San Diego Sights Worth a Second Trip

While I’ve never spent more than a few days at a time in San Diego, it’s been part of some very memorable trips.

We camped at a State Park just outside of town on the final night of our trip down the coast in 2012.

Back when Phillip worked for an airline, we flew in just for an afternoon once, because we could go for free.

Another time, we took the San Diego Trolley south to the end of the line. Did you know it goes all the way to the U.S.-Mexico border? We crossed over to visit friends in Tijuana.

And, of course, there’s the trip I took with my grandma. We packed a lot of sightseeing into just a few days!

Fast forward to this year. When Phillip and I decided we’d join my brother, sister-in-law, their kids, and my parents on their San Diego trip in July, I started thinking about previous trips and what I’d want to see and do again.
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March 18, 2017December 9, 2025

6 Airbnb Getaways in the Western US

There is something so restoring about getting into nature, whether you’re taking a hike or just taking in the view.

If you’re feeling like you need a weekend away, here are some peaceful spots we’ve booked through Airbnb that are perfectly positioned for enjoying the great outdoors in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Nevada. All of them are close to hiking and most have kitchenettes.

I’ve included drive time to nearby cities and towns for reference.

Airbnb 101

For those who have never used Airbnb, it’s a site that allows people to rent out spare rooms or guest apartments, so you end up with a really unique stay with a more personal touch. As you’ll see, we’ve used it to find and book places like a cottage in remote Southeastern Arizona, a trailer near Monterey, and a cabin room near the San Juan Mountains in Colorado.

You can get $40 off your first stay when you sign up at airbnb.com/c/sliebold2. (Full disclosure: using that link also sends some credit my way…so win-win!)

California

1. Pasadena Glen Separate Cottage

The Setting: Lush, quiet neighborhood at the foot of the San Gabriel mountains that’s maybe technically part of Pasadena but feels like its own world.

Old Town Pasadena (or The Huntington) – 15 minutes
Downtown L.A. – 45 minutes
Phoenix – 5.5 hours

The Room: The cottage is like a standalone studio apartment next to a larger house.

Very comfortable bed.
Included mini fridge, dishes, fruit, breakfast bars, electric kettle with Starbucks Via and a selection of teas.
Lovely garden/mini-yard area outside with a table.
Private 3/4 bathroom inside the apartment.
Separate entrance with keypad.

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September 26, 2016September 26, 2016

Room with a View in Big Sur

I saw this image on Pinterest of what looked like a tiny cabin with large picture windows. The caption said “Big Sur,” but the link was broken.

A few years ago, Phillip and I drove down Highway 1 through Big Sur – wooded mountains on one side and cliffs dropping off into the ocean on the other. It is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been.

Which may be why, in a late-night, insomnia-fueled obsession, I had to find out more about the place in the photo.

Eventually, I spotted it in a vacation-rental listing in Big Sur.

The listed lodging is this cute vintage trailer nestled in a valley and off the grid.

A few yards away is the “cabin,” which turns out to actually be the bathroom, housing a cast iron tub with an ocean view.

It’d be a nice place to soak awhile, don’t you think?

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Photos:

January 22, 2014April 10, 2026

Why I look for art in libraries (and what else I’ve found)

You might not think of walking into a library when you’re traveling, and it used to be that I didn’t either. I think it was stumbling on the Biblioteca Nacional del Perú that changed it for me.

I don’t remember what it was that afternoon during our (otherwise awesome) 2005 Peru trip that had gotten us down. Just that Lima’s big city, horn-honking, rumbling-diesel, street vendors/restauranteurs/bus drivers-shouting-for-customers cacophony had suddenly overwhelmed us, when we realized we were standing in front of Peru’s National Library. It wasn’t on the agenda, but we decided to duck in.
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June 17, 2013May 23, 2023

Anticipation

Last year I wrote or started several posts for my planned craft blog before deciding to go another direction. I’ll be posting some of them here now and then. This is one I drafted a year ago today, while we were getting ready for our Epic California Road Trip.

I knew our trip was coming up, but now I can feel it. Just like I didn’t really feel like it was monsoon season (despite the fact they announced today as the official start date), until I saw the dust rising above the horizon on the way home today.

I walked in and realized the house is in that special state of chaos that feels like we’re really about to leave. Things are staged in little piles all over – camping gear on the bed, snacks in a grocery sack on the kitchen counter.

The whole place is humming with projects. We’ve dumped out a basket of random odds and ends, trying to figure out what did (what we ever do) with our spare house keys. We are cooking for several meals on the road and doing that last bit of laundry. And shopping. I don’t really want to talk about how many trips to Target I’ve made this week. Actually, I’m not sure I even know.

The chaos would get to me – if it lasted. But it won’t. We’re leaving in just a few days. And I’m savoring the anticipation.