We got back from our trip to Australia last month and already can’t wait to go back (blog on our trip coming soon!) We love to travel for the excitement and novelty, but most importantly, the experience. As much as I enjoy visiting somewhere new and being introduced to their customs, cultures, people, and places, many of the most meaningful experiences don’t require passports and airfare. Sometimes all you need is to take a drive, enjoy your surroundings, and spend time with loved ones to gain all the inspiration and growth travel brings.
My most adored road trip is visiting my hometown, equally because of the breathtaking scenery and nostalgia.
We planned a trip home to visit family for a week. I couldn’t wait for my daughter Olive to experience everything that makes me love the Monterey Peninsula with my whole heart.
Excited to make the most of our 4.5-hour drive with plenty of stop-off to enjoy the views, we left Santa Barbara just after sunrise. There’s something so memorable about early morning drives. Being on the road without another car in sight, stopping for coffee, watching the clouds move across the sun. The air is always crisp and the mountains bright.
We took the scenic drive and showed Olive some of the most gorgeous coastal scenery California has to offer.
It was so special to go back to the same location where we took my maternity photos the year before, but this time, Olive could enjoy the view as well 😍
Around noon we stopped at one of my favorite restaurants and enjoyed a cozy lunch on the outdoor patio with a beautiful view of the river and redwood trees.
Olive burned off some energy running around the river and playing with the fall leaves.
Before getting back on the road we grabbed a treat from the beyond charming ice cream bus next door.
We continued North just in time for magic hour, when the sun beings to move over the ocean pouring a golden hue across the mountains. Road trips like these, off the grid surrounded by nature, are my favorite reminder to truly disconnect and appreciate the world around me.
The more I travel the more I realize it’s nearly impossible to visit every destination I would like or see everything I want to see. While traveling the world gives you a vast amount of new experiences; when you visit a cherished place often you gain a depth of experience that can only be achieved by revisiting over and over again. What makes certain destinations personally special are how well you get to know them, and the memories you gain with the people there.
Returning to a place creates the love story we all describe as nostalgia. We go for the location, but we find ourselves going back for the memories and people that make visiting so special.
Our drive ended with a fiery sunset overlooking a familiar beach. During our visit we talked, we cooked, we laughed, we made new memories with our family, and experiences we won’t forget. From all the places I’ve been, the best experiences are the ones made by simply being present and bringing people together.
Xx – Britt
