$6.

95 DISPLAY UNTIL AUGUST 31, 2016

 CONTENTS

GET YOUR BEARINGS

8 CALIFORNIA MAP

10 EDITOR’S NOTE

12 DISCOVER
California Dreaming

14 HISTORY
A Place for Starting Over

DISCOVER THE GOLDEN STATE

18 CITIES 54 ROAD TRIPS
Surprising Cities Get Behind the Wheel and Go

22 FAMILY FUN 58 STATE & NATIONAL PARKS

Golden State Fun Stay and Play

26 THEME PARKS 62 ARCHITECTURE & GARDENS

Fun for All Building in Harmony

30 CUISINE 65 GOLF
ON THE COVER
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
The Dining Scene Golden Glow to California’s Golf Courses
Photo: Luciano Mortula/Shutterstock

34 WINE COUNTRY 68 SUMMER SPORTS

Fruit of the Vine Fun in the Sun

40 MUSEUMS & ART 72 WINTER SPORTS

Celebrating the Human Spirit A Grand Season for Play

43 PERFORMING ARTS 74 SHOPPING

Encore! Encore! Shopping Paradise

46 MOVIES 78 SPAS & WELLNESS

Shooting on Location Treat Yourself to the Ultimate Escape

50 RAILWAY JOURNEYS 82 CASINOS Point Vicente Lighthouse,

Hear My Train a Comin’ High Rolling Ranchos Palos Verdes, top

6 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 22

EXPLORE CALIFORNIA’S TOURISM REGIONS

86 LOS ANGELES COUNTY
92 West Hollywood
94 Redondo Beach
96 LA Waterfront

98 ORANGE COUNTY
102 Huntington Beach FIND USEFUL INFORMATION
104 Laguna Beach
106 Costa Mesa
183 RESOURCES
GENERAL INFORMATION
108 SAN DIEGO COUNTY CALIFORNIA WELCOME CENTERS
114 San Diego Zoo & Safari Park
QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE TO TRAVEL
116 SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAUS
120 San Francisco HOLIDAYS
122 Berkeley CLIMATE/TEMPERATURES
124 Healdsburg MEDICAL CARE & TRAVEL INSURANCE
DRIVING REGULATIONS
126 SAN JOSE & SILICON VALLEY
RESOURCES FOR THE DISABLED
130 Santa Clara
AIR DISTANCES BETWEEN SELECTED CITIES
134 MONTEREY BAY & BIG SUR DRIVING DISTANCES
139 Gilroy NATIONAL PARKS & HISTORIC SITES
140 Monterey County HOTELS, RESORTS & INNS
AIRPORTS
142 CENTRAL COAST
TRANSPORTATION
146 Ventura
148 Pismo Beach CAR & RV RENTALS
ART MUSEUMS
JON BILOUS/SHUTTERSTOCK; RON BERG; MEUNIERD/SHUTTERSTOCK

150 NORTH COAST THEME PARKS

155 SHASTA CASCADE

160 HIGH SIERRA

164 Lake Tahoe South Shore

168 GOLD COUNTRY

172 CENTRAL VALLEY

176 DESERTS

180 INLAND EMPIRE

15
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 7
 199 Tulelake
Dorris
Willow Ranch
Fort Dick
96

Klamath R.
139
Yreka Montague
Clear Creek
Crescent City Del Norte
Bray Modoc Lake City
Siskiyou
Hackamore
Klamath 299

299
Alturas
Etna
Weed

Orleans Mount Shasta

Callahan
Orick 3
89 Likely
96 Dunsmuir

Cecilville

Trinidad Sacramento R.
299
Nubieber

SHASTA
CASCADE
Lamoine
139
Termo
Eureka Arcata
Blue Lake
299
Trinity 299
89
Hat Creek
Humboldt
Lassen
Big Bar Weaverville
Shasta Lake
395
Shasta
Fortuna 44

Ferndale Redding 44

3 44
273
Rio Dell 89
36
Anderson Susanville
Platina Mineral 36

36
Blocksburg 36 Westwood
Honeydew
Eel R.

89 Milford
Red Bluff
Taylorsville
Te h a m a
Whitethorn 5
32

Corning Quincy
Plumas
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
NORTH
208
Leggett
Paskenta
99
70
70

Portola GOLD
has 58 counties, whose
101
Orland Paradise 49
Dos Rios

COUNTRY
89
32
Chico

COAST 1
Glenn Willows Butte
Downieville
Sierra
Loyalton

Fort Bragg

20
Willits Biggs 70
Oroville
49

Nevada
89

boundaries are shown on

Gridley Truckee
Mendocino 80

this map. The state’s

Live Oak Yu b a
Colusa 45
20 Colusa Nevada City
Lake Grass Valley
Ukiah Williams Sutter
Elk Lake
Yuba City Marysville Tahoe
128 Placer
253

tourism regions sometimes

Sacram

Wheatland Colfax
Lakeport
ento

49
R.

70
Clearlake 113

Point Arena
128
29
16
Lincoln Auburn
South Lake
Tahoe
spill over several counties
El Dorado
1
Cloverdale Yo l o Rocklin 50
Roseville 49

Sonoma Placerville
Folsom Markleeville

Sacramento
89

Windsor
Calistoga
Napa
Woodland

Davis 80
88
Coleville HIGH SIERRA and in some places jump
Santa Rosa Saint Helena
Dixon
16 Amador
Alpine

Sacramento Sutter Creek 4

Sebastopol Rohnert Park Vacaville Ione 182

borders to include portions

108
Jackson
Napa 5 88
Calaveras
395
1 Galt

SAN FRANCISCO
160
Bridgeport
Petaluma Fairfield San Andreas
12 49 Tuolumne
Solano
Novato 37

of counties. The colored sec-

Lodi
Marin Vallejo Rio Vista
Angels City

BAY AREA
167

San Rafael Martinez San Joaquin Sonora Tuolumne City

Concord Lee Vining
Berkeley Stockton 120

tions on the map show

120
Contra
Costa Lathrop
Oakland
San Francisco Manteca
99 Ripon
120
Yosemite Village Mono
San Francisco Oakdale
Alameda
Riverbank
Daly City
Modesto
where these regions are.
Livermore Waterford 49 140

92
Hayward 132
Mammoth Lakes
Mariposa

San Mateo Alameda

Stanislaus 6

Redwood City Fremont Turlock Mariposa Madera

Milpitas Patterson

Sunnyvale Livingston 99 Atwater

140

Santa Clara San Jose Newman

Merced
Coarsegold
Bishop
168
Lakeshore
San Mateo
1

SAN JOSE Santa Cruz

Los Gatos
Morgan Hill

Santa Clara Los Banos

Merced
Chowchilla 41
168

Fresno

& SILICON VALLEY

152 395

Capitola Gilroy Dos Palos

Madera
Santa Cruz Trimmer
33
Watsonville Hollister

DESERTS
99
Firebaugh 41
Independence
Fresno Clovis
Kings
Mendota 180
R.
Marina Salinas Sanger Owenyo Inyo

Monterey Seaside
25
San Benito
San Joaquin
Parlier Reedley
245
33
Selma 136
Gonzales Dinuba
Kingsburg 198

MONTEREY BAY Soledad

Greenfield
145

Hanford Visalia
Woodlake

Cartago
190
190
Death Valley
190

& BIG SUR

Lemoore 198
Big Sur 43 Exeter
Tulare
King City Huron Tulare Lindsay
1 127
Coalinga Haiwee
41
198 33 Corcoran
Porterville 178

Monterey
Avenal Johnsondale
101 Shoshone
99

Kings Tecopa

Delano Searles Valley 127

5
1
McFarland 178
San Simeon 46
65
El Paso de Robles Wasco Mountain Mesa
41 Ridgecrest
33

CENTRAL Morro Bay

41
Atascadero

San Luis Obispo 58

Buttonwillow
Shafter
43
99

Bakersfield
Kern R.
178

Saltdale C a l i f o r n i a
15

VALLEY San Luis Obispo

227
119

99
58

Arvin
Kern

14 California City
Cima

Arroyo Grande Tehachapi

Taft
Grover Beach
Maricopa
Afton
1 58

Santa Maria 166

Boron
33 58
Guadalupe Barstow San Bernardino

Santa Barbara Frazier Park Needles

101 14
138
Helendale Essex
Lancaster Ludlow

CENTRAL
40
Lake Hughes
247
Lompoc 15
Solvang Adelanto Bagdad
33 Ve n t u r a
Buellton Apple Valley

COAST 1

Santa Barbara
Fillmore
Palmdale

Santa Clarita
Los Angeles 138
Victorville 18

Chubbuck
Lake
Havasu

Santa Paula Hesperia 247

118 Simi Valley

Big Bear Lake

o R.
San Buenaventura Oxnard La Canada Flintridge

orad
Col
Glendale Pasadena San Bernardino
Yucca
Thousand Oaks Agoura Hills Fontana
30 Valley 62
Twentynine Palms Rice
1
Los Angeles 62

Riverside 62
Desert Hot Springs
177

Moreno Valley
Torrance Anaheim Corona Palm Springs Riverside

LOS ANGELES
Palos Verdes Estates
Santa Ana Hemet Cathedral City
Indio Desert Center
Long Beach Irvine Palm Desert
Lake Elsinore

COUNTY Orange 10
Blythe
Huntington Beach Costa Mesa 74

Laguna Niguel
371
1

Oasis

5 79 78
Avalon 111

ORANGE Oceanside Vista

San Diego
Borrego Springs

86
Salton
Sea
Imperial

COUNTY Carlsbad

Encinitas
78
San Marcos

Escondido
15 Westmorland
Calipatria

Poway Brawley Imperial

79 78
Reservoir

Santee Imperial
Holtville
El Cajon El Centro
San Diego Lemon Grove 8 Calexico
98
Coronado Chula Vista

SAN DIEGO Imperial Beach

COUNTY INLAND
EMPIRE

BEST BEACHSIDE DINING Innumerable fine watering holes dot

California’s famous coastal Highway 1, but take a diversion when you
reach San Francisco to head to the Beach Chalet on the Great
INSIDER’S Highway at Ocean Beach. One of the city’s first brewpubs, the
BEACHCHALET.COM

restaurant sits atop a San Francisco history museum with WPA

» TIP murals from the 1930s on the walls, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week and has
a menu ranging from burgers to seafood to prime rib. In addition, out back facing Golden Gate Park is
sister restaurant the Park Chalet. With the Pacific or the park as your options, you can’t go wrong.

