The lagoon

Even though we had already spent a considerable amount of time in the car, we couldn't bear to be so close to Arizona without actually going there. After all, this state is filled with not only childhood nostalgia, but also some of our very best friends. 

The Artinos are dear to us for so many reasons and have been an incredible example of marriage and now parenting. We were thrilled to be able to spend some time with Paul and Lauren and their three seriously adorable and charming children.

Laguna Beach

After realizing that the Dana Point Harbor was much prettier than its rocky beaches, we ventured a few miles North to Laguna Beach. Since we had an in with the locals (thanks Ryan & Kailyn!), we found and fell in love with Thousand Steps beach, which derives its name from the extremely long staircase at the entrance/exit. Once we discovered the privacy and beauty this beach had to offer, we were more than willing to make the trek a second time before we hit the road.

Dana Point

After our camping trip, we were spoiled by my family the rest of the week with a beautiful hotel in Dana Point. We spent our days eating summery delights and laying by the ocean in the most perfect weather I could imagine. So perfect, in fact, that I completely forgot the meaning of SPF and spent the rest of the week covered head to toe.

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Hike to Vernal Falls

We chose a slightly more moderate hike for day 2 and quickly realized the change in elevation and temperature. As if the vantage point from the top wasn't rewarding enough, the waterfalls gave off a cool, refreshing mist that we enjoyed in the shade. We soaked our toes in a creek at the bottom of the trail and headed on to Mirror Lake, where we found nothing but a dried up basin that was somehow still beautiful. We even visited the lodge to pick up supplies for a campfire and s'mores for the perfect ending to our dream camping trip.

Half Dome

One of the best parts of Yosemite is watching how the sunlight casts it's rays on the mountains and valleys throughout the day. We found a great spot to watch the sunset overlooking Half Dome on the first evening-- where we stayed until dark, hoping we would be able to find our way back to camp with only landmarks and paper maps to guide us. The next day, we chose a perfect roadside stopping point where we were able to see the valley in the early morning light and right before dusk that night. It's pretty amazing how drastically different the same view appears with the changing position of the sun. 

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Sentinel Dome

After setting up our campsite, we hiked Sentinel Dome, which has an incredible 360 degree view of the park. It's a great place to start because the hiking is easy and there is a compass-like map carved into a rock with all the mountain ranges in sight. We felt like we were on top of the world, soaking in the beauty of the land we were about to call home for the next few days.

Tent Camping

Going to Yosemite together has long been a dream of Ryan's. He and a couple of his close friends backpacked through this national park when they were just teenagers and he has been reminiscing of those stories ever since. I was thrilled when we figured out a way to make it happen this summer with our dear friends Ryan and Kailyn. 

After a beautiful drive up Pacific Coast Highway and a long day in San Francisco, we arrived at the Park Ranger's station only to be told that our chances of finding a campsite in Yosemite on a Saturday morning during peak season were slim. Kailyn and I were further discouraged when we pulled up to the campgrounds 30 minutes later to see a sign that read "full". By the time we had circled around the first loop and even bribed a fellow camper to share his land, we were beginning to feel desperate. 

Just as Kailyn and I began to pull out our "I told you so" cards, we decided to try loop B even though the ranger had all but told us we were out of luck. Turns out the boys were right-- there were not just one, but TWO spots to choose from. We surveyed the land, pitched our tent, filled our bear canisters, and were officially living the dream.