If Absinthe were a woman, she’d be perfect.

Fun, sexy, silly, beautiful, flexible and a tad raunchy!

The good news is, Absinthe is not a girl, but one of the very best shows in Las Vegas at the moment, which means we can all have a go.

When Abby Tegnelia recommended me to this show, I said yes immediately. Not only because it sounded amazing, but also I’ve had my experience with Australian companies trying their hand at circus cabaret before. I fell in love with the concept with Cantina at the Brisbane Festival in 2010. I thought nothing could top that performance.

I was wrong.

Not only does Spiegelworld’s Absinthe, a no-hold-back parody of Cirque du Soleil, include half-naked acts accomplishing the impossible with flexibility and strength, but it’s also hysterical.

The Gazillionaire sets the night up to be hysterical for the start. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

In between each acrobatic act, show host, The Gazillionaire, and his assistant, Penny Pibbetts, relieve the crowd with some very on-point and limitless comedy.

Race, sex, religion, politics; there is absolutely nothing they won’t have a go at.

The Gazillionaire’s raspy-voiced rants are perfectly balanced by Pibbetts’ squeaky-voiced, school-girl tangents. It’s these characters and their massive disregard for political correctness that allow the pair to not just get away with absolutely anything, but do it with roaring applause and laughter from the entire crowd.

Full of characters, the cast taking a bow at the end of the show and Penny, not too sure what she’s doing. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

As for the circus performances, well that is in no laughing matter. I tried really hard to pick my favorite or most difficult-looking act of the show, but I just couldn’t. They were all incredible, but I’ll only highlight a few to leave some element of surprise for those who see this show.

A very intimate trapeze act at the start of the show. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

There’s Vladimir Malachkin who, after a drink of Absinthe, goes into a wild balancing act on six or so chairs stacked to make an unstable mountain. Then comes Duo Vector, two male body builders as well as the Gazillionaire’s body guards, who manage to make their strength-dependent act look soft and beautiful.

Vladimir balancing on a mountain of wooden chairs. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Vector Duo effortlessly balancing two bodies on one leg. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Sven and Roma perform a high-paced roller-skate act that includes Roma only attaching herself to Sven’s neck by a leather strap around her head and being spun around so fast by him you can’t even make out her body. The Esteemed Gentlemen of the Highwire finish the show with two of them balancing on a high wire while sharing the weight of a keg hoisted on two bars across their shoulders, the third does a free standing keg stand between them.

Balancing another person, while balancing yourself on a tightrope, that’s talent from The Esteemed Gentlemen of the Highwire. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

And sexy…

Well if the muscles and definition on the bodies of the acts above doesn’t do it for you, then Melody Sweets and Angel Porrino will. The Ava Gardner-looking Sweets, who plays the “Green Fairy” sings and dances her way around the stage and audience in sequined and feathered costumes a few times throughout the show. The blonde Porrino, doused in coconut oil, wears a bikini as she performs an adorable act which includes her getting inside a bubble.

As the Green Fairy, Melody Sweets will have members of the Absinthe audience seeing visions. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Angel Porrino from inside her bubble. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Everything about the show is perfect. The scenery, cast and crew and costumes will have you entertained at all times and transported from a white spiegeltent outside Caesars Palace in 2013 to a traveling circus tent somewhere out in the Midwest in 1943. We even stayed a short time after the show ended to see that not only were the performers still practicing and perfecting their act, but also chatting with fans. We had a chance to speak with the Gazillionaire, who stayed in character and on his toes, but was really kind and appreciative.

Everything about the Absinthe experience is different, even the look of the theater. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

There are very few shows as special as this, as different as this, as enjoyed by both men and women alike as much as this one. Spiegelworld fits perfectly in with the wild and wacky Vegas strip, but still manages to stand out. If there is one show you see in Sin City, make it this one.

Thanks to Spiegelworld for welcoming me out to see Absinthe in Las Vegas. Visit their site for more information on the show or to purchase tickets. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks to Jucy Rentals USA for sponsoring my trip out West. Visit their website to start planning your own US road trip. Use the code “BobbiUSA” to receive 10% off your booking. Follow my trip right here on Heels and Wheels, as well as on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

As always, all opinions are my own.

Like what you see? Follow me on Bloglovin’, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with what I’m writing about.

Laying in bed inside my Jucy camper van, Santa Monica Mountains in front of me, the sun setting on the Pacific Ocean behind me as well as my favorite chef cooking away back there, I can’t help but get sentimental about the last three weeks. I’m spending the last night of my Jucy Wheels Out West tour in Malibu, California. Probably the only night I’ll ever be able to afford in Malibu, but definitely not the last night I’ll ever spend in a Jucy.

It was here that I really started my trip. I saw this RV Park one day short of three weeks ago when I hit the Pacific Coast Highway from LA en route to Santa Barbara. It’s hard to believe tomorrow I’ll be giving my Jucy wheels back. There’s still so much left to say about this trip and my experience out West. That will all come in the next few weeks. For now, here is how I spent my third and final week out West.

I ended the last post in the Grand Canyon. I had just seen one of America’s most epic sights at the last hours of the day. It’s a good thing I saw it then too, because the next day it disappeared.

Behind that layer of fog is the Grand Canyon. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

We woke up at about 6 a.m. last Monday hoping to see the sun rise behind the Grand Canyon, but the National Park had been hit with so much snow, we could barely see anything. Between snow and fog, you could only make out bits of the 1,218,375.54-acre canyon. It was like David Copperfield had thrown us a treat before we even arrived in Vegas.

After playing in the snow, we hit the roads as soon as possible, because the weather report was not getting any better.

You know what one of my favorite things about the Southwest is? You can go from freezing in the snowy mountains in the morning to wearing nothing but shorts and a t-shirt in the desert by early afternoon. This area of the world really does have it all.

We arrived at Las Vegas KOA at Circus Circus, an RV park located right on the Strip, just in time for a quick dinner and bottle of wine before hitting the town. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, so I’ll just go over some quick points.

You don’t often see photos of Las Vegas during the day. Here’s the Las Vegas Strip from the top of the Stratosphere. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Ric and I did just about everything a person is expected to do in Sin City: drink, gamble, eat, see a show, visit a strip club and get hitched…

Just kidding!

Our first night was an interesting one and both nights that followed just got better.

Night two I met up with Abby Tegnelia, The Neon Jungle Princess, for dinner at D.O.C.G. at The Cosmopolitan. She’s one of those Twitter friends I’ve been talking to for almost three years and knew I would like right away. So glad we could finally meet, drink wine and share my first truffle experience together. Try “The D.O.C.G. Pizza”, which comes with fonduta, egg and truffles, but make sure they don’t lose the egg on your pizza.

It was Abby’s suggestions that made night three in Las Vegas so incredible. First stop was Yellowtail at the Bellagio for a “Big Eye Tuna Pizza”. Everyone raves about this menu item. It’s really different (tuna, truffle oil and micro shiso on a crispy base), but it works.