8 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 EDITOR’S NOTE 2016 TRAVEL GUIDE TO

CALIFORNIA
PRESIDENT & GROUP Joseph P. Turkel
PUBLISHER

EDITOR Larry Habegger

You Don’t EXECUTIVE EDITOR Judi Scharf

Have to Go Far ART DIRECTOR

WRITERS
Mark Tzerelshtein

David Armstrong
Christopher P. Baker
Sometimes when I look out over San Francisco Bay from my perch on Tele- Susan Brady (Resources)
Laura Del Rosso
graph Hill, I forget that the sweeping Pacific Ocean is at my back, just a few Christine Delsol
Bill Fink
miles away over the hilly, city-covered terrain. It can be like that in our busy
John Flinn
lives, when we focus so much on the task at hand that we forget the grand Don George
Marcy Gordon
scope of our time here on this earth. Jeff Greenwald
Luckily for me, it doesn’t take a lot to regain my bearings. I can make my Lenore Greiner
Robert Kaufman
way out to Ocean Beach to contemplate infinity, watch the waves wash in at Maribeth Mellin
Laura Ness
the nearby ruins of the Sutro Baths, take a hike in what feels like wilderness
Jill K. Robinson
in the city at Lands End, a woodsy, mile-and-a-half trail with spectacular Michael Shapiro
Bonnie Smetts
views of the sea from the cliffs at every turn. Lavinia Spalding
If I venture a little farther I can cross the Golden Gate Bridge to the Marin Matt Villano
Laurie Weed
Headlands, where dozens of miles of trails await with equally breathtaking Jacqueline Yau

views. In less than 30 minutes from my house in the busy city I can be reviving CIRCULATION Julia Wall
my spirits in the open outdoors. Truly, you don’t have to go far to rejuvenate MANAGER

yourself here. DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Gloria Mungo

California is a big state, but this notion that you don’t have to go far holds
ACCOUNT MANAGERS Collier C. Granberry
true statewide. If your pleasure is wine tasting, you’ll find it almost every- Dexter Taylor
Joe Turkel
where. Fine dining? Same story. Surfing, kayaking, swimming, boogie
boarding, paddle boarding? There are 840 miles of coastline here with some CALIFORNIA OFFICE 1288 Columbus Ave., Suite 292
San Francisco, CA 94133
of the world’s best beaches. Opera, art, theater, music, film, sports? You name
it, it’s all here, and easy to find. TEL: 1-888-700-4464 • FAX: 416-497-0871
E-MAIL: tigc@rogers.com
Does escaping into truly magnificent landscape away from the cities appeal californiatravelguide.travel

to you? That’s a breeze. We have easy access to the ancient natural world of The Travel Guide to California is published by
the giant sequoias, Death Valley National Park, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite Globelite Travel Marketing Inc., a leading
lifestyle media company and publisher of
National Park, the stunning volcanic peak of Mount Shasta. The Travel Guides to Canada, The Travel Guide to
Florida, The Travel Guide to California, and
We also have access to all that’s new, in technology, architecture, design,
Dreamscapes Travel and Lifestyle Magazine.
resorts and spas. How about golf? You won’t find a better collection of golf
CANADIAN OFFICE Globelite Travel Marketing Inc.
courses anywhere. 3 Bluffwood Drive
When it’s time to rejuvenate, just get yourself to California. Once here, Toronto, Ontario
M2H 3L4
you’ll quickly learn that you don’t have to go far to find what restores your TEL: 416-497-5353, 1-888-700-4464
FAX: 416-497-0871
energy and feeds your soul. And makes you happy, of course.
E-MAIL: tigc@rogers.com
In these pages we help you get ready, with profiles of the state’s main californiatravelguide.travel

tourism regions, essays on history, cuisine, museums, theme parks and many No part of this publication can be reproduced or
other topics, plus resource pages with information on visitors bureaus, duplicated without the written permission of
Globelite Travel Marketing Inc. The opinions in this
driving distances, average temperatures, California Welcome Centers and magazine are those of the writers and do not
necessarily reflect the views of Globelite Travel
much more.
Marketing Inc. Publications Mail Agreement
As you make your plans for a trip to the Golden State, you’ll have a lot to 40047932. Contents © copyright 2016

look forward to. California offers a profound richness of experience all within
ÉRNE Mc CABE

Printed in Canada
easy reach, and once you’re here, I’m sure you’ll quickly regain your bearings. ISSN 1926-304X (Print)
ISSN 1927-7245 (Online)

—L A R RY H A B EG G E R , Editor

10 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 DISCOVER
California Dreaming
The Golden State is a special place with a world’s worth of experiences to be savored
PACIFIC OCEAN
The world’s largest ocean, the fabled
Pacific, embraces California’s entire
western boundary. It’s a place to dream,
to ponder life’s possibilities and endless
mysteries, and a place to play. Surfers
ride the sea’s prodigious waves; sailors
ply her waters; boogie boarders and
body surfers splash in her surf;
kayakers explore her coves and shore
breaks; children of all ages wade in her
froth and comb her beaches. Life
happens on the edge of the Pacific,
where the sun shines, and sets in
ethereal colors.
12 2 0 1 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
THE SEDUCTIVE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
is large in every sense of the word. It’s the
most populous state in the U.S. and the third
largest in terms of geographical size. Its
economy ranks eighth in the entire world.
When it comes to visitor attractions, Cali-
fornia presents travelers with as wide a range
of riches as many countries. Whether you’re
passionate about natural activities, cultural
pursuits or dining and wining, the Golden
State has diverse delights to entice you.
Outdoor Adventurer
If you’re a nature lover and active adven-
turer, you’ll be dazzled by the state’s
spectacular spectrum. On the western edge
there’s the Pacific Ocean, the largest body
of water in the world, perfect for surfing,
sailing and swimming. In the east there are
the magnificent mountains of the Sierra
Nevada, a haven for skiers and snow-
boarders in winter and hikers and
bicyclists in summer. This region is home
to Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in
the “Lower 48” and a mecca for climbers,
topping off at 14,505 feet. Among Cali-
fornia’s most moving experiences are
walking through the natural cathedral of
Muir Woods and camping in the granite
grandeur of Yosemite National Park.
BY DON GEORGE
For boaters, birders and fishermen,
there’s Lake Shasta, home to an abundance
of fish and fowl. For whitewater fans, more
than a dozen rivers, including the mighty
American and Sacramento, provide
thrilling rides. Kayakers and canoers find
paradise in Point Reyes National Seashore
in the north and watery wonders at Morro
Bay on the central coast.
In the southern part of the state, visitors
savor the sere splendors of the Mojave
Desert and Death Valley, the lowest point
in North America, 282 feet below sea level.
If tide pooling tempts you, Shaw’s Cove
tide pools in the Laguna Beach State
Marine Reserve and the Terranea tide
pools in the Point Vicente State Marine
Conservation Area in Rancho Palos Verdes
showcase sea anemones, crabs, urchins,
sea slugs, sea stars and more. The five
islands of Channel Islands National Park,
accessible only by boat or plane from Ven-
tura and Oxnard, provide a peaceful,
pristine home for more than 2,000 plant
and animal species, including 145 found
WELCOMIA/SHUTTERSTOCK
nowhere else on the planet.
Cultural Connoisseur
If you love culture, you’ll find a treasure
trove of activities in the Golden State, from
museum and art gallery exhibitions to
shops showcasing contemporary handi-
crafts and timeworn antiques, and from
performances of theater, dance and music
to displays at aquariums and hands-on
education centers.
For music, the world-class concert halls of
Los Angeles and San Francisco are well-
known, but equally appealing are smaller
sites such as the Redlands Bowl in the Inland
Empire city of Redlands, where an elegant
amphitheater spotlights California’s oldest
free concert series, presenting everything
from classical music to bluegrass bands each
summer, or the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Hall
on the California State University Sonoma
campus, where warm-weather concert-goers
can spread a blanket on the terraced lawn for
an alfresco music fest.
A lively variety of performances,
including ballet, theater, variety shows,
comedy and even onstage conversations,
are presented at Oakland’s  ornately Art
Deco Paramount Theater. Another multi-
faceted venue lovingly restored to its
former glory is Fresno’s Warnors Center for
the Performing Arts, listed on the National
Register of  Historic Places  and distin-
guished by a pipe organ that replicates the
sound of a full orchestra.
From the Siskiyou County Museum in
Yreka to the San Diego Museum of Art,
museums and galleries celebrating his-
tory, human endeavor and artistic heritage
abound throughout the state. Creative
exploring will yield access to small-scale
museums that specialize in everything
from comics and cable cars to surfing and
sewing. Other outstanding educational
institutions that focus on interactive
experiences include the Monterey Bay
Aquarium, the California Academy of Sci-
ences and the Exploratorium.
Food Aficionado
For food aficionados, California is a wonder-
land of tastes, textures and innovative
culinary creations. One of the most
delightful and enlightening experiences is
visiting a farmers market, where fresh-
from-the-farm produce will be on delicious
display and fresh-from-the-field farmers
will be happy to offer samples and stories.
Farmers markets can now be found
throughout the state. As a further outgrowth
of the popularity of these markets, more and
more farms are now offering visitors the
opportunity to pay to pick their own straw-
berries, peaches or plums and savor the
sweetness of just-plucked fruit. Some farms
even offer travelers the chance to stay and
work, which reveals from the inside the rites
and rhythms of modern farm life.
California is the birthplace of California
cuisine, of course, a culinary revolution
spearheaded by Berkeley’s Alice Waters—
whose Chez Panisse is still serving
extraordinary food 45 years after it opened.
That revolution has spawned numerous
other channels of creative culinary freshness
and fusion, blending Asian, European and
Latin American ingredients and traditions,
which are showcased throughout the state.
As Alice Waters and her followers focused
attention on local purveyors, food-related
opportunities for travelers expanded. One
result today is the California Cheese Trail,
which connects artisanal cheese makers in
Sonoma County, from Point Reyes and
Bodega to Santa Rosa and Sonoma.
Wine trails have long drawn travelers to
California, but these have expanded as
well in recent years. In addition to world-
renowned regions such as Napa and
Sonoma, up-and-coming areas that offer
their own winery routes include Liver-
more, Paso Robles, Madera and Temecula.
Whatever interest has drawn you to Cal-
ifornia, you’ll find almost infinite reasons
to be seduced and stay.
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 13
 HISTORY
A Place for Starting Over
Innovation and starting fresh are embedded in California’s cultural DNA
MISSION BASILICA
SAN DIEGO DE ALCALÁ
The first of the 21 California missions,
Mission San Diego de Alcalá was founded
in 1769 by Father Junipero Serra, the
Franciscan friar who was canonized in
2015 by Pope Francis. Today, the mission
remains an active parish church and
cultural center for people of all faiths.
Among other things, California’s first
olives were cultivated here.
14 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
The Spanish Franciscan friar blessing an
adobe church at Mission Basilica San Diego
de Alcalá in 1769; the Chilean miner trying
his luck panning for gold in a cold Sierra
cataract in 1849; the Chinese laborer
crossing the heaving Pacific to work on the
transcontinental railroad in 1869; the
African American leaving the South to
build warships on the Oakland waterfront
in 1942; the Haight-Ashbury hippie with
her wakeful dreaming in San Francisco’s
Summer of Love in 1967; the Indian engi-
neer launching a high-tech startup in Palo
Alto in 2016, all have something in
common: starting over.
The United States is said to be a place
where the world comes to begin again—to
reinvent itself, in the current coinage. If so,
BY DAVID ARMSTRONG
NATALIA BRATSLAVSKY/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: MEUNIERD/SHUTTERSTOCK; RADOSLAW LECYK/SHUTTERSTOCK; BLUEBEAT76/SHUTTERSTOCK; MEUNIERD/SHUTTERSTOCK
California is the “America” of America.
This was so even in pre-history, when the
first migrants from Asia crossed the land
bridge between Siberia and Alaska, hung a
right, walked southward, found pastures of
plenty, rich marine life and heart-stop-
pingly beautiful mountains and either
decided to keep walking or stop right
where they were.
The place wasn’t called California then,
of course. That came later, the name taken
from a 16th-century Spanish novel and used
by explorers, soldiers and missionaries,
who were themselves starting over in the
New World. The Spanish built 21 Roman
Catholic missions, from San Diego in the
south to Sonoma in the north, from 1769 to
1823. In converting native communities to
 3000 BC: THE PLANET’S OLDEST LIVING TREES, bristlecone pines, are found at high
elevations in eastern California’s rugged Inyo National Forest. Long thought to be
» WORLD'S
OLDEST
the oldest individual tree, the aptly named bristlecone pine Methuselah, is
reckoned to be 4,800 years old. In 2012, another bristlecone pine was found that is
TREES even older—nearly 5,100 years old.

