Our Kirsty was lucky enough to secure a spot on a trip to the United States to sample the experience of a surfer’s life in Los Angeles followed by living the glitzy Vegas lifestyle for a few nights. She has recently returned, full of tales and ready to share them with the world. So, without further ado, over to Kirsty:
Day One
I arrived into Birmingham airport nice and early – I had pre-booked airport parking, which was at the multi storey on the airport grounds. This was super convenient and all I had to do was park up and walk over to the terminal building. I would recommend this to anyone!
Once I had breezed through check-in, we boarded the KLM flight from Birmingham to Amsterdam which was a short 45 minute flight. They had great staff, excellent legroom and you even get a sandwich and a drink complimentary. After a couple of hours wait we boarded another KLM flight heading to Los Angeles. During the flight we had a hot meal, which was chicken or pasta, followed by several offerings of flight snacks such as ice-cream and crisps. Two hours before landing we were even given pizza and fruit, so we were never hungry! Again, I experienced great service and the entertainment on the flight system was on demand with a huge variety – from the latest movies to your favourite TV shows.
It was a 40 minute transfer to the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Hotel. We were welcomed with a fantastic smile and a speedy check-in. Once we had settled we met up in the lobby where we hired bikes from the local shop. We took them onto the beach promenade, where 10 miles of glorious beach and pedestrian walkway lay before us. This was an amazing experience to take part in! The views you get were breath-taking and it certainly woke me up after a 10 hour flight. The agenda for the evening included a meal at the Dukes Restaurant, which was situated on the seafront and specialised in seafood. After a fantastic meal we headed back to the hotel for a much needed early night.
Day Two
We woke up nice and early and feeling refreshed. We were greeted by Stephanie, who works at the Hyatt Regency, and she took us to the hotel’s new restaurant called the Waterfront Table. We had a great selection of hot and cold dishes to choose from to fill ourselves up for breakfast. Once we could not fit any more in, we were taken around the resort to see the different pools, the spa, the bars and shopping area. My impression of the hotel was modern, clean and friendly!
To continue the chilled out vibe to the morning we spent a few hours of free time around the pool, soaking up the LA atmosphere. In the afternoon we were taken to a little harbour where we had the chance to learn paddle boarding – another fantastic experience to add to the list. It was hard at first but after 5 minutes it was so much fun! I would recommend everyone to give it a go – anyone from ages of 5 up to 80 can succeed. We headed back to the hotel to refresh before heading out to Fred’s restaurant, which is a Mexican Restaurant with a funky atmosphere. I would highly recommend the nachos and margaritas! To round off the evening, we headed to the beach for our own little bonfire where we had s’mores – an American creation which is marshmallows and chocolate melted over the fire. The atmosphere on the beach was amazing and something you should not missed out when visiting Huntington Beach.
Day Three
It was another early start as we had arranged a surf lesson from Toes in Nose, which is a hire shop situated in the hotel. We got kitted up in our swim suit and headed down to the beach with the surf boards under our arms! When on the beach the friendly instructors showed us how to jump onto the boards. This took all of 10 minutes and we were taken into the sea. The waves were very strong so I would recommend to keep this activity to the older teenagers and adults. I tried and almost stood up but then went head first in to the sea as gracefully as I could manage… That was my experience of surfing – great fun and would fully recommend to try it at least once as it is surf city after all!
In the afternoon we explored the South Plaza Mall for a shopping trip. Before the shopping began we were taken to ‘Access’ which is a lounge where you relax and have a drink – a great idea as shopping is not always for everyone. After a couple of hours of retail therapy we headed back to the hotel to freshen up, ready for our last meal in LA at Sandy’s restaurant on the beach-front. This restaurant was my favourite – very modern with a great atmosphere and staff who were very attentive. Not to mention the steak here was absolutely amazing!
It looks like Kirsty settled into the chilled out lifestyle of California nicely and has thoroughly enjoyed her time experiencing the must-see activities of L.A. Don’t forget to look out for her next blog, where she will give us an insight to the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas!
