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Calla Lily Valley & Garrapata Beach -add this to your Big Sur and Carmel bucket list!

February 20, 2023
Life , Travel , Uncategorized

Did you know calla lilies grow in the wild? I didn’t! I also didn’t know that while most are found growing naturally in South Africa, some can be found in the wild in Northern California-the most famous, ubiquitous spot being in Calla Lily Valley.

Location

PIN this blog post (use above pic) for the next time you’re in Carmel, CA or the Big Sur area of northern CA and add it to your bucketlist!! Considered a secret local spot and hidden gem, this beautiful hike is surprisingly unbeknownst to most Californians. I can’t tell you the number of SoCal moms I’ve told about this gorgeous find and the quizzical looks I’ve gotten in return. 😂

I’m here to spread the word and scream it from the mountaintops though because this place is heavenly and I believe everyone should get to see it once in their lifetime! Know a calla lily lover? SHARE this post!

📍 enter “calla lily valley” (on google maps). It’s near Garrapata state beach and gate 1 is right across from Doud Creek ranch

PARK on the west side of HWY 1 (gate1) across from the ranch. It’s free but the parking area is narrow and not an official lot..there are limited spots (maybe fits up to 18 cars)? and many have complained that it gets full on weekends fast.

The hike

Reviewers label the hike “easy.” And while it has little incline and does not require any hiking experience, it IS a mix of steps, and uneven and muddy terrain. Plus, it requires hopscotching over slippery rocks to get to the beach. So, don’t expect little kids or senior citizens with knee problems to find it “easy.” Of course, our 9 year old had no problem and playfully enjoyed her own version of “The Floor is Lava” as we tried our best not to fall in the creek. (It requires you to test rocks for stability and tentatively hover over and hop towards the beach). I’d say an adventurous 6 year old could do the .5 mile hike and that 5 and under would have a hard time traversing the creek to get to the beach side. It would also be up to the parents’ judgement to know whether their child would be respectful enough to the wildflowers, making sure to not only leave no trace but to also not pick flowers or trample on any. Everyone needs to make sure they stay on the paths as to preserve the flower field for all to enjoy.

Best time to go

Calla lilies are in season mid-Feb -mid March but can be seen as early as late January to early April. We just went over President’s day weekend Feb 2023 and though the Jan rains were reported to have damaged some of the wildflowers, we were still so impressed and wow-ed with what we saw.

If you’re wondering what the current situation looks like, I’d suggest searching instagram’s most recent hashtags for “calla lily valley.” Signs at the trailhead say the trail is open until sunset. I’d say the best time to go and beat the crowds is sunrise though. That’s when we shot these pics, and had the field to ourselves for the first 10 minutes before 2 other avid photographers came in to take advantage of the perfect lighting.

Tips

*Poison oak and mud await you in the valley so dress accordingly. Think boots, hiking shoes and long leggings or pants. If you’re aiming for that insta-worthy, frame worthy shot and want a romantic dress look for your pics, do what we did and wear the dress over your leggings and hiking shoes. Throw on a coat over it for warmth at sunrise and wear a cute bow or hat for the back of head shots. Shop our mommy and me star hats here. White dresses really pop and compliment the scene here. Here is a link to some of my favorite white dresses.

*Make the extra effort to walk towards the rockier path that leads to the beach. It’s worth it!! The crashing waves and foam that quickly sneaks towards you are mesmerizing. And you’ll feel like you’re on your own private beach. It would be a great spot for a little picnic or sunbathing. Also, I’ve read (too late) that if you make a right when hitting the beach and hike about 1/2 mile, you will see a beautiful waterfall! (This gives me a reason to return)!

*Download offline Google Maps, as cell service can be unreliable along the highway.

What else to do in the area

*Bixby bridge is 5 minutes away. Keyhole Rock at Pfeiffer Beach and McWay Falls on the other end of Big Sur are nearby highlights too. And Point Lobos State Park is a not to be missed hike.

*The bagel bakery nearby in Carmel has THE best chocolate croissants!!

