My First Time at Disneyland

My younger self would be squealing if she knew that she was going to visit Disneyland some day!!! This magical place lived up to all of my expectations and I will forever cherish my Minnie Mouse ears.

Before I get into that, I want to tell you about all the other fun things we did in LA first! Gotta save the best for last. ;)

Since it was mine and Daniel’s first time visiting, we tried to squeeze a lot into our itinerary for our four days there. By a lot, I mean we visited 23 spots. It actually didn't feel like a lot when we were there though!

Once we got out of their airport, I was in awe of all the palm trees lining their streets. Actually, I was in awe the whole time we were there! What I also noticed was how flat their city is. Daniel’s cousin shared that they build out, instead of build up. I have no idea how people get around without a car. I guess they compensate by making their highway speed way faster than ours.

To make it easier for those planning to go to LA, I categorized what we did into two lists: where to eat & drink and where to visit.

Where to Eat & Drink

Bopomofo Cafe. I was taken back when I saw Phil from Wong Fu Productions working the cash register when we walked in! Daniel was legit swooning, so I had to ask him to get a photo with my lil’ groupie.

Trader Joes. Oh man, I was tempted to pay $22 for this seasoning last year. Good thing I waited because it was only $2.60 in the states!!

Fat Sal’s Deli. They’re known for their giant sandwiches. I was stoked to see the Impossible Burger on their menu because it’s still hands down my favourite vegan burger.

Sip Matcha. It‘s a quaint bubble tea and snack shop that Daniel suggested, because he is subscribed to the YouTubers that own it! We basically hit up all the YouTubers spots in LA. Hahaha

Lette Macarons. If it ain’t obvious on my blog already, I ♥ macarons! We unexpectedly popped in and then found out online later that they were highly rated in LA.

In-and-Out. Daniel tried their classic burger and animal fries for the first time, and said he liked Shake Shack better.

Pine and Crane. I found this Taiwanese restaurant on the day of and even though it was 1.5 hour wait, the food really hit the spot. I knew it was good when Daniel’s cousins—who live in LA—said they would come back.

Grand Central Market. We came here for the Eggslut breakfast sandwiches, and those babies did not disappoint. We also tried a horchata for the first time here and now I’m on the hunt to find the best shop that sells it in Toronto.

Guisados. We also found this Mexican spot on the day of and ordered their sampler tacos plate and horchata. We can definitely see why this place has such a high rating!

MILK. When I saw these pretty macaron ice cream sandwiches on IG a few months ago, I saved it and didn’t think I would be going to LA anytime soon. I’d totally come back here to try their other flavours!

Boba Guys. Daniel and I heard all the rage about this spot, so we had to pay a visit. Yup, worth the hype.

Shake Shack. I tried this for the first time in New York and had it again at the LAX airport. I love their crinkle cut fries!

Where to Visit

Santa Monica Beach. I want to book my stay by the water if I return to LA. Since this beach is practically named after my friend, Monica, I had to get her a lil’ souvenir. :)

Venice Beach Boardwalk. There are so many scooters lined up along the boardwalk. I definitely recommend renting one because even for someone as unbalanced and uncoordinated as me, it was so easy to navigate and fun!

Mount Hollywood Trail. We knew this was a must-do thing every tourist should do. I was surprised that the hike only took us an hour to go up and down! By the way, Daniel told me that I was perfectly framing the Hollywood Sign with my hands! Ugh. LOL

Swing On Top of Elysian Park. We came here specifically for the swings that overlook the city! So sick, but kinda scary tbh.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art. We came here to see the famous lamp posts installation!

Griffith Observatory. What a beautiful architecture!

Rodeo Drive. Since we broke, we just drove by this shopping strip. These storefronts were pretty!

Sunset Blvd. This is their version of Yonge Street in Toronto.

Little Tokyo. If you think Chinatown or Pacific Mall is fun to explore, then you’ll have a great time here! So many cute knick knacks.

The Broad. Ahhh, I’ve been wanting to go here ever since I saw a photo of the giant table and chairs. We asked a stranger to take a landscape photo for us and this was their interpretation. Alrighty then! LOL

Disneyland. OMG!!!! I was looking forward to this the most on our trip. Growing up, I thought my mom named me after Cinderella and that my life would end as happily as hers. When I finally met her, I was swooning over her, pretty much like how Daniel goes speechless around YouTubers.

She initially asked if Daniel was my “Gus Gus” (I died!!) before rephrasing to “Prince Charming.”

Everything they do, they do it well here. The food was delicious. The rides were memorable. (Just make sure you upgrade to the $15 USD Disney MaxPass to bypass long lineups!) The 15 minutes fireworks show was jaw-dropping.