the bridge in the later morning when there was some fog, so we stopped by again on the way home. I could’ve spent hours sitting up there. It’s not a surprise that it’s one of the most photographed bridges in California. This would be a great place to stop at sunset!

There’s quite a few good opportunities to pull off to take in the coastal views as you’re heading South on Highway 1. I’ve done quite a few road trips and Highway 1 is one of the most beautiful drives I’ve taken. I enjoyed being the passenger on this one 🙂

Eat: Nepenthe Restaurant

As you make your way down Highway 1, I recommend having lunch at Nepenthe Restaurant. It’s a fairly pricey place, but the views alone are worth the experience. Nestled high up on a Cliffside, their patio overlooks the ocean and you can see for miles on a clear sunny day. Unfortunately when we visited, dining was closed due to COVID, so we decided to order our food to go and eat it on the beach. We ordered the burger, and although it was good, I felt it was fairly pricey for what it was! This is definitely a place you visit more for the ambiance and views, as opposed to the food.

Shop: Phoenix

Below the restaurant is a really quaint store called “Phoenix”. The shop is PRICEY but they had some of the cutest things. It was basically a boujee gift shop, all the items were high quality and there was a lot of unique things.

Picnic at Pfeiffer Beach

When researching Big Sur recommendations, this was the the #1 place I saw people talk about time and time again. I did a quick images google search and I’m not going to lie to you, I wasn’t that impressed. I did not understand the hype from looking at the photos. I knew I couldn’t visit Big Sur without making a stop at this location and seeing what the hype was about!

After having a picnic on the beach, I 100% understand why this is such a popular place. For one, the drive into the beach is beautiful. It’s a narrow road that seems to go on for miles and miles, but you drive through massive trees and the scenery just had such a peaceful vibe to it. Once you arrive, you walk under those same massive trees to get to the beach.

End the day at: McWay Falls

We ended our day by visiting McWay falls, another popular photographic spot. McWay falls is an 80 foot waterfall along the Big Sur coast that flows into the Pacific Ocean. We visited this stop around 2:30pm, and I will say that’s about the worst time to photograph and see this spot. I wish we were able to see it around sunset because the lighting was so harsh it was nearly impossible to see the waterfall, let alone take photos of it.

Something to note about McWay Falls is that you can’t actually get that close to the waterfall. It’s about a half a mile walk to an overlook platform where you can view the waterfall from afar. This is another place that requires a $10 parking fee, so plan accordingly.

Packing List:
  1. Sunblock–No matter the time of year you’re visiting this is an essential! <<Check out Supergoop>>
  2. Hiking Boots–I recommend investing in a good pair of boots that’ll last you. I LOVE my danners. I personally didn’t bring my boots on this trip because we didn’t do any strenuous hikes, but if we did, these are my go-to boots 🙂 <<Shop Here>>
  3. I loved these nikes for the short hikes we did. <<Check out walking shoes here>>
  4. Merino Wool Base Layers–Winter months in Big Sur can be a bit chillier–I loved having a base layer to keep me warm during the day. <<Check out Merino Wool here>>
  5. Dupe for Lululemon Shorts–If you’re coming in the warmer months, I LOVE these shorts. They have pockets and underwear lining. <<Shop shorts here>>
  6. Dupe for Lululemon Tank–Another great dupe. Love this fitted long line padded bra/crop top.<<Shop longline bra here>>
  7. Jacket–Bringing a jacket is essential, even if it’s just for evenings when the temperatures drop. <<Shop my jacket here>>
  8. Day Pack–I loved having a backpack to carry snacks and my camera. I love the osprey brand. <<Check out my day pack>>
  9. First Aid Kit–I always have this in my hiking bag in case of emergency. It’s always good to carry one. <<Check out first aid kit here>>
  10. Camera— This place is so easy to capture because of how beautiful it is. I love my sony alpha and have found it’s a great starter camera. <<Shop my camera here>>
  11. Lens–Great lens for landscape photography. <<Shop Tamron Lens Here>>
  12. Water Bottle–Highly recommend bringing a water bottle to avoid plastic waste. Hydro Flasks are worth the price. <<Shop hydro flasks here>>
  13. Snacks–Hear me out, yes these may be eaten primarily by children, BUT I love these. I always throw a couple of these in my backpack because they’re perfect when you need a quick snack. <<Check out smoothie packs here>>
That’s a Wrap:

That concludes our mother-daughter getaway to the California Coast. Still can’t believe it took me moving out of California to visit this place. Highly recommend making this trip at least once.

