Written by Jaiden Arada, Converge multimedia journalism intern and Senior at Cherokee Bluff High School
I recently had the opportunity to visit the wonderful state of California. My trip was actually planned for me because it was a surprise, but there were so many wonderful things I did that I wanted to share. I think there is something for everyone within California so hopefully this helps!
Disneyland
On my first day there, I was at Disneyland in California. While it is much smaller than Disney World, located in Orlando, Florida, it is still packed full of nostalgia and amazing attractions that I thoroughly enjoyed visiting. I visited one of the newest attractions: Avengers Campus. As a huge Marvel fan, I was in awe of the infrastructure created there. They remodeled the former Tower of Terror ride to be the new Guardians of the Galaxy: Breakout ride. It was a blast going up and down within the ride.
We also got to experience the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride and it was an experience that I would recommend to everyone! It was so cool riding in this pod-like structure that had no railing, so the ride was super smooth. I thoroughly enjoyed Disneyland and since it is smaller, we were able to do both parks on the same day, without feeling rushed. Disneyland was very cool and makes for awesome photo opportunities to remember your trip for years to come.
Warner Brothers Hollywood Tour
On the following day after being so tired from Disneyland, we drove to Burbank, California to do the Warner Brothers Hollywood Tour. At first, you are shown a video of all the awesome films made by Warner Brothers, many of them filmed on that lot. Then, they give you a tour guide and you get to drive around on a golf cart with all the different sets and sound stages. On my tour, we got to visit two sound stages, both for the CW show All American. I have watched most of the show, so it was awesome to set foot in the same place that some of my favorite actors did and still do!
After the golf cart portion of the tour, you get to visit the museum filled with photo opportunities, including the iconic orange Friends couch. They also had a gift store where I bought Funko Pops of Chandler and Joey from Friends. Finally, we got to see the DC Comic museum where we could see the costumes worn by the actors in the famous feature films. Overall, as a movie and TV buff, the tour was amazing!
Santa Monica Pier
On my third and final day, I visited the Santa Monica Boardwalk and Pier. Along the boardwalk, we visited a skate park, and it was awesome to see people express their talents for other people to see. Along the walkway, there are vendors selling all kinds of things like art, T-shirts, etc. We walked about three miles before we reached the Santa Monica Pier. On the pier, there are few amusement rides for children and then the pier looks out over the water. The view was magnificent. The rocks seeped through the cracks of the water in such a pretty way to make a beautiful view
We had lunch by the pier and our waitress was actually from Kennesaw, Georgia! We then decided to take bikes back along the boardwalk and enjoy the views. On our last day, it felt good to be outside and enjoy the environment around us. The perfect end to the perfect trip.
There are many parts of Southern California that are worth the visit. From the short time I was there, I would recommend these places because I had a great time. If you need a new place to visit, Southern California may be a place to look!
