In June, we took a fabulous vacation to America. We got a bit snap happy, so decided to share some of our fabulous photos with you all, and discuss a few places we went, since we’re now suffering from a terrible case of post-holiday-blues.

Flying into LAX, there’s one obvious option for the first day of the holiday… Disneyland.

Our top Walt Disney quote: ‘Why worry? If you’ve done the very best you can, worrying won’t make it any better.”

There’s few places that hold the happiness of Disneyland – with every staff member uber friendly and every ride and song being joyful, it’s one of those places you can’t help but smile whilst visiting. Our top ride is Pirates of the Caribbean – though try go after the fireworks if you can, otherwise if you queue it can take hours of your day up! You also must go visit It’s a Small World and sing the whole way round!

The next morning, we travelled to Huntington Beach. We’ve been here the last few years, and it’s a great spot to visit to walk along the beach, walk in the town and watch the surfers from the pier. There’s also Ruby’s Diner at the end of the pier where you can enjoy a shake or some food whilst watching the sea at all sides.

Next – another happy place of ours – Palm Desert.

Summarised: sun, palm trees & flamingoes.

It’s everything you’d think of a desert – incredibly hot. We stayed in a hotel we recommend to anyone who will listen – J.W. Marriott Desert Springs. There’s lots of pools, golf courses, incredible restaurants, a mini boat ride around the resort – the list goes on. If you ever get to go to Palm Desert or neighbouring Palm Springs, it’s well worth it – you can even go to Elvis’ honeymoon home or Frank Sinatra’s home. There’s one or two icons who have lived here: Barry Manilow, Liberace (apparently his master bedroom is so huge one tour guide said you could fit a small house within it!) Ann Miller, Dean Martin and Loretta Young all had homes here too!

Our William Morris Golden Lily tote bag was perfect for the pool side – able to carry down hats and suncream that we really needed – and a good book for when the shade was our best friend. It also carried about some friends – an inflatable flamingo, a black swan and a white swan, who floated around in the pool next to us carrying our drinks!

Next up on our adventure was the Grand Canyon. We got the train, ‘The Grand Canyon Railway’ so that we could enjoy the trip without driving and enjoy the cowboy theme of the day. Being in the Wild Wild West, the cowboy show and the cowboys racing along with the train and hopping on board seemed really finished off the day! The Grand Canyon itself doesn’t even look real – like a painted backdrop!

Our William Morris Brother Rabbit tote bag was necessary for many many bottles of water, cameras and sun tan cream! Look at all the cool cactuses near it!

We drove down Route 66 singing multiple versions of the song!

Next up… Monument Valley!

In Utah, lies Monument Valley, we went to stay in The View hotel, one of the cabins which have a view out onto Monument Valley. Taking a jeep tour of Monument valley and being showed round by a man who grew up there, showing us their traditional homes, which plants were used for shampoo and which for toothpaste as well as the poisonous ones used in darts which would put any enemies to sleep was incredible. We also got to see mustangs and carvings on the walls near where homes used to be to show the stories of that family and community. Hearing our tour guide playing traditional Native American instruments was an indescribable experience and we can really see why it’s such a spiritual place for so many.

Finishing it off by another stop off in Palm Desert, we finished off the most fabulous holiday by floating on the pool in a flamingo float!

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