Beaches in Los Angeles

For my final post about Los Angeles I would like to talk about three beaches I recommend. I have been to all 3 of these beaches and love each of them.

The first beach I would like to recommend is Santa Monica Beach. It is the state beach in California. We went there a while ago, but I can still remember the famous boardwalk and ferris wheel.  The ferris wheel is $12.00 to ride and it is the first solar powered ferris wheel. This ferris wheel was the first one I had ever been on so it is really special to me. There is also an amusement park on the pier with an arcade, but you can't forget about the beach! The beach is always flooded with people.

Photo Courtesy of Discover Los Angeles

The next beach I would like to talk about is Venice Beach.  Venice Beach is famous for its "Ocean Front Walk".  On one side of the walkway there are vendors and stores and on the other side is the famous beach. On our first trip to Venice, we met the famous singer/roller skater, Harry Perry. He is a roller skating, guitar playing legend at Venice beach.  He has been featured in many movies and is even on Wikipedia.  When we went to Venice, we did not have to look too long to find Harry Perry. We spent time talking with him, listening to his music and buying his souvenir items and CD. Another thing to check out are the stores.  You can also rent bikes, skates, and scooters. Sadly, my family never got the chance to ride on the rentals, but we saw many people having a good time on them.

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

Finally, I would like to talk about Malibu Beach. You may have seen in my last post about the restaurant, Paradise Cove. Paradise Cove in Malibu is one of my favorite beaches. This beach is not as crowded as normal beaches because if you don't eat at the restaurant, it costs $40 to park there.   I've also been to Zuma Beach in Malibu.  Zuma is famous for its surfing.

I hope you liked this week's post and this week's theme! I also hope you learned something along the way about Los Angeles and I stroked the urge for you to go there. Thanks so much for reading this post. I hope you all have a great day and safe travels!

Dining in Los Angeles

There are over nine thousand restaurants in Los Angeles to choose from. Most are good, some are bad. I am here to tell you about my experiences with three of my favorite restaurants.


The first restaurant I recommend is Tony P's Dock Side Grill in Marina del Rey. The food is almost as good as the views! My mom lived on a sailboat in Marina del Rey before she was married, so we love seeing all the boats in the Marina del Rey Harbor. I usually order Mama's Chicken Parmesan, but the menu is huge and there is something for everyone. There is an option of sitting inside or outside on the patio.  Both have good views.  In the photo below you can see their seating on the outside patio. On Trip Advisor Tony P's is rated 20 out of 111 restaurants in Marina Del Rey.  Marina del Rey is pretty close to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), so we usually eat at Tony P's Dock Side Grill on our way to or from LAX.

Photo Courtesy of Trip Advisor

Photo Courtesy of WinelistFinder 

The next restaurant I would like to recommend is The Counter. The Counter has numerous locations in Los Angeles. The burgers there are the best that my brother and I have ever had and that is saying something because our family loves a good burger. The Counter has four locations in Los Angeles. There is even one at LAX!  We first learned about this restaurant through a hotel employee. The Counter restaurant has very high ratings on Trip Advisor and was ranked 496 out of 8,516 for best restaurants in Los Angeles. The photo below shows their deluxe lunch and dinner menu. You get to choose what size, meat, cheese, sauce, and toppings go onto your burger. Their fries are also outstanding.

Photo Courtesy of Four Letter Life

Photo Courtesy of The Odyssey Online

Finally, the last place I recommend is Paradise Cove in Malibu. Paradise Cove is our family's favorite restaurant in Los Angeles. We love to go there and enjoy dining on the beach. The outside tables are literally on the sand.  The seafood there is very fresh. The portion sizes at Paradise Cove are huge so my family usually splits a meal. I love splitting the ribs and clam chowder with my mom.  Once we finish, we go out onto the beach and hang out.  I love to practice my photography on the beach there. On Trip Advisor Paradis Cove is rated 18 out of 44 restaurants in Malibu.

Photo Courtesy of Paradise Cove

Photo Courtesy of Paradise Cove

I hope these recommendation's help you in your travels to Los Angeles. These places are my family's favorites. I have included links to their websites.  I hope you check them out when you are in Los Angeles! Thanks for reading and have safe travels!

