OVERSEAS VISITORS FLOCK TO SAN FRANCISCO
California is more popular and accessible than ever, say global online travel agency Jetabroad, as new figures reveal that San Francisco welcomed a record number of visitors in 2011. These numbers are expected to increase after three theme parks opened new attractions this summer, and airlines have announced new routes to the Golden State to accommodate eager travellers. (eTN Global Travel Industry News)
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CALIFORNIA TRAVEL: SANTA CRUZ STILL REIGNS AS SURFER’'S PARADISE
White sand, blue Pacific and 300 days of sunshine a year — Hollywood couldn’'t invent a better spot for the birthplace of mainland surfing. Hawaii reigns as its true home, yet three Hawaiian princes introduced surfing to the mainland in 1885, when they rode redwood plankboards here. To prove it, Hawaiian royals told the story on a bronze plaque; it’s at the “world’s first” Surfing Museum, overlooking historic Steamer Lane. (Toronto Star)
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AMERICA’S BEST LAKE VACATIONS
At these great lakes, the all-American vacation fun continues long after summer ends…And temperature isn’t your only choice: America offers a lake vacation for every season and activity, and no matter where you live, even in the Southwest desert, chances are there’s one near you…[Lake Tahoe is] best for snow sports… (Travel + Leisure)
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BEST PLACES TO LIVE
Irvine has all the surf, sand, and sun Southern California is known for, with 44 miles of bike trails, 20,000 acres of parks and preserves, and a beach 10 miles away. Thanks to smart planning, this big city can feel surprisingly small. The 40-year-old community is divided into 40 "villages," and a minimum of five acres of park space is added for every 1,000 newcomers. (CNN Money)
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CALIFORNIA TRAVEL: SIX THINGS TO DO IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
Downtown L.A. has just about everything you could want short of a beach; fine food, glitzy concert halls, old-time markets, beautiful architecture and colourful history. Here’s a look at a few things on offer. (The Toronto Star)
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AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL
All your life, you’ve longed for your own personal lakeside retreat. But you haven’t inherited money, you haven’t issued an IPO. What to do? You rent your lakeside paradise for a week or two…With its green pines and blue water, California's Big Bear Lake feels like a step into vacations past. But you can get in good mountain biking at Snow Summit and stand-up paddleboarding on the lake…Simple pleasures really can be the best. They’re what Northern California’s Lakes Basin area has to offer. (Sunset Magazine)
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TOP 10 LAKE VACATIONS
It's not easy being Oakland, existing in the shadow of glamorous San Francisco. But this is no ugly stepsister of a city…But whether you live in the area or are just contemplating a quick stopover during a visit to that other city by the bay, Oakland has a lot to offer, from elegant neighborhoods and beautiful parks to a thriving food and arts scene. Not to mention lighter crowds and generally balmier weather than the big city. (MASK)
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WHALES INVADE CALIFORNIA WATERS
Grab your camera and binoculars: There's rarely been a better time to go whale-watching off the California coast. Tourists from around the world have been flocking to Monterey Bay to catch a glimpse of the massive marine mammals, including impressive numbers of blue whales, the largest animals on earth. (The Province)
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SANTA CRUZ BEACH BOARDWALK ADDING SPINNING COASTER IN 2013
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk plans to replace a 20-year-old steel coaster with the $5.5 million Undertow spinning coaster in summer 2013. Undertow is being billed as Northern California's only spinning coaster after Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo removed Pandemonium, a short-lived 2008 Gerstlauer spinning coaster formerly known as Tony Hawk's Big Spin. (Los Angeles Times)
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SOCAL CLOSE-UPS: SAN DIEGO'S NORTH COUNTY MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE
Maybe you've always suspected that there was more to San Diego's North County than beach towns, rolling hills, expat giraffes and a walled kingdom of brightly colored plastic. But frankly, they had me at beach towns. I always figured the rest — even the two marquee attractions, Legoland in Carlsbad and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park near Escondido — was just gravy. Or icing on the cake. Or maybe, given San Diego's love of beer, the chaser after the pint. (Los Angeles Times)
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PHOTO OF THE DAY: LOST COAST, CALIFORNIA
If there's anything worse than not being able to join your friends on a backpacking trip to California's Lost Coast, it's having your friends post photos after the trip that make you sick with envy. Don't get me wrong, I love that Christoph Sahle is such a great photographer, it just isn't enough to live vicariously through his collection of Lost Coast photos. The Lost Coast is a mostly undeveloped and secluded part of Northern California. After being depopulated in the 1930's, the Lost Coast earned its name. The coast's isolation is now one of its main attractions to tourists, particularly backpackers. (GADLING)
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THE SECRETS OF BIG SUR, CALIF.
Twenty-five years ago when I made my first trip to Big Sur, I had heard rapturous accounts of it, but had only the vaguest mental picture. Was Big Sur a town? Or was it a region? Did people live there? (VIA Magazine)
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SANTA CRUZ’ MARINE SANCTUARY
Now you can immerse yourself in the Pacific Ocean without wetting a toe. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center, a free museum near Cowell Beach in Santa Cruz, Calif., celebrates a wild preserve that reaches from the Golden Gate to south of Big Sur. (VIA Magazine)
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FEATURED FOODS: THE BEST BREAKFASTS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
Five food lovers name their favorite spots that dish up breakfast regulars, house specialties, and creative fare. Check out their nominees and share a few of your own. (VIA Magazine)
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CALIFORNIA WINE MONTH, TEMECULA-STYLE
The month of September tends to be, how shall we say, a rather hectic stretch for our state's wineries. It's harvest time, meaning that a lot of the activities that go into wine-making are happening all at once. This has a few side effects. One? People want to visit vineyards during this time. The heat is slackening and there's a lot to see; some places might even put out a half-barrel or two of wines for visitors to crush. And two? There are deals and giveaways to be found throughout the Golden State's various wine countries. That's the part we really do love; this could be the time of year when the deals are scarce, but they aren't. And, in that spirit, we'd like to cast a sip-worthy spotlight on... (NBC San Diego)
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SUMMERTIME IN SANTA BARBARA
Get festive this month in one of our favorite coastal cities. (San Diego Magazine)
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CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY 1, THE WINE-LOVERS’ ROUTE
Past pounding surf, plunging cliffs and misty redwood groves, California’s Highway 1 winds along nearly 700 miles of the Pacific Coast. But grand views aside, it ranks among the world’s great wine routes, passing more than 20 of the state’s American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). This vino-centric guide to Highway 1 brings wine lovers along California’s Central Coast, journeying south from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara. (Wine Enthusiast Magazine)
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DISNEY BRINGS “CARS” TO LIFE IN CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE THEME PARK
Mater never had it so good. Neither, for that matter, did Lightning McQueen, Doc Hudson and all the other "Cars" characters who have gotten an entire "land" at Disney California Adventure. Opened in June, Cars Land is like walking into an animated film and getting the chance to interact with its stars. Part of a five-year expansion, Cars Land (and the nearby Buena Vista Street) is so popular lines begin snaking outside the park's gates long before they open each morning. (Sioux City Journal)
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