Hawaii on a dime, according to the NYT

The NYT has an enticing article about Hawai'i-- "enticing" because it makes visiting the Islands sound like a reasonable, possible proposition.

Even frugal.

D bought us tickets to HI for Christmas. No lodging or rental car, just the plane tickets that were on a good sale. We are thrilled- it's the first time for both of us. (Which I feel a little shame for, having lived in CA for most of my life. But still! Better now than later, or never.)

But we've been pondering the best way to stay-- big oceanfront resort, charming B&B? Camping? (We're bringing the toddler with us, so I'm not *really* considering camping for a week. Maybe a night, but would it be worth it to lug all our stuff or rent it there? Nahhh.)

The article mentions a fabulous sounding B&B that's affordable and provides snorkeling gear with the room. And all the fruit you can eat hanging off the trees-- it sounds like you could feel right at home quickly. I'm realizing that this vision of Hawaii is the most appealing one to me-- close to the land. The big box resorts offer a kind of luxury, and sometimes that appeals, but in a place like Hawaii, I think I lean toward a more intimate kind of beauty. (If I were going to Las Vegas, I'd probably lean the other way.)

accessible?

My friend Hannah posted and it reminded me that I should mention the accessibility of these sites. I'll include that info to the best of my ability in future posts.

For Salt Point, south of Mendocino- this particular tiny beach is not accessible beyond its medium sized parking lot. There's a narrow, sandy, rocky path between the lot and the beach. But of course, the good news is you're on the one and only Pacific Coast Highway, and Salt Point is hardly your only stopping option. There are incredibly beautiful places to park and marvel all along your journey, including just by the side of the road.

Mendocino itself, as a very small town, has accessibility challenges -- broken and some steep sidewalks. But there are plenty of small streets and charming mom and pop stores that seem better designed for wheel traffic, strollers and chairs alike.

Lake Del Valle

The lovely Lake Del Valle is in Livermore, and it's gorgeous. You drive past wineries and family farms to get there. We stopped at Concannon Winery on our way back, which was the perfect way to cap off a day at the regional park. Even on the day we went, which was rainy and gray, we had a great time.



As you can see, from this entrance the lake isn't particularly accessible to wheels. The edge of the lake is gravelly. And from the EB Parks website: "All bathroom buildings and many water fountains are wheelchair accessible. There is one wheelchair accessible camp site within the park. There are many paved paths such as West shore trail and Portion of the East shore trail throughout the park but very few flat trails."

where'd everyone go? Mendocino?

I've renamed this blog WordyDoodles! Come on over, y'hear?

I'm holding onto PacificMod though, because there are special things about living in the West, near the Pacific, with a love of mod style, that will make their way here.

What kinds of things, you sagely ask. Well, I will tell you.

Let's start with the Pacific part.

Here's a photo from one of the many gorgeous, tiny inlets along the Mendocino coast. We're just a short way south of the town of Mendocino, where you will find the hottest mustard and the freshest berries, and not half bad wines. :)

If you've never taken a drive up the coast of Northern CA, it is well worth it. You enjoy the sweeping ocean vistas reminiscent of SoCal, but the road takes you through the redwoods as well. There's a bit more wildness here. If you need to stop for gas, it will probably be in a small, one gas pump kind of town. This is a trip to take with all your senses.