Welcome to Wrightwood, California

Now I hope you are sitting down while reading this, cause honey, she went CAMPING!!! I’m sure you are in as much shock as I was landing at the campsite, but I did it. I’m all about doing something out of my comfort zone at least once, and I’m quite thrilled that I did. I landed at the “Lion’s Camps” at Teresita Pines with my sleeping bag in hand, smore’s fixings, and two cans of bug spray. I will let you know that this was a cabin camping moment and not in a tent. I tried the tent ordeal about three years ago and will never do that again. She needs her creature comforts if you know what I mean. The campsite was cute, and I pretended to be a damsel in distress at times, thinking that Jason Voorhees was out to get me when the sun set. The campsite is located spitting distance from Wrightwood and that’s where the magic is. I simply love a small-town vibe and this one DID NOT DISSAPOINT!

The town is about four blocks wide, but it was enough for me to leave the campsite 3 days in a row to explore. These are the stops you must make when you head to the forest for a visit:

The Grizzly Café has the best breakfast in town. You can eat inside or out and on weekends there is a wait. I dined with a group of six friends and every dish looked DELICIOUS! I of course had the French toast, and I could not believe it when they brought out the plate: FRENCH BREAD was used for the toast! EPIC doesn’t even describe it. When you go, you must request to sit in Roxy’s section. She is the most fabulous server and will treat you just right. While you are there, be sure to put a quarter in the machine to hear “Mortimer the Moose” tell jokes from his mounted wall position over by the counter. www.grizzlycafe.com

When you are finished with your meal, simply stay in the same building and shop till you drop at Golden Acorn Gifts! I know, it just keeps getting better! In this store you will find everything your heart desires from salt & pepper shakers held by a grizzly bear, scented candles, yard gnomes, and cute camping items for your trailer!!! The focal point is an upside-down Christmas tree with…you guessed it: Huge Golden Acorn ornaments. I bought myself the most adorable sweater onesie with Bigfoot on the front,

in the most complimenting color of teal. It’s sure to keep me coxy on those chilly winter nights we have coming up. I walked out of that store a trend setter and was the bell of the ball at the campsite!

Next stop was Applewood Court. This quaint little grouping of stores includes a gift shop with a wide selection of Yankee Candle’s, an adorable ice cream shop with vintage candies and the BEST fudge this side of the Mississippi! I became fast friends with the store associate Paris, and she serves up a double scoop like no other. The hidden GEM of this court is the Christmas Shop. You must ask an employee to open it for you and it is located on the lower level of the complex. Inside, you will behold every little thing that good Ol’ Saint Nick has in his big red bag! You can follow Applewood Court on Facebook for all the latest!

The GA Mercantile store is worth the trip alone!!!! The most FABULOUS selection I have ever seen. This is your one stop shop for seasonal décor, inspirational plaques, garden accessories, paper dolls, and the list goes on and on. By this point you can tell that this gal likes to shop! It’s a trait that was passed down through my family for generations. I found the cutest Halloween Décor and couldn’t resist adding a couple of other things to the cart. The store does close for five days to prepare for the Christmas Holiday, and from what I have been told, it’s a big event in town! www.gamercantile.com

If you enjoy an arcade game and cats … yes, I said cats … then head over to the PURR Ground. This special experience allows you play your favorite arcade games with some furry felines! The cost is $10.00 per hour, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it in my life! It’s the 80’s vibe we all need in the forest! The best part is that if you see a pussy that you fall in love with…. you can adopt and give them the forever home they all need. Learn more about them on Facebook at their page The PurrGround. #OBSESSED

My favorite adventure though, would have to be the Ziplines at Pacific Crest! I have ziplined a couple of time before, but this was next level zipping. We chose to do the Mountain View Tour, which included six different zip lines with lines as long as 1,000 feet and getting up to 55 mph. I was grateful that I packed a “shake and go” wig in my knapsack and had sensible sneakers, otherwise, it would have been a no go for this lady. The experience was AMAZING and the vistas from the mountain tops were simply breathtaking. The best part were our guides that took us out on the mountain. If you book a tour, ask for Casey as he made it the BEST EVER. www.ziplinespc.com

There is way more to tell you about that I can’t put in this article, but I want you to have your own experiences when you visit. We dined at other places, saw more sights, and did more shopping and it was all just good clean fun. The town is also known for it’s ski lodge during wintertime, and I plan to head back there and live my best ski bunny fantasy. I hope you enjoy this town as much as I did when you head to the forest!

Here’s to fun and joyful journeys!

XO Ethyl