California adventure

Finally! Pics from my trip to the west coast. Ah, just looking at these makes me want to hop the next flight back. I started the week in Southern California, visiting my younger sister in Irvine. Then, Matt and I made our way up the coast, stopping in Santa Ynez, San Luis Obispo and Modesto, before arriving in our final destination—San Francisco. Here, a few highlights:

*Wine tasting in Temecula: We stumbled upon Chapin Family Vineyards after a quick Yelp search, and loved it. It's a bit more tucked away than some of the other wineries there, but completely worth seeking it out. The 2009 Syrah is one of the best I have ever tried.

*Walking Crystal Cove Beach: My sister and I spent half a day walking this practically deserted beach. The cliffs on the coast make it feel like your own private escape. And at the end, a reward: Lunch at the Beachcomber Cafe, with outdoor seating so that you can take in the sights.

*Disneyland and California Adventure: Matt insisted we go—and I'm so glad we did. California Adventure is a completely unique experience. Grizzly Peak was my favorite part of the whole day (oh, and meeting Donald Duck!).

*Driving through Santa Ynez: It's where they filmed Sideways, but that's not the only reason we went. En route to San Luis Obispo, we stopped to check out a few wineries here. Sunstone Winery was one of the most gorgeous spots I've ever been.

*Pismo Beach: We were lucky enough to time our drive with the sunset—and got to sit on the pier and watch several surfers taking advantage of the dwindling daylight, too. What a beautiful beach! There are swings set up in a few different spots on the sand. So fun!

*Catching a Giants game at AT&T Park: Finally, I got to watch Buster Posey (one of my favorite baseball players) play at his home field. I love that kayakers actually sit out on the Bay to see if they can catch a homerun ball. Bonus: We went on fireworks night. Extra bonus: The Giants won!

*Golden Gate Park: Matt's sister and brother-in-law gave us a wonderful tour of the area surrounding the Golden Gate Bridge. There's nothing quite as exhilerating as peering over the edge of that bridge. Eek!

Have you been to California recently? What are your favorite things to do on the west coast?