The last family trip I had was during my teenage years and I think it was one of those tours from LA to Yosemite, on a bus filled with other families. I didn’t have the best time and I never wanted to go on another trip after that, however with my nephew turning 1, I knew I had to celebrate in a big way. Our family dynamics have shifted after his arrival and we are much closer now than in the last decade, so it was the perfect opportunity to go to one of my favorite cities for the weekend, San Diego. Luckily, I was able to partner up with Monarch Luxury Villas to ensure this family trip would be a success —and it was!

Joshua Tree Acres consists of a handful of beautifully decorated airstreams on a plot of land, just 20 minutes from a real human interaction. You have the choice to be social with others who are staying on the property or you can just isolate yourself in your airstream, use the communal areas when no one else is there, and pretend that no one else exists. It’s really up to you. Luckily for us, we had a rad group of people staying while we were there and made some new friends by the end of the trip. By the way, have you ever heard of the card game ‘threes’? It’s quite addicting.

This is going to be my longest flight to date and the first time I'm visiting Asia. I'm excited, nervous, and paranoid at the same time, although the paranoia only started after my parents kept telling me stories about people getting kidnapped and/or getting really sick from the food they've eaten while in Asia. Anyone else's parents like to scare the shit out of you before you travel?