Day 1 of our 3-Day San Francisco, Hearst Castle, Yosemite Tour!<br/>The bus picked us up from LA, and then the Travelers4Fun Team was off! First stop: Solvang, a Danish village nestled about an hour north of Santa Barbara. A sunny spring day was a perfect backdrop for the colorful red, green, and yellow buildings and charming, wood-thatched wind mills. Once off the bus our tour group quickly dispersed, each of us following our noses toward a medley of delicious scents coming from all directions. From freshly-baked, authentic Danish pastries, to chocolates made on the premises, to home-made ice cream shops on every corner, Solvang was a sugar-lover’s dream. <br/><br/>I personally couldn’t resist Ingeborg’s Handmade Danish Chocolates, their display of giant chocolate Easter bunnies was too enticing to pass up. Two friendly chocolate-makers were kind enou 
Yosemite was one of our favorite family vacation destinations, so I was excited to revisit the beautiful park after a decade had passed. Our tour group got an early (very, very early) start to our day, and made it to Yosemite by 9 am. March turned out to be the perfect time of year to visit the Yosemite, because the waterfalls were flowing at maximum force as the snow started melting heading into the warmer months. Our first stop gave us perfect views of El Capitan. At 3,000 feet from base to summit, El Capitan is one of the largest granite monoliths (mountain consisting of a single massive rock) in the world and a favorite challenge for rock climbers from around the globe. The next stop was Yosemite Falls, the highest waterfall in North America. Our group made the short easy hike to the base of the falls where we got up-close views of the water freely flowing over a tall cliff through m 
A bright and early start on Day 2 of our San Francisco Tour gets us to San Francisco from our nearby Fremont Crowne Plaza Hotel by 7:30. We are dropped off near China Town for breakfast. It’s typical San Francisco Spring weather: gray, drizzly skies and temps in the mid-60s. My first mission is to find some caffeine, which isn’t too hard since there are several cute cafes nestled below the tall sky rises. We have 90 minutes for breakfast, so I spend my last hour wandering around the financial district, people watching and snapping photos of the amazing architecture and cool statues and art. Our first official sightseeing excursion of the day is Lombard Street – famous for its steepness and pinpoint curves. Those of us who are up for it are encouraged to hike to the top and take in the breathtaking views. Anna and I accept the challenge and are greeted at the top of the 
Continuing along Day 1 of our 3-Day San Francisco, Hearst Castle, Yosemite Tour!After the Travelers4Fun team wrapped up lunch in Solvang, CA, we were off to our next stop: Hearst Castle. Nestled atop a hill North of San Luis Obispo – about a two hour drive from Solvang – we arrived mid-afternoon. The Hearst Castle Tour is optional, and at $25 I would highly recommend it for anyone who loves art, history, architecture, or old Hollywood glamour. Many of the tapestries, paintings, sculptures, and mosaics are one-of-a-kind, and some pieces date all the way back to the 3rd century! A little history: Hearst Castle took just under three decades (28 years, to be exact) to complete. William Randolph Hearst worked closely with architect Julia Morgan to design a Spanish Revival-inspired estate. As a child, Hearst traveled through Europe with his mother, and inspiration from his tra 
Bryce Canyon: home of the hoodoos. If you don’t know what hoodoos are, then you are in exactly the same boat as me a couple months ago. Actually, before this trip I had never even heard of Bryce Canyon (let the gasps of silence ensue). It’s funny actually, because it became one of my favorite places during our West Coast trip. It was truly spectacular: one of those sights of nature that you just have to sit down for a moment to take it all in. Hoodoos are giant rock formations eroded from time. The native americans believed that the hoodoos were actually spirits trapped in rock form, and that’s why many are given names that personify their rock shapes. It always amazes me that the forces of nature can create landscapes that look more like works of art. In Bryce Canyon, for example, the giant hoodoo rock formations seem like something 
I was lucky enough to take a trip to New Orleans this past week and see what it has to offer. It had always been one of the top places on my bucket list, as I’m sure it is for many others. The food, the music, the French influenced architecture, and of course, the rich history, bring people to this delectable melting pot of a city. Although many warned me of the smothering August humidity, I seized my opportunity to go regardless of the temperature. Plus, it was no secret among my friends that I loved being blanketed by humidity, to their chagrins.
We stepped off of the plane and taxied our way over to the French Quarter, only a half hour away. The small cobblestone streets and hidden alleyways alluded to the city’s age, which was built during a time where a horse and buggy were the main mode of transport. The French Quarter is definitely the place to stay if you are visiting NOLA. You soon learn that it is the perfect walking city, with shops at every turn and street musicians on every corner. If you’re into the party scene you should check out a Scandalous Cocktail Hour Small Group Tour. While Bourbon St. is known as party central, there is much more to New Orleans, and a couple days can let you become familiar with the art galleries on Royal St. to the happening beats on Frenchman St.
Frenchman St. was by far one of my favorite parts of our trip. It’s where the locals go to listen to live music, which inhabit the various bars that line its sidewalks. With the amount of live music and cool smoky bars, I literally felt like a kid in a candy shop. Loud brass bands with energetic tempos, sultry blues beats that made you want to melt, traditional jazz that let you sit back and relax, and even some gypsy jazz to get you in a roaring 20’s mood. Even when you weren’t in the bars, there were musicians that serenaded the crowds on their in-between-bar jaunts. There was even one guy playing a sitar and rocking out!
When you’ve filled your ears with nightlife you work up an appetite, and NOLA is known for its world famous Creole cuisine. Gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish, oysters, and Andouille sausage are available everywhere you go, along with other Southern delicacies. I had the best oysters Rockefeller around at Felix’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar and the most amazing eggs benedict in a breakfast to-die-for at Stanley’s near Jackson Square. Of course, everyone has to make a pit stop at the world famous Café Du Monde right along the Mississippi, which is the place to go when you are craving something sweet. The only thing on the menu to eat are beignets, a New Orleans delicacy which put our version of a donut to shame.
Want a bit of music and food? Check out a New Orleans Steamboat Dinner and Jazz Cruise and you can take a ride along the Mississippi while listening to Dixieland’s finest on the historic Natchez Steamboat.
The best way to work off all that food is to take a historic stroll to Jackson Square where you’ll find the beautiful St. Louis Cathedral. Want to take a walk on the wild side? You can always go voodoo shop hopping, as they dominate the French Quarter—you might even get your fortune told. A New Orleans Ghosts and Spirits Nighttime Walking Tour can also give you a spooky glimpse into the city’s gloomy past.
If you’re looking to go beyond the borders of the French Quarter, you can experience some of Louisiana’s other gems like the awe-inspiring Oak Alley Plantation, where Interview With a Vampire was filmed, or go deep into the Bayou swampland and catch yourself a gator.
Check out all of our New Orleans Tours here.
