This summer, Phil and I planned a last minute trip to California’s Pacific Coast. It was last minute because our original trip to Colorado – a state I thought I could rely on for sun – got rained out. Instead of dealing with the rain like a well-adjusted adult, I threw a tantrum (you don’t have to be reasonable when you book with free cancellation, I guess) and rebooked our entire trip to the only area of the US not speckled with green by radar: The Golden State. We found sunny weather, alright – a record-breaking heatwave ripped through the west coast as we flew into LAX. Here’s what our summer vacation was like chasing down a week of sun in San Luis Obispo, Palm Springs, and Santa Monica.
San Luis Obispo
A Laid-Back Coastal College Town
San Luis Obispo (locals call it SLO, pronounced “slow”) is an adorable town smack dab between LA and San Francisco. The route from LA to SLO consists of Highway 1 (also known as the Pacific Coastal Highway), as well as US Route 101 and State Route 154. You’ll drive through some purely coastal stretches, while other parts wind through golden peaks and valleys lined with vineyards. Depending on traffic, it’s about a 3-hour (enjoyable) drive from LAX.
I would summarize our visit to SLO like this: we found a haven here from the hullaballoo and hellish heat of LA, we learned why it holds the humble title of “Happiest Place in America” (the idyllic downtown streets lined with whimsical trees and strung with twinkling lights have something to do with it), and we absolutely intend to return the next time we’re in California. But in case you want more than a skimpy summary, read my article “Sun Tracking to San Luis Obispo” at GoNomad.com where I break down all the alluring details of SLO and the surrounding area.
Palm Springs
Stopping for Oranges on the Way
We were sorry to leave San Luis Obispo behind, with its chill vibe and tepid temperatures. But we were also very excited to experience the desert for the first time, so onward we pushed southward, towards Palm Springs where we would visit Joshua Tree. On our drive from SLO to Palm Springs, we stopped in Ojai – a charming town between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles known for its orange groves. Our mission: to find fresh-off-the-branch oranges grown by the California sun.
We arrived late morning and snagged some coffee at Beacon, a trendy coffee shop in town. Beside it sits an adorable boutique store named Blue, perfect for perusing with a latte in hand. After fueling up on caffeine, we rolled the windows down and drove up Ojai’s winding roads, passing grove after leafy grove. Citrus permeated the air, making my mouth water for a fresh, juicy bite. Luckily our destination would provide just that.
Friend’s Ranch is a family of farmers growing citrus varieties for over a century. Their stand offers an amazing view of Ojai Valley, a bonus when making a stop. Watching the sun’s rays flood the fruitful groves below was one of the most beautiful sights I’d ever seen.
Sneaky Heat in Palm Springs
With heavy orange bags in hand, we wound our way through the rest of Ojai towards Palm Springs. As if Paso Robles wasn’t hot enough, we searched for hotter and found it in the desert, with a high of 117 degrees!
Some folks try to discount the power of dry heat, its lack of humidity making it more tolerable. Dry heat doesn’t make sense to someone from the Midwest. In the comfortable air-conditioned car, we nervously watched its thermometer climb, reaching 110 degrees by the time we arrived in Palm Springs. Having never experienced this kind of heat, I was nervous to open my door, imagining myself burning up in seconds. But I was surprised to find it felt more like 80 degrees. Perplexed but relieved, I celebrated too soon. Thirty minutes into the elements, I found myself panting and my brow covered in sweat, though it didn’t feel nearly as hot as my hottest days in Ohio.
It was my decision to hunt down the sun, but I started to feel like prey chasing after its hunter. Though, as hot as Palm Springs was in a heatwave, it was just as gorgeous and not as busy as bustling L.A. Once we hit the desert, everything slowed down and opened up to views of Little San Bernardino, Santa Rosa, and the San Jacinto mountains. The views were gorgeous! Palm Springs Aerial Tramway offers a glimpse of it all. But if you prefer views from the ground, cruising down Palm Canyon Drive delivers the quintessential panorama of classic Palm Springs.
As we crossed the city lines, this art exhibition caught our eye. It’s was part of a Dessert X 2021 exhibition on the Coachella Valley. This particular work is called “Never Forget” and the artist is Nicholas Galanin who raises awareness and money to return indigenous people to their land. I found the large, Hollywood-like lettering and its placement in the desert’s dry vast land quite moving.
Cool Accommodations
Our stay at Villa Royale provided a comfortable retreat from the aggressive temperatures. The hotel greeted us with a shot of Mezcal – cheers! – and our comfortable, retro-fitted room overlooked the sparkling pool, like a bonafide mirage in the desert. We enjoyed the mountainous, palm-studded landscape as we huddled close to our accommodations, like a child hiding behind a parent.
