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Classic Road Trip: Los Angeles to San Francisco

By Big | July 6, 2015November 23, 2020 by Big

California is such a romanticized destination, from its dramatic coastline to its quirky characters — and it’s all best experienced on the road. Subscribe to our Big and Small Travel YouTube channel and watch our travels in California, starting with Los Angeles: One of the best and most popular road trips in the Golden State—possibly even in the world—involves driving along the scenic Pacific Coast Highway between sunny Los Angeles and foggy San Francisco. Here’s our photo guide to must-see sites and stops along the way, starting…

California San Francisco Travel USA

San Francisco’s 8 Best Running Trails

By | January 16, 2015 by

From hippies to techies, love-ins to hack-a-thons, the culture of San Francisco has certainly changed throughout the decades. But one thing has remained the same: the city’s awe-inspiring natural beauty. There’s eye candy surrounding nearly every nook and cranny of San Francisco, whether you’re up for taking a jog through Nob Hill, the Marina, Pacific Heights, the Presidio, even the FiDi and the Mission. It’s truly the greatest motivation to get your butt outside and…

California San Francisco Travel USA

San Francisco in 10 Years, 10 Spots & 20 Songs

By Small | December 3, 2014June 28, 2018 by Small

This October marked my 10th anniversary in San Francisco. Yes, I’ve seen this city change dramatically, and, yes, it has become grossly expensive. The streets are a messy dichotomy of new construction and rotting feces. Beloved spots are hastily transforming into faceless condos, while too many of its people miss out on its quirks and quaintness because they’re staring down at a screen. But enough has been bitched about regarding growing economic disparity, greedy landlords,…

California San Francisco Travel USA

Coffee: The New San Francisco Treat

By Big | August 3, 2014September 29, 2021 by Big

Coffee is a way of life for us here at Big and Small Travel. Many a night, we lie awake, excited for the morning when we can savor a wonderful cup of joe. But it’s not just simply the thought of the steam warming the face or the bold, earthy liquid flowing through the digestive tract, warming the heart and awakening the mind. And it’s not about the caffeine… not always, at least. It’s the…

California Napa & Sonoma San Francisco Travel USA

Trip Daze: Calistoga’s Mud, Wine, and Good Times

By Small | February 23, 2014June 28, 2018 by Small

Ok, I admit that my knowledge of the town of Calistoga pretty much stopped at its sparkling mineral water line — a favorite purchase for a refreshing gas station treat. And though I’ve driven through the Napa Valley town on numerous occasions — always noting “Dr. Wilkinson’s Mud Baths” and other signs touting spa bliss — other wine locales in the area had managed to always lure me away. So when researching a quick weekend…

Hawaii Travel USA

A Travel Snob’s Virgin Voyage to Hawaii

By Big | January 18, 2014July 6, 2018 by Big

As a self-described travel snob, I always assumed Hawaii was an overrated travel destination rife with gleaming families and spoiled kids, Waikiki cheeseballs, and big men playing little ukuleles. And so I always avoided venturing out there, until my personal Hawaii expert, Handstand Steph, convinced me to bypass Oahu and give the lesser populated island Kauai a try. And now here I am a new ukulele owner and a true Hawaii convert. Subscribe to our Big…

Oregon Travel USA

Trip Daze: Portland’s Best Tastes and Sights

By Small | September 2, 2013July 6, 2018 by Small

Forget San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle. The West Coast’s premier culinary destination is much more modest. The diversity of those aforementioned cities may lend to their allure, their celebrity chefs, their hoity-toity boutiques, their overpriced cup of joe, their overall bloated pride. Portland may seem a very white town, but in our four days there, we had everything from vegan doughnuts to Cuban tapas, French bites to Iraqi-Jewish street food, Thai cuisine to Lebanese…

Music Texas Travel USA

Austin, Texas and a Newbie’s Account of SXSW

By Big | May 13, 2013July 6, 2018 by Big

Austin is a city brimming with tech investment, yuppie luxuries, hipster havens, Southern charm, healthy eats, and cultural attractions — but it’s probably most famous for its mighty SXSW Music Conference. My first time at the annual music-industry extravaganza involved quite a mix of emotions: excitement, anticipation, confusion, anxiety. With so much going on, the sense of wonderment and worry comes from that nagging feeling that you’re missing out on something great just around the…

Latin America PhotoPhiles USA

PhotoPhiles, Vol. I

By | February 8, 2013 by

Photophile will be a recurring feature spotlighting some of our favorite photos taken on and off the road. The first edition includes shots taken in Idaho, San Francisco, Panama, and Joshua Tree.

California Music Southern California Travel USA

California Getaway: Palm Springs / Joshua Tree

By Small | February 6, 2013December 2, 2021 by Small

I vowed to make 2012 a year to fully embrace my endless wanderlust. I think I did a pretty decent job. Here, I’ll attempt to prove just that. I’ll be running down my top 12 trips of 2012 … slowly but surely. In no particular order, here’s Vol. 2, a trek south and inland to Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park.