Next, we went to see Absinthe, located in the white circus tent outside Caesars Palace. I’ll go more into this circus/cabaret spoof on Thursday, but for now I’m just going to say that it was one of the best and most unique shows I’ve ever been to. We ended the night at BURGR, Gordon Ramsay’s gourmet burger joint at Planet Hollywood. I had truffles yet again. Truffle fries with truffle aioli, how do you say no to that? Amazing, yet very affordable restaurant on Las Vegas Boulevard.

This is only a preview of Absinthe. Come back Thursday to read about the show and see more photos from it. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

We left Vegas Thursday with only a tiny hangover, but empty pockets. A quick stop at Downtown Vegas then to the “Welcome to the Fabulous Las Vegas sign” for a photo with Elvis and we were off to Joshua Tree National Park.

The towns surrounding this park, seem very strange, since they literally pop up right out of the desert and are all home to some interesting characters. We stayed in the town of Joshua Tree and I kind of fell in love with it. It doesn’t have many shops, bars or cafes, but what it does have are independently-owned and quality. Visit bulletin boards located near Grateful Desert to find out about drum circles and parties at random locations in the desert.

Me, acting like a Joshua Tree. Photo by Richard John Hackey

I’ve wanted to visit Joshua Tree since college, when a professor showed us photos from a family vacation there in a media class. Then there was the Entourage episode in Joshua Tree, and well…

There is something about deserts that intrigues me, but this one especially. The National Park is one of the most interesting places you’ll ever see. Desert with random rock formations and yucca trees (Joshua Trees) that look like people waving their arms like they’re at a concert. To top off what is already an incredible place, all of a sudden a guy with a decked out bike and funky hat would drive by us waving, or-boom-a drummer on the side of the road.

They definitely do in Joshua Tree. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

This is my favorite of all the National Parks we visited on this trip. It’s one of those places you hear about, but think, “No that couldn’t exist.”. We visited Wonderland of Rocks (rock formations area), Keys View (where you can see the San Andreas Fault) and Barker Dam (where you can see Native American Petroglyphs) in the Park, then made our way to Huntington Beach, but not without first stopping at Pioneertown for a chilli burger at Pappy and Harrietsand impromptu Western photo shoot in the old Hollywood film set.

Ric doing his best John Wayne at Pioneertown, California. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

It was nice to see the beach again in Huntington, which is the ideal California beach town to spend a few days. We saw bonfires as we entered and took photos with surfers the following day while doing Jucy promotions.

After two nights in Huntington, we made our way back to Los Angeles, visiting Venice Beach along the way. Sorry to say, but this was the first place on this entire trip that disappointed me. There is a lot going on in Venice Beach. In fact, there’s too much going on there. Yet all we really wanted to do was find a nice affordable restaurant and we couldn’t do that. And muscle beach-I saw no muscles there

But if that was the only thing that disappointed me in three weeks of touring Western America, well that’s pretty good I think.

The sun came out strong on our last day of this trip and we got to see Malibu at it’s best, though I’m not sure this place really has a bad side. Tomorrow I go from Jucy Wheels to Homeless Heels. Though after touring California for almost two weeks, I can think of worse places to make the transition.

Thanks to Jucy Rentals USA for sponsoring my trip out West. Visit their website to start planning your own US road trip. Use the code “BobbiUSA” to receive 10% off your booking. Follow my trip right here on Heels and Wheels, as well as on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

A special thanks to Spiegelworld for welcoming me out to see Absinthe.

As always, all opinions are my own.

Like what you see? Follow me on Bloglovin’, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with what I’m writing about.

While wine is definitely Napa Valley’s claim to fame with almost 950 wineries, about 450 of which you can visit. That isn’t all the Northern California destination has to offer.

For instance, did you know that Yountville, a town in the Valley, has the most Michelin Star restaurants per capita in North America? Did you also know that Napa is a geothermal area, home to one of three Old Faithful geysers? Finally, were you aware that there is an actual castle in this wine region?

From food to nature to architecture, and obviously to wine, Napa Valley surprised me on every level, and this is after only one day of visiting the area.

Since, I only spent a day here, I’m not writing a full guide about it, nor am I writing a piece highlighting Napa’s must sees. For that, I recommend visiting The Napa Wine Project or yTravel Blog. I’m merely going to explain why I chose the stops I did, and why I think you should consider them too.

Before I begin let me just make one thing clear, my day with Ric in Napa was extremely random. We started out only planning to visit, tour and taste at three wineries, some of which are located over a 30-minute drive from Downtown Napa, where we spent the night at Skyline Wilderness Park.

I chose to do this, because I wanted to actually be in the places where wines I had heard so much about are being made. I knew this meant I would be spitting out my tastings, which just feels wrong, because I was driving. But I’ve discovered that there are a million ways to see Napa and on my first time there, this is how I wanted to do it.

So I got to see a lot of the Valley and Ric…well he got pissed, as he was drinking for two, which would explain the last visit on this list.

Ric watching Old Faithful erupt in Napa Valley. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Nature in Napa

It’s impossible to miss this. Venture out of downtown Napa and you’ll start to follow roads lined with California Oak Trees, catch your ears popping as you drive higher and higher into the hills and maybe even spot steam coming out of the ground.

This area is home to Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, where visitors can see indigenous trees, such as coastal redwoods, Douglas-Fir and Tanoak. Those who are lucky might also spot deer, foxes and bobcats.

Napa is also a geothermal area. Ric spotted Old Faithful Geyser on the way out to our first stop on the agenda. We were really confused as we both thought it was in Yellow Stone National Park.

We found out there are actually three Old Faithfuls. If you’ve seen the one in Yellowstone, don’t bother with the one in Napa as you will be very disappointed, but if you’ve never seen a geyser before and you’re not on too tight a budget (this attraction is $14 per adult) it’s worth a stop and you’re guaranteed to see it erupt as it does so every five to ten minutes. Plus, they have a petting farm there with lambs. Need I say more?

Chateau Montelena winery was built in 1886 and French-inspired. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Chateau Montelena

This is the winery that put Napa on the wine world’s map. In 1976 Chateau Montelena’s 1973 Chardonnay won a blind taste test held in Paris that put French wines against Californian wines. This tasting was huge. Not only did it prove that France was no longer the only place capable of making great wines, but it also proved that the vintners in California knew what they were doing.

A basic tasting here costs $20 per person. Visitors can see a bottle of the winning Chardonnay from 1973. They can also check out the winery’s old-world architecture and a very unexpected Japanese garden.

I felt like a princess as Ric photographed me on the steps of this Napa Valley castle. Photo by Richard John Hackey

Castello di Amorosa

Driving up a small road, lined with Italian Cypress Trees, vineyards to both sides and forests separating the property from the outside world, a building begins to appear.

“That’s an actual castle,” were my words to be exact, and I’m sure the words of many who visit Castello di Amorosa.

