Goodbye San Francisco, Hey Monterey!

After a busy first day in San Francisco, we opted for a more relaxed second day. Since we planned to travel from San Francisco to Monterey the next day, we thought it would be wiser to spend the day fairly leisurely. And so, we began our day with a casual walk around the Palace of Fine Arts.

Palace of Fine Arts San Francisco scaled

Palace of Fine Arts…

Architects originally constructed the Palace of Fine Arts to exhibit artworks for an exposition in 1915. The fair lasted for about 11 months, after which, the city pulled down most of the buildings constructed for that purpose. However, the Palace of Fine Arts was spared because people had fallen in love with the building.

Intended to be a temporary structure, the building was not constructed with durable materials. Eventually, it began to fall apart. Most of what you can see today are not from the original exhibition building. It was completely pulled down, save for the steel structure of the exhibit hall and then rebuilt from 1964 to 1974.

The Palace of Fine Arts turned out to be a gorgeous place to walk around and hang out. It was lovely to see some the resident wildlife gracing the pond; the swans looked so beautiful! I also enjoyed people-watching here. There was a high profile photoshoot going on when we visited. That was fun to watch (while pretending not to watch) for a little while.

We hung out for a little while longer, checking out the empty exhibition hall before leaving to go grab breakfast at a deli close by. After breakfast, we went to Crissy Field, another Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point to hang out. Crissy Field was an excellent place to walk around, relax and even take a quick nap. It was also a great place to observe San Francisco’s Doggy Culture.

Crissy Field

Crissy Field…

One of the things I noticed, and loved, about San Francisco is the huge presence of pets – specifically dogs. In Crissy Field, almost everyone was walking at least one dog. Every once in a while, certain dogs will stop to become friendly with each other, forcing their owners into making small talks. It was both amusing and charming to see.

After spending some time relaxing by the beach, we thought we’d check out Land’s End and Eagle’s Point for a hike and another view of the Golden Gate Bridge. The hike turned out to be very lovely, a bit difficult but lovely. The views of the Golden Gate Bridge was stunning as well.

Exhausted after the hike, we decided to head back to Berkeley to spend a relaxing evening at a local concert. By the time we arrived, we found out that the concert wasn’t starting until another two hours. So, we ditched that idea and went to see a movie instead. We saw “Aladdin” at a very fancy cinema. I loved it!

And with that, our time in San Francisco came to an end. The next morning, we continued our California Road trip from San Francisco to Monterey, our next stop.

Monterey Bay

California Road Trip Stop 2: San Francisco to Monterey

We decided to make a stop in Monterey for one main reason. We wanted to go whale watching there, or as I like to call it, ‘Sea Safari’. Our drive was up to the city was very scenic (and cold). We made a few stops along the way. First at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse and then, Santa Cruz to have breakfast. The entire drive, including the stops, took about three hours.

We arrived in Monterey by about 1 pm – and checked into our Airbnb. After a little downtime there, we drove down to the Monterey Bay Aquarium with tickets our Airbnb host gave us.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is the best one I have been to so far, followed closely by the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town. These days, I feel a certain way about interacting with animals outside of their natural habitats but from the information I could gather online, aquariums like the Monterey Bay’s are doing a lot of good for marine life.

After our time there, we grabbed lunch and just walked around. Monterey is such a gorgeous city! If you watch the TV Series, Big Little Lies, you would totally agree!

I mean I found myself daydreaming about spending my retirement years in this city. My days would be filled with morning runs in a beautiful quiet neighbourhood, lunch in one of the several restaurants that line the streets and the Fisherman’s Wharf and evening strolls on the beach… I got a taste of that in the 2 days we spent here and it felt a lot like the good life!

Whale Watching in Monterey…

The following day, we went whale watching. This turned out to be quite exciting, even though I was worried about getting seasick. I am prone to motion sickness, so I tried to mitigate any form of seasickness by taking a dose of Dramamine, an over-the-counter drug used for motion sickness.