So what do you think? Will you be adding this to your travel bucket list? PIN, save and share! And make sure to follow me on Instagram where I share daily inspiration for celebrating the everyday. It’s also where I shared all the details and videos (to IG stories) from this trip!

Hauntoween Review and Top Tips

October 4, 2022
LA , Life , Popups

We love celebrating Halloween-do you? We kicked it off this season with a media preview of Hauntoween (in Hidden Hills, CA). And WOW was it spooktacular! If you follow us on Instagram, you know we are crazy about going to ALL the popups, so trust us when we say this one is GOOD. In fact, I dare say it was the perfect, family-friendly, way to celebrate Halloween. This interactive environment was created by Experiential Supply Co who also created the hugely popular, equally instaworthy and eye-popping, “Sugar Rush” popup years ago in the same location. If you’re familiar with that popup, you’ll understandingly be so excited to experience the same level of grandiose displays and over-the-top thematic environment again!

📍 6100 Topanga Canyon Blvd. Woodland Hills, CA (where these pics were from)

📍101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, NJ (They also have another NJ location)

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

over 200,000 sq. ft. of incredibly decorated, outdoor space, with wow-worthy halloween installations everywhere you look

Picturesque photo opps (and I mean, Disney style sets) at every corner

Theatrical moments with roaming costumed actors (they’re not there to scare you but rather make you laugh and smile)

Complimentary face-painting! And hair color spraying! See important tip below on that!

Bubbling cauldron science experiments

Halloween sand art necklace making

Green screen, broomstick flying special effects

A pumpkin: shaped bouncy house, patch and carving station

Free rides including: a merry go round, a kiddie car ride, and a mini coaster

Food trucks, and alcohol + treat stations (purchase at an additional price)

Carnival games, a hay stack mountain, and glow-in-the-dark neighborhoods

Trick-or-treating throughout!

INSIDER TIPS!

Buy tickets as far in advance as you can to ensure you get the dates you want and they don’t have on-site ticket purchasing options. tickets start at $40 and are all- inclusive of the rides, games, activities, green screens , trick or treating, and face +hair painting. WORTH IT!
Parking is free and easily accessible as this (HIdden Hills) venue is at a mall. Park off the entrance at Erwin otherwise you’ll have to trek all around the massive popup to find the entrance.
We stayed for a full 3 hours to fully take advantage of ALL the activations, eat and to get all the photo opps but most people would only need about an hour or a little more.
Children under 2 are free. And it is super family-friendly event where you don’t have to worry about it being too scary and there is lots of entertainment for the littles! It is also stroller-friendly.
Food and drink including alcoholic beverages are available on site but ONLY with cards, not cash. There are food trucks and picnic tables at the end of the experience and drink and treat vendors throughout.
FIND THE FACE PAINTING station FIRST! That way, all your pictures throughout has you in full costume. We unfortunately only found the face painting booth at the end of the night so I am here to alert everyone that it is available and complimentary with your ticket purchase. They have a couple experts on-site to help transform your costume to the next level. Take advantage! The one at the Hidden Hills venue was easily missed as it is behind the vintage cop car and beside the happy parents area. You are able to backtrack your steps at this popup (unlike many others in NYC where you are only allowed to traverse in one direction). So don’t worry about having to skip some displays on the way there. You can always retrace your steps and head back to whatever you missed after your face is painted.
The most Instagramable spot is the pumpkin tunnel. I suggest you head there immediately after getting your face painted in order to hopefully get there before all the crowds do. You’ll have better light to shoot with at the earlier part of the period too resulting in more photos without extraneous people, and better lit shots.
If you have kids that you want to photograph, make sure to entice them with the reward of endless rides (which are included in your experience). Get all your important photo opps done first, and then reward them with the time of their lives at the end of the path where all the rides, games and food trucks are.
There are porta potty booths throughout in case of emergency but I highly recommend you remember to use the bathroom before arriving as these are never ideal.
Pets are allowed so if you bring them, make sure to get them in costume!