Los Angeles, The City of Survival

Los Angeles is one place most people want to go to. There are lights, sights and more. I have been to Los Angeles too many times to count and have been everywhere you can think of in the city. Here, I will be giving you an idea on how to survive in the "City of Angels".

The first thing you should do is plan your day so you will stay off the freeways during rush hour. I have been stuck in traffic for 2 hours going 5 miles!   Rush hour usually lasts 6:00 am to 10:00 am and 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm.   If you find yourself stuck in traffic during rush hour, I recommend getting off at the nearest freeway exit and enjoying some local sights while you wait.

Trafic in Los Angeles. (Photo Courtesy of rtkl.com)

The second insider fact is to always be aware of your surroundings, lock your vehicle and be especially careful at night.

One of my favorite things to do in L.A. is to visit its beaches.  In L.A, there are many beaches, each with its own personality. Depending on where you are staying, I recommend Venice, Malibu, and Marina del Rey Beaches. I will recommend places to eat at each of these beaches in my next post. 

Marina Del Rey. (Photo Courtesy of Destination360 )

Another fun thing to do in Los Angeles is to try its many excellent restaurants.  Some memorable meals I have eaten in Los Angeles include the Apple Pan in West Los Angeles, Paradise Cove in Malibu, and The Counter (a burger chain in many locations).

Finally I would like to talk about hotels.  Remember, getting around in L.A. can be difficult due to the traffic, so if you are traveling all over town, you should stay close to a highway.  I recommend using Trip Advisor  to find good hotels. It will tell you locations, ratings, and it even has menus.  Its really easy to use. My mom uses it where ever we go. It also has restaurant reviews if you want to know about other's experiences.

I hope I gave you a few tips to survive in Los Angeles. My next few blogs are going to be about Los Angeles as well so stay tuned! If you are planning to go to Los Angeles soon, I recommend following my blog so I can help you plan the best travel experiences. If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comment section below. Thank you for reading and have a safe flight!

Red Mountain Resort

Last weekend, I visited  Red Mountain Resort in Ivins, Utah. Just my Mom and I went on this trip. We did yoga classes, boot camps, biking, and canyoneering. Today, I am going to share with you my experience at Red Mountain Resort and why you should book a room today.

I stayed at Red Mountain for three nights. I would not recommend staying less than that because you won't get the full experience. The food, most of the fitness classes, and the daily guided hikes are included in your room fee.

The first class I attended was called, "Melt Hand and Foot".  In this class, everyone received 3 small balls that were not bigger than a fist.  We learned how to use each ball to roll stress out of our hands and feet. If you are feeling stiff in any part of your body, I recommend the Melt classes. In the photo below, you can see the balls we used in "Melt Hand and Foot." The price of this package is $50.00, so I recommend taking the class.

Melt Hand and Foot balls. (photo curtesy of MeltMethod.com)

While at Red Mountain, I also tried the TRX Boot Camp. If you are wondering what TRX is, let me tell you! TRX stands for Total Body Resistance. Two elastic bands secured to a bar help you build
muscles and shape your body.   I did not like TRX that much in part because my teacher was dull, however, TRX is a good work out.

TRX Movements (photo curtesy of RealRiderRevolution )

At Red Mountain, they offer for a fee activity called Canyoneering. The cost is $225 a person, but it is an all day activity from 9:50-4:00. We hiked up a mountain and wedged ourselves into small cracks. We went under and over rocks and got rewarded by repelling down the mountain. You can get a little scrapped up but it's all part of the adventure. Red Mountain sends you off with a healthy sack lunch. The guide gave frequent breaks so we could catch our breath. The guide company we used is called Southern Utah Guiding. If you are going to another part in Southern Utah click here to go to their website for a different canyoneering trip. I highly recommend this activity if you are physically up for it. My mom and I will never forget this activity. Really, it was the most fun I had during my trip.

We had to go through this! (Photo courtesy of me)

After hiking up the steep mountain photo. (Photo courtesy of me)

Repelling. (Photo courtesy of me)

Me Canyoneering! (Photo courtesy of me)

Finally, I would like to talk about the food. Every portion is controlled. They have a new menu every day so you don't get bored of the same meal. Lunch and dinner come with bread, a salad bar, an entree, and a dessert.  Every night at dinner, there is a choice of fish, steak, chicken, a vegetarian option and an unusual dish like elk or duck. One of my favorite meals was when I had baked chicken and a chocolate lava cake for dessert. The dinner and dessert menus have the number of calories and macronutrients posted next to each item for those people who are watching their diet.

