Girlfriend’s Getaway Guide To SoCal: What To Do, Where To Eat & Where To Stay

Girlfriend’s Getaway Guide To SoCal: What To Do, Where To Eat & Where To Stay

It’s time to plan your annual Girl’s Getaway. Or maybe you and a few Moms decide that you need a quick getaway with no kids. But where to go?

Many people think traveling to Southern California for vacation is expensive. I’m here to share my experience and to show you how you can afford to take a Girlfriend Getaway to SoCal.

I travel to SoCal at least 2-3 times per year. I do have quite a few friends there, so a place to stay is always taken care of. However, on my most recent trip I decided to do something a little differently. Usually I travel to SoCal by myself. This trip I traveled with a fellow blogger and friend, Deb from Just Short of Crazy.

We went back and forth about planning a trip to SoCal. But when I found tickets for $23 bucks each way, that sealed the deal.

Yes, you read correctly. $23 bucks each way. We traveled on Spirit Airlines. They are not the best airline to fly, and they will nickel and dime you for everything. {stay tuned for a post on how to get the best out of Spirit without paying all of those fees}.

Here are some tips to help you score the best airfare for SoCal:

1. Try to fly during the Winter or Fall season. You will always find the best prices around this time. Flying in the summer time, the price are always double.
2. Start looking for your tickets at the beginning of the year.
3. Flying into LAX will always be cheaper. Even if you’re going to San Diego or other parts of SoCal, LAX will get you the best rates.
4. Sometimes, I do find decent rates for San Diego on FrontierAirlines.com, Southwest Airlines or Spirit.com
5. You can usually find cheap tickets to Vegas. So if time is on your side, consider flying into Vegas and driving over.
6. Airlines like Spirit.com will always get you cheap tickets, but be careful about the fees.
7. Flying on Southwest.com you avoid baggage fee, and you can find good rates as well.
8. I use bing.com and skyscanner.com to help me find the lowest dates.
9. If you the flexibility, always travel on dates that give you the lowest rates. Traveling on a Tuesday to a Tuesday is a great way to get a really good deal.
10. Searching for tickets on a Wednesday morning around 1 a.m. will generate really good airfare prices. (Tip: Calling the airline around this time will generate a better deal vs shopping online)
11. You will also find good rates searching online from a Sunday – Wednesday.
12. Don’t buy your ticket too early (unless you snag a super cheap rate). You should buy your ticket at least 45 days in advance. For my most recent trip, our tickets were purchased about 30 days in advance.
13. If you do buy your ticket too early and you find a better rate on the same airline, call them to ask for a refund of the difference. Many airlines do offer this service.

So, once your ticket is booked for SoCal, it’s time to plan.

Where should you go? If you’ve never been to Cali, it can definitely be overwhelming trying to pinpoint a location. Hopefully this guide will give you some tips on location destinations!

Listed below are the things Deb and I did on our #CAMomsEscape trip to Southern California!

Drive-by Vacay in Palm Springs #CAMomsEscape

Palm Springs is home to the Dinah Shore event. This year’s celebration will include The Ultimate Must-See, Must-Experience 25th Anniversary of Dinah Shore. It takes places April 1st- 5th, so if you’re in the area you should definitely go. I heard about this event from the locals, and I’m intrigued. Girl power to the fullest! Read more about what to do in Palm Springs HERE.

Find Luxury in Palm Springs: Hyatt Palm Springs #CAMomsEscape

We stayed at the Hyatt Palm Springs for two days and it was wonderful. I can vouch for the polite, profession and customer friendly staff. Check. The clean, orderly and comfortable rooms. Double-check. And finally, the hotel’s on-site bistro, SHARE Small Plate, with its deliciously prepared food and great service. Triple-check. You can read more of my review on the Hyatt in Palm Springs here.

Freebie: Score a voucher for a complimentary cocktail at one of their on-site restaurants provided upon check-in. When guests are ready to explore all that downtown Palm Springs has to offer, they can also enjoy a free rental of one of the property’s beach cruisers for two hours. And, for early mornings, guests can enjoy free Starbucks coffee and tea in the modern Internet Café.

Catalina Island: Where To Stay #CAMomsEscape

You have your pick of hotel choices when it comes to Catalina Island. You can read about our hotel choices HERE.

Catalina Island: Where To Eat & What To Do #CAMomsEscape

Imagine an island paradise where the food is just as amazing as the views. This isn’t an exercise in futility because there are many locations that fit the bill. But there is also a little island paradise off the coast of mainland California known as Catalina Island. And if you haven’t visited  this near perfect isle then chances are  you’re missing out.  The finer things in life come to those who actively seek them out. Read more HERE

Freebie: Did you know you can catch a ride for FREE to the Island? Ride free on your birthday! Catalina Express offers anyone celebrating their birthday complimentary round-trip transportation to Catalina Island, located just 22 miles off the coast of Los Angeles. What’s more, birthday celebrants can save hundreds of dollars on island by taking advantage of the many Birthday Island freebies, discounts and value-add offerings.

The Oaks At Ojai: Relax, Rejuvenate, Renew

The Oaks advertises itself as an ideal get away where you can recharge your batteries for a few days or a long weekend.  Show me the woman (and especially a mom) who doesn’t want to unplug from it all for a while and I’ll show you a crazy person.  Imagine a week or even a weekend soaking up the sun and being pampered. Are you tempted yet? Read more HERE

A Car Affair To Remember #zoomzoom #CAMomsEscape

And when you’re in Cali, you have to have “the look”. Flying around in a Mazda CX-5 definitely helped us forget about being a Mini-Van Mom, Soccer Mom, dirty seats with crumbs on them and just enjoy luxury. Read about our experience with a Car to remember HERE

Now, doesn’t this make you want to drop what you’re doing and start planning your next Girl’s Getaway? I promise you…. a trip to SoCal will not disappoint. The food, the fun you will have and the beautiful places you will stay is totally worth putting this destination on your bucket list!

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