If you have a day to spend in L.A. and want to see something unforgettable and unique to L.A., as an alternative to all other famous local tourist attractions like Getty Center, Universal Studios, LACMA, etc., may I suggest a visit to Vasquez Rocks?
Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park is a 932-acre park located in the Sierra Pelona in northern Los Angeles County, California. It is known for its spectacular rock formations, the result of sedimentary layering and later almost unimaginable seismic uplift. It is located near the town of Agua Dulce, about an hour drive north of downtown L.A. If you ever “google” Vasquez Rocks, you will find out that is always a hot spot for couples taking engagement photos, wedding pictures, and photographers and moviemakers love it there!
I remember in those early years when I first moved to the U.S., my husband would drive me around to show many famous places, like Beverly Hills, Farmers Market, Getty Villa, but I always had a strong feeling toward Vasquez Rocks — it’s such an amazing natural creation! For many years, we have returned there again and again to visit it. My son’s Boy Scout Troop goes to hike around Vasquez Rocks, too, because there is something new to see every time.
At the end of September this year, our son went away on a 3-day “freshman retreat” to the mountains, and that gave my husband and me the chance to go away from home to do some tours our own, just the two of us. We did an overnight getaway to celebrate our 15th anniversary to Santa Ynez Valley (see the post here), and another day, we test drove the Hyundai Tucson PHEV & went to Vasquez Rocks.
This was also my first time to drive a hybrid vehicle, and I want to share that experience with you. “Hybrid” simply means that it is powered either by electricity or gasoline, as opposed to all-electric vehicles or “normal” all-gasoline vehicles. The hybrid design offers the best of both types of power: “clean” electric power to a certain range, perfect for my daily routine, and gasoline power for longer drives. I drove it both ways, and did not notice any difference in performance between electric and gas power.
The hybrid car (actually an SUV) was the 2022 Hyundai Tucson PHEV, lent to me for a week by HyundaiUSA. PHEV is short for “Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle.”
My first experience with the Hyundai Tucson PHEV was driving it in electric mode around town. The battery range on all-electric power is a little over 30 miles, and that is more than enough for my daily routine: going to the gym, running to the grocery store, or taking my son to school. We did not have to go to any special charging station, but simply plugged the car into an electric outlet at our home at the end of the day. In the morning, the Tucson PHEV was charged and ready to go again. That could not be simpler. I do not know how much it will add to my electric bill, but it seemed a great blessing when California gasoline is selling today for $6 or $7 a gallon!
Overall, my impression of the Hyundai Tucson PHEV was very good: stylish, roomy, and perfectly comfortable for 5 people, and with a surprising amount of cargo space. (As you may know, I do not travel light — usually I have several outfits to shoot on any trip, and the luggage to carry them.) The ride was very smooth, the car had good acceleration in both electric and gasoline modes, and it was wonderfully quiet inside, easy to chat or listen to music. I especially loved the safety features, including the side cameras that activated whenever I indicated to change lanes — I not only had a “blind spot monitor” to warn me of a car close beside, but also a camera so I could actually see what was in the lane. I thought that was awesome! The Tucson also had an automatic parking feature I could use to park in tight spaces, and all-wheel drive, for the greatest safety in rain and other slippery driving conditions.
In the post today, I am wearing a print top and pants by Trina Turk (see me wearing their other collection here)– the color and print are so bright and bold, I think they go beautiful with the setting of Vasquez Rocks. What do you think?
