@jillyain Next visit I'll reach out to you and see if we can say HI. I have never been to a cuddle party or a meet and greet. Two different things and I'm interested in both but mostly a meet and greet. The latter is just a get together of people from this site in real life, there may or may not be cuddling. It's similar to Reddit or any other site where members want to get off the web and meet in person.
I'm actively searching travel packages! Thanks for more and more great tips! I HAVE to make this trip work!😎🌞🫂
@HarleyGirlKate I'm so glad I started this thread. I will come to Cali! I'll look you up too 😁
Please do! 🙂
Hey! @achetocuddle I love my middle TN home and life. Home sweet home to me. It’s time for a visit from you to meet Daisy, the Guinea Pig.
I know it's not cool to dislike your hometown, but I have always hated humidity and am not crazy about the change of seasons except for the leaves changing color @CuddleHugs01234. When I lived in California I got hooked. But I would not want to live in Bakersfield now due to the even worse allergies than Tennessee. I love that you like where you live. And I've heard of people from many directions that moved to Tennessee and liked it.
@achetocuddle i might move to nutbush TN
@lonelytauros LOL, you must never quit the forum, I enjoy you so much. Do you know that Tina Turner was from Nutbush, TN?
It's really neat that at least 2 people would like to meet up with auroradream. I hope aurora posts about her time in CA when she gets back. I need to live vicariously thru her, lol. Plus she strikes me as a nice person that deserves a good vacation.
@achetocuddle The trip would be infinitely better if I add in some California Cuddling!!! I think I'll be lonely otherwise for a whole week. It's really braver then you can imagine for me to plan a solo trip like this. I do need a real getaway though. EVERYONE - So thankful for the input...this is gonna happen! 🙏🏻
It's looking like the last week in July that goes into August is my best vacation window for time off work 💕 Work is a caregiving job for the elderly and it took me almost a year to earn the vacation hours. One of my forgetful patients has family coming in that week and so I'm planning my vacation around her as she gets very confused with strangers.
One of the biggest surprises many have when coming from other regions to CA beaches for the first time is the ocean water temp. People don’t realize CA gets currents from Alaska, while much of the east coast gets currents from the Caribbean. Many people still use wetsuits during peak summer, especially the more north people go. Many parts of the coast are rocky, or have large bluffs overlooking the beach (if mobility issues) so may need to travel to access at point closer to sea level. For more traditional warm beaches, head south maybe Santa Barbara to San Diego. The central coast, Bay Area, and northern CA can have some beautiful areas, but the nature of the beach in many areas isn’t what some people perceive as a beach vacation.
Another thing many people don’t realize is just how huge CA is geographically. The vast majority of the state is hours away from the coast. The CA coast is 840 miles long. So pick your area carefully and don’t try to “see all the sights” around the state while in the state. It takes much more time than many realize to travel to different destinations there, and that’s not including traffic.
@Tr23 That is all so true.
aurora, I would definitely be too chicken to go alone but that has to do with my personality and not that CA is unsafe.
@achetocuddle I'm chicken!! But I'm pulling up my big girl panties and letting my sassy extrovert side take over for the trip. I am, after all, very capable of taking care of others, so I should trust me to take care of myself!! It could lead to many more adventures. 🌞🥰
It's definitely a good idea aurora. You will be fine. I wonder why more people don't pick CA for their vacation, especially when they go to most other states.
California native here who lives in the central valley! I love traveling and discovering new places. Lately I have been site seeing and exploring so cal. I have a few places in mind on my next trip that i am super excited about, since alot of it will be my first time. If you happen travel while I'm in la. I'd love to discover new places with you! I recently Googled Harry Potter boba aka the Elixar bar. Totally excited to see that on my next trip! 🥰
@btrflyy you are from the area I grew up in and still visit family in.
I often joke with people that Bakersfield is the really, really, really, really, really big gas station between people go between where they really want to go in CA.
In most other states it would be a large metropolitan area, but in CA it is often known where people stop for fuel.
I say as a joke, but it is mostly fact.
@TR23 That is the nicest Bakersfield joke I ever heard. And I know it's also true.
@ TR23 I will never claim to love it but if it gets a water park, It'll be awesome. I can't complain, though. I have a great job, a big house with land and now a pool lol . No other city locally can say that. Not even san Jose or LA.
@Auroradream: I'm chicken!! But I'm pulling up my big girl panties and letting my sassy extrovert side take over for the trip. I am, after all, very capable of taking care of others, so I should trust me to take care of myself!! It could lead to many more adventures. 🌞🥰
Good for you! I say go for it and have fun. I'm all about adventures myself so I get it! 🙂
@btrflyy, I understand. It’s much more affordable than most of CA. Growing up there was a water park, don’t recall where in town it was at this point.
@achetocuddle and @btrflyy figure I’d share this memorable clip from the Simpsons.
I tell friends in Iowa, that where I grew up we had 3 seasons—summer, not summer, and fog. As a kid, fog delays were pretty amazing.
Well, that video thumbnail did not come across well.
Clip has one of my favorite Simpsons quotes and has some other hilarious moments.
@TR23 ohhhhhhh the joys of the Tule fog from Bakersfield to Modesto. Horrible to drive in.
@TR23 Nailed it on the water temps. The water is super cold compared to say the Gulf Coast in the summer. Brrrr. Also, Laguna Beach in Orange County is beautiful and has a lot of artisans. I'm leaving soon so we've been exploring the national parks out west. Definitely Yosemite and the Sequoia National Forests are must sees. Also, gas up before you enter the state. California has the highest gas prices in the US now even beating Hawaii. 😞
CALI UPDATE: I put in my vacation time off request! July 27 - August 3rd. Let's goooooo!
gonna be hot
I grew up in Florida! No worries. I just need SPF 115 for my Wednesday Addams skin 🤣
I feel like people have a big misconception of California. I was talking to someone yesterday from the south and they said they’d didnt realize that Los Angeles had a river. I said yes the Los Angeles river lol They said they thought California was mostly desert. I was like no California is mostly wilderness and farmland. There is a desert region but it only has a population of around a million people which is a fraction of California’s population. That being said, it seems to get increasingly hotter every year. We’ve had a couple of El Niño years so we’ve had a lot of rain but after the rain, it’s just hot.
I feel like I'm getting an education about the state! I can't wait to explore. I feel like I have a million questions.
@Morpheus yes! Even near the coast now a days in summer it gets up in the 90’s if not the low 100’s on occasion- it is crazy!
@Auroradream do you know what area you are leaning towards yet? So exciting to see what you decide and what an adventure it will be for you!
@jillyain I'm still open to suggestions but I think within the next week I'm hoping to book it! I'll probably just get a flight, hotel, and car all together. I'm searching mainly on Expedia. Again, advice is welcome and appreciated!