Sustainable City | Whittier California | African Bohème | Sustainable Family Travel Blog

Outside of Los Angeles and the Bay Area I’ve never truly adventured into California. Spending three days in the city of Whittier California I got the chance to see a different side of California. Whittier is a picturesque quiet city bordered by beautiful mountains with an abundance of lush rolling hills. If you time your visit right you’ll catch a glimpse of the biannual blooming Jacaranda trees, that pepper the sidewalks of the older neighborhoods. The trees, long ago imported from some far away land, are noticeable by their animated purple leaves that look ripped from the pages of a Doctor Seuss book. Whittier California is home to Whittier College and the town literally feels like its straight out of the mind of Religious College students. Its a mixture of Hipster cool and down-home wholesome. I literally searched high and low for suggestions on things to do in Whittier other than hiking and came up with zilch, so instead of heading into nearby Los Angeles beach towns I threw my walking shoes on and hit the pavement. Noon and I explored the local Whittier Farmers Market and peeked into the Art Deco movie theater for a few days of fun.

Things to do in the City of Whittier California

The city of Whittier has a lot of nods to the past, muscle cars and hot rods pass each other on the street recalling a California of yesteryear. No building better displays this old school glory than, Starlight Whittier Village Cinemas. The theater, built in 1931 and housed in a well-kept art deco building, is hard to miss pained a pale shade of turquoise. It’s fun to go to with children for the nostalgia of it all but also for the bargain movie prices. At $5 all day on Tuesdays and Thursdays its the lowest price movie in any city I’ve been to, and one of the best value things to do in Whittier California.

Honestly, the farmers market in the City of Whittier California is the smallest I’ve ever been to. however, what the Certified Farmers’ Market lacks in size it makes up for in ambiance. Held every Friday from 8 am – 1 pm on the corner of Philadelphia Street and Bright Avenue in a parking lot. I was greeted by the smooth sound of live music from a musicion strumming the Spanish guitar really, setting the tone for the market. The California grown produce is redundant in its offerings but farm fresh and locally grown with many samples on offer. I’ve never tasted sweeter blood oranges than the ones I tried at the Whittier Farmers Market. There’s a crepe stand and a juice stand

Places to shop in Whittier California

I’m a big fan of second-hand shopping at home, but I do it even more in new cities because the treasures I find serve as sustainable souvenirs. I personally don’t need a cities name emblazoned across my chest in order to remember a place. Thanks to all the cute shops in the city of Whittier California Ill have memories to last a lifetime.

Melrose Vintage is a real goldmine of ’80s and ’90s fashion. there are fanny packs and bright abstract prints on display. What I really liked was their ability to upcycle vintage garments into new on-trend items. I walked in and imedian\tley noticed the cropped tops and sweaters. My waste reducing ming automatically began to wonder what happened to the bottoms of all these shirts. right before I started to mourn their loss I came across a display of tube tops made from the recycled remains of the aforementioned crop tops! the price points are thankfully geared towards college students and I found a few cute pieces in store yet for far more than I’d spent in the thrift store.

Assistance League of Whittier, California has Multiple philanthropic outlets in Whitter California. The Whittier chapter of the League was founded in 1952 by eight women. They have two stores the downstairs Bargain Bin and upstairs, “upscale” Timeless Treasures. I found the Bargain Bin to be chocked full of goodies if you do a little bit of digging. As a rule of thumb anytime a place claims to be upscale I find far fewer things that I like, mainly because style is subjective and natural fabrics are marked lower in secondhand shops.

The Attic & Things, a vintage apparel and Jeweler store was my favorite hidden treasure in Whittier California. Its corner location is a treasure trove of gems. I’ve never seen a better-curated store, the vibrant jewel-toned walls and Frida Khalo walls really left you transported. Almost every piece of clothing in the store was embroidered, yet the origins of the garments varied greatly, spanning from fast fashion pieces to hand made pieces lovingly made by indigenous artisans. Everything hangs side by side artfully displayed in antique wooden furniture that has been lovingly preserved. The Attic & Things is located at 7255 Comstock Avenue purposefully lacks signage because the owner Lucille prefers to use the front windows for her intricate displays that draw customers in.

Places to Eat in Whittier

Mr. Giant | Everyone raves about this place when I asked for directions from the hotel concierge both of their mouths watered and they extolled the virtues of Mr. Giant. One gentleman recommended the California burrito which is all the regular fixings in addition to French fries inside, served wet. I personally am not a fan of a wet burrito but this is the first time I ever had one it was a bit of a learning curve. I really like that they have a daily special which makes this place the perfect place to eat if you just want to grab a snack. on Tuesdays its two of the cutest burritos I’ve ever seen packed to the gills with fixings for only four dollars.

Hotels in Whittier California

I stayed Doubletree Whittier and honestly it was the best place to stay with its central location and multiple amenities. One of the best tips for maintaining your sanity when traveling with children is to stay someplace that offers breakfast. It’s even better if breakfast is included in the nightly room rate. The breakfast buffet at the Doubletree Whittier was only $18 and chock full of a variety of fresh fruits with a made to order omelet g station and DIY waffle maker. They offer just enough options for a toddler to stay satisfied and kids under 5 enjoy the buffet for free.

the pool area encircled by the hotel forms a real lush oasis in the courtyard and provided hours of fun. A sustainable step this hotel takes that I’ve never seen before is motion sensor lights in common hall areas, it takes a little getting used to its pretty cool. The rooms have and low flush toilettes.

Lost on Mother Earth, found in Motherhood
xx
Warmly
Sunshine Abou Bakar