Happy Adventuring,
Xox,
Jess

In: Itineraries, Road Trip · Tagged: big sur, california, california coast, hiking

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That Friday mood 🥳🥳 Getting to experience That Friday mood 🥳🥳 
Getting to experience the Brooklyn Bridge without anyone else was one of the highlights of our NYC trip 🥺 my tip: go early!! We were on the bridge around 8 am and the only people we saw were occasional joggers 😍
After visiting the bridge: 
✨ get a casual breakfast at Butler 
✨explore the iconic dumbo street (Water & Washington St)
✨ Pebble Beach: one of my favorite views of the bridge 
✨Brooklyn Bride Park: perfect for a morning stroll
Still reliving this view 🤯🤯 Here’s a list Still reliving this view 🤯🤯
Here’s a list of the best observation decks in NYC: 
✨ Edge (pictured here): Take an elevator 100 floors up and you’re greeted with 360 degree views of NYC! This is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere 🤯 this deck is less crowded and one of the cheaper options, but it is said some of the others have better views. 
✨Empire State Building: The oldest observation deck in NYC and located in one of the most recognizable skyscrapers in the city. This is also one of the more expensive decks in the city and the most popular. 
✨ Top of the Rock: sometimes overlooked for the other more well know observation decks, but it is argued that this deck has the best views of Central Park. Top of the Rock also has 3 different observation decks and is one of the more affordable options on this list. It is however the lowest deck on the list. 
✨One World Observatory: this is the deck on One World Trade Center and is the 7th tallest building in the world. Something to note about One World is that the observation deck is indoors. It’s also located in lower Manhattan so you don’t get the other iconic views the decks above get!
✨Summit One Vanderbilt: this is an immersive experience with art installations and floor to ceiling mirrors. This spot has the best views of the Empire Stare Building. Def adding this one to the list for next time 🤩
Me contemplating if I could figure out a way to li Me contemplating if I could figure out a way to live bicoastal 🤔 
Not a surprise but the entire time I was in New York, I fantasized what it’d be like to live there for a year or two. It definitely doesn’t align with where I’m at in life now, but I think younger Jess would’ve mentally thrived in NYC 🙈
If you’re wanting to find hotel views like this on your next NY trip, check out the Arlo Nomad. We booked the sky room for a night and although it was a bit of a spurge for a budget traveler, waking up to those views was worth it 😍
Spent the last few days in NYC and I’m already t Spent the last few days in NYC and I’m already trying to find a time to come back. The views are 🤯🤯. My favorite places to view the Brooklyn Bridge were: 
✨ Brooklyn Bridgd itself! Go early and you can have the bridge almost to yourself. The views from the Brooklyn side overlooking Manhattan first thing in the morning were 🤩
✨Pebble beach: Where this shot was taken! Love that you can get the whole bridge in frame. 
✨Brooklyn Bridge Park: waterfront park and the perfect place for a stroll.
✨Westlight: Rooftop bar overlooking Brooklyn. The views and atmosphere were better then the drinks/food imo.
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•
•
•
#dumbo #brooklynbridge #pebblebeach #iloveny #hellofrom #outdoorsygirl #newyorkcity #citygrammers #citykillerz  #travelgirlsgo #girlstravel
As excited as I get to check things off my Washing As excited as I get to check things off my Washington bucket list, I equally start to panic that’ll I’ll run out of hikes to do and views to chase. But then I remember I’m coming up on year 6 of living in Washington and I’ve barely made a dent 🤯🤯
The longer I’m here, the longer the list seems to be. Years later and I’m still completely blown away by the beauty of this state 🤩
📍Hurricane Ridge
Two of my favorite Washington things: mossy trees Two of my favorite Washington things: mossy trees and crystal clear rivers 🤩
You don’t have to travel all the way to the Hoh rainforest to see mossy trees in Washington. They’re actually located in the forests of a lot of local hikes. 
📍Twin Falls
My level of excitement for officially having 10k o My level of excitement for officially having 10k of you in this little adventure community❤️🙈
I’m so happy you’re here— here’s a little intro:
Hiii, hello, I’m Jessie! I’m based in Seattle but part of my heart will always be in California where I spent most of my life☀️. Oddly enough, this outdoor obsession is a relatively new one 😱. I actually grew up a competitive gymnast and spent almost 0 time outdoors. It wasn’t until I moved to Seattle and finished my Master’s degree that I discovered what having a real hobby was like. I went through a bit of an identity crises after my degree and somehow found myself in the mountains and planning weekend adventures. Now you can find me working a corporate job in tech and adventuring on the weekends. I promise you can do both! 
Though most of my page is centered around the PNW, I’m excited to share more of this years upcoming travels chasing all the best views. Happy to have you on my journey 🥳🤍
