Recently I went on a girl's trip to Los Angeles to celebrate a friend's birthday who lives out there. One thing I've learnt since travelling. If you have any family or friends who live in a different city or country, make a trip out of it! You might just score free accommodation. I don't know about you, but give me some blankets and pillows and I will gladly sleep on the floor.
This trip was much needed. Working full-time and being a full-time mom with kids who fight 90% of the time can take a toll on anyone's mental health. This weekend I got to just exist as myself. No roles, no responsibilities, no one needing anything from me.
My girlfriends did all the planning. I just showed up. It was a blessing.
Venice Beach Food Tour
Venice Beach Boardwalk. Stunning views, aggressive CD sellers. You've been warned.
We did the Venice Beach LA Food Tour with Sidewalk Food Tours. It cost $135 CAD / $99 USD for about 2.5 hours. The highlights: the Acai Green Bowl to start was refreshing and light. The World Famous Hinano Cheeseburger was a little dry and heavy on the red onion for me personally, but it's one of the oldest restaurants at Venice Beach so worth trying. The Mole Poblano Taco at Guisados had great braised meat, I just personally wanted more crunch.
Venice Fish Tacos. I don't care how full I was, I would eat these again in a heartbeat.
Honestly, the Venice Fish Tacos were the highlight for me. The crispy fish, tomatoes, lettuce, sauce and the lemon. AMAZING. I was so full at this point that I only ate the fish. Zero regrets.
Brian's Shaved Ice because there is always room for dessert.
We finished with Brian's Shaved Ice. They put Dole Whip ice cream at the bottom which I loved. Perfect way to end the whole tour.
Probably not, but hear me out. The price is worth it because you try things you'd never order on your own, but I have a small appetite and I was done after the burger. The girls I went with loved it and would go again. So it really depends on you.
Griffith Observatory Hike + Dodgers Game
The hike almost broke me. The Dodgers game made up for it.
I am not a hiking person at all. We accidentally took the pure incline path to the Griffith Observatory and it was hard. Bring water. Non-negotiable. But the view at the top? Worth it. The Observatory is free and open at 10. I didn't explore fully because I want to bring my kids one day. It's a great place for them to learn about space.
Coming down on that dusty incline in the wrong footwear is not fun. I am clumsy. I may have slid down a time or two.
That evening we watched the Dodgers vs Cubs. Tickets were $122 CAD / $90 USD bought the day of. We got there early enough for the bobblehead giveaway (first 40,000 fans). The Dodgers scored 6 runs at the bottom of the 4th inning and the whole stadium lost it. If you enjoy baseball, watch a game here. The atmosphere is something else.
What it cost
| What | CAD | USD |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | Free stayed with a friend | — |
| Venice Beach Food Tour | $135 | $99.00 |
| Dodgers game ticket | $122 | $90.00 |
| Griffith Observatory hike | Free | Free |
| Groceries / hotpot at home | ~$30 split | ~$22 split |
| Total (excl. flights) | ~$290 | ~$213 |
That basically sums up my weekend. I do wish we had more time. There is so much more to explore. But for a weekend trip? It was exactly what I needed.