It took a while to take a tour of the spacious grounds. Hugged by desert peaks and wrapped in tidy hedges, this adult-only boutique hotel reminds you of an Old Hollywood getaway. If you’re looking for privacy and relaxation, which is Palm Springs’ forte, the hotel’s shimmering pools and stunning hideaways help make this happen. And in the desert, one pool is never enough – that’s why they provide two!
Clearly we were in good hands. There was just one hitch to our oasis-centered plans- we desperately wanted to see Joshua Tree; that is to say, in the thick of a major heatwave, we planned to wander further into the desert.
A Quiet Morning in Joshua Tree National Park
Our priority in Palm Springs was to visit Joshua Tree National Park. And though we didn’t say it out loud, Phil and I were nervous, given the record-breaking heat wave and this being our first exposure to the desert. We woke early while the sun slumbered, like scared children trying not to wake the giant. With bags full of water, nuts, and fresh oranges, we sped off into the dark, not knowing what lay ahead.
The sun hid just below the horizon as we pulled up to the park. Stepping out of the car, we met complete silence, save our crunchy steps in the dirt. No one was there but us and the half-moon, a presence that staved off our loneliness. For several minutes we just looked around, awestruck and mute, as if the space commanded it.
If you’re looking for peace and quiet, you’ll find it here. We watched the dusty land turn soft pink as the sun rose, staring at an alien land peppered with finger-like trees and thirsty bushes. The dawn’s arid conditions were warm but not yet hot. Knowing our limited time, we forced ourselves back into the car and made our way through the driving tour of Joshua Tree.
Like our first drive on Highway 1, we pulled over every 50 yards or so, getting out to admire something new and exciting. The sun hitting a rock formation just so. Big Joshua Trees. Bigger Joshua Trees. Fuzzy cacti. A roadrunner. A tumbleweed…
Having our car accessible while touring the park alleviated a lot of stress. Taking the shortest route, it’s possible to navigate the park in an hour. By adding detoured stops and throwing in some hiking or biking throughout the tour, one can make a whole day of it, though three hours was enough for us to enjoy our first taste of Joshua Tree while not succumbing to heat stroke. We left the park feeling enriched, albeit drained and dry. Now we needed the beach to bring us back to life again.
Santa Monica
A Mild-Mannered Retreat
After our brief visit to Palm Springs, we settled into Santa Monica’s lovely embrace, where we enjoyed a softer sun. The mornings were warm but breezy, with a gray fog cover from the Pacific that broke by noon as the sun reached the top of the sky. We stayed in a lovely little boutique hotel, The Palihouse. The place overflowed with personality and history. With ample space and eclectic finishes, our room felt more like an apartment than a hotel room. Also, the prime location downtown was a plus.
We found the foggy mornings a nice time for strolling and exploring. Breakfast at Sidecar Doughnuts became our routine. The Huckleberry donut was our favorite but there are many fun flavors to choose from.
Santa Monica works well on foot. We mostly hung around the area like locals. Having the lovely beachside Palisades Park within walking distance of the Palihouse provided an ideal landing spot for watching sunsets. It’s perfect for strolling, bike riding, and roller skating.
When not on foot in Santa Monica, we drove to nearby Malibu. Honestly, it was the best excuse to get on the Pacific Coast Highway. Less than an hour away from our hotel, the beautiful beaches, eye-catching architecture, and beachside grub lured us back more than once.
I favored this face of the sun the most- sparkling on indigo waves, fueling colorful succulents, and setting in honeyed shades of sorbet on California’s southern coast. But even here, among the lush surroundings, I noticed scars on the earth- scorch marks from fires raging not long ago. The same evidence scatters across the west coast. And by the time we had returned from our journey to chase the sun at the end of June, the U.S. had experienced more wildfires in 2021 than it had any other year since 2011.
Final Thoughts
We chased down the sun in a heatwave and met a different side of it, one I’d never seen before; not in humid Tampa, dewy Oahu, or inside Chicago’s Wrigley Field midsummer on the hot metal bleachers. This was a sneaky and relentless heat, a dangerous animal I wasn’t familiar with. The experience left me thinking about how climate dictates our lives unequally and that we revolve around the sun, not the other way around. It’s a humbling experience. The sun is neither our enemy nor our friend. And I guess the same could be said about rain.
Would I follow the sun to California again? Absolutely. But after this experience, I’d also think about braving Colorado in a downpour if given another chance.
