One of my favorite places to visit is Los Angeles. Growing up and living in New York, everything moves at 100mph and there's very much a "go go go" mentality. Contrast that with LA where things are more "laid-back" and always 80F with beaches everywhere. Visiting LA provides a 180 change in perspective, allowing me to live more in the present and soak in more of my surroundings. LA itself has so much to offer - each district is so distinct from each other and provides a wide range of activities. First time visitors will be surprised to find how sprawling LA county really is, removing that claustrophobic vibe you get in most metropolitan cities. One of my favorite places to visit in LA is Santa Monica and Malibu area. The air smells fresher, the beaches and hiking trails more scenic, and the overall vibes feeling very oceanfront resort-like. Places Visited: Areas: Santa Monica Malibu Beverly Hills Venice Beach Koreatown Silver Lake Echo Park Miracle Mile West Hollywood Museums: Griffith Observatory Getty Museum Getty Villa LACMA/La Brea Tarpits Attractions: TCL Chinese Theatre Dolby Theatre Universal Studios Runyon Canyon Universities: UCLA

I visited Yosemite National Park across 2-days in June 2021 (6/7/21 - 6/8/21) with a few friends. Given it was our first time visiting Yosemite and we only had 2-days, our goal was to see as many of the famous landmarks as possible. Day 1: Four Mile Trail 4.8 mi one-way / 9.6 mi round-trip 3,200 ft elevation gain 667 ft/mile elevation gain (going up) ~7 hours round trip For our first day, we picked one of the more strenuous day hikes that offers views of the most iconic landmarks across the park. As you hike up Four Mile Trail, you get views of El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, and Yosemite Valley. This was why we chose this hike - it offered the most 'bang for your buck' in a single hike, great if you are limited on time at Yosemite and want to get the most in. I recommend starting from the Valley and hiking up since the views get more spectacular as you make your journey up. At the end of Four Mile Trail is Glacier Point overlook, which offers stunning views of Half Dome, Vernal Falls, and Nevada Falls. It was an amazing view that made the 5 mile strenuous upward trek worth it. There is also a gift shop at Glacier Point with ice cream, snacks, and a water fountain outside (check the hours since we got there just 20 min before it closed at 5PM). This is a strenuous hike, bring 2L of water and snacks since it takes ~4 hours going up. You can refill your water bottle(s) at the water fountains at Glacier Point. Day 2: Exploring Yosemite Valley For our second day, we wanted to take it lighter after hiking all of Day 1. The second day consisted more of driving around the park and taking photos at iconic spots in Yosemite Valley. We visited in order: Mariposa Grove Tunnel View Lower Yosemite Falls Mariposa Grove is nice to visit if you have extra time, but the best spots were Tunnel View and Lower Yosemite Falls. Since we stayed in Oakhurst, we entered the park from the Southern entrance, which after a 45 min drive from the entrance to Yosemite Valley, we passed by Tunnel View (on the left-side of the road right after exiting the tunnel). Tunnel View is a must-stop location since it offers one of the most famous views of Yosemite (El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridalveil Falls, and Yosemite Valley all in one picture frame). Lower Yosemite Falls is also very scenic while being accessible, it is a 2-min walk on flat ground right in the middle of Yosemite Valley and brings you close enough to the waterfall to get amazing pictures.