I was doing fine until someone threw up right in front of me, triggering my gag reflex. Luckily, I managed to keep things down by just closing my eyes and opening them whenever Mark told me there was a sighting. A member of staff also handed me ginger sweets which also really helped.

I’d say I had a good time, but the three hours we spent did feel very long. I was glad to be off the boat when it ended. After we got off, we had brunch at the Fisherman’s Wharf. Then we spent the rest of the day leisurely, walking around and hopping from one food or ice cream store to the next.

The next day, we continued our road trip to San Simeon through Big Sur…

Whale Watching in Monterey CA
from San Francisco to Monterey

4 comments

  1. This is amazing!
    Welldone and thank you for sharing your experience. Its beautiful!!!! I look forward to visiting and exploring

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Aesthetically pleasing spaces in Kenya 🍂🦒
Aesthetically pleasing spaces in Kenya 🍂🦒
17 hours ago
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1/9
Kenya had dropped the paid ETA requirement for most Africans, including Nigerians. 💃🏾🎉

And in celebration of that, I'm sharing some of my favourite places to include in your Kenyan holiday itinerary!

Will you be visiting or have you been to any of these places?
Kenya had dropped the paid ETA requirement for most Africans, including Nigerians. 💃🏾🎉 And in celebration of that, I'm sharing some of my favourite places to include in your Kenyan holiday itinerary! Will you be visiting or have you been to any of these places?
1 day ago
View on Instagram |
2/9
This lodge in Taita-Taveta was such a great last-minute find for me!
___________________

I needed a quick break from Nairobi and thought to visit Diani and Tsavo. While finding accommodation in Diani was fairly easy, I struggled to find a place that fit my schedule, budget, and preference in the Voi/Tsavo area.

When I stumbled upon The Hildana Lodge, I couldn't be happier. Luckily, they had availability for the exact dates I wanted, a resident's rate, and no single supplement!

I stayed here for 2 nights but could have easily stayed longer! This place is magical, and I can't wait to return! ✨️
This lodge in Taita-Taveta was such a great last-minute find for me! ___________________ I needed a quick break from Nairobi and thought to visit Diani and Tsavo. While finding accommodation in Diani was fairly easy, I struggled to find a place that fit my schedule, budget, and preference in the Voi/Tsavo area. When I stumbled upon The Hildana Lodge, I couldn't be happier. Luckily, they had availability for the exact dates I wanted, a resident's rate, and no single supplement! I stayed here for 2 nights but could have easily stayed longer! This place is magical, and I can't wait to return! ✨️
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
3/9
As someone who enjoys travelling and pursuing a fulfilling career, I don't believe that you have to give up one for the other. ✈️🍂✨️

You can maintain a healthy travel life without forfeiting a career you love, and here's one of the best ways to do so ⤵️

Taking advantage of public holidays, combined with your vacation days. For example, there's a public holiday coming up next month.

It'll be a 2-day holiday, and if you take only 2 days off work, you'll get 6 vacation days! - perfect for this "Beach and Bush" holiday in Kenya! 🐚🐘🌊

Work-life balance is key, so find ways to do the things that are important to you now that you can!💙
As someone who enjoys travelling and pursuing a fulfilling career, I don't believe that you have to give up one for the other. ✈️🍂✨️ You can maintain a healthy travel life without forfeiting a career you love, and here's one of the best ways to do so ⤵️ Taking advantage of public holidays, combined with your vacation days. For example, there's a public holiday coming up next month. It'll be a 2-day holiday, and if you take only 2 days off work, you'll get 6 vacation days! - perfect for this "Beach and Bush" holiday in Kenya! 🐚🐘🌊 Work-life balance is key, so find ways to do the things that are important to you now that you can!💙
4 days ago
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4/9
Weekends in Kenya that look like this! 🐘💙🦒

