Seeing these beautiful shots from Lake Tahoe this weekend as the NHL plays their outdoor games got me missing those views. I love Florida and hope to never have to leave. But weekends in Monterey, wine country and Lake Tahoe were the best part of living in California. I went back for the first time a few years ago and it was as beautiful as I remember.

• I flew into San Francisco so I spent a little time seeking out some good sourdough bread and rode the famous cable cars.

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• First meal… no brainer. It’s tough to find great Mexican food in Florida. There are a few places I like in Clearwater, but in California it’s all over the place.

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• Yes… traffic lights to get on to the highway! Cali is weird.

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• Since I can’t have In-N-Out in Tampa, I do make a point to visit at least once whenever I’m on the west coast.

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• I do like their burgers but honestly Five Guys is just as good if not better.

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• Arriving in wine country!

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• I lived right next to wine country for years and sure enough I developed a taste for wine AFTER I moved back to the east coast.

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• Napa Valley wine fields…

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• Tasting time. Cheers.

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• From here to your local Publix store shelf.

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• Don’t know if I can fit all of them in my carry on.

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• Saying goodbye to wine country…

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• I popped over to my old radio station and said hello to my old morning show listeners.

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• Then my old boss found out. I was quickly removed.

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• One thing I don’t miss about California: gas prices.

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• Before heading to the mountains, I spent some time in Monterey along the coast. It’s about an hour or two south of San Francisco. It’s beautiful. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a must.

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• More from the Monterey Bay Aquarium…

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• More from the Monterey Bay Aquarium…

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• More from the Monterey Bay Aquarium…

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• Lots of great food in Monterey. Seek out the deep fried cheesecake on the pier!

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• Time to say goodbye to Monterey and head to the mountains on the California/Nevada border.

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• The drive gets scenic when you start the climb.

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• Getting closer…

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• The drive is half the fun… but make sure if you visit this time of year (February) you have a vehicle that can handle winter weather! Chains on tires are the norm!

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• If you’re a Hard Rock Cafe, shouldn’t you be able to spell his name correctly?

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• Snow capped mountains! We’re getting close!

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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• More scenery driving around Lake Tahoe…

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