This is our 3rd year in a row visiting my parents there in the spring, and each time we visit, I’m reminded what a cool area it is.
There’s a lot more to it than most people think...
hiking
really good restaurants
nearby nature
fun day trips
and of course, pools everywhere for cooling off!
Speaking of cooling off… the heat wave out here is just starting to dissipate (thank goodness!), so it’s actually tolerable to spend time outside!
Yesterday, we did a little day trip up to the mountain town of Idyllwild, which is such a cute town (pine trees instead of palm trees) with cabin vibes. Honestly my favorite kind of place!
It's also a great place to go when Palm Springs is unbearably hot because it's much higher in elevation and often 20+ degrees cooler!
📸 some snaps from Idyllwild yesterday 👇🏼
If you ever plan to go to Palm Springs, we’ve got all sorts of tips & hidden gems (bc that's what we do!) just for you 👇🏼
We... & by "we" I mean Ben... just did a pretty major upgrade to our campervan.
He replaced the original bump stops and replaced them with Timbren rubber springs, aka upgraded suspension, baby!
Vehicle suspension is one of the least sexy topics out there (in my opinion) 🤷🏻♀️ but it is going to make driving on bumpy forest roads a lot smoother and more comfortable for our family.
So I'm super happy we (*HE*) did this project just in time for our summer adventures!
The best part is this is a super simple DIY project (you don't have to have any experience to do it yourself). It's supposed to take about 20 minutes per tire (40 minutes total)....
BUT Ben ran into a huge problem during this project 🫣 It's totally avoidable (and our fault!), so be sure to check the video out if you'll be upgrading your suspension anytime soon!
Click to watch our latest YouTube video!
🇯🇵 2 Japan itineraries for 2 different people
Is Japan on your bucket list? If not, it absolutely deserves a spot!
We have been to Japan 3 times and will never *not* be dreaming of our next trip. It’s that good.
I genuinely believe there is something for every single person in Japan.
🍣 Foodies will be in heaven.
🏯 History and culture lovers will find endless things to explore.
🌿 People who are into nature and adventure will be blown away (yes, Japan has some of the most incredible nature we’ve seen!).
👶🏼 Families with kids will find Japan super welcoming and easy to navigate with littles.
This itinerary is great for first time travelers to Japan because it brings you to all the worthwhile “big sights” + it includes tips for avoiding crowds as well as some hidden gems to find!
This itinerary is for adventurous travelers who like getting off the typical tourist path and want to see lesser-known places. This was the route we took on our most recent trip to Japan and it was INCREDIBLE. We went to so many places where there were hardly any tourists around.
And if you can’t find what you are looking for, feel free to reach out. It is one of our favorite countries and we’re passionate about helping others plan their dream trips here 🥰
🌸🪻🌼 Happy spring!
I’m going to be totally honest: We had a very disappointing winter on the west coast. I’m a huge winter fan and love snowboarding and on cozy snowy adventures in the mountains. But this winter we hardly got any snow.
So I was feeling a little salty about the arrival of spring. But recently, the sunshine and flowers, and ability to slip on sandals instead of boots is making me come around and get excited about the changing of seasons.
Plus, we have a really fun trip planned later this month, so it’s hard not to be excited about that.
We’ll be road tripping around some of our favorite areas in Washington and Oregon to see some wildflowers, waterfalls, and the Pacific Ocean.
We have so many fun plans (& unique stays!) and I can’t wait to share it with you!
I hope you, too, are enjoying the start of spring 🌷
