jolenegoes: Travel blog + Reviews + TRAVEL Tips

Over the weekend, I decided to splurge and attend Pop Up Disney: A Mickey Celebration, located at ESPN Zone's old home in Downtown Disney. Pop Up Disney! is Disney's an Instagrammer's heaven, composed of a number of themed rooms celebrating everyone's favorite mouse. Please note that for the first time ever on this blog, these photos were NOT taken by me! They were taken by my friend Monte Dobbs. Please message me if you'd like her contact info, or you can find her at @montef

I'm sure by now it's no secret that I practically bleed Disney, so attending another Southern Californian theme park is not normally on my radar. However, I started following various theme park blogs last year to help me plan my Disney World vacation and have subsequently found myself unable to escape the numerous social media posts and ever-growing popularity of Knott's Berry Farm's Boysenberry Festival. I already had a lot of fun plans in the month of April, but when one of

Sometimes, a mental health day means going to Disney California Adventure in the middle of the week! My cousin Caleb invited me as one of his guests to be signed into one of my happiest places, so of course I couldn't say no. Please enjoy this collection of photos in lieu of a review... after all, a picture is worth a thousand words, right? My aunt was visiting from Virginia, so my priority was making sure she had the best time, especially since I really love DCA and it was h

Famously depicted in Hollywood favorites such as Rebel Without a Cause and La La Land, the Griffith Observatory is an iconic Los Angeles landmark that draws tourists and locals alike. So, when I found out one of my besties of 13+ years (Christine) would be in that area, I suggested we include it in our LA-day. Recently I've been battling with some mental health issues, all triggered by recent negative personal and professional experiences. I got to a point where I basically

Since delving into the world of blogging (and also owning a small business), I've acquired very faint social media sensibilities; I am more aware of Instagram trends, filters and destinations alike. This year, it seems, my timelines and feeds are flooded with pumpkin patches galore, fueling my ever-existing love affair with autumn. When previous plans fell through, I recruited my future-journalist and New University editor-in-chief companion, Caitlin, to visit a farm/pumpkin

Sometimes it's nice to be a tourist without going too far! My girlboss friend Cathrine (who I have mentioned in several posts before) spent the day exploring Venice Beach, CA, with no particular plans. We meandered through alleyways, drooled over the canal homes, and ate some pretty yummy food. Blue smoothie bowls at Great White Exploring the canals "Youth is in a grand flush, like the hot days of ending summer; and pleasant dreams thrall your spirit, like the smoky atmospher

"Where are you going next, Jolene?" "I have a quick weekend in Ojai planned." "Oh, cool! I've never been to Ohio." Although it's been making its rounds in the trendy Instagram universe, I still consider the sleepy town of Ojai a hidden gem, nestled between so many more popular California destinations. With two of my favorite girlbosses at my side, we headed off to start our Ojai adventure early Friday evening. A couple hours later, we were lead off of the usual 101-N to the C

Being from Southern California, I often forget the diversity and variety of landscapes that can be found across the state. In the media, we are regularly reminded of palm trees and Hollywood, but the spotlight is almost never shining on the less popularized Northern California. If you were like me, you watched HBO's hit series Big Little Lies and imagined yourself in Monterey, sitting with a large cappuccino with Leon Bridges playing in the background. Ever since watching the

If you've read my previous Disney blogs (Disneyland + Disneyland Paris), you know I am definitely a Disney enthusiast. Despite having visited the Southern California Parks countless times, I've not yet exhausted the Disney magic during my trips. This particular time, my goal was to maximize my time and save as much money as possible - both of these can be difficult feats in a place like Disney California Adventure Park. However, I found some wonderfully thought out day plans

In contrast to my usual story and description-centric blogs, I decided to simply share a photo diary of my short overnight trip to Oak Glen, CA this past weekend. I went on a church retreat and remained on the property for most of the time, but I was still able to get a glimpse of a different kind of SoCal during my stay. "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." -John Muir "For the invisible things of Him, both His eternal power and divine characterist