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Visit coastal beauty of California: Mendocino
Coastal California is full of beautiful places- amazing coastline, rock formations, and beaches. I have visited this coastline in total for two weeks, but I could cover only some of the state parks. Mendocino Headlands State Park is one of them. A dear friend recommended this place, and I clearly can see why now. The beautiful turquoise blue water, coast, the arch- everything about this coast is beautiful. There are so many exciting activities such as hiking, biking, and enjoying the view from the shore. You can see many sea animals here. We were lucky enough to watch a whale from the shore. There was a man who was waiting with a binocular and watching the shore occasionally. At some point, he got excited to see a splash. Watching him this excited everybody around him understood he saw something. Thankfully I had a long-range lens with me that time and I was able to see the whale. It was an unexpectedly beautiful surprise, one that I will cherish for a long time. This state park is just a few hours north of San Francisco. Also, Mendocino is well known for its world-class wine. Coastal view accompanied by world-class wine- what would you need more for a perfect romantic getaway or a fun trip with friends! There are a few other states parks nearby. Let’s explore together what you can do in Mendocino.
Get the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge from these ten locations
That iconic red bridge in San Francisco- to some people it’s a dream to visit. I don’t blame them- this iconic Golden Gate Bridge along with the view of the coast is something that should be on our bucket list. There are a few viewpoints from where you can get the view of the Golden Gate Bridge from a different perspective.
Stone Columns of Lake Crowley: the hidden gem of California
Amazing lake crowly: the hidden gem of Californiadreamcatcher_mahdi. If you want to see a natural magical wonder in California, you should visit these amazing stone columns of Lake Crowley. These columns are located nearby Highway 395, though there is no easy access to reach the columns. I have driven this highway many times. Little did I know the columns were located there. Anyway, last year I decided to visit these beautiful columns on the shore of Lake Crowley, which is originally a reservoir created in 1941 by the Log Angeles Department of Water and Power. Good thing is that there is no hike involved, well, maybe a little bit. But the important thing is you will need a four-wheel drive to reach the parking lot. The road is impassable without a 4WD in the last part. We saw many people driving 2WD, but they could not make it to the last with their vehicles. They parked somewhere before the last stretch and hiked the rest. So, if you are driving to Lake Crowley with a two-wheel drive, be prepared to hike the last part.
Explore these amazing 5 places in Lake Tahoe
Located partly in California and Nevada, Lake Tahoe is famous for its crystal-clear water. Whether you are coming for a romantic gateway or a family vacation – this place is perfect for everything. As a year-round destination, Lake Tahoe has so many things to do in every season whether it is winter summer, or fall. This lake is 1644 feet deep, which makes it the second deepest lake in the United States. The 22 miles long and 12 miles wide lake has around 72 miles of shoreline. The water of this lake is so clear that you will be able to see the bottom very clear even down 70 ft in some areas. The temperature of the lake is around 60 degrees during the summertime, and it never freezes during the winter despite being in a high elevation, which makes it perfect to visit any season.
Most charming beach towns and beaches in California: Part 2
California has so many beautiful beaches that it's not possible to name a few in only one blog post. If you haven’t checked out my previous blog post, you can check it out here (insert link here). In this blog, I am going to write about few more beaches in California. I am sure that may not be enough, and I may end up writing part 3 or 4. But for now, let’s explore some of the beautiful beaches with some spectacular features.
Must stop places in Central California’s Coastline
Many people dream about driving this coastal region of California Highway 1, full of incredibly beautiful places. There are so many places to see and so many things to do while driving highway 1. My suggestions are the following:
Most charming beach towns and beaches in California: Part 1
The West Coast region is the most beautiful part of the USA where you will find the most amazing beaches. The amazing thing about these beaches is each of them is different and unique in its own way. So, if you want to enjoy a vacation full of beach vibes, this is it- you should visit the west coast. We had the opportunity to visit some of the incredible beaches of California.