Christianity, the newcomers overwhelmed

native cultures. Of necessity, the Native Ameri-
cans started over in a bewildering new world.
In 1821, Mexico, with its remote northern-
most province, Alta California, wrenched itself
free of the Spanish Empire. In 1833, the mis-
sions were secularized by the Mexican
government and abandoned. Their buildings
moldered, their pioneering vineyards and olive
groves were eventually overgrown and for- THE DOLORES DEL RIO
gotten. Not until the 20th century were the mural on Hollywood Boulevard
missions restored and revived. Many flourish depicts the movie star from the
today as redoubts of history and contemporary 1920s and 1930s, above; she was
one of the most important
worship, handsome, evocative reminders of the
female figures of the Golden
first major European presence. Age of Mexican cinema;
buildings at the ghost town of
The Gold Rush Bodie State Park, right; radio
Alta California grew slowly in its isolation. That station inside Alcatraz
Penitentiary and Alcatraz Island
changed on January 24, 1848, with the discovery
in San Francisco, below.
of gold on the American River. The California
Gold Rush, beginning in earnest in 1849, gave for-
tune-seekers a second—some said a last—chance
to make good. Half-a-million newcomers—many
from Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa—
globalized California in a hurry. The Mexican
descendants of Spanish settlers—the Californios,
with their sprawling ranchos and lives attuned to
the slow turning of the seasons—were swept
aside, left to start over.
Many 49ers stayed on and found another kind
of gold: richly productive new lives in a place
where beginning afresh—personally, financially,
even spiritually—was already a common rite of
passage. In 1850, pried loose by the U.S. victory
in the Mexican War and accelerated by the Gold
Rush, California became the 31st state of the
United States. New Californians brought the new
Golden State into being, plowing its fields,
founding its great universities, building its cities.

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 15
 HISTORY
California’s lustrous reputation was tar-
nished on the morning of April 18, 1906,
when a massive earthquake rocked
Northern California and leveled much of
San Francisco; what the rolling, rumbling
ground didn’t knock down, the ensuing
firestorm burned down. Some 3,000 people
died. Now, it was San Francisco’s turn to
start over. San Francisco dramatized its
recovery, and celebrated the new Panama
Canal linking the Atlantic and the Pacific,
with the splendidly showy Panama-Pacific
International Exposition of 1915.
WHOLE EARTH CATALOG,
symbol of California innovation,
The Rise of Hollywood
above; the Hollywood sign on
Just two years after that optimistic dis-
Mount Lee in the Hollywood Hills
play, the nation plunged into World War I.
area of Los Angeles, below.
After the war ended in 1918, still more
migrants rushed to California. In 1920,
Los Angeles (and much later San Diego
and San Jose) surged past San Francisco in
population. The orange groves and dusty
byways of old Los Angeles began mor-
phing into “LA”—more specifically, and
more mythically, “Hollywood.”
Actors, writers, directors and producers
streamed to Los Angeles, growing a quiet
cottage industry of silent motion pictures
into a technologically advanced business.
Stars were born in a place that came to be
called “the dream factory.” Not a few of the
Dust Bowl migrants who left the drought-
stricken Midwest for California in the
1930s got their first impressions of their
new home from the dream-weavers of
Hollywood. In the 1940s, creative people
from Europe such as Billy Wilder and
Thomas Mann, fleeing fascism and war to
begin anew, lent the movies an Old World
artistic sensibility.
California’s story since World War II has
featured growth and more growth. Com-
bined with in-country migration, global
immigration made California the most
populous state in the Union in 1962.
A Center for Change
From the 1960s on, California has been, in
a positive sense, the most disruptive state
in the nation. Student political activism,
the hip counter-culture and early awaken-
ings of the New Age movement found
fertile ground in California. The in-season,
sustainable, slow-food movement arguably
took root fastest in California. American
environmentalism in large part began in
California, when Scottish immigrant John
Muir founded the Sierra Club in San Fran-
cisco back in 1892 and took President
Theodore Roosevelt camping amid the nat-
ural wonders of Yosemite Valley in 1903.
From the 1980s on, Silicon Valley has
joined Hollywood as a creative lodestar for
the whole planet. In the present decade, Sil-
icon Valley reached northward, dramatically
transforming the economy and even the cul-
ture of San Francisco. The high-technology
world has enshrined risk-taking, innova-
tion, learning from failure and—you
guessed it—starting over. Quoting another
California innovation, the 1960s Whole Earth
Catalog, Apple’s Steve Jobs urged Stanford
University graduates in a commencement
speech in 2005 to “stay hungry, stay foolish.”
Californians, across centuries and cul-
tures, always have.

THE FORTUNE COOKIE, commonly believed to come from

China, actually comes from California. While there are
1914:
» competing creation myths, the most widely accepted version
TURTIX/SHUTTERSTOCK

FORTUNE credits the invention of the fortune cookie to Japanese American

landscape designer Makoto Hagiwawa. He created the sweet treat with
COOKIES a written fortune tucked inside while working at San Francisco’s Japanese Tea
Garden, still a favorite of visitors and locals, in Golden Gate Park, back in 1914.

16 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 CITIES
Surprising Cities
California’s smaller towns have plenty of urban delights
PASADENA
One of Los Angeles County’s more
vibrant cities, Pasadena was a tourist
destination drawing visitors from
the eastern U.S. as far back as the
1880s. In 1886, the first of many great
hotels here, the Raymond, was built
atop Bacon Hill, which was later
renamed Raymond Hill when the
hotel was completed.
18 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
California’s golden cities—Los Angeles,
San Francisco, San Diego—are celebrated
around the world, and rightly so. But the
Golden State has an engaging range of
things to see and do in less-well-known
locales, as well. In cities ranging in size
from 11,000 inhabitants to 470,000, a sur-
prising, eclectic menu of food and drink,
art and architecture, history and sports is
available to visitors.
PASADENA: Rose Bowl & Bungalows
Located 10 miles northeast of Los Angeles
at the foot of the imposing San Gabriel
Mountains, this pretty city of 140,000 is
best-known for the Granddaddy of ’em
All: the annual Rose Bowl football game,
its ever-popular Tournament of Roses
Parade and delightful parody the Doo-
BY DAVID ARMSTRONG
Dah Parade. Some 800 restored early 20th-
century wooden bungalows, clustered in
the Bungalow Heaven Historic District,
give Pasadena a signature architectural
look. Shopping and dining are abundant
along pedestrian-friendly South Lake
Avenue, in the Playhouse District and in
JAMIE PHAM. OPPOSITE: RYAN FORBES/AVABLU; LONG BEACH CVB
revived, 22-block Old Pasadena. The
Huntington combines a distinguished
library complete with a Gutenberg Bible,
centuries of priceless fine-art pieces and
extensive and beautiful botanical gar-
dens all in one place.
WEST HOLLYWOOD: Creative City
West Hollywood, population 35,000, pro-
vides style and spark to sprawling Greater
Los Angeles well out of proportion to its
size. Vibrant “WeHo,’’ bounded on the east

