Wisetrips Travel Blog

Inna had pre-purchased two tickets to the Hearst Castle's Grand Rooms T our for Saturday, May 2, at  11:20. We arrived at 11:15, and our tour bus was already loading. We ended up being seated in the back. A Visit to Hearst Castle: Grandeur, Art, and the Collector’s Trophy Room Grand Rooms Tour Experience Few places in America capture ambition, extravagance, and contradiction quite like Hearst Castle…

Friday, May 1, 2026 After returning from work, Inna and I quickly packed and set out on our long drive to Cambria, CA (on California's central coast). We had planned to visit Hearst  Castle  and  enjoy the area for the weekend. Our weekend combined Hearst Castle, the elephant-seal viewpoint, Moonstone Beach and Fiscalini Ranch, with several excellent meals in Cambria. Our route was mostly on US-101, and there was heavy traff…

When I noticed a considerable heatwave headed to the Bay Area during the July 4th holiday weekend, I looked for nearby places where daytime temperatures would be more moderate. After looking at Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, and Lake Tahoe, Inna and I decided to book 2 nights at the Inn at the Pier Hotel (a Hilton Property) on Pismo Beach. Initially, only Inna and I were planning the trip, as Alex was scheduled to fly to Liberi…

For our 20th Wedding Anniversary, Inna reserved the Avila La Fonda Hotel , located on the beautiful Avila Beach, California, for the two-day weekend, from Friday, October 15 to Sunday, October 17. Although we have stayed at Pismo Beach multiple times, we have never stayed at Avila Beach. Friday, October 15, 2021 We started our drive to Avila Beach on Friday, October 15, at about 7:00pm, hoping to avoid all of the sign…