The SoCal Vacation Guru
Mini Blog
Sometimes we come across a juicy morsel of Southern California culture that can't wait for a full web page. This tidbit might be a great vacation suggestion or tip, or it might be some wild and crazy event that you'll find interesting. It might give you a brainstorm for something you should include in your next Southern California vacation. So we hope you enjoy the Guru's mini blog.
Tall Ships and Model Railroads in Socal
There's a lot going on in Southern California on any given day. Besides the beaches and theme parks, there are all kinds of interesting events and destinations for a variety of interests. Here are a few details on two cool opportunities.
First is the San Diego Model Railroad Museum in Balboa Park (not far from downtown and easily reached by public transit). Imagine over a half-acre of layouts, depictions of landmark depots and recreations of famous sections of track. Want to see a scale layout of the Tehachapi Pass? How about an interactive toy train gallery? If you're a train buff this might be worth part of a day in San Diego. Find more info at www.sdmodelrailroadm.com or call 619/696-0199. This museum is open on a pretty regular schedule (confirm before you go) and is celebrating its 30th year.
Not going to San Diego? How about the 26th annual Toshiba Tall Ships Festival planned for September 10-12 at Dana Point Harbor in Orange County? Check out the link below to get the schedule; you can take in the sight of a fleet of tall ships sailing into the harbor.
Spend a few bucks and you can experience a cannon battle or ride escort to one of the parades. There will be at least 6 of these majestic vessels over the 3-day event. Free parking and shuttle service will be available. This will appeal to kids from 3 to 103.
Click for more info
SoCal Weather Better Than Hawaii?
I got to thinking about the weather, as we're finally starting to see some serious summer climate here in Southern California. It's been beautiful, but very mild so far this summer. That's excellent if you are visiting theme parks; 82 degrees is better for the kids than 95 degrees. But beach trips are better when it's hot inland because the beach communities are always cooler. To get 78 degrees at Newport Beach it may be 89 degrees in Anaheim.
So this got me thinking about comparisons between the weather in Southern California and our westerly neighbor, Hawaii. I love the Aloha state, but if you've been to Hawaii in the summer months it can be very hot-- very sticky and humid. Too hot and too humid to enjoy yourself outdoors for very long. Sometimes it does not even cool down much at night. The Hawaiian sun is nice if you are right next to a pool or the ocean, but you'll begin to wilt if you're doing any walking, sightseeing or hiking in the sun.
On the other hand, a midsummer day in a Southern California beach community is heaven on earth in terms of climate. Relatively speaking, the humidity is way less, the sun angle is less intense and you could spend hours enjoying the day even if you are not in the water.
Save your Hawaii trip for winter or spring. This is the time of year to be in Southern California, no doubt about it.
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Seeking Hotels Near Universal Studios? Look No Further!
There are a few hotels near Universal Studios, with many others easily reached by automobile, or by the Los Angeles MTA subway system. Here are some details.
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Magic Mountain Hotels: Where To Stay Near Six Flags
There are several convenient Magic Mountain hotels. Should you stay near Six Flags Magic Mountain or elsewhere in Sourhern California? The Guru has some ideas for you.
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Which Of The Hotels Near Disneyland Should You Choose? Ask The Guru!
Ask the SoCal Guru which hotels near Disneyland are your best bet. Should you stay within the resort or at a nearby Good Neighbor hotel?
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The Best Southern California Hotels; Here Is A Great Resource
The SoCal Vacation Guru offers the best deals on southern California hotels, and you don't pay until you stay
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John Wayne Airport Hotels: Here’s What Ya Need Ta Know, Pilgrim!
There are many John Wayne Airport hotels easily reached from the Airport. The SoCal Vacation Guru has the inside scoop to make it simple for you.
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L.A. Beaches Are Great For Nature Walks!
There are a multitude of great reasons for spending vacation time in Los Angeles--the beaches, Hollywood, theme parks, restaurants, shopping, etc. Nature hiking is usually not at the top of the list, but you'd be surprised at some of the opportunities available to serious pedestrians.
Along with the likes of Griffith Park, other destinations for hikers include the Westside Beach communities of Santa Monica, Hermosa Beach, Pacific Palasades, Malibu and Playa del Rey. With some planning you could literally spend days hiking among the Ballona Wetlands, the Santa Monica mountains, the Venice canals, Marina del Rey and a couple million Angelenos going about their daily routines.
One such intrepid soul is Jamie Stringfellow, who has a website (check the link) with additional details on her 4-day, 38-mile trek through the Los Angeles coastal areas. You can spend the day walking (concrete/asphalt) and hiking (dirt, sand) whilst eating at beachfront restaurants and sleeping in virtually any type of hotel. What a combination of nature and civilization!
Of course you can choose to do only a portion of what Stringfellow hiked, to suit your interests, schedule and physical condition.
Click for more info
Your Coolest Southern California Vacation. Locals Tell You What You Need To Know
What the Locals know, where the Locals go! Let the SoCal Guru enlighten you in the planning of your Southern California vacation travel. Local insight on beaches, attractions, etc.!
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OC Fair and Disneyland Celebrate Milestones
Well folks, it's summertime and Southern California is hoppin'. Two Orange County landmarks are celebrating special birthdays this year.
