santa cruz: relaxed and casual outfit idea.

h and m / gap / asos / ray-ban via asos / asos / j.crew / vans via zappos

Our next stop on last weekend's coastal adventure was Santa Cruz, CA. While Monterey and Santa Cruz are only 30-ish miles apart from each other, the vibes are completely different. Santa Cruz had a much more relaxed air about it - and our activities proved that. We drove around for a second, found a parking spot and spent majority of the day on a blanket watching surfers and sea lions at the beach. Way more casual and the perfect end to a fantastic weekend trip. 

tip: Carry a pack of cards in your purse whenever traveling. You never know when they'll come in handy. 

day trip outfit idea: monterey, ca.

h and m / gap / gemma arterton / madden girl via dsw / avnis via etsy / chicnova / b and h photo

Spent a day in Monterey, CA this weekend and it was G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S. The little coastal town was filled with cute cafes, quaint clothing shops and treasure-filled thrift stores. I wanted to spend the entire day in them but we were on a mission to see the sights. And what a good choice it was. We saw sea lions swimming in the ocean, endless beaches, rocky cliffs and extremely high bridges (eek!). A definite revisit. Loved it!

tip: Don't leave your camera at home just because you don't want to lug around the ugly bag it's in. There are plenty of options out there that can double as a handbag that are cute and 100% functional.