It's a round-up of my favorite SoCal Beach Piers because Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer...unless you are in Southern California and can hit those beaches all year long. SoCal beach piers are those iconic structures you find on postcards and t-shirts. They are an immediate way to identify which beach it is, and each beach comes with its own look and personality.

Ok, seriously, you need to experience any morning at Bellagio and breakfast at Sadelle's will turn any morning into some sort of holiday. It's candy-colored decor that evokes vintage glamour and elegance mixed with upscale diner vibes.

Life Lessons Carson Valley teaches my kids on Spring Break: "Don't wait," he said. I can't remember his exact words after that, his wisdom mixed with the wind, the nay of the horses, the crunch of earth beneath our boots. It was along the lines of life is short. People put off their dreams, or traveling for too long. Sometimes, you just have to go for it. This is a man who truly follows his passion.