by Hollywood and the west by Beverly Hills,
is Greater LA’s gay village, with about one-
third of residents identifying as lesbian,
gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). Within
its tightly packed 1.9 square miles is
western Sunset Boulevard, aka the Sunset
Strip, with its famous music venues,
among them the Troubadour, Viper Room
and Whisky a Go Go. The city also boasts
hip hotels such as the Mondrian, Andaz
and the Sunset Marquis. Classic retro Art
Deco and Spanish Revival apartment build-
ings dot swathes of the city, while western
Melrose Avenue is abuzz with restaurants,
shops, antique and furniture stores and the
nearby Pacific Design Center. The annual
Halloween Carnival is a huge and hugely
popular party. An influx of Russian Jews
late last century from the disintegrating
Soviet Union adds to West Hollywood’s cos-
mopolitan character.
LONG BEACH: As Seen in the Movies
A frequent stand-in for national and global
locations in television, video and film
shoots, Long Beach is very much itself.
Boasting 5.5 miles of sandy beaches, the
city of 470,000 some 20 miles southwest
of downtown Los Angeles is home to a
major ocean cargo port and an outpost of
aircraft manufacturer Boeing. Since 1967,
the 1930s Art Deco ocean liner Queen Mary
DESIGN DISTRICT, left, and
Sunset Boulevard in West
Hollywood, below; Long
Beach skyline, bottom.
has been permanently anchored there.
Now a hotel and meetings venue, the
Queen Mary is linked on-land by the Pass-
port shuttle bus to the Aquarium of the
Pacific, Long Beach Convention and Enter-
tainment Center and other sites. The arts
are served by the Museum of Latin Amer-
ican Art, the Long Beach Playhouse and a
lively street-art scene. Aquatic sports and
beach volleyball thrive in the sunny cli-
mate. Moreover, a wide range of dining
options abounds, thanks to the city’s multi-
ethnic make-up, which embraces white
and black residents, Hispanics, Pacific
Islanders, and Asians, notably Cambo-
dians and Filipinos.
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 19
 CITIES
LA JOLLA CLIFFS, below; statue of Father
Junipero Serra, downtown Ventura, right;
Sundial bridge at Turtle Bay, Redding,
opposite top; Sebastiani Theatre in Sonoma,
opposite bottom.
LA JOLLA: Mediterranean Haven
La Jolla is an engaging city-within-a-city.
The community of 43,000 on the coast 15
miles north of downtown San Diego is
actually part of San Diego. Yet the affluent
enclave, known for beach life, dining,
shopping and the scientific prowess of the
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the
Salk Institute and others, has its own zip
code, and physical mail addressed to “La
Jolla” is routinely delivered. Downtown La
Jolla along Prospect Avenue is a nexus of
upscale shopping. Torrey Pines State
Reserve is a rugged, 2,000-acre nature pre-
serve with 8 miles of trails. Torrey Pines
Golf Course, with high-end Torrey Pines
Lodge, is home every January to the PGA
event the Farmers Insurance Open. This
seaside community, with a mild, year-
round Mediterranean climate, is also a
haven for sunbathing, surfing and swim-
ming. Black’s Beach is
clothing-optional destination. The arts are
alive here, too, especially at the renowned
La Jolla Playhouse, on the University of Cal-
ifornia San Diego campus.
20 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
VENTURA: Classic Beach Town
Under-the-radar Ventura city, the county
seat of agricultural Ventura County, is a
classic Southern California beach town,
with surprising twists. Located a few min-
utes south of Santa Barbara and an hour’s
drive north of Los Angeles, the Ventura
Beach section is popular with surfers,
paddle boarders, joggers, sailors and sun-
worshippers. Walking distance from the
sands, Ventura city’s fast-reviving down-
town boasts a mix of restaurants, shops and
wine bars along Main Street, including the
massive, multi-level restaurant and music
venue Watermark. The Beaux-Arts 1912 City
Hall is an impressive sight on its downtown
hilltop; Erle Stanley Gardener, creator of the
fictional courtroom wizard Perry Mason,
practiced law just down the hill. The out-
door apparel company Patagonia showcases
its world headquarters store in a renovated
a popular heritage building on West Santa Clara Street.
At the city’s bustling marina, the Channel
Islands National Park visitor center
dispenses useful information. Park Conces-
sionaire Island Packers operates ferry runs
year-round to splendid, rugged off-shore
isles, churning past leaping dolphins and
spouting migratory whales.
BERKELEY: The Arts and More
Long famed for its commitment to brainiac
inquiry, Berkeley, on the eastern shores of San
Francisco Bay, doubles as a richly diverse
travel destination. The college town of
120,000 boasts unique shops and restaurants
along Fourth Street in west Berkeley, and
shopping, theater, music and movie-going
downtown on and off south Shattuck Avenue.
The expansive University of California
campus includes first-rate entertainment
venues and athletic contests ranging from
intercollegiate football and basketball to pop-
ular niche sports such as men’s and women’s
rugby, played at jewel box Witter Field. The
Gourmet Ghetto, with classic California-
American restaurant Chez Panisse, the
original 1966 Peet’s Coffee & Tea shop and
many more, is arrayed on and around north
Shattuck Avenue. The Elmwood neighbor-
hood along College Avenue offers visitors and
locals a relaxed village ambience.
 SONOMA: More than Wine
Laid out around a traditional Mexican
plaza flanked with heritage buildings, this
city of 11,000, an hour north of San Fran-
cisco, grew up around Mission San
Francisco Solano. The northernmost and
last of the Roman Catholic missions built
by Franciscan friars along the north-south
spine of California, the 1823 adobe and its
recently revived historic olive groves is
still a focal point of spiritual and cultural
life. Sonoma was home to the 25-day Bear
Flag Revolt and “Republic of California” of
1846, an American rising against Mexican
authorities that led to California statehood
in 1850. The plaza is flanked with mid 19th-
century buildings that now comprise
Sonoma State Historic Park. Contemporary
Sonoma is a family-friendly getaway and
jumping-off point to Sonoma Valley
wineries and the Sonoma County coast. A
variety of appealing restaurants and one-
of-a-kind shops thrive on and near the
plaza, as does the 1933 Sebastiani Theatre
cinema. The Fairmont Sonoma Mission
Inn & Spa is a popular resort hotel.
SHASTA COUNTY; REBECCA GOSSELIN. OPPOSITE: FUTUREGALORE/SHUTTERSTOCK; HECTOR VARGAS
REDDING: Recreation Center
Created by the timber and mining indus-
tries, the city of 92,000 in the northern
reaches of the state has diversified its
economy and culture in recent years to
emerge as a prime travel and tourism des-
tination. Located on Interstate 5 and the
Sacramento River south of the Oregon state
line, Redding takes advantage of its natural
wonders. Nearby attractions include
Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen, Mount
Lassen Volcanic National Park and Turtle
Bay Exploration Park. Together with the
river, these prime natural features offer a
wide range of hiking, biking, paddling and
fishing. Turtle Bay Exploration Park is
anchored by the stunning 2004 Sundial
Bridge, a contemporary, cantilivered beauty
for walkers and cyclists designed by star
Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. With
more than 300 days of sunshine a year,
Redding is foremost an outdoor recreation
spot, but indoor performances are staged
year-round in the beautifully restored Cas-
cade Theatre, a 997-seat city landmark built
in Art Deco style in 1935.
» FIND YOUR
CITY FUN
Pasadena
visitpasadena.com, 800-307-7977
West Hollywood
visitwesthollywood.com, 800-368-6020
Long Beach
visitlongbeach.com, 562-436-3645
La Jolla
sandiego.org, 619-232-3101
Ventura
visitventuraca.com, 800-648-2075
Berkeley
visitberkeley.com, 800-847.4823
Sonoma
sonomavalley.com, 866-996-1090
sonomacounty.com, 800-576-6662
Redding
visitredding.com, 800-874-7562
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 21
 FAMILY FUN
Golden State Fun
Family adventures, big and small
CALIFORNIA’S
BEACHES
Up and down the state, the sea
draws people of all ages to play in
its surf, paddle in its foam and, of
course, frolic on its sandy beaches.
From the sunny, warm-water
stretches of Southern California to
the fog-shrouded, cooler climes of
the north, the beaches are a natural
playground for all manner of fun,
whether organized volleyball,
sandcastle competitions or simply
digging with a plastic shovel and
bucket. Bring the kids!
22 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
On a map, California looks huge, but
with so much fun for families around
every corner, the state needs all that space
to ensure that there’s something for
everyone—no matter how you define
“fun.” Choose from theme parks for fan-
tasy and wild fun, natural wonders for
pure awe and an escape from civilization,
historical spots for discovery and educa-
tion, and Golden-State landmarks for that
special California sparkle. String it all
together, and it’s easy to find that magical
combination to fit your family’s require-
ments perfectly.
Natural Wonders
California’s 279 state parks and 32 national
parks, monuments and seashores, count-
BY JILL K. ROBINSON
less wild wonders, and more than 840
miles of coastline all combine to give visi-
tors and locals alike a vast selection of
places to go outside and play. Start with
Yosemite National Park, the jewel of the
High Sierra. Famous for waterfalls,
camping, wildlife and granite monoliths,
the park is accessible for light experiences
as well as serious outdoor activities. Junior
Ranger programs are available for eager
young naturalists.
From Mount Tamalpais State Park near
San Francisco Bay to the giant Anza-Bor-
rego Desert State Park on the east side of
San Diego County, the state parks cover ter-
rain from desert to alpine forest. The
second-deepest lake in the U.S., Lake Tahoe
lures visitors to its shores with its ethereal
 REDWOODS NATIONAL PARK hiking, right; Pointe Discovery
fire pit, Terranea Resort, middle; Monterey Bay Aquarium,
bottom; playing on the beach in Santa Barbara, opposite.

blue color no matter the season for water
activities, hiking or winter snow fun.
While wildlife is plentiful in California’s
wild spaces, one place to get a guaranteed
close experience is at the Monterey Bay
Aquarium, which inspires conservation of
the ocean with its rich collection of ani-
mals and learning opportunities. But don’t
forget to walk on the beach anywhere in
the state, as the varied habitats are home to
tide pools, places to explore and play and
spy wildlife from migratory birds to ele-
phant seals and whales.
modern day, can be traced at Oakland’s
Museum of California.
Notable Landmarks
History blends with fun at a wealth of Cali-
fornia’s landmarks. Rent bicycles in San
Francisco (Blazing Saddles and Bike and Roll
are two popular shops) and ride from Fish-
erman’s Wharf through Fort Mason, the
Marina and the Presidio past Crissy Field. All
along the way, you’ll see amazing views of
the Golden Gate Bridge. But why just look
when you can extend your ride and cross it?

Historical Highlights
History is far from boring in California,
and there’s plenty to go around. It’s evident
in the adobe buildings in Monterey, which
still remain in what was once the capital of
Alta California under Spanish and Mexican
rule. The California Gold Rush brought for-
tune seekers and workers from around the
world to Sacramento and the Sierra
foothills, and a handful of attractions—
KRIS WIKTOR/SHUTTERSTOCK; TERRANNEA RESORT; KARLIS DAMBRAN. OPPOSITE: RON BERG

from Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park to the

town of Columbia to the ghost town of
Bodie—bring that exciting era to life.
Built up heavily during the Gold Rush,
the city of San Francisco suffered a devas-
tating earthquake and fire in 1906, and the
curious can experience the sustained
tremors at the California Academy of Sci-
ences. The growth of Los Angeles from
fruit orchards to film powerhouse can be
traced at the Natural History Museum of
Los Angeles. The Tech Museum of Innova-
tion in San Jose celebrates inventive
Silicon Valley, inspiring visitors and letting
them make technological creations of their
own. Above all, the history of the entire
state, from life before the explorers to

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 23
 FAMILY FUN

GUIDED TOUR in Griffith

Observatory, Los Angeles, right;
Kidspace Children’s Museum,
Pasadena, above.