Scenic hike to the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States
There is something satisfying about hiking and summiting the highest summit of the contiguous United States- we all agree about that. If summiting Mount Whitney is on your bucket list, then you should better prepare for it. Summiting a fourteener is no joke and you better be prepared for it. From getting the permit to physical fitness, getting ready, planning, and detailing everything - is a lot of work. And then again this is a lot more than that, you also need mental strength for it. In this post I am going to share my experience and how I summited Mt. Whitney.
Must-See Attractions in Los Angeles, California
Located in the south of the State of California on the Pacific Coast, Los Angeles is the second-largest city in the United States after New York (by population). To me, Los Angeles is not a city but an experience. People from all over the world come to this city of dreams to fulfill their long-cherished ambition. Some can reach it and many of them cannot. As a traveler, I find Los Angeles quite touristy; what I mean is there are lots of places to visit but you have to compete with the traffic, time, money, and people. Here, I am going to write about some of the places to enjoy in Los Angeles.
Check out these amazing not so secret hot springs in California
Do you know there are a lot of hot springs in the Sierra Nevada Mountain range that you can enjoy with a view? Of course, most of them are wild and hard to get a spot, mostly because they are free. Not only that, but California also has a lot of hot springs with a view. This blog post only summarizes a few of them.
Six amazing lakes to visit in the Sierra Nevada without any hike
Summer is the best time to visit the lakes in the mountains. Sierra Nevada zone is particularly famous for different beautiful lakes. If you just zoom in on the google map of this area, you will see lakes after lakes. I had the opportunity to visit a few of them. Some of them require hiking. But to visit some of the lakes, you do not need to hike much or put big miles in. Here, I am going to talk about some of my favorite lakes in the Sierra Nevada.
Hike to see the beautiful turquoise lakes in Big Pine, California
Beautiful Turquoise Lakedreamcatcher_mahdi/instagram. As a hiker and adventurer, I have that urge to see different places, hike mountains. But what attracts me most is the color of different alpine lakes. I have done numerous hikes just to see the breathtaking color of the alpine lake. One of the most amazing colors I have seen in California is Big Pine Lake, located in the John Muir Wilderness. Nestled in the Sierra Nevada, in Big Pine Lake there are not only one or two lakes, but you will also be able to see seven lakes in total deep into the forest. I have tried an overnight camping permit for a long time. But the number of permits is extremely low and often gets booked within few minutes. So, we decided to go for a day-hike trip.
One amazing glacier-fed lake of the Sierra Nevada: Conness Lakes
Beautiful Conness Lakehttps://sites.google.com/site/zbjohnsonadventures/. While I was planning to visit these lakes, I was looking for information. Unfortunately, did not find much information that would help me complete the hike. After finishing the hike, I decided to write it up for my memory and for others who want to hike this lake. Here I am, writing about the Conness Lake hike, one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever done in the Sierra Nevada. Conness Lake is not a single lake, a combination of five lakes fed by the largest glacier in the Sierra Nevada and located in the north region of Tioga Pass.
Places you don't want to miss while exploring San Diego
I fall in love with San Diego on my first visit. I did not expect this trip to San Diego would be this amazing. In this blog post, I am going to talk about the places I have visited in short two days, or you can say on a weekend trip.
Things to do within one- or two-hour driving distance from San Francisco, California
Movement, excitement, cultural exposure, commercial and financial hub- if all these things can describe a city that is San Francisco, the heart of Northern California, the 13th most populated city in the USA. The city is famous for a whole lot of things. If you are a city lover, you have a lot of things to explore. In this blog, I am going to talk about some of the places that are in the city and some of the places that are one or two hours away (driving distance) from San Francisco.
Things you do not want to miss in Joshua Tree National Park
Beautiful Joshua Tree National Parkdreamcatcher_mahdi. To be honest, I was not so sure what to expect while visiting this national park. I read about it a lot, knew about the places to visit, still somewhere in my mind I was not sure what to expect. But surprisingly I loved the experience. Of course, I did not visit in the summer. The Winter weather and the atmosphere were so amazing, I ended up spending two days in Joshua Tree National Park. Something about Joshua made me fall in love with the place. It’s not like you are climbing any mountain for a view or visiting a beach- a simple walk or hike among the trees can be so peaceful- I had no idea before visiting Joshua. There are so many things to do in this National Park that you should do and visit.