How wonderful!
Weekends in Kenya that look like this! 🐘💙🦒 How wonderful!
4 days ago
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5/9
Here's what you can expect when you ride the premium class train from Nairobi to Mombasa and vice versa 🚅

It's a slow but scenic ride to the coast, but I love it and rather prefer it to flying. ✨️

PS: If you want great views of Tsavo National Park as you pass through (Nairobi > Mombasa), sit on the left side of the train (i.e., even numbered seats)

But be aware that some seats have partial window views. Seats 26, 21, 25, 15, and 6 are great!(Nairobi > Mombasa)

Seat on the opposite side on the Mombasa > Nairobi train. I couldn't keep track of all the good seats on this train 🥹.

The train also has a first and economy class coach, which are significantly cheaper than premium class. And once you're back in Nairobi, all "premium services end" 🤭😋

Have you gone on this train before? What was your experience like? 💬

Are team train 🚆 or flight ✈️?
Here's what you can expect when you ride the premium class train from Nairobi to Mombasa and vice versa 🚅 It's a slow but scenic ride to the coast, but I love it and rather prefer it to flying. ✨️ PS: If you want great views of Tsavo National Park as you pass through (Nairobi > Mombasa), sit on the left side of the train (i.e., even numbered seats) But be aware that some seats have partial window views. Seats 26, 21, 25, 15, and 6 are great!(Nairobi > Mombasa) Seat on the opposite side on the Mombasa > Nairobi train. I couldn't keep track of all the good seats on this train 🥹. The train also has a first and economy class coach, which are significantly cheaper than premium class. And once you're back in Nairobi, all "premium services end" 🤭😋 Have you gone on this train before? What was your experience like? 💬 Are team train 🚆 or flight ✈️?
6 days ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
The most relaxing staycation ever! Coastal vibes in Diani Beach and a wonderful safari in Taita-Taveta county! 🐚🐘

This trip was so easy to plan and embark upon from Nairobi. I travelled by rail from Nairobi to Mombasa and then to Diani. 🌊

On my return leg, I stopped in Voi and transferred to a super gorgeous lodge, where I spent the weekend enjoying massages, spotting elephants 🐘 and giraffes 🦒, and just having a swell and relaxing time!

Sharing details on my blog and IG stories!✨️
The most relaxing staycation ever! Coastal vibes in Diani Beach and a wonderful safari in Taita-Taveta county! 🐚🐘 This trip was so easy to plan and embark upon from Nairobi. I travelled by rail from Nairobi to Mombasa and then to Diani. 🌊 On my return leg, I stopped in Voi and transferred to a super gorgeous lodge, where I spent the weekend enjoying massages, spotting elephants 🐘 and giraffes 🦒, and just having a swell and relaxing time! Sharing details on my blog and IG stories!✨️
6 days ago
View on Instagram |
7/9
The Best of Both Worlds! 🥰

Just took the SGR again, and I got to try out the Premium Class coach - I loved the experience!

I'll be sharing all about this experience in my next blog post on www.travelwithapen.com -  what to expect from this train ride, the best seats for unobstructed views and elephant sightings in Tsavo National Park, and notable changes in the journey from Nairobi to Mombasa and Diani!

#diani #dianibeachkenya #sgr #railtravel #tsavo #tembeakenya
The Best of Both Worlds! 🥰 Just took the SGR again, and I got to try out the Premium Class coach - I loved the experience! I'll be sharing all about this experience in my next blog post on www.travelwithapen.com - what to expect from this train ride, the best seats for unobstructed views and elephant sightings in Tsavo National Park, and notable changes in the journey from Nairobi to Mombasa and Diani! #diani #dianibeachkenya #sgr #railtravel #tsavo #tembeakenya
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
8/9
Bougainvillea in full bloom in Nairobi 🌸, always a highlight of our strolls!
Bougainvillea in full bloom in Nairobi 🌸, always a highlight of our strolls!
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
9/9
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