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this week's blog. Stay tuned to find out my next week's theme! Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Copenhagen Denmark

Last summer I had the pleasure to travel on a cruise to the Baltics. One of my favorite places that I went to is Copenhagen, Denmark. Here are some reasons why you should put Copenhagen at the top of your travel spot list.

Copenhagen is the capital city of Denmark. It is also home to the world's most popular bicycle path with 36,000 people using it every day. There is also one of the longest shopping streets in the world, Strøget.  The Danish are known to be the happiest people on Earth. Copenhagen is also home to the world famous amusement park, Tivoli Gardens.

Tivoli Gardens opened in the 18th century. In 2012 it was the 2nd most popular park in the world and is the 2nd oldest amusement park in the world! There is actually a ride there that has been there for 100 years!  The park opened in 1843. People in Copenhagen are very proud to have Tivoli in their home town. While we were there, we went on some rides including, the Rollercoaster,  The Spinning Tops, The Mine, The Bumper Cars, and The Galley Ships. In my opinion, The Galley Ships is not a fun ride to go on if you are a tween but, if you have a younger brother or sister, he or she would enjoy it. If you are older, I recommend The Spinning Tops and The Mine.

Map of Tivoli Gardens (Curtesy of Themeparkbrochures.net)

My brother and I on The Rollercoaster at Tivoli (Picture by me)

Tivoli Gardens in the Rain (Picture by me)

Copenhagen is home to the world's most popular bicycle path. When Danish people start riding their bikes, they become speed demons. They normally will not stop for pedestrians crossing the street. People in Copenhagen are known to ride fast, so beware when you pass a bike lane.

If you are wondering what to eat in Copenhagen, I recommend "sausage wagon" aka a hot dog. Danish hotdogs are one of the best hotdogs from around the world. They have hotdog carts all around Copenhagen. The market food in Copenhagen is also something you should try. Torvehallerne was Copenhagen's first covered food market. Some great foods you can try there are cheeses, smoked fish, and craft beer.

My brother and I eating Hotdogs in Copenhagen (Picture by me)

With amazing food, great biking, and an amazing amusement park, you think Copenhagen can't get any better? Well, Copenhagen also has one of the longest shopping streets in the world, Strøget. Strøget contains many American shops and many locals too. There is also a Starbucks at the end of the street. At a normal walking speed, Strøget takes about 12-15 minutes to walk through the whole street without stopping.

If you don't have much time, I highly recommend the Copenhagen Free Walking Tour. My family did the Grand Tour of Copenhagen. The tour was three hours. The tour starts at Town Hall Square, one of the centers of activity for Copenhageners. Next, you stroll down the small cobble-stoned streets of medieval Copenhagen. From there, you walk to Nyhavn, the wonderful colorful harbor front, where Copenhageners and visitors gather in the seaside cafes. From Nyhavn, you walk to Amalien Palace, the home of the oldest Royal Family in the world. We arrived just in time to see the changing of the guard. From the Palace, we walked to The Marble Churvh, and then back to Strøget.

Changing of the Guards (Picture by me)

My Mom and I at Nyhavn (Picture by me)

My brother and dad walking on Strøget (Picture by me)

Starbucks in Copenhagen (Picture by me)

I hope I gave you an idea on why you should travel to Copenhagen, Denmark. Most people who live in Copenhagen also speak English. I hoped you liked this week's theme! Hope to talk to you in my next blog!

Packing for Long Trips

Packing the right bag is the perfect way to either make or ruin your trip. It is the first step to traveling and one of the most important. 

The first thing you need is a check list. Before you start packing, look up the weather forecast for where you are going. You do not want to show up to California in shorts and a tank top if the weather is raining all week. That just wastes money on souvenir sweatshirts. Once you find the weather, next, make a checklist. Wherever my family goes, my mother prepares a packing list.

Click here to view the packing list I took with me on my trip to Australia in 2014. This is a simple packing list that includes all the necessities: shirts, shoes, pants, and accessories.  After you finish packing and getting all the items together, check your list one more time to make sure you have everything. What I usually do is to pack everything, then unpack it and check it again against my packing list. 

If you are like me and love to pack a lot of clothes, then I would suggest an easy Ziplock bag method. It keeps all of your clothes from getting wet if something spills on your suit case and it makes extra room in your suitcase for clothes by compacting air. It also helps keep your clothes organized by packing similar items together.  You can find extra large Ziplock bags at any grocery store like Walmart, Fresh Market, or Smiths. 

Plastic Bag Use (Curtesy of Hire Order)

Instead of bringing cash, I recommend getting a Visa debit card with a limited amount of cash in the account.  This protects you from theft and is an easy way to track your spending while on your trip.

If you are looking into buying a new suitcase, I would recommend a deep, 4 wheeled suitcase. I recommend one with pockets in the front for extra storage space for chargers, papers, and liquids for removing at security.   I prefer a size that you can store in the overhead bins.  It is always nice to have the option of carrying your suitcase on the airplane.  This is extra important when you are late for your flight or have a short connection.

Suit Cases (Photo Curtesy of TravelTrolleySet.com )

Remember to bring all of your chargers with you when you travel. The worst experience is picking up your camera to take the perfect photo and realizing it's dead.   You will always spend too much if you need to buy a charger while traveling.

You can never count on hotels to provide international adaptors so I recommend buying one before you leave your country of origin.  For example, European electrical outlets are different than those in the U.S.  If you are traveling inside your country, you don't need to worry about bringing an adaptor.

Finally, before you go, make sure you review the TSA guidelines for all commercial airlines. Make sure you are not packing any of the items listed below or you will find yourself spending too much time with the TSA.

 The do nots on a plane (Photo Curtesy of aerlingus.com )

I hope these tips will help you in your future travels. Thank you for reading and I hope you have a safe flight!

Please Stay Seated and Enjoy my Blog!

Welcome to Teen Travel Tips.   Here I will be talking about the perfect places for any adventurer to travel! Want to keep in touch with my blog?  On the right side of this page, there is a button called "Follow my blog by Email".  Type in your email and press submit.  It's easy!

My Mom and I on the London Eye Ferris Wheel

Starbucks Cups From Around the World

A little Bit about Me:
My name is Whitney and traveling is my hobby.  I attend Treasure Mountain Junior High and love photography. I am also in marching band! I marched in lots of parades this past summer. Some of my favorite elective classes are percussion, Spanish, and FAN (Food and Nutrition).  I have been to 20 states and 16 countries, so I know a thing or two about traveling.  I've traveled first class with my family and I've had to rough it, too.

Recent Travels
Last year, I was selected to go on an ambassador trip to Australia. On that 3-week trip, I learned a lot about Australian culture and what it is like to live in Australia.  In that same month I went to Alaska with my family.  Last summer, my family went on a cruise to Northern Europe and I visited Costa Rica on a student exchange program.   Basically, I traveled a lot last summer.

Future Travel Plans
For the 4-day weekend this October, my mom and I are going to Red Mountain Spa in St. George, Utah.  My Mom and I have another girl's trip planned for Winter Break, 2016.  We are going to the Florida Keys.  This spring, my family and I are going on a Disney Cruise to the Caribbean. My year is pretty packed and I promise I will blog where I go!
What I will talk about:
On this site, I will talk about anything related to travel. My experiences, wonders of the world, tips on packing and clothing, and more! If you are going anywhere soon I have got you covered. Stay in touch with my blog to find out how to be an expert traveler!
Who I specialize in:
I specialize in Teens mostly, but these tips can be used for anyone! I can go from 8-108.

My Family:
My family and I are pretty close. We live a pretty normal life. My brother, who is one year older than me, and I go to school.  My parents work long hours to pay for my travel.  My Dad works in sales and my Mom is a Real Estate Agent in Park City. Here's her blog. My Dad travels to Los Angeles for work every week.

My plan is to post once a week about a different destination or travel strategy.  Comment below if you have suggestions for future blogs. I will get back to you as soon as possible.  I hope you enjoyed this post and I look forward to sharing my adventures with you.
                        - Whitney