It wasn’t my first time seeing palm trees, it wasn’t my first time west of the Mississippi, but it was my first time in the Republic of California. That Eagles lyric, ‘You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave’ needs to be updated to; ‘If you can afford it, you will never leave.’ I can’t find another way to describe it: paradise.

Spending the better part of a week there was magical. The only regret I had was not making it two weeks. I started planning the trip wanting to play Torrey Pines Golf Course, but after a few youtube videos I realized that was totally out of my league. My best friend and I did still make the trip up to Torrey Pines and it was the most beautiful golf course I have ever seen.

Despite a water crisis the course looked great, if my handicap dramatically improves I will be taking another swing at this one. I did fulfill the golf requirement of the trip however, as the next day we headed to Mission Bay Golf Course. The course was fantastic and the weather couldn’t have been better, we played a 4 ball scramble and started out -2 on the front but ended +2.

We continued on the following day to Los Angeles, and I have to say even though we encountered a limited amount of traffic during the time we were there, I understand the nightmare. Coming from San Diego on the 5 freeway we got a great view of the skyline, and made our way to the L.A. Galaxy stadium we were looking for.

The stadium was great, and we weaseled our way into getting this photo by persistence and friendliness with the front desk staff, almost as if Ted Lasso was with us. My friend has a bucket list to visit every MLS stadium, so one more down and I collect jerseys so I got their June pride jersey. Honestly how could I escape Los Angeles in June without something colorful?

We continued on to the tourist trap of the Hollywood sign, not my first choice, but my friend is never going back to California. It was worth it since we were there, and the Hollywood sign park is definitely the place to go if you need the picture.

From the Hollywood sign we moved on to Pasadena and the Rose Bowl. I don’t know a bigger Ohio State fan than my best friend, so this was like seeing Mecca. I have no idea what will become of The Rose Bowl now that USC and UCLA will be joining the Big Ten, but seeing it even from the outside was a religious experience.

‘The Big Lebowski’ is my favorite movie, and I studied film extensively in college, so this trip to California was a long time coming. I’ve been to Europe and I knew that would be the only comparison I could make as I reside in Ohio.

California did not disappoint. If you are looking for a vacation with perfect weather and don’t have a passport, Southern California is the answer. We stayed in La Jolla, and I can’t say anything negative about it. Europe has a leg up for historical significance on almost any western destination, but Southern California is where I want my ashes spread.