Disneyland opened in July of 1955, and has been evolving and growing ever since. This year the park celebrates its 55th birthday, with a bunch of special events and shows. Of course D-land always finds an excuse to have big summertime events and shows, but it is kind of cool that it's been around for 55 years. Think of how the world has changed since popular celebrities like Ronald Reagan and Art Linkletter helped open the park in 1955.
Of course, the Orange County Fair was 65 years old when Disneyland opened its doors. Located on 150 acres adjacent to the city of Costa Mesa, the Fair is now open until August 15 and is celebrating its 120th birthday! You need to hit the link I've provided below to get the full scoop on the Fair, a tradition for many thousands of families throughout Southern California.
I will tell you that they have Weird Al Yankovic's brain at the Fair (it's OK, it's educational), along with deep fried Oreo cookies and a new music venue called The Hangar. Plan on a good chunk of a day (or a full day if you're a fair nut) at the Orange County Fairgrounds.
Click for more info
Laguna Beach Is Center of the Art World In Summertime
This headline may be a slight exaggeration, but there is no doubt that Laguna Beach becomes a true art haven in the summer months. Even if you have only a passing interest in art (whether it be fine art or crafts), consider spending a portion of a day at one or more of the four major art happenings in this beach community.
The most prestigious event is the Pageant of the Masters, an international favorite for something like 77 years now. It is an amazing presentation of famous artworks, brought to life on the stage in 3-D by real actors made up to duplicate the originals. The theme is "Eat, Drink and Be Merry." Check out www.pageanttickets.com for more information.
In addition to the Pageant of the Masters are three hugely popular festivals that target different interests and types of artistic creation. The Festival of Arts is a juried show displaying works from over 140 artists from the beach area. (foapom.com)
Another option is the Art-A-Fair, a gathering of another 120 national and international artists as well as local artists. Look up www.art-a-fair.com for information on location, times, costs, etc.
Finally is the Sawdust Festival, a slightly more casual environment of at, crafts, music, food and workshops just down the road from the other nearby festivals. (www.sawdustartfestival.org)
The city of Laguna Beach offers a great trolley service and a couple of decent pay lots. You can park and visit the festivals as well as the beach in one fulfilling afternoon and evening. There are also many galleries and shops in downtown Laguna Beach, also reached by the Trolley.
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Now Is The Time To Get Great Deals At SoCal Theme Parks
We've written elsewhere about how just before summer can be a great time to visit Southern California. The weather is usually cooler than in the heart of summer, but we are past the rainy season. A few colleges are finishing up classes, but elementary schools and high schools still have a couple more weeks before they release the hordes for summer vacation. That means the lines will be shorter--for awhile longer (and excluding the upcoming Memorial Day weekend).
Another advantage is that we're seeing a number of parks offer sweet deals on admission. Sea World, Knott's Berry Farm, Universal Studios Hollywood, Legoland and Six Flags Magic Mountain seem to be dealing to varying degrees. You might even find a better pre-season deal at Disneyland, or at least on a package that includes lodging and park admission.
Sometimes the deals relate to an annual admission for the price of a day; if you're coming from New Zealand that might not work for you. But it is still worth checking out the discounts if you can come over the next couple of weeks. Visit the websites or do a search on your favorite search engine. SoCal is ready for you.
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Technology Can Enhance Your Amtrak Vacation To Southern California
Taking the train to SoCal can be a wonderful way to turn mundane transportation into a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Even if you fly home afterwards, spending a couple of days to see our great country from the big windows of an AMTRAK train is something not to be missed.
In an effort to make your trip even more meaningful (and to increase sales no doubt) AMTRAK has teamed up with the National Park Service and a department of Texas A & M University to bring you a downloadable travel podcast.
Specifically, if you ride the Sunset Limited route from New Orleans to Los Angeles, you can download a podcast that presents 100 three-minute audio presentations about destinations along that route. That will make the trip much more interesting and will add some variety for children.
According to the Orange County Register, the podcast includes information about Creole cultures in Louisianna, information about the oil business and other features of Texas, the influence of Mexican heritage on New Mexico and other southwestern states, interesting historical information about Arizona and California, and many other topics. The AMTRAK site will provide more specifics; if successful we'd expect this treatment of other routes in the future.
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Visit The Historic USS Midway Carrier in San Diego
On April 30, 1975 at 7:53 am the last helicopter lifted off from the roof of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, South Vietnam. This was the last of the trips carrying a total of 7,000 people out to American aircraft carriers waiting offshore. Half of those folks found themselves being dropped off on the USS Midway. Most of those people were just beginning a whole new life halfway around the world.
Since then the USS Midway has been retired and is now the centerpiece of a museum with over 60 exhibits. That includes an exhibit covering this life-altering event.
The US Midway was one of America's longest-serving carriers and was first commissioned at the end of World War II. Nearly a quarter-million sailors have served on the ship. You might want to include a visit to the ship in your upcoming San Diego vacation, as it is likely to be one of the more-memorable activities of your trip.
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Considering an AmTrak train vacation to SoCal? Here's What You Should Know!
Southern California is a great destination for an Amtrak vacation. The SoCal Vacation Guru has some tips and ideas to make this the best possible trip!
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