This 121,000-square-foot castle was a dream to create for owner Dario Sattui, who also owns V. Sattui Winery. His Italian heritage, fascination with Tuscan and medieval design and determination to create something spectacular have made this a dream come true for visitors to Napa as well.

Enter the castle up stone steps and across a drawbridge. A small information office will be to your right, where you can purchase tickets to tour the castle and taste its wines. Otherwise, visitors are allowed to roam certain areas of the castle on their own and sample the wines for a general admission price of $18.

It was easy to see how much our guide Jeff loved coming to work at the castle every day and be in the California sun. I think touring the castle would have been wonderful no matter how we did it, but Jeff made the experience incredible.

Jeff led our group of eight through the castle’s main dining area, courtyard, caves where barrels of wine are kept and even a torture chamber, all while talking about the history of the place, how it was made and characteristics about the wine making process. Everything in the castle is hand made and designed after medieval times. The wine is even made in a traditional Italian method, fermented in barrels, residue scraped out, instead of being filtered.

The wine at this boutique winery is wonderful, but most people visit to see the castle. Luckily, with Castello di Amorosa’s castle tour, visitors can tour the grounds and try ten different wines from their collection for $33.

There are so many ways to see this winery. It’s a given that any visitor to Napa should tour the grounds their first time. After that, look into the castle’s many parties throughout the year.

It’s incredible how much thought was put into the design at Darioush and continues to be put into the vineyard’s wine and hospitality. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Darioush

Walking into this winery, which is actually based off a castle as well, I had mixed emotions. Everything about the open room visitors walk into is perfect. A nice mixture of modern pieces and ancient design, all somehow mixed together in a way that just works.

Though in other places I might have, I didn’t get that museum, do-not-touch feeling, nor did I feel like I didn’t belong. Maybe it was the warm lighting in the room or the smiling faces all around, but walking into the classiest winery I’ve ever been to, I immediately felt right at home.

I felt the warmth in Darioush’s welcome within seconds of entering the winery. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

This is one of the many details proprietor Darioush Khaledi thought about when he found his winery in 1997. Hospitality is one of the most important aspects of Persian culture, and Khaledi, who emigrated to the USA from Iran in the 1970s definitely made sure to highlight this at his vineyard, as well as several other characteristics of Persian culture.

The design of the cellar door at Darioush is actually based off Apadana Palace constructed by King Darius in Persia’s ancient capital city, Persepolis, which is near modern-day Shiraz, Iran where Khaledi grew up. Pomegranate trees welcome visitors as the front entrance. There is an amphitheater in the back. A collection of Khaledi’s maps of the Persian empire line the hallway to the bathroom. Plus they serve Persian-roasted pistachios, made with lime and salt.

This attention to detail carries over to the wine at Darioush. Khaledi plays a strong part in the wine making process, which is led by Steve M. Devitt. Our hostess, Michelle Romaine, who is extremely knowledgeable about the wine and history at Darioush, guided us through a tasting of their Signature Flight, which includes five different wines for $35.

For it, Ric and I sat down on leather chairs in our own personal tasting area in the main room. Each wine was clean and tasty, but my favorites were Duel, a cabernet/shiraz blend, and Capataz, which is a Malbec made from the Argentinian grapes.

I think it’s the traveler in me that is so drawn to Darioush, stepping onto this vineyard, feels like stepping out into another world, another time. Khaledi’s global influences, his interest in history from his homeland and wine from around the world, makes this winery a very special place to visit in Napa Valley.

Big D Burgers

Anyone who follows this blog or me on other networks, knows Ric has a thing for American burgers. Unless he is in Philadelphia, in which case he only orders cheese steaks, he will order a burger for almost every meal at almost every restaurant we visit. So for him to say Big D Burgers is his favorite in America. That means something, even if he was a few wines deep.

The burger shack looks like it hasn’t changed since the 50s, nor has its prices. He bought one quarter-pounder with cheese, curly fries and a drink and got another quarter-pounder free. You can bet I stole quite a few bites and sips of everything and-wow. The burgers are pretty standard, but made to perfection.

There are so many places in Napa known for culinary excellency that you should definitely take advantage of, but when you want to save money on a good meal during your stay, this is the best place we found to do it.

If you don’t want to worry about driving, some good options include, hiring a designated driver, booking a tour, purchasing a wine tasting card and sampling at various wine houses all in walking distance from each other in downtown Napa, taking the wine train or paying $1 for a single journey to various wineries on the Calistoga Shuttle.

All of my stops might already be included in the options above. Otherwise, I highly recommend making an effort to see each on their own or to convince one person in your group to take one for the team and follow this one day itinerary. Thank them with a burger, you’re going to get one for free any way.

Thanks to Jucy Rentals USA for sponsoring my trip out West. Visit their website to start planning your own US road trip. Use the code “BobbiUSA” to receive 10% off your booking. Follow my trip right here on Heels and Wheels, as well as on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

A special thanks to Castello di Amorosa and Darioush for sponsoring my visit to Napa Valley.

As always, all opinions are my own.

Like what you see? Follow me on Bloglovin’, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with what I’m writing about.

Alcatraz was once the place where America sent the worst of the worst. Among some of its most famous prisoners, Al Capone, convicted of tax evasion, and Robert “The Birdman” Stroud, convicted of murder. Alcatraz saw murderers, thieves and more, but for some reason I almost felt bad for some of these men, touring their former holding place.

Upon arrival to Alcatraz, visitors aren’t shuffled into tour groups led by park rangers. Rather they’re directed to the jail at the top of the island and given their own personal audio tour headset. Putting on those headphones made me forget about the swarms of people surrounding the are and listen solely to the those speaking to me.

And those are the people you want to talk to about what life was like in the prison.

The audio tour is composed of interviews with former officers and prisoners from Alcatraz. You see their photos at the beginning of the tour.

Following the words of people who came here under very different circumstance, visitors are led around the entire jailhouse as well as some of its surrounding areas, while hearing some interesting stories about it along the way.

Like prisoners, visitors first walk down the main walkway, otherwise known as Broadway, between B and C blocks. Before being shown to their cell, new arrivals would walk down this strip and be “introduced” to the their new housemates. Listening to screaming men and banging on the cell bars as I walked down Broadway myself, I couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous for what awaited me on this tour.

I think it was the personal stories that got to me the most. In the solitary confinement area, D block, a former prisoner  talks about what he would do to keep his sanity while spending days in one of the pitch black cells. His game to make the hours go by was to throw a button somewhere in the cell and try to find it in the dark. Can you imagine that being your only form of entertainment for hours, even days?

Solitary confinement was a dark experience on Alcatraz Island. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

The other comments in my audio tour that really got to me were about how the prisoners could not only see across the bay, but also hear what they were missing out on. One prisoner said on New Years he could actually hear people laughing. All that separated these men from joining in on the fun was water and walls.

How’s that for a constant reminder that you made a mistake?

Freedom is just across the bay. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

For some men, the laughter and the look of the outside world got to be to much to ignore. The tour includes two stories about prison escapes, one successful, the other an actual disaster.