Explore the Redwoods in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Northern California
I think I like this park more than the Redwood National and State Parks because I was able to see some of the coolest and giant trees on earth here in this state park. Though this state park is not under any of the National Park, I think you should keep it on your list. This state park is California’s third-largest state park and is also designated as both a World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve. With over 53,000 acres area including 17,000 acres of old-growth coast redwoods, this state park has a lot of trails that you can explore with kids and family.
Easiest 14er hike in California: White-Mountain Peak
Beautiful white-mountain in the distancehttps://www.instagram.com/dreamcatcher_mahdi/. Though White-Mountain is known as California’s ‘easiest’ peak over 14000ft to summit, still I would say the hike is long and challenging. If you are just getting into fourteen hiking, this hike is great for you. This hike is comparatively easy than any other California high peak. Over 16 miles and 3400 ft elevation gain, you have to hike and acclimate to the elevation at the same time- which is not quite easy for some people. But the hike is worth it. White Mountain is the third tallest mountain in California, and its location is right outside the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in a desert east of the Owens Valley.
Visit the purple sand beach and Keyhole Arch in California: Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Coastal California is amazing- you will be able to see some of the picturesque scenes, beautiful beaches, and a rugged hilly coastline. There are a lot of things to see, a lot of things to do. If you are driving Highway 1, you will never run out of visiting places. We were on a road trip in California where we were driving the whole California Coast. One of the amazing experiences was visiting Pfeiffer Beach. Besides Bixby Creek Bridge, this beach is one of the most photographed places in Big Sur. I have seen the picture of the arch and knew that the sun would set right in front of the arch window and the light of the setting sun will illuminate the keyhole of the arch. I wanted to see that. But that day so many things happened. First, it was hazy and gloomy because of the coastal fire haze in California. Then the sun came out for some time. One hour before the sunset, again cloud covered the sun and I thought I would not be able to see the amazing scene that I was longing to see. I felt kind of heartbroken. Then, there is always a ray of hope at the end of the tunnel. The cloud cleared out right before the sunset and we saw the most amazing sunset that we thought we would never get to see.
One of the most beautiful waterfalls in California: Burney Falls
Beautiful Burney Fallshttps://www.instagram.com/dreamcatcher_mahdi/. Our visit to Burney Falls was not planned. Sometimes you get the unexpected beauty while not even looking for it. We were traveling for weeks and passing the Shasta County in California. We decided to stay the night in a nearby state park which happened to be McArthur Burney Falls Memorial State Park. In the morning, we woke up early and decided to check out the waterfalls. What we saw, blew our mind away. It was a gloomy winter morning. The gloominess of the day made the waterfall more dramatic, and we loved what we saw. In the 1850s, there was a pioneer and early settler named Samuel Burney lived in this area. This waterfall was named after him.
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I am a Civil Engineer by profession, a photographer by passion. Though currently I am residing in Louisiana, but the definition of home to me is quite different. I am originally from Bangladesh, a very small beautiful Asian country where I finished my bachelor’s degree and came to USA for higher studies. During my PhD year whenever I can, I used to travel. But one thing that changed my whole travel experience and how I see the world is taking pictures. Photography is a more powerful tool than one can imagine. hen you become a photographer, you see things that are not seen by others, you long to see places that may require a very long walk. Hiking, Camping became a part of travel plan since then and I appreciate more about life and nature now. I would like to share my experience and my vision with everyone in the form of a blog. I love what I do and really love to think that my work will bring joy and smile for others too. I think every picture tells a story. We just need to explore to find out the real story behind any picture. I will post the travel blogs where me, along with my wife will be sharing our travel stories, how we manage to travel cheap and how to cope with different things while traveling. We want to keep it simple because I know a thousand of people want to do the same thing but don’t know how. The main idea is to keep an open mind while traveling and accept whatever comes on the way.
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