Sisson Meadow: A park in Mount Shasta with a beautiful view of the mountain!
It’s so nice to get out of the city and when I do that, I usually go to LA, rather than somewhere in the Bay Area for some reason. So I decided to change that and went to Mount Shasta last weekend with my friend, Laura, who was in town. Laura’s aunt Karen (who has become a dear friend and feels like family) lives there and she’s been wanting me to visit since I moved to Berkeley…but life has been so busy and it never really worked out. Since Laura would be in town, we thought it’d be fun to surprise her––and boy was she surprised. We rented a car and drove up from San Francisco and it took about 5 hours.
TIP: If you’re planning to drive there from SF, aim to leave the city earlier in the day so you can avoid traffic (or hit less traffic, at least) and so you can enjoy the beautiful views while it’s still light out!
MOUNT SHASTA, CALIFORNIA:
We went to Lake Siskiyou and enjoyed another stunning view of Mount Shasta
Sadly, I didn’t take any photos, but we had breakfast at Seven Suns Mount Shasta––a local favorite! It was a cute and cozy cafe with really good food. I got their breakfast burrito with no cheese (I’m weird shh) and I added avocado + their salsa. Omg. Their salsa is homemade and it’s SO SO good! Highly recommend it. They served Haas Beans coffee which is from Chico, California. Also very good and strong!
I’m in awe of nature!
TIP: A great souvenir is a Mount Shasta Chocolate bar! I bought some for my family – they make it locally. I saw them at Berryvale Grocery and Seven Suns, but you can pretty much find them at any store in town.
Castle Lake, Mount Shasta
YUP I’m standing on a LAKE! Obviously covered in SNOW…I was freaking out! Laura said she’d come here to swim during the summers!
TIP: Definitely take the appropriate shoes when you visit. I’m wearing rain boots in this photo and though they weren’t exactly the best shoes for snow, it worked out. These were from J. Crew.
ASHLAND, OREGON:
TIP: If you’re visiting Oregon and you have shopping to do, do it while you’re there because there’s no sales Tax! I scored a $100 juicer at TJ Max (and a bunch of other things including a jade roller––which you probably saw if you follow me on Instagram LOL)
I always feel like Mary Poppins when I hold an umbrella LOL
I love nature and lately, I feel really in tune with myself and close to God when I’m in the mountains or the woods. When I go on a trip, one of my favorite things to do is go for a walk by myself and just take in all the beauty that’s around me. Loved that I was able to do this in Shasta on Sunday morning.
What’s one thing you *have* to do every time you go on a trip?
Another one for me is going to a local cafe. We went to the cutest little cafe called Dobrá Tea (which means “Good Tea” in Czech). They had really good mezze (I’m Armenian and I’m very picky when it comes to good Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food). This place was legit not only in its ambiance but also its quality of food, tea, and service! I’d definitely go back. 🙂
TIP: Don’t be afraid to take some time to relax when you’re on vacation / road-tripping. At this cafe, it’s customary to take your shoes off and sit on the floor. It’s not exactly a grab-and-go type of place, so enjoy it and take some time to appreciate the environment you’re in. After we finished our mezze and tea, Karen and I stayed in the cafe and enjoyed a great conversation (for probably another hour)!
After Dobrá Tea we did some shopping at Paddington Station. I loved this local store and they had a ton of souvenirs and sweets to take home. I got chocolate, gummy bears, and natural chapstick for my niece, and I bought myself an Ashland magnet (another thing I try to do every time I go on a trip).
TIP: Karen bought the most delicious sweets called Cranberry Sweets and I was obsessed!! So good with tea and they’re made in Oregon…so I’d recommend buying these if you visit Oregon. I’m drooling just thinking about it, hahaha.
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Love this candid photo of Laura and me!
Thanks for stopping by, YTA fam! Would love to hear your thoughts on this post and, if you have any recommendations for where to go to next in California or Oregon (or even in Mount Shasta / Ashland as I’d love to visit again), please share them with me. 🙂
yours truly,
Ani