Excited to explore Los Angeles with her hometown friends visiting from Washington DC, Sophie and her girlfriends decided to take a day trip to Melrose Avenue and Malibu from Isla Vista, Santa Barbara!

The four friends woke up early in the morning to embark on the two hour road trip from Isla Vista to Melrose, jamming out to music on the way to pass the time. 

En route to Melrose, the girls made a quick stop at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to briefly tour the campus.

Upon arriving at their destination, the girls began to traverse Melrose Avenue and all the unique stores the popular shopping district has to offer. Their first stop: a colorful, local coffee shop called Coffee Dose. This cafe is sure to catch your attention amongst the vast number of restaurants there as they decorate their cups with witty stickers and top their drinks off with whimsical latte art incorporating unforgettable catch phrases. Sophie ordered a delicious Iced Matcha Latte along with a croissant to start off her day.

Once they quenched their thirst with a quick fix of coffee, Sophie and her friends were finally ready to shop their hearts out. From prominent chains to smaller, boutique style shops, Melrose has no shortage of stores for window shopping. The establishments that Sophie and her friends were the most drawn to were the one-of-a-kind, pop up shops that were more lowkey. The girls dropped by Urban Outfitters, Ron Herman, a sneaker store, and multiple pop up shops with intriguing themes and items such as bedazzled Playboy Bunny shirts.

Around 2 PM, the group of girls decided to head off to Malibu for lunch at Malibu Farm Cafe, a farm-to-table restaurant that offers outdoor and al-fresco dining. As Sophie enjoyed her Vegan Chop Salad with butternut squash, chickpeas, and avocado, she and her friends watched the surfers and those strolling on the beach below at their table sitting right on the water. Sophie recalls eating with her friends along the ocean view as the highlight of her trip, as the savory food paired with the beautiful view and great company made her lunch an unforgettable experience. 

Once the girls wrapped up their lunch on the water, they headed to the beach for a stroll by the tide. Along the beachfront, Sophie and her friends visited The Malibu Cabana, a pink pop up boutique selling everything summer from surf gear to clothing collaborations. The vibrant shop sits at the base of Malibu Pier, offering everything you need for a great day at the beach. Sophie purchased a colorful “California” pin as a token of her memorable trip. 

Once the girls wrapped up their lunch on the water, they headed to the beach for a stroll by the tide. Along the beachfront, Sophie and her friends visited The Malibu Cabana, a pink pop up boutique selling everything summer from surf gear to clothing collaborations. The vibrant shop sits at the base of Malibu Pier, offering everything you need for a great day at the beach. Sophie purchased a colorful “California” pin as a token of her memorable trip. 

To end their day, Sophie and her girlfriends drove back to Santa Barbara along the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), relishing in the sunset along the way. 

Sophie highly recommends dressing up with your friends and taking a trip to Melrose and would definitely revisit the area herself. She appreciates the spontaneous nature of the day trip, as you can play it by ear and do your own thing while you visit the different shops. Melrose has so much to offer, and the next time Sophie returns she hopes to explore a different area of the district and discover new stores. The next time she visits Malibu, she hopes to be able to stay long enough to watch the sunset at the beach, as opposed to admiring it on the car ride home. 

We hope you enjoyed reading about Sophie’s LA day trip! Check out our other interns’ day trips on the Limon website, and sign up for the Limon newsletter to be notified about brand new blog posts. Visit our Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook pages for more California travel guides and startup updates!