According to gocalifornia.com about 24 million people go to Los Angeles, California for vacation every year. I would say I am definitely one of those 24 million, but actually visit the area on average three to four times a year. Usually for one of three purposes, disneyland, a football game, or a baseball game.

This trip was no exception, and was based around the notion of going to a Dodgers game. The plan was to arrive Sunday morning and leave early Monday morning in order to make at least a half day at work.

Of course the first thing that occurred after we picked up our rental car was a visit to In-N-Out. To say I love In-N-Out is an understatement. As a high school student and my first summer as a college student I worked at In-N-Out. What started as an innocent obsession quickly turned into an addiction. I have never gotten sick of their cheeseburgers, fresh cut fries or creamy milkshakes.

Dodger Stadium was just as I remembered it. Blue, old and rustic. Unfortunately we were running a bit late and so we missed the opening pitch and the National Anthem. But we made it to our seats just in time for the first inning. Dodgers fans are some of the best. The people were nice and considerate, unlike the usual stereo-type of LA natives. The game was a short one as the Dodgers killed the Nationals by 2-0. It was fun and of course we were ready with our glove in case a foul ball came our way (we weren’t that lucky). Leaving Dodger stadium we stopped for pictures and made the exhausting hike back to our car.

Following the game, we decided to beach it up at Newport Beach. If you have never been to Newport Beach, it’s an upscale beach southwest of LA proper. I wasn’t expecting for it to be so packed on a Sunday night but parking was definitely a challenge. Too bad we had already eaten dinner because there were a lot of cute little restaurants near the beach. However, being in the mood for desert the balboa bars and the frozen bananas sold by the beach, were seriously tempting. It was perfect weather to walk along the pier and run around the beach, chasing the waves. I was really surprised at how warm the water was! Growing up in Northern California the beaches were always cold. I will definitely be planning a trip to come back and just spend time playing at the beach.

It was a fun quick trip. Definitely what I needed for my exhausted and over worked mentality. The journey reminded me to take time to have fun and not take life so seriously. I recommend a day or weekend getaway to anyone who has gotten lost in their routine.