Guide to Huntington, Newport, and Laguna

Hey guys! So I recently spent a few days in Southern California, and I absolutely loved it! We went to Huntington Beach for one day, spent four days in Newport Beach, and took a day trip to Laguna Beach. I thought I would share with y'all what all we did and what my favorite parts of the trip were.

Huntington 

 Above: Huntington Beach in the afternoon

• Hyatt - We spent one night here but I wish we'd stayed longer. The hotel is two blocks long (biggest I've ever been in) and is absolutely beautiful with so much to do! They have fire pits and gave us a complimentary s'mores pack, so we did that after shopping at the hotel shops. They also have quite a few pools that are really nice. Overall I was impressed and would definitely come back.
• Huntington Beach - We went in the morning on the Hyatt section, and it was pretty much empty except for a few families. The water is cold at first but not so bad once you get in. We collected a lot of shells and had a ton of fun!
• Huntington Pier - We went here in the afternoon when the beach got more crowded. There are several shops along the pier but it is also fun to just take pictures and walk, which is what we did. We saw so many surfers because that is what Huntington is known for so if you are a surfer you should come here.
• Shops- Across the street from the beach there are several gift shops and surf shops. I saw so many cute California t-shirts and ended up getting one from Huntington Surf and Sport. They had so many cute things!

Newport

Above: Holding hands at Crystal Cove

• Fashion Island - By far the coolest mall I've ever seen. They have so many shops but we didn't have a ton of time so we went to Vineyard Vines, Kendra Scott, Nike, and a Newport gift shop. The mall is completely outdoors and so pretty. We had so much fun just walking around and window shopping!
• See's Candies - Whenever we go to California this is a must. They have quite a few in Newport (they actually had one at Fashion Island). Once you try them I guarantee you'll fall in love. My favorites are the Apple Pie Truffle and the Kona Mocha, but you really can't go wrong.
• Wahoo Fish Tacos - We went here twice, it was so good! This is a family favorite of ours. Their tacos are so so good. I like their spicy chicken tacos and their fish tacos.
• Crystal Cove - We went to this beach/state park and liked it, but not as much as the other beaches. They had tide pools, which were fun, but they have a lot of dead baby crabs on the sand, which kind of creeps me out. The waves were big, though, and my little sisters and I had lots of fun.
• Marriott Coast Villas - We stayed in a condo here and enjoyed it. We roasted s'mores every night (one of our favorite activities now) and roasted hot dogs on Wednesday. They were also showing a movie that night in the park. You have to bring your own s'mores ingredients but the hot dogs were complimentary (I think they do that every Wednesday) They have a volleyball court, many swimming pools, and a lot of other fun activities! We had a ton of fun.
• Corona Del Mar - This was the other beach we went to. I think this was our favorite as the water was warmer and we got in the ocean more. We collected coral, shells, barnacles, and even a sand dollar! It was whole until someone stepped on it and broke it in half. It was pretty crowded but then again, it was a Friday afternoon, so that was expected.

Laguna

Above: In front of a phone booth while shopping

• Shops - We went to a bunch and bought lots of souvenirs but my favorite shops were Art for the Soul, 2bella, and Cotton Place. They are cute little local shops and we had so much fun exploring them.
• Las Brisas - I've heard the breakfast is really good but we went for lunch. I got the salmon and it was honestly the best salmon I've ever tasted. It had an amazing sauce on it that really brought out the flavor. The staff is friendly and the view is beautiful. If you go for Sunday Brunch, get the sand dabs. I've had those before and they are to die for!

We had a ton of fun on our SoCal vacation and I hope if you ever go there, you will too! Thanks for reading!

What's in my Beach Bag!

I am leaving for California this week, and I will be spending a lot of time at the beach, aka my home away from home. If you know me, you know I'm not a light packer, and the same is true for the beach. I like to be prepared so today I thought I'd share what I keep in my beach bag.

Beach Bag
I thought the Lilly ones were really cute but they are pretty expensive and I didn't want to ruin it with sand and water, so I got a coral chevron one from Target that I think will work perfectly.

Lilly Tumbler
A beach trip is not complete without my Lilly Tumbler, especially since I need to stay hydrated all day! (Does anyone else automatically drink more water if it's in one of these? I can't be alone!)

Sparkling Ice
I absolutely love the coconut pineapple. It is so refreshing and tastes so good! 

Jandals (Pali Hawaii Sandals)
These are my comfiest shoes and I don't have to worry about ruining them, because they are only ten dollars!

Cosmetic Bag
I keep some hair ties, chapstick, band-aids, and mustard packets(they help with jellyfish stings) in here.

Sunscreen
Enough said. I am fortunate enough to tan instead of burning, except for those cheeks of mine that always get tomato red no matter how much sunscreen I put on.

Towel
I have these cute chevron anchor towels that I absolutely love.

A Good Book
Right now, I am loving anything by Sarah Dessen and Lauren Conrad, and I plan to bring Saint Anything and L.A. Candy with me.

Headphones/iPod
While I'm reading, I just like to sit back and block out the noise with a good song or two.


I hope y'all enjoyed reading this and it gave you some ideas on what to the bring for the beach! Comment where you're going and what your beach bag essentials are.

How to Save Money on Lilly Pulitzer

I absolutely love Lilly Pulitzer, but if I had to pick one thing I didn't like about it, it would be the prices. As a teen blogger, I can't exactly afford to go out and buy a $200 dress just because I think it's cute. Luckily, I have here for you some ways that you can buy Lilly without breaking the bank!

Sales // Every year, Lilly Pulitzer has two sales - one in August and one in January. I've shopped at both of them, and they are great ways to get your favorite items for less. Their discounts are amazing - I've scored dresses for half price sometimes. If you live near a store, you can also go in at any time during the year and look for the sale rack in the back. The selection isn't always that great, but I've also seen items for half price there.

Gifts

Every so often, a two or three day promotion pops up where you can get a free gift with any purchase, and more gifts if you spend a certain amount. This doesn't actually save you any money, but it's a great way to get more Lilly for the same amount of money,

Second Hand Retailers

There are many groups online that sell Lilly at a discounted price. I follow several Instagram accounts and am part of a couple Facebook groups that will sell NWT (new with tags) pieces for less. Sometimes the deals aren't that great, for example a $10 discount, but it all adds up! If you're looking for an older print, this is the right way to go. You can also try looking on eBay and Poshmark.

What are your go-to tips for saving money on Lilly?