The first was made on June 11, 1962 by two brothers, Clarence and John Aglin, and one fellow prisoner, Frank Morris, who, like in Shawshank Redemption, chipped their way through the prison’s concrete walls with a spoon, then escaped through the pipes of the prison. No one knew the three were gone until finding dummy heads made up of soap and toilet paper in their beds the following day. Allen West was the fourth conspirator in this attempt, but he discovered a metal bar blocking him through the chipped away piece of the wall he worked on. The other three left him.

The second attempt mentioned on the tours was not nearly as organized or quiet. Known as the “Battle of Alcatraz”, six prisoners overpowered cell house officers on May 2, 1946. They took the officers’ guns and a set of keys in an attempt to open the door to the recreational area and make a run for it. Only problem was none of the keys would work. Officers outside the prison found out and a war broke out between the armed prisoners and prison officers lasting two days. Eventually the US Marines were called out to actually bombing the prison to end the feud.

The prison floors still have marks from bombings during the “Battle of Alcatraz”. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

During the 36 years the prison was in operation, 36 prisoners attempted escape. All but five were recaptured or accounted for.

Robert F. Kennedy closed the prison on June 11, 1962, because of its deterioration and high cost to maintain.

Starting in 1964 Native Americans took over the island to protest federal policies relating to Indians. Remnants from this time in the island’s history can still be seen on the water tower and a sign at the entrance to the prison. Alcatraz Island was made a national recreation area in 1972. Today the National Park Service looks after the island, welcoming over one million visitors per year.

Writing from the Native American Reservation period of Alcatraz Island’s history. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Any Alcatraz tour starts at Alcatraz Cruises on Pier 33 on Fisherman’s Wharf. Day tours cost $28 per adult and fill up very quick, so purchase your tickets in advance at all times of year. I was there on a Saturday and they were booked until Monday. This price includes the boat ride to and from Alcatraz Island as well as the self-guided tour.The cruise is something special in its own right. On the way out to Alcatraz passengers will see sea lions, a great view of the Bay Area and the Golden Gate Bridge.

If you can try to get to a point on the tour when you’re alone-no crowds, no visitors. It’s a lot easier than you would think at such a huge tourists’ attraction. In that moment, I was finally on my own in cell block C, I got only a glimpse of the loneliness prisoners here felt over years and years, making up for their crimes. I’m not saying these people didn’t deserve their punishment, but I couldn’t help but sympathize with some of the men at certain points of the tour.

A moment of loneliness on cell block C. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Thanks to Alcatraz Cruises for sponsoring my tour of Alcatraz Island. Visit their website to book your tickets early. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

A special thanks to Jucy Rentals USA for sponsoring my trip out West. Visit their website to start planning your own US road trip. Use the code “BobbiUSA” to receive 10% off your booking. Follow my trip right here on Heels and Wheels, as well as on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

As always, all opinions are my own.

Like what you see? Follow me on Bloglovin’, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with what I’m writing about.

In week two of my Jucy Wheels Out West tour, I traded beaches for forest, sunshine for snow and the Pacific Coast Highway for Route 66. Yes, this week I stretched from Napa Valley, California, down the Sierra Nevada, hitting Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks, through Nevada, all the way to the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

In one week I racked up over one thousand miles and while all the long drives, curvy roads and harsh driving conditions were worth it to watch the last hours of sun light up the Grand Canyon, this was not an easy journey.

As mentioned, my week started in Napa Valley, where the struggle began. Ric and I arrived in wine country very late and the RV Park we planned to spend the night (RV Expo Center) didn’t accept vehicles without toilets. We ended up in a hotel, because we were just too exhausted to keep looking around, if only we would have searched a few miles forward we would have found Skyline Wilderness Park one of the very best campgrounds I’ve visited yet.

The night’s drama didn’t matter though, as we woke up the next day with a full list of vineyards to visit in Napa Valley, but we also left room for a few surprises along the way. We started the day driving 45 minutes out to our furthest point in the Valley, Chateau Montelena. I must admit, I was a bit disappointed in the downtown Napa area, as most of what I saw was made up of highways and strip malls, but venturing further out, these things gave way to two lane highways lined with California Oak Trees, nothing on the horizon but vineyards and forest. On the way to Chateau Monetelena, we stopped at one of three “old faithful” geysers in the world.

I felt like a princess sitting on the steps of Castello di Amorosa, a real castle in Napa Valley. Photo by Richard John Hackey

From Montelena, we visited Castello di Amorosa to tour a real Medieval castle in Napa Valley. The castle even has a torture chamber. After the castle we made our way to Darioush, which has its own royal influence. The “cellar door” here is based off the Apadana Palace constructed by King Darius during the Persian Empire. The wines at both vineyards were even better than the scenery, if you can imagine.

It’s a good thing we had a day of relaxation in wine country, because the next four days included very heavy driving.

I think I bit off more than I could chew with this trip. Four national parks and three states in four days, if you’d have told me I would have accomplished this last week, I would have said you were dreaming.

From Napa, we made a three-hour journey to Yosemite Pines RV Resort, which is located about 2o-miles outside Yosemite National Park. While the scenery up to about two hours after Napa wasn’t that impressive, the last bit of our journey as well as the entire drive through the park was incredible. We even saw a coyote on the way in.

Massive rock formations, towering trees and the highest waterfall in North America? You can’t help but be impressed by Yosemite National Park. Here we played in the snow, went photo mad at certain lookout points and hiked to Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in North America. We spent a good four hours in the park, which costs $20 per vehicle to enter. (This fee, as well as all other entrance fees mentioned in this piece allows visitors to stay or come in and out of the specific park for up to seven days.)

From the village area, it’s only a twenty-minute walk to Yosemite Falls. There are two options on the walk, one way will take you to a viewing point to see both Upper and Lower Falls, the other will just get you up close to Lower Falls. This photo is from the first walk mentioned, though you can only see Upper Falls. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

It’s extremely important to look into road conditions at Yosemite and all national state parks during the winter. Expect several road closures during the winter months, so either go with it or plan ahead.

We planned ahead and just stuck to the Western side of the Sierra Nevada, doing a loop through Yosemite then making our way south to Lakeridge Campground, about ten miles outside of Kings Canyon National Park. It’s at least a three hour drive from Yosemite to Kings Canyon.

The following day I woke up and hit the road to find out just how unforgiving roadways near the Sierra Nevada can be.

We entered Kings Canyon from the Highway 180 entrance and drove through the park to connecting Sequoia National Park then exited much further south to continue our journey onwards. Since these two parks have a road through them that covers quite a bit of ground I would plan to go through the park in one go, then continue your journey onwards, instead of backtracking through the park to stay at the same place you spent the previous night.

The drive from Lakeridge to the entrance of Kings Canyon was winding and at one point so foggy, I could only see 10-15 feet ahead. Once the clouds disappeared, we found ourselves on top of them looking out to mountain points peaking through.

