Cruisin’ Cali Style

California’s culture is a unique essence of cool, an allure of effortlessness; to the very core it’s chill.  Arriving in Hermosa Beach, I was struck with this culture full force, and it couldn’t have been more welcomed.

Our hostel, directly across from the roaring surf, opened up onto a lovely promenade with cantinas, quaint little shops and antique stores.  Within 10 minutes of dropping our bags we were sipping margaritas on a patio, people watching and dude scoping.  We left with pretty intense tan lines (selective writing to forget the sunburns they truthfully were) and surprisingly a much less severe bill…thanks to happy hour, or happy three hours in our case!  From here we transitioned to the beach for sunset.  It was picture perfect, surfers wrapping up their sessions, beach volleyball games called, and fishermen packing up their daily catch off the pier.

Hermosa Beach at Sunset

Day two saw an epic bike ride from Hermosa to Santa Monica along the ocean side bike trail. Cruisin’ along, we stopped for lunch in Manhattan Beach, almost lost our wallet in El Segundo (gotta get it, got got to it) and then explored around Marina del Rey, before settling in Venice Beach.  Always a treat, with off-beat individuals and jaw dropping antics, Venice didn’t disappoint.  After soaking in the scene and a visit to my favorite jewelry vendor, (an incredible man, if you ever go to Venice ask me about him), it was on to the Santa Monica Pier for a Ferris Wheel Ride.  Round and round, the perfect opportunity to see for miles…those 15 miles we rode and the 15 more we were going to need to cover to get back!

Biking from Hermosa to Santa Monica

Evenings in Hermosa Beach were also full of life.  The vibrations of live bands spilled from many beach bars and drew out locals and visitors of all ages.  Dancing with pilots, learning about the medical marijuana situation, and being regaled with tales of the LBC and Sublime Bradley’s early days; it was never dull. 

Hermosa definitely lived up to the pictorial way of life and Cali vibe.  Stay there, not Redondo; and a word of advice there are soothing aloe plants down the beach (as found by our rad Australian roomy)!

Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel