There’s nothing quite like a big snowstorm and frigid temperatures to start brainstorming about your next trip, preferably somewhere sunny. It’s always summer somewhere, you just gotta hop on a plane to find it and one of our go-to destinations will always be Los Angeles. Whether you’re looking to check out one of the cities laid-back beach cities, stay at the best hotels, or keep active this trip, there’s just something about LA that makes everything easy.
Be sure to pack your sunglasses and SPF because temps in LA have been soaring and getting there is easy with Porter Airlines. Their reserve fares offer seats with extra legroom and no middle seats, a delicious meal box curated with pastries from Nadege or cheese plate from Toronto’s beloved Cheese Boutique, and super fast wifi that actually works for nearly the entire flight.
There’s always lots to do in LA, but sometimes the driving can feel a little exhausting, so on our most recent trip we decided to stay close to the ocean and the beach cities. We checked into the new Gjelina Hotel, formally known as Vitorrja, situated at the end of Rose Street, steps from the Venice beach boardwalk and a ten-minute walk from Gjusta Bakery & Cafe, one of our favourite places in LA.
This isn’t your typical hotel; it’s more than that. If you’ve ever dined at Gjelina or visited one of the Gjusta locations, you know they take hospitality seriously, and every part of the experience is just a joy. More of a private guest house, with only 27 residential rooms, suites and beautiful outdoor shared spaces, we felt immediately at home there. Designed with private personalized hospitality in mind, most of their suites have a kitchenette, gracious lounge and dining space, and everything you need to make a lovely meal, including a loaf of Gjusta Sourdough, good butter, Gjusta Goods salt and olive oil, ground single origin coffee and tea, fresh flowers and all the right equipment to bring it together.
We enjoyed beautiful sunrise breakfasts every morning during our stay and a walk over to Gjusta where hotel guests receive a complimentary pastry and drip coffee every morning. While the hotel doesn’t have a restaurant on-site, guests craving a more fulsome breakfast experience can venture down to Gjelina on Abbot Kinney. Starting bright and early, Gjelina serves up their local Californian cuisine, which for us consisted of plates of duck hash with crispy egg and whole grain mustard, poached eggs with chrozio and Oaxacan grits, topped with confit shallots, tomato and salsa verde, alongside lemon buckwheat ricotta pancakes topped with blueberry compote and tangy crème fraîche for the table.
Each room is designed differently with one-of-a-kind furniture and personalized touches, including luxe bedding, robes, throws and all the cozy touches you’ll find you need once the sun dips down and the chill of the ocean breeze swoops in. With access to some of the neighborhoods best restaurants like Felix Trattoria, RVR, Hachet Hall, Rustic Canyon, Dudley Market and Charcoal, you may never want to leave Venice.
Continuing our ocean city tour, we headed over to Marina Del Rey, making a necessary stop at Erewhon, one of our favourite healthy markets in Venice for a smoothie (Hailey Bieber’s Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie anyone?) and a quick restock of healthy snacks and supplements for the next leg of our trip.
Checking in at the Ritz-Carlton Marina Del Rey and immediately heading downstairs for a massage at the Sisley Spa, we always prioritize rest and relaxation in LA – they do it so well after all. Our suite overlooked one of the worlds biggest man-made harbours, so you know we had to live like the locals and head out on a yacht at sunset with Naos Yachts. With one of the most prestigious selections of yachts, sailboats, catamarans, and more, they make the experience turn-key, all you need is your swimsuit, a pair of sunnies, and some friends and they’ll take you on a magical tour of the Pacific Ocean, all the way up to Santa Monica Pier and back again. Enjoy a champagne toast before heading off into the sunset, you might even get a chance to stear the boat and spot a dophin or sea lion along the way.
It wouldn’t be a trip to LA without trying a hot new workout class and since we were so close to the ocean, we decided why not give beach yoga a try with Beach Yoga SoCal. We couldn’t think of a greater way to start the day than a morning dose of vitamin D as you flow, feeling the grounding frequencies of the earth and sand between your toes.
Looking to explore further down the oceanside, we booked a private tour of Manhattan and Redondo Beach with local company Bikes and Hikes LA. While we personally prefer to do these kinds of tours in a more chill self-guided way, we were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed our two-hour biking journey from Marina Del Rey all the way down through new parts of LA we hadn’t yet explored, like Redondo and the multi-million dollar homes along The Strand in Manhattan Beach.
As we wrapped up our visit to LA’s ocean cities, we couldn’t help but feel like we were leaving a little piece of paradise behind. From morning strolls along the beach to evenings on the water, there’s something about the laid-back luxury of LA’s beach cities that really brings Phantom Planet’s triumphant “California” chorus to mind. While this was far from our first trip to LA, it was surely one of the most memorable. We’re always surprised at how each visit can offer new experiences and places to explore; the California coast will always be calling us back.