» FIND
YOUR FUN
In San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island is even has a little bit of Hollywood history
National Parks the site of the first lighthouse and U.S.- with iconic scenes from movies like Rebel
nps.gov
built fort on the West Coast, as well as the Without a Cause. Public programs range
California State Parks noted federal penitentiary. Gardens, tide from planetarium shows to free public tel-
parks.ca.gov
pools, bird colonies and bay views add to escopes. Plan a visit around the monthly
Monterey Bay Aquarium the prison history. The San Francisco Mar- public star party on the lawn and side-
montereybayaquarium.org
itime National Historical Park gives a walks outside the observatory.
California Academy of Sciences glimpse into the days when sailing ships For a different view, look out from the
calacademy.org
were one of the only ways to get to this observatory’s parking lot at the panorama
Natural History Museum region. Commute from there through San of Los Angeles and the Hollywood sign.
of Los Angeles Francisco on the city’s beloved cable cars You can’t visit the sign, but you can see it
nhm.org
(the world’s largest manually operated from a variety of other vantage points in
The Tech Museum of Innovation cable car system) to the San Francisco the area, such as Mulholland Drive and the
thetech.org
Cable Car Museum. intersection of Hollywood and Highland.
Museum of California Combine California beaches with a car- Other viewing areas are accessible by
museumca.org
nival atmosphere at two spots along the hiking trail: the Mount Hollywood trail,
San Francisco Cable Car Museum coast: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and the Canyon Boulevard trail, Lake Hollywood
cablecarmuseum.org
KIDSPACE MUSEUM; PHOTOGOLFER/SHUTTERSTOCK

Santa Monica Pier. Whereas the boardwalk
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has two National Historic Landmarks (the
beachboardwalk.com Giant Dipper roller coaster and the Looff
Santa Monica Pier Carousel), the pier has a trapeze school and
santamonicapier.org the amusement park juts out above the
trail and Cahuenga Peak.
Theme Parks
With a treasure of attractions across the
Golden State, families aren’t limited to tra-

Griffith Observatory ocean. To get the best of coastal family fun,
griffithobservatory.org you should really try both.
Space fans flock to the Griffith Observa-
Hollywood Sign
hollywoodsign.org tory in Los Angeles, one of Southern
California’s most popular attractions. It
ditional venues like theme parks for fun.
But there’s a reason why they’re popular
with children of all ages, and California
has plenty of choices. See our Theme Parks
article for more information.

24 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 THEME PARKS
Fun for All
There’s loads of excitement at California’s theme parks
AMUSEMENT PARKS
Europeans started the concept of
amusement parks centuries ago with
fairs and pleasure gardens created for
people’s recreation. The world’s oldest
amusement park is Bakken, just
north of Copenhagen, Denmark,
which opened in 1583. The oldest
theme park in the United States is
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
(called Santa Claus Land from its
opening in 1946 until 1984) in Santa
Claus, Indiana. California’s theme
parks date from 1950.
26 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
Diversions are as plentiful as sunshine
in California. One of the most popular
outlets: original theme parks. These attrac-
tions are meccas to amusement, each
focusing rides and exhibits around dif-
ferent concepts such as fairies, film,
plastic blocks, sea life and an inimitable
mouse. Most of the parks are situated in
the southern part of the state (where the
weather is generally warmer), but the
granddaddy of them all is up north. Each
of the parks is worth a closer look.
Universal Studios Hollywood
This film-themed park got its formal start
in the 1960s when walk-throughs of Uni-
versal Studios soundstages and sets were
expanded to include peeks at actual pro-
duction. Over the years, the studio added
a tram to shuttle visitors through the back
BY MATT VILLANO
ASIF ISLAM/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: DISCOVER LA; JEREMY THOMPSON/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR; RICKY BRIGANTE/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR
lot; this tram remains the best way to
experience stunt demonstrations and
staged events (such as an encounter with
the shark from Jaws). The official studio
tour commemorated its 50th anniversary
in 2015 with the opening of a brand new
grand finale dubbed Fast & Furious:
Supercharged.
The rest of the park is divided into two
areas connected by escalator: the Upper
and Lower lots. Transformers: The Ride
3-D is a fan-favorite on the Lower Lot.
On the Upper Lot, Despicable Me Minion
Mayhem, a 3-D simulator ride, and Super
Silly Fun Land, an outdoor family-friendly
playground, both opened in April 2014.
The Wizarding World of Happy Potter, a
rides-and-shopping attraction based on
the Harry Potter books and movies, will
open on the Upper Lot in April.
Children’s Fairyland
Believe it or not, the first theme park in the
U.S. to cater to families with young kids was
Children’s Fairyland, a blink-and-you’ll-
miss-it theme park on the shores of Lake
Merritt in Oakland. The place opened in 1950
(original admission started between 9 and 14
cents), making it the first official theme park
in California, as well. According to some, it
was one of Walt Disney’s inspirations for the
eponymous park he created five years later.
Today, Fairyland includes small rides such
PACIFIC PARK at Santa
as a mini Ferris wheel and carousels, and life- Monica, above; Gold Striker
sized sets depicting scenes from timeless at California’s Great
storybooks (Pinocchio’s castle and the America, right; Despicable
Humpty Dumpty wall are two favorites). The Me Minion Mayhem grand
theme park also is home to the Storybook opening at Universal

Puppet Theater, which opened in 1956. A Studios Hollywood, bottom;

The Simpsons Ride at
number of the country’s most famous pup-
Universal Studios
peteers got their start here, including a
Hollywood, opposite.
teenager by the name of Frances Oznowicz.
You likely know him as Frank Oz.

Disneyland
If the lovable (and life-sized) Mickey Mouse
and friends don’t pique your interest and
attention at California’s most famous theme
park, surely the rides will. The park, which
opened in 1955, features rides for all ages,
including some of the most ballyhooed
roller coasters anywhere in the state (one
favorite is Space Mountain, which speeds
along almost entirely in the dark).
Overall, Disneyland is divided into eight
themed areas, or “lands.” Some of these areas
focus on actual history: Frontierland recre-
ates the setting of the American frontier,
while Main Street U.S.A. is patterned after a
small Midwestern town (many believe Walt
Disney got his inspiration from his own boy-
hood town of Marceline, Missouri).
The park opened with one hotel, but
since the 1990s it has grown exponentially,
adding a new theme park (Disney’s Cali-
fornia Adventure), a shopping district
(Downtown Disney) and two additional
hotels. One of the newest attractions, Cars

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 27
 THEME PARKS
PIRATEVILLE AT LEGOLAND Land, was inspired by the Cars movies, and
California, Carlsbad, above. opened in June 2012. In 2015, the park
unveiled a new and interactive light show,
the Paint the Night Parade.
Other Bay Area Parks
The San Francisco Bay Area is home to two
other popular parks: California’s Great
FIND YOUR
» FANTASY
America (in Santa Clara) and Six Flags Dis-
covery Kingdom (in Vallejo).
Great America, next to the new Levi’s
Stadium, is all about rides. Diversions
Universal Studios Hollywood range from scream-inducing (Flight Deck,
universalstudioshollywood.com
a roller coaster, has one 360-degree loop
Children’s Fairyland and a zero-gravity roll) to family-friendly
fairyland.org
(the Carousel Columbia is the world’s
Disneyland
disneyland.disney.go.com tallest double-decker carousel). In 2015, the
park expanded the Planet Snoopy kids area
California’s Great America
cagreatamerica.com and added three new attractions, including
two new racing rides.
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
sixflags.com/discoverykingdom The vibe at Discovery Kingdom is more
Legoland California eclectic. In addition to rides such as the
california.legoland.com Medusa roller coaster and SkyScreamer (a
SeaWorld swing ride), the park also is home to a
seaworldparks.com/en/
seaworld-sandiego
number of animals, including Jocko the
walrus, who starred in the 2004 movie, 50
Knott’s Berry Farm
knotts.com First Dates, and Brandon the reticulated
giraffe, who was named after San Francisco
CityPASS
citypass.com Giants slugger, Brandon Belt. In 2015, park
officials added the Dare Devil Chaos
28 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
Coaster, a roller coaster that takes passen-
gers upside-down in both forward and
backward directions.
San Diego Area Parks
San Diego and its surrounding suburbs also
comprise a great region for theme parks; two
family favorites are SeaWorld and Legoland.
Out near Mission Bay, in San Diego
proper, SeaWorld is a sprawling homage to
dozens of different species of marine life,
including dolphins, sea lions, walruses,
polar bears and beluga whales. It also is one
of only two places in the world where
emperor penguins are kept in captivity.
In the nearby community of Carlsbad,
Legoland is dedicated to tiny plastic bricks
(dubbed “Legos”), and boasts mind-bog-
gling Lego replicas of famous architectural
icons (the Statue of Liberty and the Taj
Mahal among them) as well as dioramas of
seven areas of the U.S. The park incorpo-
rates rides and eateries, and is home to the
Model Shop, the headquarters for the park’s
10 master builders (a window allows guests
to witness these professionals at work). In
the summer of 2013, the park also opened
a hotel; the lobby has a giant pit of Legos
with which children can play. There also is
an on-site water park.
CityPASS
Once you’ve decided where to go, try City-
PASS for saving some money: In Southern
California, it knocks as much as one third
off the price of admission to Disneyland,
Disney California Adventure Park, Legoland
CHRIS CHRISTIAN/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR
and SeaWorld. The Southern California City-
PASS is a single-admission card that’s good
over a 14-day period and allows you to skip
most ticket lines. In San Francisco, CityPass
offers similar discounts (for attractions such
as the California Academy of Sciences and
the Exploratorium), and is good for nine
days. Buy your CityPASS at any of the above
attractions or online at citypass.com.
 CUISINE
The Dining Scene
California cuisine is more than food
ALFRESCO DINING
All up and down the state dining in the
open air is popular, as it is here in
Pasadena, above. Los Angeles is known
for its wide variety of exquisite
restaurants, and its cousin to the north,
San Francisco, has more restaurants per
capita than any other U.S. city. Old
standards that have been around for
decades still hold their own against
innovative new arrivals. SF’s Mission
district has become a foodie haven and
surrounding communities from Berkeley
to Palo Alto to Napa and Sonoma all
bring fine food to the table.
30 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
Like everything else in California from
politics to entertainment, food is a
celebrity-driven business. From the rock
star antics of Guy Fieri to the farm-to-table
phenom that took the country by storm,
the culinary scene is a mix of where to be
seen and those unseen farmers and field
laborers who actually do all the dirty work
necessary to put food on tables. Thanks to
garden-to-table pioneer Alice Waters, who
made growing your own green the new
black before that was even an expression.
Today, California is the largest producer
of agricultural products in the country,
with more than 400 commodities. Nearly
half of USA-grown fruit, nuts and vegeta-
bles come from the Golden State.
BY LAURA NESS
PASADENA CVB. OPPOSITE: YOSEMITE SIGNATURE FOOD & WINE EVENTS; LOS ANGELES CVB; PASO ROBLES CVB
If the Midwest is the bread basket of
America, California is its dairy queen, its
grape goddess, its almond alma mater, its
greenhouse fairy godmother, and, sorry,
Texas, its meat locker. Yes, California does
have happier cows, with dairy being its
largest export, followed by grapes,
almonds, nursery plants, cattle, strawber-
ries, lettuce and walnuts.
Between the Salinas Valley—America’s
Salad Bowl and top strawberry producer—
and the Imperial Valley for tomatoes,
California farmers really put out. In record
numbers they are forming CSAs (Community
Supported Agriculture organizations) and it’s
no surprise that California has upwards of
800 farmers markets, the most nationwide.