If there is a heaven, I’m pretty sure it looks something like this. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks cost one fee of $20 to enter both. Along the way we saw the Big Stump, General Sherman Tree and ended up in the middle of a serious snowball fight. I’m not sure how we did it, but we missed the General Grant Tree. Everything happens for a reason though and missing that tree meant catching a wild bobcat hunting for prey near Hospital Rock.

I spotted this bobcat in the distance at Hospital Rock in Sequoia National Park. Pretty sure the little guys had his eyes on some deer, which we also got up close to. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Any drive through this park, must be at a cruise. Otherwise you will go nuts. At around 3 p.m. we started to wonder where we would spend the night. We made it our goal to get to the Mojave Desert, which is three hours south. Even if I wanted to rush it, I couldn’t. The roads in Sequoia National Park wind, bend and wrap around, all with a massive drop to one side. This is not a place to speed.

But things could have been worse. We made a quick stop at Jerky This to buy 1/2 a pound of teriyaki beef jerky (obviously) and the owner of the shop was astonished that we actually made it through the park without snow chains. You really must look into weather conditions and park regulations when planning a visit to these places in the winter. We were very lucky everything worked out in our favor.

The road woes didn’t end there.

A bit of traffic, rain, winding roads, were nothing compared to what I experienced on Highway 58 in the Mojave Desert. Everything was perfect and then…white.

Thick fog to the point where all I could see was white and maybe two of the yellow lines that separate lanes ahead. I would hit traffic, then all the cars would disappear, so I would to speed up and all of a sudden-boom-red brake lights in front of me. No idea how far they were away, but I would slam on my breaks just the same. I came very close to just pulling over on this major highway and waiting for something to change.

I only mention all these things, so people interested in road tripping this area know how unforgiving the weather and the roads out here can be. I was warned before my trip, but I didn’t give my plans a second guess. I want to say I would have planned it differently, but to be where I am as I write this post, I’m not sure I would.

After a night at Sierra Trails RV Park in the Mojave Desert, we headed further east through Las Vegas to Lake Mead National Recreation Area, where we spent the night. I thought nothing could top the sights in Big Sur, but I have to admit the scenery starting in Lake Mead wowed me just as much. Large red-and-purple-colored cliffs that look like they’ve been chipped away at by the gods, a sculpture in progress.

This is the view we got to wake up to in Lake Mead. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

The next day we made one last long-haul drive out to Grand Canyon, stopping at the Hoover Dam along the way. You will be amazed at what human beings are capable of after seeing Hoover Dam in person. It’s huge! We drove over it and even walked on the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge in front of it, where I actually felt myself getting sick the vertigo is that bad and I’m not even afraid of heights.

A view of the Hoover Dam from the Memorial Bridge that runs over it. This bridge will give you serious vertigo. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Now we thought the journey to the Grand Canyon would only take two hours from Lake Mead as we had our GPS set to Gran Canyon West. Turns out the journey is four hours at the least to reach Grand Canyon South, the National Park entrance that is open all year. I felt a bit defeated when I my GPS announced that I’d reached Grand Canyon West and all I saw was sand and bushes.

But I couldn’t feel bad for a second, because I was driving along America’s world famous Route 66 and only two hours away from seeing the Grand Canyon, which is in my opinion, America’s most sought after attraction.

The Grand Canyon in the last hours of the day. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Open roads, straight highways and pretty remarkable scenery along the way made the trip fly by. We made it to Mather Lookout Point to watch the sun light up the red in the Grand Canyon from the opposite direction. Tomorrow, we’ll see the sun rise just behind that same spot.

Pretty sure this is the best jump shot I’ve ever done, at Route 66 heading east. Photo by Richard John Hackey

No matter how hard or long the drive, you can’t have a single complaint seeing things like this.

Thanks to Jucy Rentals USA for sponsoring my trip out West. Visit their website to start planning your own US road trip. Use the code “BobbiUSA” to receive 10% off your booking. Follow my trip right here on Heels and Wheels, as well as on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

A special thanks to Castello di Amorosa and Darioush for sponsoring my visit to Napa Valley.

As always, all opinions are my own.

Like what you see? Follow me on Bloglovin’, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with what I’m writing about.

Big Sur is one of those places that people bond over the mention of. Before I planned my visit to this 90-mile stretch of California, I didn’t think I knew anyone who had ever been. As soon as I spoke about my trip out loud, so many people came out with advice to offer or just wanted to tell me how much they loved it.

Make sure to go to the Henry Miller Library and check out the view at Nepenthe. Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is a must and make sure to visit McWay Falls while you’re there.

I’ve never had such direct advice from so many people about one place. I didn’t quite understand what people were talking about through the recommendation process, but after spending two days in Big Sur, I know exactly what they meant, how unbelievably gorgeous this place is and how often I’ll think about it for the rest of my life.

Big Sur has been written about over and over. It’s beauty attempted to be explained and the many stories of how locals come to end up staying forever still inciting questions by visitors. The best of all things nature: forest, beach, the sea, as well as the other world: unique shops, restaurants and lodging, you might not be able to see yourself ever living in Big Sur, but a piece of you wants so badly to never leave.

So like the many before me, I’ve tried to explain this mysterious section of California and will pass on the ‘musts’ in this reclusive piece of Highway 1 in what I think is the best order to do them.

This is the view of the Bixby Canyon Bridge from a vista point before it to the north. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

First stop: Bixby Canyon Bridge

Driving south on Highway 1, my first ‘must see’ in this patch of Big Sur is an architectural marvel. The bridge was built in 1932 and made it a lot easier for visitors to enter and leave Big Sur, as well as for locals to travel from the area in the winter months, which was almost impossible before.

It is one of the tallest single span bridges in the world and has been the object of many photographs as well as films and songs. Death Cab for Cutie produced a song about the bridge you might want to download to make the crossing even more special. A white bridge snugged between two cliffs, rocky hills behind it and a tiny beach below, it’s located right on the water. Stop at a vista point before crossing it from the north for the best photo opportunity. Time your visit here for late morning or early afternoon when the sun is high.

The walk to McWay Falls is short and easy. It’s basically across the street from the entrance to the park, but there is a tunnel under Highway 1 to walk through when parking across the street. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Second stop: Julia Burns Pfeiffer State Park

The trip from Bixby to this State Park is going to take at least 40 minutes. During the trip feel free to stop at shops along the way and grab something to eat. This is going to be the furthest south we venture. Get to the State Park, by 3 or 4 p.m. if you only want to visit McWay Falls, earlier if you want to see more of the park.

Named after a rancher who lived in Big Sur in the early 20th century, the six-square miles of this park includes forests, beach, several hiking trails, 300-foot tall redwoods and McWay Falls. Another photogenic road stop, McWay Falls drops from an 80-foot cliff directly onto the beach and into the Pacific. This waterfall is very easy to reach. Located right on the side of Highway 1, it’s only about a ten-minute walk from the parking lot at Julia Burns Pfeiffer State Park.

