It was a wet and cold Saturday morning when we arrived at Dublin Airport so the thought of sunny California was something we were really looking forward to.
We dropped our bags, got through security and headed to pre-clearance which is one of the better aspects of travelling to the US from Ireland. As several flights were leaving all within an hour or two of one another it was busy but we got through eventually. We were also trying out the new airport lounge 51stand Green. I’d not expected much from the lounge having been in the old one on a few occasions and well, I was right to be suspicious. While it is roomy and the food choice better, it was very short staffed. Actually it was difficult to find a place to sit as most of the tables had not been cleared off and the carpet was filthy, not something you’d expect when paying 39 euro per person. However if you’re looking for space from the crowds it’s a good choice – just don’t have high expectations.
After an 11 hour flight we touched down in L.A. for a few day’s hanging out in SoCal. After waiting what seemed almost as long as the actual flight, the checked bags finally arrived. We wasted no more time and hopped on the bus to the rental car agency offices to pick up the rental and after less than 20 minutes we were whizzing down the highway towards our final destination Newport Beach.
We’re staying at the Hyatt Regency Resort less than a 5 minute drive to the beaches and the Pacific ocean. Despite the long flight coupled with the time difference we got to the hotel just after 8:30 and feeling surprisingly fresh faced. After checking in and getting to our room all that was left to do was grab a light bite to eat and have a celebratory drink. A margarita for C and a beer for me, although the light bite turned into a burger which was nothing special but sufficed.
The hotel was build back in the 1960’s and no doubt back then it was a must visit resort sporting three swimming pools, tennis courts, a 9 hole golf course and several other amenities. Today it’s more of an upmarket motel but thankfully it’s not outdated and is well served with friendly staff. It has three dining options, the bar and a separate restaurant which both actually serve the exact same menu and in the morning if you’d prefer not to have a big breakfast, it has a coffee dock serving bagels, muffins and the like.
After a decent night’s sleep we opted for the buffet breakfast to set us up for the day ahead, although the plan for the day is to visit family, C’s in this case. The breakfast was typical American but was filling and did the job.
As we had some time to pass we drove down to the centre of Newport to check out the surf. Even at 10:00am on a Sunday morning the place was very busy, mostly surfers and families who pretty much had taken up every parking space within a 20 minute walk of the main beach area. So we decided to hop back in the car and visit a nearby mall to pass a half hour or so. Of course been California the weather is fantastic hovering around 28C and it’s Autumn.
C was visiting her aunt and uncle who I had not met before and after a few hours of chatting and a light lunch we visited her cousin and family for the remainder of the evening with Mexican on the menu for dinner, they also have a very nice pool at their house, after all they have the weather for it.
By the time the evening rolled around we dropped C’s aunt and uncle back to their house and headed back towards the beach area, this time we did get a parking spot. Despite the sun almost set there was still some surfers catching a few late waves before it got completely dark. The place also has plenty of gift shops, bars and restaurants.
We had an early night as we had to be up pretty early the following morning. We were heading back to a place that I’m a big fan of … Disneyland.
It’s been about four years since we last visited but this time they have a new “land” to visit, you may have heard of it – Galaxy’s Edge, which is Star Wars themed.
As planned we were up and had breakfast sorted all before 7:00am, just a coffee and bagel. Anaheim is only a 25 minute drive from where we’re staying so we got to the carpark in no time and despite it being early, the car park is pretty busy. We wasted no time, we parked up, hopped on the shuttle bus and picked up our tickets and we were at the park just as it was opening, which is known as “rope drop” in Disney lingo.
No prizes for guessing the first land we visited, I was in my element :-). As of right now it’s still not fully open as it only has one ride, Smugglers Run. But it has a glut of gift shops and a few places to grab a drink and a bite to eat all Star Wars themed. All the staff are also required to stay in character to add to the “magic”. As we got there early we were waiting no more than 15 minute to get on Smugglers Run. For a Star Wars fan it was cool to actually walk through the Millennium Falcon* to the cockpit. As for the ride, well it was ok, not as good as I had hoped so hopefully when they get around to opening the other attractions they will be better.
*For those of us who don’t know what the Millennium Falcon is, well it’s probably the most famous spaceship in the history of Sci-Fi movies.
After Galaxy’s’ Edge we checked out some of the other attractions in the Park. Indiana Jones, Jungle Cruise, Buzz Lightyear, the always fun Pirates of the Caribbean and the fantastic Splash Mountain and as the name suggests, you get soaked.
After Disneyland we headed out the entrance over to California Adventure, Disney’s other park. They had the new Incredible Coaster (based on the movie the Incredibles) which I managed to get C onto (she’s not a coaster fan). It was fantastic but after C needed to sit down for a bit as she was still in shock. This was followed by the little Mermaid and Monsters Inc. However the ride of the day was the re-imagined Tower of Terror. Before it was themed on the TV show the Twilight Zone but now it’s themed after the movie The Guardians of the Galaxy – it was FANTASTIC!
After a long day at the parks, we grabbed some salad for dinner at Whole Foods and needless to say it was an early night.
For our last day in SoCal, we took a drive down the Pacific highway towards the famous Laguna Beach.
We did a little shopping, grabbed a coffee, then it was back into the car to the town of San Clemente where we grabbed lunch at the Fisherman which was located on the pier.
C opted for the cobb salad I went with a straight up chicken sambo, the portions were pretty big but the food was ok.
After lunch and a stroll along the pier we hit the road again this time stopping at the town of Oceanside. Yet another stop along the highway offering fishing, boating, surf and all manner of water based activities.
Alas time was getting on so there was just time to grab a quick coffee before heading back up towards LA and onto LAX for our flight.
We squeezed in quite a bit in our few days and as always when it comes to all things California, we look forward to a return trip.
Until next time.
C&J
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