Sustainability is the keyword in all
things agriculture, and we can tip our hat
to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for its
impactful Seafood Watch program that
helps diners make informed choices,
whether selecting fish at Whole Foods or
dining at classic Pacific Grove spots like
Passionfish and Fandango.
Niman Ranch, a pioneer in hormone
free, humanely raised meats, set the stage
for conscious consumption. Look for it on
finer menus everywhere.
Sonoma and Marin counties have
become the Cheese hub, with names like
Barinaga (Marshall) and Cowgirl Creamery
(Point Reyes) consistent award-winners.
Check out cheesetrail.org.
Apple lovers can rejoice in Sebastopol,
home of Gravensteins, and in El Dorado’s
Apple Hill, where 50 farms welcome you to
pick. On the coast, berry farms (Swanton)
and pumpkin patches (Arata’s in Half
Moon Bay, complete with corn labyrinth)
beckon, and Duarte’s Tavern in Pescadero
will warm you on foggy days with cream of
artichoke and chile soup.
California’s olive oil production has
skyrocketed, with favorites like Stella
B. FARMERIE PLATING FOOD at Chefs’ Holidays at Yosemite
Signature Food & Wine Events, left; Angel City Brewery, Los Angeles,
below; a tempting plate at Pasolivo Family Bistro, Paso Robles, bottom.
Cadente (Fort Bragg), Victorine Valley the top of their game include Atelier
Farms (Livermore) and Olea (Paso Robles) Crenn, Boulevard, Perbacco, Zuni Café,
all producing decadent flavor-infusions, Nopa, Gary Danko, Slanted Door and Jar-
along with balsamics. dinière. In Berkeley, it’s still Chez Panisse
Restaurants with farm-to-table partner- and in Oakland, try Camino.
ships are prevalent, including The
Restaurant at Wente in Livermore with its Silicon Valley
sustainable gardens, and Michelin darling In Los Gatos, gem of Silicon Valley, the new
Manresa, in Los Gatos, whose relationship buzz is Hult’s (Scandinavian meets Cali-
with Love Apple Farms is legendary. Cham- fornia), Bywater (David Kinch’s latest, this
inade, in Santa Cruz, holds a series of one a homage to New Orleans), Verge
farm-to-table wine dinners featuring local (eclectic Asian-Fusion) and Nick’s Next
wineries and farm-fresh produce. Door (creatively exquisite comfort food),
while in Campbell it’s Orchard City Kitchen
Top Dining Destinations (by Michelin starred Chef Jeffrey Stout) and
LA & Environs Chef Ocean Orsten of Citrus at Hotel V on
Trendy dining spots in star-studded LA Santana Row.
include Animal, Bestia, The Bellweather,
Catch & Release, Cicada, Faith & Flower,
Field Trip, Koi, Marlowe, Maude, Mozza,
Petit Trois, Pot Commissary Café, Provi-
dence, Saint Martha, Sam’s by the Beach,
Toca Madera, Trois Mec and Valentino.
San Diego
San Diego’s food scene is buzzing over Baci
Ristorante, Bracero, Bottega Americano,
Comun Kitchen & Tavern, Cucina Enoteca,
Coastera, Juniper & Ivy, Prado, Rustic Root
in the historic Gaslamp Quarter, the Red
Door and Trulucks.
San Francisco
San Francisco is a constant blender bender
of change, with restaurants opening and
closing weekly. Top new culinary darling is
Al’s Place in the Mission, along with
Acquerello, Bar Tartine, Commonwealth,
Delfina, Flour + Water, La Folie, Liholiho
Yacht Club, Monsieur Benjamin, Quince,
Michael Mina’s Pabu and The Ramen Bar,
Range and The Richmond. Classics still at
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 31
 CUISINE
DINING UNDER THE STARS
with a view at Pier 39, San Francisco, left;
the Chef introduces the Peacock Pie at
Bracebridge Dinner at Yosemite Signature
Food & Wine Events, opposite.

» FIND YOUR
NEXT MEAL

seafoodwatch.org
passionfish.net
fandangorestaurant.com

Seacoast Stars otherworldly experience, with views nimanranch.com

barinagaranch.com
Think Mendocino for some of the most plunging to the Pacific deep.
cowgirlcreamery.com
romantic and isolated coastal dining estab-
cheesetrail.org
lishments with drop-dead gorgeous views Food Trucks Bring It On
gravensteinapplefair.com
and zero traffic. North Coast stars include Trending skyward, food trucks have gone
applehill.com
Chef Marc Dym of Little River Inn and Chef from flash mob craze to commonplace. Off
swantonberryfarm.com
Nicolas Petti of Mendo Bistro, multiple the Grid, a Bay Area network offering just
aratapumpkinfarm.com
winner of the Dungeness crab cake cookoff about every imaginable international cui- duartestavern.com
held each January during Mendocino’s sine, now includes an artisan cheese truck stellacadente.com
Crabfest. The gourmet cuisine of Chef Peg called “Cheese Therapy.” victorinevalleyfarms.com
Davis at Brewery Gulch Inn makes it the oleafarms.com
finest B&B in Mendocino, and newcomer Food & Wine Extravaganzas wentevineyards.com/restaurant
The Wild Fish in Albion sets new standards True epicures should not miss the defin- manresarestaurant.com
for white linen seaside dining. itive food and wine events put on yearly loveapplefarms.com
by Pebble Beach’s Coastal Luxury Man- chaminade.com
Carmel & Monterey agement. First, there’s Pebble Beach Food summit2seawinetrail.com

La Balena’s authentic Italian cuisine is the & Wine in April, a multi-day extrava- littleriverinn.com

PIER 39, SAN FRANCISCO. OPPOSITE: LANI SPICER/ANDREA FULTON PRODUCTIONS

current fave in Carmel. Michelin-starred ganza showcasing the hottest new chefs mendobistro.com
mendocino.com
Aubergine, where Chef Justin Cogley and doing live cooking demos. And the wine
bernarduslodge.com
Pastry Chef Ron Mendoza work wonders, and selection is so unbeatable, you’d best
postranchinn.com
Anton & Michel, Casanova and Cantinetta learn to spit.
cheesetherapytruck.com
Lucca. Carmel Valley’s newly remodeled and LA Food & Wine follows in August. Sem-
offthegridsf.com
renamed Lucia at Bernardus Lodge, headed inars at both bring world-class educators,
pbfw.com
by esteemed Chef Cal Stamenov, continue to chefs and winemakers together to create
lafw.com
wow diners. Wills Fargo’s new owners, learning experiences that will open your testarossa.com
Hunter and Nick Lowder of Holman Ranch, eyes to the incomparable scope of the culi-
are revamping the revered steakhouse, while nary cosmos. Mouthwatering News
La Rustica puts out solid fare that will please Fans of Testarossa Winery will not want chow.com
a diverse audience before or after wine to miss the 3rd Annual Testarossa Wine & slofoodbank.org
tasting in the Village. Food festival on June 5 in Los Gatos, fea- tastingtable.com
In Big Sur, superstar Chef John Cox turing Michelin-starred chefs at the seriouseats.com
makes any meal at clifftop Sierra Mar an historic Novitiate.

32 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 33
 WINE COUNTRY
Fruit of the Vine
When it comes to wine, there’s always something to celebrate
CALIFORNIA
VINEYARDS
Sampling local wines is a popular
activity, whether in Santa Ynez
Valley, above, or in the many wine
growing regions up and down the
state. California wines became
famous when a Chardonnay from
Chateau Montelena in Napa Valley
won the Judgment of Paris in 1976.
It was an event that rocked the wine
world, and the quality of California
wines has only grown since then.
34 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
There are so many wines, varieties and
regions in California (the fourth largest
wine producing area in the world after
Spain, France and Italy) that figuring out
where to go and what to taste can be
daunting. Aside from taking a tour, one of
the best ways to get acquainted with an
area is by attending a local wine festival.
Think of it as Wine-Recon, a most
delightful way to gather insight and infor-
mation on local wineries in a short span of
time. From large-scale food and wine fests
to small, quirky events focused on specific
wines such as Pinot Noir, sparkling, or
Rhônes, wine festivals can cater to both
BY MARCY GORDON
the casual wine fan seeking a few hours of
food and fun, as well as to the experienced
wine enthusiast determined to discover
the next great grape producer.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST
Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Livermore,
Santa Cruz Mountains
The most famous California wine region by
far is in Northern California. Napa Valley is
known around the world for its exceptional
wines, and draws more visitors than any
other area. The quintessential wine country
experience was perfected here, with more
than 300 wineries vying for your taste buds
 SANTA BARBARA WINE COUNTRY,
right; wine barrels stacked outside
Chateau Montelena, Calistoga, below
right; cycling among the vines, Paso
Robles, bottom right.

along Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are
the signature grapes grown in the valley, but
other varieties have been making a strong
showing in the last decade. While the
majority of visitors go to the big-name
wineries such as Robert Mondavi, Beringer
and Sterling, those in the know are heading
for Coombsville. Located just minutes from
downtown Napa, Coombsville’s unusual
cool climate results in sensational Caber- Signal Ridge. Just up the road from the The Passport to Hopland, a true locals event, is
nets from grower/producers such as Meteor, Madrones you’ll find the Baxter Winery held twice a year in spring and fall.
Sodaro, Caldwell and Farella. Most are open tasting room, a must stop for outstanding In Sonoma County, Healdsburg reigns
by appointment only, but well worth the Pinot Noir from a father and son wine- as the king of the tasting rooms in Cali-
effort to call and go. making team. Anderson Valley hosts two fornia. Local under-the-radar favorites
Foodies and wine lovers will want to exceptional festivals, the highly regarded include Banshee, Stark and Cartograph.
check out Flavor! Napa Valley, an annual Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Fest in May, Healdsburg is also home to one of the most
event featuring world class Napa Valley and the Alsace Fest in February, focusing eclectic wine events of the year—the uber
wines alongside food prepared by the on Alsace-style white wines including hip 7% Solution Fest dedicated to rare,
DINA MANDE; WOLLERTZ/SHUTTERSTOCK; JAY SINCLAIR. OPPOSITE: MICAH/SHUTTERSTOCK

master chefs and graduates of The Culinary Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, lesser grown grape varieties with
Institute of America at the Greystone Pinot Blanc and Muscat. Farther inland, extremely limited production.
Campus in St. Helena. The Valley’s most
famous event, Auction Napa Valley is the
place to hob-nob with serious wine collec-
tors in a weekend of intimate soirees,
casual luncheons and grand tastings, cul-
minating with the auction, where bids on
exclusive wine lots reach the stratosphere
for a worthy cause.
Prefer something more pastoral? Wind
your way up Highway 128 in Mendocino
County to Anderson Valley, the premier
growing region in Mendocino, and stop in
at the The Madrones, a wine-tasting and
luxury lodging “suite spot” that showcases
local wines from Drew, Bink, Knez and

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 35
 WINE COUNTRY
A ROMANTIC WINE TASTING in Sonoma,
above; San Luis Obispo wine country, top.
Visiting Northern Sonoma in January?
Warm up a chill winter day with new
releases, barrel tasting and food pairings
at Winter WINEland, a self-paced winery
tour that’s the toasty event of the season.
For a veritable movable feast of food, wine
and vineyard vistas, head to Jordan
Winery, just outside of town on Alexander
Valley Road, for the three-hour Estate Tour
and Tasting experience.
Sebastopol, an area previously noted for
its apples, is gaining ground as a place for
great wine too with several tasting rooms in
the new Barlow complex featuring boutique
wines from Kosta Browne, LaFollette, Wind
Gap, MacPhail, and Marimar Estate. Just
south of Sebastopol, the Petaluma Gap Wine
Growers Alliance hosts the Wind to Wine
Festival, a new event showcasing wines pro-
duced with fruit grown within the
boundaries of the newly proposed Petaluma
Gap AVA, a sub-region of the Sonoma Coast
AVA, characterized by intense afternoon
winds in the growing season.
36 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
One of the oldest regions, Livermore, is
just 30 miles east of San Francisco and best
known for its Chardonnay production and
the well-established winery estates of
Wente and Concannon. In March, you can
meet the winemakers and taste wine right
out of the barrel during the Livermore
Valley Annual Barrel Tasting Weekend.
SIERRA FOOTHILLS
El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras
The mining towns of the Sierra foothills—
Placerville, Amador City and Sutter
Creek—used to draw prospectors in search
of gold. Now wine lovers come in search of
riches in liquid form, such as Grenache,
Sangiovese and particularly Old-vine Zin-
fandel. The proximity to natural wonders
from groves of giant sequoias to caves and
caverns makes this region the perfect stop
for the active oenophile.
The main street of Murphys is lined
with Gold Rush-era buildings and more
than 20 tasting rooms equal parts rustic
and sophisticated. If possible, time your
visit to coincide with the Barbera Fest in
June, or the Rocks & Rhônes Weekend on
Memorial Day weekend.
CENTRAL COAST
Monterey, Santa Lucia Highlands,
Chalone, Carmel Valley, Paso Robles,
Edna Valley, Arroyo Grande,
Santa Clara Valley
The Central Coast is one of the largest and
most diverse wine growing regions, and
Monterey is home to the granddaddy of
all wine festivals, the Pebble Beach Food
and Wine Classic in April, where you can
sip fine wines and enjoy small plates by
star chefs.
If you are a Pinot or Syrah fan, head for
the highlands, the Santa Lucia Highlands, an
appellation with many noteworthy wineries
such as Morgan, Mer Soleil, and Hahn.
Santa Clara Valley is one of the oldest
wine regions in California. Founded by
Italian immigrants in the early 1800s, this
region has now grown to approximately 23
wineries featuring such varietals as
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and
harder-to-find varietals such as Barbera,
Sangiovese and Pinot Blanc. Follow the
new, 28-mile-loop Wine Trail for a taste of
this re-emerging wine region.
Paso Robles is said to be the region with
the most potential, and wineries here
range from large commercial producers to
small boutiques making limited quanti-
ties. Peachy Canyon, Gray Wolf, J. Lohr and
CHRIS LESCHINSKY; DOUGLAS THOMPSON
Tablas Creek are some of the standouts
along the wine trail. Looking to meet the
next great winemaker? The Garagiste Fest
in Paso Robles will introduce you to the
small guys with bright futures. And if bub-
bles make you happy, BubblyFest by the Sea
in Pismo Beach is one of the only festivals
in the county dedicated to sparkling wines.
 WINE COUNTRY

» WINE FESTIVALS
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SIERRA FOOTHILLS
NAPA Rocks & Rhônes Weekend—May 21-22
Auction Napa Valley—June 2-5 pleasantvalleywineries.com
auctionnapavalley.org
The Barbera Fest—June 11
Flavor! Napa Valley—Nov. 17-20 barberafestival.com
flavornapavalley.com
CENTRAL COAST
SONOMA Passport Weekend—March 19-20
Winter WINEland—Jan. 16-17 santaclarawines.com
wineroad.com/events/winter_wineland
Pebble Beach Food & Wine Classic
7% Solution (Healdsburg) March 31-April 3
May (check site for date) pbfw.com
bergamotalley.com/seven-solution
BUBBLYFest by the Sea (Pismo Beach)
Wind to Wine Festival (Petaluma) Oct. 1-2
Nov. 5 bubblyfest.com
petalumagap.com/event/wind-to-wine-
festival Garagiste Festival (Paso Robles)
Nov. 10-12
MENDOCINO garagistefestival.com
The International Alsace Varietals
Festival—Feb. 13-14 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
avwines.com/alsace-festival & CENTRAL VALLEY
Zin Fest (Lodi Lake)—May 13-15
Hopland Passport zinfest.com Olivos is the place. Don’t miss Alta Maria’s
April 30-May 1 & Oct. 15-16
destinationhopland.com/hopland-pass- Temecula Valley Balloon & world class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay,
port Wine Festival—May 20-22 Tercero for Rhône varietals, and the stun-
tvbwf.com
Anderson Valley Pinot Fest ning Riesling at Fess Parker. But if you are
May 20-22 Bacon & Barrels (Los Olivos)—July 15-17 a hardcore pork and pinot lover, make
avwines.com/anderson-valley-pinot- baconandbarrels.com/the-event
noir-festival plans to be in Los Olivos in July for the
San Diego Zoo Wine and Food—Sept. 24 Bacon & Barrels Festival.
LIVERMORE sandiegozoo.org/zoo/celebration
Livermore Valley Barrel Tasting Zinfandel grows well in the Central
Weekend—March 19-20 Santa Barbara Celebration of Harvest Valley, a major agricultural region that

CHRIS ANDRE PHOTOGRAPHY. OPPOSITE: LEONARD ZHUKOVSKY/SHUTTERSTOCK

lvwine.org/event/1192/Barrel_Tasting_
Weekend.html
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA &
CENTRAL VALLEY
Santa Barbara, Santa Rita Hills,
Santa Ynez Valley, Los Olivos,
Temecula, Lodi, Madera, Clarksburg
The Southern California coastal region vine-
yards in Santa Barbara, Santa Rita Hills and
Santa Ynez Valley produce primarily
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah, the new
emerging star. Santa Ynez Valley became the
poster child for wine tourism when the 2004
film Sideways confirmed its status as a Pinot
Oct. 7-10
celebrationofharvest.com
Noir hot spot (or cool spot, as Pinot grapes
don’t like too much heat). But the ghosts of
Sideways’ Miles and Jack are long gone and
it’s safe to drink Merlot again. Fall brings the
annual Celebration of Harvest with Santa
Barbara Vintners offering free wine tasting
over Columbus Day Weekend along the wine
trails of Buellton, Foxen Canyon, Lompoc,
Los Olivos, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Valley,
Santa Rita Hills and Solvang.
In search of the ideal town to spend the
day tasting, shopping and dining? Tiny Los
runs down the middle of the state from
Sacramento to Bakersfield, and Lodi Zin
Fest is the most famous and longest run-
ning festival for Zinfandel lovers. Lodi’s
star is on the rise, its status as merely bulk
wine territory is fading fast and it’s now
recognized as one of the top wine regions
in the new world, a hotbed of production
growing over 100 varieties in addition to
it’s legendary Zin. Two popular producers
are the Berghold Estate Winery and
Michael-David Winery, best known for its
7 Deadly Zins blend. Wine geeks in the
know head to McCay Cellars for the Zin,
but stay for the Viognier.

38 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 MAYO FAMILY WINERY, Glen Ellen,
right; Bordeaux tasting at Vintners’
Holidays, Yosemite Signature Food &
Wine Events, opposite.

Vineyards inland in Southern Cali-

fornia’s mostly hot and arid region are
gaining notice, and Temecula in particular
is generating an ardent following for its
wines and sheer determination to grow
grapes in a challenging location. Get an
overview of the wine scene, literally,
during the Temecula Valley Balloon and
Wine festival.
San Diego usually means sun and sand,
but just an hour north you’ll find there’s
wine too. The two primary growing
regions, San Pasqual and Ramona Valley,
continue to develop with many wineries
offering tastings and tours. One standout
in San Pasqual is Orfila, an ultra-premium
boutique winery making Rhônes, Zin-
fandel, and Merlot. Animal lovers will
enjoy the annual San Diego Zoo Wine and
Food Festival where you can stroll the
grounds and sip wine in the midst of the
wild kingdom.
California wine festivals and events fill
the calendar all year long, like a roulette
wheel of juicy prospects. Whether you plan
ahead, or spin the big wine wheel and see
where it lands, the odds are delicious.