The reason I recommend getting here by 3 or 4 p.m. is because the sun falls really nicely on McWay Falls at this time of day, whereas any earlier it might be blackened by the shade of mountains to the east. Also, our next stop is best at sunset and only a short drive from the Falls.

This is one of many incredible views from Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur, California. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Third stop: Nepenthe Restaurant

Drive about ten minutes north on Highway 1 to reach our next stop: Nepenthe Restaurant. The modern, yet still rugged wooden building located on a cliff looking out to the Pacific has a massive deck that is the perfect place to spend the entire day in Big Sur, but especially sunset.

From this restaurant, people have an unobstructed view of Big Sur’s forest, jagged cliffs and dramatic drops to beaches on the coast and of course, the sun setting on nothing but ocean. I didn’t even attempt to eat here as every guide book I read and person I spoke to said it is very expensive, but the restaurant was very busy, so if you do want a nice meal in Big Sur, this is an option to think about.

If you just want an incredible view, walk along the deck at Nepenthe to the very back and give yourself some time to take in Big Sur in its last moments of light.

It’s easy to spend hours at Henry Miller Memorial Library just looking through the shop. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Fourth stop: Henry Miller Memorial Library

Depending on what day of the week it is, you might need to set off for this next stop immediately after watching the sun set as it usually closes around 6 p.m. Only a few miles north of Highway 1 is the Henry Miller Memorial Library, a non-profit organization that features works of art and literature by the late writer and Big Sur resident, Henry Miller, as well as others. A hippy haven in the woods, the quaint wooden house is no-frills on the outside but an eye full of color and design inside.

The Library is worth a trip on its own, but it often has live music acts on the weekend by local independent artists, as well as well-known performers like Patti Smith. Spend as much time as you can looking through everything this place has to offer. Make sure to give a donation outside in exchange for tea, coffee or just the joy you get from visiting a place like this. The Library has free wi-fi and the most incredible cat called Theo.

Fernwood Resort is one of many ideal places to stay in Big Sur and a definite stop for a few drinks with locals. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Final stop: Redwood Grill and Restaurant at Fernwood Resort

I’m going to finish this list of ‘musts’ in Big Sur with my own personal recommendation. I camped at Fernwood Resort in the most adorable spot right on the Big Sur River, next to a wooden bridge with colored lights. I thought the campground was amazing as soon as I parked my camper van there, natural, quiet, the staff friendly and fun.

Then a local guy who works at Henry Miller Memorial Library recommended a friend and I visit the restaurant attached, Redwood Grill, as he said it was ‘basically [his] living room’. If there’s anything I’ve learned from my travels, it’s that when you get a recommendation like that by someone who lives in the place you’re visiting, you follow it.

Inside, the restaurant has a small bar with lots of wines, beers and spirits. The restaurant includes several rooms set up like a house: one with leather couches, a TV, board games and a few tables. I spent a good few hours there chatting to locals and finding out what brought them to Big Sur. I couldn’t quite fathom where all these people live as I saw maybe two houses on the entire stretch.

What I got from my conversations with people who live in Big Sur, during my last night there, is that it just keeps getting better and better. The five things I mention in this post only scratch the surface. The longer you stay in Big Sur, you’ll notice tiny private streets coming off Highway 1, natural wonders that have yet to be photographed and people who came to this area for a visit, but still haven’t left.

I was perplexed about how people come to live in Big Sur, but I guess the longer you stay, the more it just makes sense.

Thanks to Jucy Rentals USA for sponsoring my trip out West. Visit their website to start planning your own US road trip. Use the code “BobbiUSA” to receive 10% off your booking. Follow my trip right here on Heels and Wheels, as well as on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

As always all opinions are my own.

Like what you see? Follow me on Bloglovin’, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with what I’m writing about.

Driving on the Pacific Coast Highway north through Malibu, rocky mountains to my right, endless ocean to my left, I felt like I had finally arrived.

California.

The subject of many songs, stories and of course, road trips. The first state I’ll conquer on my tour out west and surprisingly one I know very little about.

Born on the east coast, everything I know of California comes from films and two short trips to Los Angeles. But after one week of touring, I know one thing for sure about this state, I’m in love with it.

My first priority after picking up my Jucy Champ was reaching a beach, so I headed to Santa Monica and continued driving along the coast on the Pacific Coast Highway. A quick stop at Neptune’s Net to try the crab cakes and pause to take in the view, then I continued on to Santa Barbara, where I would spend my first night.

Well that’s what I thought at least.

While there are RV Parks located not far from the town center, I found their rates to be a lot higher than State Parks located a few miles away, so I booked something a bit further out.

Heading deeper and deeper into the wild, I arrived at Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, where I spent my first night. It was pitch black outside by the time I got there, so I was surprised to wake up the next morning and see I was surrounded by the Santa Ynez and San Rafael Mountains. It’s an ideal place to spend a few days in the summer. But in the winter, you’ll find it pretty empty, so don’t worry about booking ahead this time of year.

Can you imagine waking up to this? It’s hard impossible to find a bad spot to camp at Cachuma Lake. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

My only goal for day two was to reach somewhere close to Hearst Castle, which I would tour the following day. I held out as far as possible, skipping State Park after State Park. I finally gave in at Morro Bay and it was a good decision.

Eucalyptus trees line the road to Morro Bay State Park, which is located right on the water. Since they only accept cash or check payments to park up for the night, I had to find a bank. Being in the heavily forested area, you would have no idea how close the town center and loads of shops are. I decided on staying in the town center, spending the night at Cypress Morro Bay RV and MH Park, where I got a space, free wifi and partial hook up for just under $40.

Basically, there are campgrounds here to suit everyone in this area at similar rates, whether you want to be completely surrounded by nature or stay in a town not far from it.

Cypress is walking distance from Morro Rock and Morro Strand State Beach. Along the way to the town’s iconic rock, I passed by a marina filled with sailboats and fishing charters, heaps of independently-owned, fresh seafood restaurants and even a bit of wildlife in the form of three otters playing in the water, not far from shore. I really loved this spot, because it has a nice balance of nature and town life. Plus the sunsets are incredible.

Watch the sun go down in Morro Bay then head to nearby seafood restaurants for dinner. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

The next morning, I was on the road just after 7 a.m. on my way to Hearst Castle in San Simeon. I thought my view of the coast was unbelievable from Highway One here, but it got even better once I reached this castle on a hill. Media mogul William Randolph Hearst commissioned Julia Morgan, California’s first certified female architect, to build his dream estate in 1919.

It literally has the best of two continents, the grandeur of European royalty and the stunning California scenery. Hearst Castle offers an array of different tours, all of which allow visitors to wander around the estate until closing time. The estate is home to an incredible private collection of European art.

The next leg of my journey would actually bring me to tears and make me wonder why it took so long to visit this state.

There are no words to describe the drive on Highway One from Hearst Castle to Big Sur.