Walking into 2022 like 😃. If you’re looking Walking into 2022 like 😃. 
If you’re looking for a family friendly short snowy walk in the cascades, rainy lake is the perfect spot ❄️
The last of the fall photos until I turn my feed u The last of the fall photos until I turn my feed until a little winter wonderland ❄️. I think I’m officially ready to accept the changing of seasons now. 
📍Somesville Bridge
I haven’t caught a ton of sunrises in my life, b I haven’t caught a ton of sunrises in my life, but this one will always be special. I think we experienced some of the best morning conditions with the clarity and fog. 
If you’re wanting to head out on a sunrise adventure that involves a great view without hiking, I highly recommend this lake. 
📍Trilium Lake 
📸: @zackkcore
Do you recognize this famous Vermont property? 🤩🤩 
Photos of Sleepy Hollow Farm are what inspired my trip to Woodstock, Vermont. They actually painted the house, so it is no longer that vibrant red color you’re used to seeing. I think this was an intentional decision to try to minimize crowds 🤷‍♀️. This was by far the busiest location on our New England road trip. If you’re planning on a visit, go first thing in the morning or right before sunset. 
📍Sleepy Hollow Farm
Could’ve walked down that boardwalk time and tim Could’ve walked down that boardwalk time and time again, it felt like a little slice of fall heaven 🍁
It’s cozy cabin season and the season of giving! It’s cozy cabin season and the season of giving! ✨🎁
Had the honor of trying the @cliffamily “Eat Chocolate, Drink Wine” gift set and it was the perfect box to bring to a girls weekend.  It includes their Organic Dark Chocolate Almonds, Caramels and Toffee Crunch paired with their Gary’s Improv Howell Mountain Zinfandel. So. Good. 😋 perfect gift for the adults in your life! 
This holiday season Clif Family is helping @americanforests to plant 10,000 tress in areas that have been devastated by California wildfires. To help support the cause, do some of your holiday shopping at their online gift shop: https://bit.ly/3nC6XrM
🥰🎄.
Fall is quickly turning into winter but I refuse t Fall is quickly turning into winter but I refuse to give it up just yet. I’m in total disbelief that the holidays are just around the corner 🤯. 
Any fun holiday plans? I’m headed down to California soon and can’t wait to get some much needed sunshine. This time in the PNW is always a struggle for me 😅
If only you knew how many people were standing beh If only you knew how many people were standing behind me 🤯. This is probably one of the busiest hikes in New Hampshire during the fall. If you want to enjoy the views, do it for sunrise. 
📍Artist Bluff
Ever driven the Kancamagus Highway? It’s a 34 mi Ever driven the Kancamagus Highway? It’s a 34 mile scenic highway in Northern New Hampshire known for being one of the best drives to spot the fall foliage 🍁🍂. 
The drive takes you through the white mountains and there’s numerous pull offs along the way— this one was my favorite and we discovered it by accident. 
Here’s some tips for driving the highway:
⏱ Start early! It gets so crowded mid day and the crowds ruin some of the experience. 
🥨 Bring snacks! If you take your time it can take a couple hours 
✅: Plan your must-see stops beforehand but have a level of spontaneity too! Some our favorite stops weren’t ones on our original list.
Important question! What’s you favorite fall fol Important question! What’s you favorite fall foliage color?🤩 I’m for sure team red hence having to stop under this tree for a photo opp. These trees were everywhere in New England and I was so in awe of how vibrant and full they were. You mix these with some rolling hills and it made for some of the most beautiful roads I’ve ever been on.
Excited to finally start sharing more New England Excited to finally start sharing more New England photos. The colors in Vermont and New Hampshire blew me away. New Hampshire might have had the most fall foliage but I much preferred the towns in Vermont. They had less people are were more quaint. Stowe and Woodstock were my favorite 🤩.
My second larch season in the books and I am hooke My second larch season in the books and I am hooked ✨larches grow new, yellow-green needles in the spring and then turn bright yellow in the early fall. There’s a very small window of time you can catch them. They are very shade-intolerant so they typically grow in open and young forests. 
What’s your favorite larch hike you’ve done? Let’s compile a list for next fall 🤩. Mine is larch valley in banff!
I’ve officially accepted that summer is over and I’ve officially accepted that summer is over and am ready to start sharing fall photos 🙈 even though fall is my favorite season, I tend to hold onto summer as long as possible because once fall arrives that means winter is around the corner and me and winter are not friends 🙅🏻‍♀️
I was lucky enough to road trip through the Rockies just at the start of the fall season and got to see all the larches turn. The mix of green and yellow trees was incredible! Highly recommend visiting Banff in September :)
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