Exploring Southern California

First, I have a question for you, can you spot me among all these wonderful colors? Haha
I said in many of my previous posts that we love to travel, discover new places, and mostly, just get away from the city as often as we can. A change of scenery does wonders, it disconnects us from day-to-day life and takes away the stress that comes along with it.

I was looking for new places to visit in So Cal, that didn't require too much driving, and I came across Leo Carillo Ranch Historic Park. It had me at "historic" and "ranch" but what really caught my attention was the part where it said that there are peacocks all around this ranch, roaming freely. You don't see peacocks too often in the city so on the road we were.​

We did not regret going there at all. The architecture of this place and the beautiful landscape made it all worth the drive that lasted longer than it should have, due to the lovely SoCal traffic.

My outfit was right on point, NOT for being on a ranch, but I think it mixed perfectly with the surroundings. I felt like wearing something colorful and given that it was still a hot day, this light, the summery dress was just the perfect choice. ​

We spent hours walking all around the 27-acre, stopping occasionally to take in the beauty and the peace we felt in this place. And, frankly, trying to stay away from the lizards that were also roaming freely… my heart skipped a few beats because of them popping out of nowhere. I have to admit, I hate, hate reptiles.
But, back to serenity...
​I would have loved living at this beautiful gem, in the middle of the growing and developing city of Carlsbad, where time seems to have stopped and simplicity dominates.

I loved all the buildings here, and I totally fell in love with the white brick all around, and these gorgeous barn doors. ​

Speaking of peacocks, did you know that it's the males that have the colored feathers, and they are used to attract the females for mating. Female peacocks have plain feathers, looking a lot like their turkey-counterpart.

This bangle I'm wearing here perfectly matched the peacock's feathers, and, of course, it was all unintentional. If you like it, I found some options for you here and here.

This pool and outdoor bar/fireplace area made me dream of BBQ-ing with friends during summer and cozied up with a book by the fireplace in colder weather.

Do you like exploring your state?
What kind of places have you discovered in the process?