Pacific Coast Highway, Day 1- Santa Monica to Santa Barbara

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At last, our road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway has begun!

This is the part of the trip I’ve been most looking forward to. The ocean is like healing therapy for me. I could stare at it all day, every day. So driving along the ocean for four straight days, stopping along the way to soak up the sun and the sights, is something I’ve been anticipating with anxious excitement for months.

We left our aunt and uncle’s house in Los Angeles this morning. I must say they were such gracious hosts! It was so good to catch up with them for the first time in several years. On a side note, they are celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary next month. We commemorated their amazing accomplishment with a special photo session at their favorite local beach.

As we hit the road this morning, it was gloomy, and even started sprinkling…not the kind of weather we wanted to start our coastal road trip with. However, by the time we made it to our first destination, we’d left the gloom and doom behind. Our first stop was Santa Monica, known for its famous pier.

We continued to make our way North, stopping in Malibu and Ventura along the way. I probably screamed out loud a dozen times, “This is amazing! I love the ocean! The weather is so perfect right now!” Because seriously, it is, I do, and it was :).

We landed in Santa Barbara in the early evening, and checked in to our first of three nights in three different Airbnb stays along the coast. This is our first time trying Airbnb, and so far, so good. Kaylee is currently snoozing on the top bunk of our “private, cozy, detached suite,” while I’m typing away at my blog post :).

We did a bit of research on where to catch the sunset, and ultimately settled on a place called More Mesa. It was a stunner, a complete winner! We had to hike probably a mile to get from our car to the lookout spot, but it was totally worth it. I made a point to stop from my photographing and just really take in this special view. I feel so at peace in moments like this, where it’s just me and my camera and a gorgeous sunset. My heart is full tonight!