This summer, I had the liberty of enjoying REAL days off from both school and work. It was quite honestly one of the most liberating phases of my life… no schedule, no structure, just playing it by ear day-by-day.

Where did I go?

One of my most recent “escapes” – I say this in quotes because this place is really just an hour away by boat from the port in Long Beach – was at Catalina Island. Now, every Angeleno has probably made it to this island at least ONCE in their lives. As for me, this was my very FIRST time. You could only imagine the thrill I was feeling; I couldn’t wait to explore this island on my little daycation.

We took Catalina Express (I highly recommend!) at around 9:30am and was off to start our day of exploring. Along the way, we encountered some beautiful dolphins (YAY!) and by the time we reached Catalina, it was about close to 11am. Let me just add – I was READY for lunch, but of course we decided to explore just a bit prior to grubbing.

What did I do?

Now, the views of this place – WOW, they were simply astounding. From the architecture to the fresh air to the clear blue waters, I didn’t even feel as though I was in the country. Everything felt so different, so beautifully foreign as I took mental snapshots with my eyes, forever entrenched in my memories.

This daycation alone had me walking for MILESSS. We wanted to rent out a golf cart, but after finding out that we couldn’t even travel to the OTHER side of the island on that (we were on the south side, I believe and couldn’t get to the north!), we decided to walk every.single.step.of.the.way. I wish I had one of those Fitbit devices calculating my steps because at the end of the day, my legs were throbbing. It was definitely a workout worth doing because the views were simply alluring (I will add pics at the end of this post!)

After devouring some heavenly seafood, soaking in the sun, tanning at Lovers’ Beach, eating some more (Happy Hour $1 Tacos!!), hiking, taking pictures, etc., we ended up at the top of the mountains by the residential areas watching the beautiful sunset. Have you ever felt overwhelmed by all this beauty and essence that you were literally speechless and wanted to find a way to capture it all? That was exactly how I felt. Watching the sunset from the top view was so incredible in addition to ACTUALLY seeing some stars in the night sky (in case you didn’t know, I am a NASA-and-all-things-astronomy enthusiast!).

I FELL IN LOVE RIGHT THERE AND THEN WITH LIFE.

What was my takeaway?

Although we only spent the day there (& pretty much froze on the boat ride on the way back LOL), I’ve grown a new appreciation for mini getaways and gratifying adventures. All of these escapes can be truly enjoyable simply within close proximity WITHOUT having to break your bank account! Daycations, in my opinion, are a great way to cleanse your mind for a bit especially since I am a huge advocate and a firm believer in the importance of breaking away from your everyday life every now and then. It almost feels like a fresh clean slate. A simple change in scenery really does indeed pave the way to more complex changes in your life, I can assure you that much! 🙂 So go out there, see what sort of adventures are adjacent to your area, and just GO!

luggage optional 😉