It’s so unfair to be the driver on this road. Luckily there are plenty of vista points along the way in Big Sur to stare at the scenery. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Picture a two lane road cut into rocky hills that rise from the sea. Clear skies and a bright sun lighting up a dark blue ocean. It’s a cruel joke that you need to pay so much attention to driving on the swerving road, because all I wanted to do was stare out my side window at the view of the coast.

I must have stopped about ten times at different vista points along the way. One to check out is a beach that’s home to hundreds of elephant seals, another because I spotted whales out to sea and the rest, well, if you saw just how incredible the coast looks here, you would understand.

Big Sur is a forest on the sea and my favorite stop from week one. I met up with my friend Emily here who flew in from New York City. In one day we crossed the Bixby Canyon Bridge, photographed McWay Falls, watched the sun set from Nepenthe Restaurant, drank tea and played with a cat called Theo at Henry Miller Memorial Library and met locals at Fernwood Grill, which might as well be a living room for them. I spent both nights camping at Fernwood in a spot right next to the Big Sur River. The forest there is filled with coastal red woods, not quite as big as the trees up north, but still fascinating.

McWay Falls pours right onto the beach and is only a ten minute walk from the parking lot at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

This section of California is owned by nature, but also a few unique restaurants, bars and lodges seem to come out of nowhere along the road here. It’s hard to believe it’s only 30 minutes from civilization in the form of Monterey.

Pay attention when walking on trails in in the forest here. A poison oak plant brushed my skin at some point here. Nothing serious, but it’s good to be aware.

After a day in Big Sur, we made our way up to San Francisco, stopping at Carmel by the Sea, to stick our feet in the Pacific Ocean, Santa Cruz to check out the boardwalk and Half Moon Bay to see the bluff from a Ritz Carlton located right on the beach here.

We finally reached San Francisco, where we would spend a few days, around 7 p.m.. Give yourself an entire day or even longer to do the trip from Big Sur to the city, it takes a lot longer than you would think.

My Jucy Champ parked up at a lookout point near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

We couldn’t have chosen a better weekend to be in the bay area as it was buzzing about the 49ers being in the NFC Division Championship game, which they won!

We started our visit in the city by taking in its best views, visiting Bakers Beach to see the Golden Gate Bridge and Twin Peaks to see the city from above. While it was worth getting to Twin Peaks for the view, driving up the hills in San Francisco is one of the scariest things I’ve ever experienced on the road. Don’t even bother with the break going up. Keep your foot on the gas to stop the car from falling back.

Our trip to Alcatraz gave us another view of the city and one that must have been such a tease to the men imprisoned there decades ago. Tours of Alcatraz are self guided and told through recordings of former prisoners and officers. Focusing only on the voices that guide you and the areas they point out, it’s easy to get lost in the island prison.

Former prisoners on Alcatraz say some nights they could hear laughter coming from the city, a reminder of what they were missing out on. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Book your tickets to Alcatraz far in advance, it sells out days ahead at all times of year.

Fisherman’s Wharf is one of the busiest spots in San Francisco. There is loads to do in this area and great seafood restaurants to eat at. We visited the sea lions at Pier 39 and I was lucky enough to be scared by the Bush Man yet again. This San Fran staple covers himself with shrubbery on the sidewalks around the wharf, scaring inattentive passer-bys, like me.

While the Wharf has a ton of restaurants, we opted for Italian food in North Beach for dinner as one of my friends who lives in the city, says it’s where all the locals go. Think 1950s Italian restaurants, stringed lights hung above the streets and tasty homemade meals.

While in the city we also visited Alamo Square to see the Painted Ladies (a row of houses made famous by Full House), Haight Ashbury (where all the hippies traveled to in the 60s) and Lombard Street, which is known for being San Francisco’s crookedest street.

I said goodbye to Emily in San Francisco and welcomed on tour my wonderful boyfriend Ric. Our last activity in the city was crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on the way to Napa, something I never thought I would do in my life.

This state has so many claims to fame and so many icons known around the world that make it attractive at face value. But like any great love, it’s the state’s secrets and surprises that will make you fall for it. I can’t wait to find out more about it.

Thanks to Jucy Rentals USA for sponsoring my trip out West. Visit their website to start planning your own US road trip. Use the code “BobbiUSA” to receive 10% off your booking. Follow my trip right here on Heels and Wheels, as well as on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

A special thanks to Hearst Castle and Alcatraz Cruises for welcoming me out to their attractions.

As always all opinions are my own.

Like what you see? Follow me on Bloglovin’, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with what I’m writing about.

Driving north on Highway 1, I first spot the castle upon turning into its driveway that seems miles and miles long to the top. Perched at the very top of a of one of the many rocky points on the Coast Range, I immediately have flashbacks of Neuschwanstein in Germany, the actual castle Disneyland based the one from Sleeping Beauty. I know it’s called Hearst Castle, but I didn’t expect the sight to be so dramatic and so…European.

But that’s exactly what newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst was going for when he commissioned architect Julia Morgan, the first certified female architect in California, to build this grand west coast estate in 1919.

The land was William’s birth right, but the castle was his own creation.

Hearst Castle is a 250,000-acre working ranch. The house is enormous, but dwarfed by the size of the property. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

His father George, who made his fortune in silver before William was born, purchased the land land on the coast of San Simeon, where the castle is located, in 1865. William grew up and grew to love the land here as much as his father did.

But at the age of ten, he began a love affair with distant lands when his mother, Phoebe, and him went on a year-long vacation in Europe. Called The Grand Tour at the time, William and Phoebe would see great works of art and architecture around the continent, some thousands and thousands of years old. William especially fell in love with the style in the Mediterranean.

It was this holiday that inspired William to build a castle of his own, in the same style, eventually.

Hearst Castle is an actual art museum, containing an immense private collection of European statues, tapestry and antiques. William was an avid antiques collector and his purchases would not only decorate the interior of the house, but actually be built into it, like wooden flip chairs from a Spanish monastery. Julia Morgan began designing Mediterranean Revival Style estate in 1919, not long after Hearst inherited his father’s 250,000-acre ranch from his mother.

It took 28-years to complete.

Not long at all considering most people dubbed the land “impossible” to build on, it didn’t even have a road at the time.

Casa Grande is the largest and main house at Hearst Castle. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Visiting the estate and seeing William’s vision in reality, I could understand his success. To see so much detail in something and have the determination to make it come to life is extremely unique.

Today, the estate is a California State Park, open to the public for tours. I started my visit by watching Hearst Castle: Building the Dream, a 30-minute film about the estate in the park’s iMax theater. Unlike a lot of museum movies, this one was very interesting and produced like a Hollywood film. I learned the story behind the man and the castle, as well as the people who visited and saw old films of the place in its prime.

Hearst was and still is a big name in publishing. A true newspaper man, he invited many guests from the film and business world to the castle to find out their story. Some notable visitors include Charlie Chaplin, Carrie Grant, even Winston Churchill.

