Since I’ve lived in California my whole life, I’ve done the touristy things like Disneyland, Sequoia and Napa. I’ve even taken a guinea pig across the Golden Gate Bridge, which I’m sure is on lists everywhere. But, before I turn 30 next February, I’d like to cross some other things off my California bucket list. Here’s my 30 before 30, Cali style.

1. Sail to Avalon on the Catalina Express (It was the Catalina Flyer, but yes!)
2. Hike in Redwood National Park (A few short walks and some bear hugs!)
3. Stay in a luxurious hotel in Palm Springs
4. Take Baby J on her first camping trip (Loved it!)
5. Try a mud bath in Calistoga
6. Have tea at the Japanese Garden at Huntington Library
7. Rent an RV
8. Eat dim sum in Chinatown (Yuck!)
9. Visit Farm Sanctuary in Orland, CA
10. Watch a Chinese dragon dance (Done! See Our Day in Chinatown)
11. Take the family to the Palm Canyon oasis in Anza Borrego (Beautiful and hot!)
12. Surf in warm water
13. Bet on a horse at Del Mar Race Track (He got last place.)

14. Get a membership for the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park (Got it!)
15. Take a train along the coast (To Old Town for margaritas and candy)
16. Make homemade sushi (Yep!)
17. Drink at a brewery in Oregon (Are your hops humanely treated?)
18. Take Baby J to play in a lake (Shasta)
19. Find a good German deli for bratwurst (Vinz Continental Deli)
20. Finish all my California beach reviews
21. Tour the Queen Mary in Long Beach Harbor

22. Have professional family photos taken
23. Skip through a field of wildflowers
24. Hike down to Black’s Beach (Gorgeous place to get rid of tan lines!)
25. Write a poem every day for a month, for NaPoWriMo
26. Visit Pennypickle’s Workshop at the Temecula Children’s Museum (Very cool.)
27. Run a 5K on the beach
28. Read a magazine in Spanish
29. Pick my own strawberries (The sweet pics!)
30. Find a way to work from home, like freelance writing and editing (For Toon Goggles and DMI)

Photos by jundc, Clinton Steeds, rogerbarker2, averain