I went on their Grand Rooms Museum Tour inside Casa Grande, the main house on the estate where William and his family stayed. This tour goes in the order of what it would be like to be a guest in the house at dinner time. Visitors would meet in the Assembly Room for a drink around 7 p.m. Have dinner in the Refectory next. When finished, they would fool around in the Billard Room. The night would end with a screening in Hearst’s private Theater. Owning a film studio and working with the big names in Hollywood, William would show films that weren’t even in the public theaters yet.

Guests would meet in the Assembly Room for a drink before dinner. During a video in the Theater Room at the end of my tour, I saw several photos of old Hollywood celebrities lounging on this couch. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Throughout the tour, patrons see works of art in each room, such as Anotonio Canova’s Venus Italica staue in the Assembly Room . The guide tells guests details about what it was like to stay at the castle, like how the longer a visitor would be there, the further down he or she would sit from Hearst at the center of the lengthy table.

William would sit at the very center of the dinner table in the Rectory. New guests would sit next to him so he could hear their story. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

After the tour, which is about an hour, visitors are free to roam the grounds until the park closes. I spent about two hours doing this. Not only is the castle large, but it also has so much detail and an incredible view of the coast. Walking around, I really became lost in place and time. They’ve kept the estate so perfect to how it originally was and its so distant from anything modern, walking around I started to feel my day dream of old Hollywood become a reality.

Perched on top of a hill, Hearst Castle offers a stunning view of the coast. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

The outdoor Neptune Pool was most popular amongst guest in William’s time, but for me, the Roman Pool is my favorite stop. An entirely mosaic room, I could imagine a new guest at the castle sneaking away to this spot and wondering, “Is this place real?”.

The indoor Roman Pool is almost entirely covered in mosaics. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Visitors can choose from three different tours available regularly, Grand Rooms; Upstairs Suites and Cottages and Kitchen, each of which is $25 per person (adult). Visitors are free to roam the grounds after their tour until closing time.

But the best tour I heard about is their Evening Museum Tour, which is only offered on certain dates throughout the year. During the tour actors and actresses roam the property dressed in 1930s attire. This was the era Hearst Castle was in its prime. The number one place I want to visit, but never will, is back in time. Activities like this are the closest we can get to that.

Having so many places around the world on my “to do” list, I don’t often say, “I’ll come back here again.”. But I said that, a few times while touring and after leaving Hearst Castle. The Hearst family named this spot of land, “La Cuesta Encantada”, which means “The Enchanted Hill“. Almost a hundred years later and it’s still enchanting its guests, including me.

Thanks to Hearst Castle for welcoming me out to tour their beautiful estate. Visit their website for more information on your visit.

Thanks to Jucy Rentals USA for sponsoring my trip out West. Visit their website to start planning your own US road trip. Use the code “BobbiUSA” to receive 10% off your booking. Follow my trip right here on Heels and Wheels, as well as on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

As always all opinions are my own.

Like what you see? Follow me on Bloglovin’, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with what I’m writing about.

The sun is shining, ocean calm calm and the Pacific Coast Highway empty. Sounds like a good day to start my Jucy road trip in Western USA.

The down-under rental company premiered in the States this past summer and after driving it for only one day, I can honestly say it’s a unique addition to the country’s roadways. Everywhere I stop people stare, ask questions and get excited about my adorable green Jucy Champ, a pimped out Chrysler minivan.

It’s easy to under stand why.

To start with, the van drives like a dream and isn’t too much to handle for people who aren’t used to driving big cars. It’ll get you more miles to the gallon than those massive RVs, but still has plenty of space to spread out and get comfortable.

And what does all that space include?

On top of all the basics of modern vehicles, power-steering; air conditioning and what not, this ride also includes:

• penthouse bed on top with ladder to reach it
• a fold out, standard-size bed inside, suitable for two people
• sheets, pillow, towels and blankets
• DVD player, CD player and radio
• 41-liter fridge
• sink with a fresh water tank
• gas cooker
• interior table as well as another fold out table for outside
• dishes, cutlery, kettle, pots and pans
• interior lighting, blinds and electrical outlets

The Jucy team in Los Angeles were extremely helpful in showing me how to use the all the Champ’s goodies. I’ve already assembled my bed for the night and am now laying down in it, parked up on the beach in Santa Barbara. Already loving my life on the road with Jucy.

Thanks to Jucy Rentals USA for sponsoring my trip out West. Visit their website to start planning your own US road trip. Use the code “BobbiUSA” to receive 10% off your booking. Follow my trip right here on Heels and Wheels, as well as on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. As always all opinions are my own.

Like what you see? Follow me on Bloglovin’, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with what I’m writing about.

There’s something about Western USA that just pulls people in. It’s in the shining lights of cities like Los Angeles and Las Vegas, the wide open roads on the Pacific Coast Highway and especially the jaw-dropping landscapes of national parks like Yosemite and Grand Canyon. The West has long attracted travellers looking to stretch out or even make it big.

And in 2013 that’s going to be me.

I’m happy to announce that for my first trip of 2013 I’ll be heading out with with Jucy Rentals in the USA. During the three week tour of California and Nevada, I’ll be stopping at three major cities, at least five national parks and as many beaches as humanly possible.

I was first introduced to Jucy almost three years ago in Australia. Their cute green and purple vans with an even cuter pin-up girl on the side were extremely popular down under, which made me envious that we never had anything like that in the States.

Not anymore.

A look at my Wheels out West, the Jucy Champ campervan. Photo courtesy of Jucy Rentals

The vehicle rental company premiered in the USA this past summer. Why is this so exciting? Because they offer affordable rentals allowing people at all ages and budgets to go on the road trip they’ve always dreamed of, including me.

It may sound weird, but I’ve traveled the world more than my own country. This will be my first serious road trip of the USA since childhood. Sure I went on the regular family road trips and I’ve been on a few weekend trips here and there, but I’ve never been on a large-scale road trip anywhere in the USA and have traveled minimally out West.

So after three years of living abroad, it’s finally time to travel the homeland. The trip will start and finish in Los Angeles, looping out to Las Vegas than on to the Grand Canyon and back.

Photo courtesy of Google Maps

Here are a few of the things I’m most excited about:

Big cities:

• Los Angeles
• San Francisco
• Las Vegas

Big parks:

• Big Sur
• Yosemite
• Grand Canyon
• Joshua Tree

Big attractions:

• Eames House
• Hearst Castle
• Alcatraz
• Napa Valley

It’s going to be a full three weeks. Luckily, I won’t be doing it alone. I’ll be catching up with friends along the way, traveling with Emily, one of my best friends from college, from Big Sur to San Francisco and meeting up with Ric in Napa Valley to finish off the trip together.

I’ve done my research and picked out a lot of places I’m eager to visit, but I want to hear from you! Where would you visit on a road trip of Western USA? What sights are you eager to see and what would you like to know more about?

Thanks to Jucy Rentals USA for sponsoring my trip out West. Visit their website to start planning your own US road trip. Use the code “BobbiUSA” to receive 10% off your booking. Follow my trip right here on Heels and Wheels, as well as on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. As always all opinions are my own.

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