» FIND A WINERY
GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA WINE Paso Robles Livermore Valley
californiawineryadvisor.com peachycanyon.com Wine Growers Association
greywolfcellars.com lvwine.org
WINERIES & VINEYARDS jlohr.com
tablascreek.com Lodi Wineries
Northern California Coast
lodiwine.com/wineries
robertmondavi.com
beringer.com Southern California
Mendocino Wine Country
sterlingvineyards.com & Central Valley mendowine.com
meteorvineyard.com altamaria.com
farella.com fessparkerwines.com Napa Valley Vintners
sodarowines.com tercerowines.com napavintners.com
caldwellvineyard.com
baxterwinery.com Lodi Paso Robles Wine
binkwines.com bergholdvineyards.com pasowine.com
knezwinery.com michaeldavidwinery.com
drewwines.com mccaycellars.com Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance
signalridge.com petalumagap.com
bansheewines.com San Diego
starkwine.com orfila.com Pleasant Valley Wineries
cartographwines.com pleasantvalleywineries.com
jordanwinery.com TASTING ROOMS
themadrones.com San Diego/Ramona Valley
kostabrowne.com
Vineyard Association
lafollettewines.com
WINERY ASSOCIATIONS ramonavalleyvineyards.org
marimarestate.com
windgapwines.com Anderson Valley Wine Growers Association
avwines.com Santa Barbara Vintners Association
macphailwine.com sbcountywines.com
Central Coast & Coombsville Winery Members
Sonoma Wine Road Association
Santa Lucia Highlands coombsvillenapa.org wineroad.com
mersoleilvineyard.com
hahnestates.com El Dorado County & Sierra Foothills Temecula Wineries
morganwinery.com eldoradowines.org temeculawines.org/wineries-vineyards
clos.com
guglielmowinery.com Hopland West Sonoma Coast Vintners
sycamorecreekvineyards.com destinationhopland.com/wineries westsonomacoast.com

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 39
 MUSEUMS & ART
Celebrating the Human Spirit
Art, science and culture flourish on the Left Coast
HUNTINGTON
ART GALLERY
Part of the Huntington Library,
Art Collections and Botanical
Gardens in San Marino, the
gallery contains an extensive
collection with a focus on 18th-
and 19th-century European art
and 17th- to mid 20th-century
American art. The institution
was established by railroad
magnate Henry E. Huntington
and opened in 1928, a year after
his death.
40 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BY JEFF GREENWALD & LAURIE WEED
Maybe it’s something about the sunshine,
the sense of freedom, that West Coast cul-
ture, the mystery of desert-meets-Pacific…
who knows? Whatever the reason, Cali-
fornia has a long tradition of attracting
artists and innovators—not to mention
generous arts patrons and benefactors. As
a result, the Golden State is rich in
museums, science centers and thriving arts
scenes, all in astonishing variety.
Coastal cities are hubs for much of the
arty goodness. From the San Francisco Bay
Area to San Diego, you are never very far
from a world-class collection of classical or
contemporary art. In addition to visual arts
of every stripe, there are museums high-
lighting natural and cultural history, science
and technology, and many that celebrate the
diverse cultures of the state’s nearly 39 mil-
lion residents. Whether you prefer to ogle
modern art or antiquities, space shuttles or
steam engines, you’re sure to find at least
one museum to dazzle you.
The Arts
Visiting Los Angeles? It’s easy to spend
hours gleefully lost in the galleries at the
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
HUNTINGTON LIBRARY, ART COLLECTION, AND BOTANICAL GARDENS. OPPOSITE: DISCOVER LA; SACRAMENTO CVB
(LACMA). The museum always features
some great temporary exhibitions, but
don’t miss their permanent collections of
Asian, African and Japanese art. Deeper
downtown, the Museum of Contemporary
Art (MoCA) and Geffen Contemporary
showcase the best in 20th- and 21st-century
painting, sculpture and conceptual art-
work. Late 2015 saw the opening of the
architecturally dazzling Broad Museum, a
“theater of ideas” featuring more than
2,000 works of contemporary art—with
free general admission.
One highlight of a California visit is
often the renowned Getty Museum, which
includes both the Getty Center in Los
Angeles and the Getty Villa in Malibu. The
Villa’s 2016 offerings will include an exhi-
bition of Roman mosaics, while the more
 CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER,
Los Angeles, right; California State
Railroad Museum, Sacramento,
bottom right.
contemporary Center (which spans the
Medieval period to the present) will
present the photography of Robert Map-
plethorpe, ancient Buddhist cave art from
the Gobi Desert and a collection of illumi-
nated manuscripts.
Pasadena’s wonderful Norton Simon
showcases a spectrum of European and
Modern artists, amid a beautiful and serene
sculpture garden. In nearby San Marino,
the impressive Beaux-Arts mansion and
grounds of financier Henry E. Huntington
are now The Huntington, with an impres-
sive library, art collections and 120 acres of
botanical gardens. Here you can admire
Audubon’s bird drawings, view an actual
Gutenberg Bible and wander through one
of the West Coast’s most surreal displays of
flowering cacti and succulents.
Ninety miles north of LA, the Santa Bar-
bara Museum of Art is renowned for its
ambitious and imaginative exhibitions. An
equal distance to the south, San Diego’s
Museum of Contemporary Art features a
variety of exhibits in two locations, the
historic Jacob building downtown and
their sparkling oceanfront La Jolla prop-
erty. In Balboa Park, the Museum of
Photographic Arts is California’s only
museum dedicated exclusively to photog-
raphy, film and video.
San Francisco’s two most important art
museums are as architecturally different
as two buildings can be. The Legion of
Honor—set in Lincoln Park, on a hill over-
looking the Golden Gate Bridge and Pacific
Ocean—is a ¾-scale recreation of Paris’
Palais de la Légion d’Honneur, and holds an
extraordinary collection of drawings as
well as changing exhibitions from around
the world. At the entrance, surrounded by
Beaux-Arts columns, sits The Thinker—one
of 70 Rodins in the museum’s permanent
collection. In nearby Golden Gate Park,
meanwhile, the reimagined de Young is lit-
erally a pillar of modern architecture. A
distinctive copper building featuring a 10-
story observation tower, the de Young is
Northern California’s premier metropol-
itan art museum, showcasing the arts of
Africa, Oceania and the New World. Special
exhibits in 2016 will include a lavish Oscar
de la Renta retrospective, Raphael’s iconic
“Portrait of a Lady with a Unicorn” and
painter Ed Ruscha’s provocative take on the
modern mythology of the American West.
The San Francisco Museum of Modern
Art (SFMOMA) is in the midst of a massive
expansion project, expected to be com-
plete in 2016. Their motto is, “We’ve
temporarily moved...everywhere.” Check
their website (see sidebar) for satellite
exhibitions around the Bay Area.
A short BART ride (or drive across the
Bay Bridge) from San Francisco, the Oak-
land Museum of California (OMCA) is
dedicated to the arts, history and ecology
of California. This handsome gem is one of
the state’s finest museums, offering tem-
porary exhibits on themes ranging from
the Day of the Dead to “A Cinematic Study
of Fog.” The museum’s beautiful new wing
on California’s Natural History includes
displays of life and work from the Gold
Rush to Hollywood, from the Beats to
the Tech Boom. Also one of the more
family-friendly museums around, OMCA
sponsors many events, hands-on exhibits
and activities designed to engage young
artists and budding naturalists. And while
you’re in the East Bay, check out the
Berkeley Art Museum—on the campus of
UC Berkeley—with its often odd mix of
super-contemporary, Abstract Expres-
sionist and traditional Asian art.
Science
The marvelous California Science Center
in Los Angeles’ Exposition Park claims to
be the largest hands-on science museum
on the West Coast, with ongoing exhibits
on invention, space travel and life sci-
ences. Visitors can get up close to the Space
Shuttle Endeavor or explore some of the
Earth’s harshest ecosystems, from boiling
sea vents to the polar zones. The most
amazing thing of all? It’s free!
Ten years and half a billion dollars in
the making, the California Academy of Sci-
ences in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park
features the Steinhart Aquarium, “home to
nearly 40,000 live animals,” a walk-
through rainforest with free-ranging birds
and butterflies, the world’s largest all-dig-
ital planetarium and a “Living Roof” with
1.7 million native California plants: a world
unto itself. The long admission lines can
be daunting (it’s one of the most-visited
museums in the country), but they move
fast and it’s worth the effort.
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 41
 MUSEUMS & ART
PACIFIC ASIA MUSEUM, Pasadena, right. » FIND
YOUR ART

After nearly 45 years at the Palace of THE ARTS

Fine Arts Museums of SF
Fine Arts, the legendary Exploratorium famsf.org
moved to Piers 15 and 17 on San Francisco’s SF MOMA
sfmoma.org
Embarcadero in 2013. The vast new space Oakland Museum of California
houses more than 650 interactive museumca.org
LACMA
exhibits—including an amazing “Tin- What follows is but a sample; there are lacma.org
kerers’ Clock,” mind-boggling optical many, many more cultural museums to MoCA
moca.org
illusions and a popular “After Dark” event choose from. We wish we could include Geffen Contemporary
on the first Thursday evening of every them all! moca.org
The Broad Museum
month. The crawl-through Tactile Dome, In Sacramento, the California Museum thebroad.org
recently refurbished, remains a highlight features the California Hall of Fame, cele- Norton Simon Museum
nortonsimon.org
(reservations required). brating local legends from John Muir to The Huntington Library
Both the Academy of Sciences and Sally Ride. huntington.org
Getty Center & Getty Villa
Exploratorium are geared toward kids of all In San Francisco’s North Beach, the Beat getty.edu/visit
ages. For those traveling with children Museum is affectionately known as “The Santa Barbara Museum of Art
sbmuseart.org
under eight, the Bay Area Discovery House Jack (Kerouac) Built.” Downtown, Museum of Contemporary Art,
Museum at Fort Baker in Sausalito, a pint- the Contemporary Jewish Museum and San Diego
mcasd.org
sized Wonderland dedicated to promoting nearby Museum of the African Diaspora Museum of Photographic Arts
creative thinking, makes a worthwhile day (MoAD) provide fascinating insights into mopa.org

trip. From San Francisco, it’s a short drive two of California’s most creative ethnic tra- SCIENCE
across the Golden Gate Bridge. ditions. Visiting the Asian Art Museum, in California Science Center
californiasciencecenter.org
The Tech Museum of Innovation in San San Francisco’s former Public Library, is The Tech Museum
Jose (the heart of Silicon Valley) is the the next best thing to a trip along the thetech.org
Monterey Bay Aquarium
country’s first museum dedicated to the dig- ancient Silk Road. The small but beloved montereybayaquarium.org
ital revolution, with exhibits on Artificial Mexican Museum of San Francisco will California Academy of Sciences
calacademy.org
Intelligence, Robotics and Cyber-Security. soon be moving from its Fort Mason out- Exploratorium
Two hours south of San Francisco by car, post to Yerba Buena Gardens—and exploratorium.edu
Bay Area Discovery Museum
the Monterey Bay Aquarium deserves to be enjoying a long-overdue expansion. baykidsmuseum.org
included among the Wonders of the World For a taste of luminous California
CULTURE
for its astonishing displays of sea otters and kitsch, the nebulous Museum of Neon The California Museum
jellies, its mesmerizing three-story kelp Art—scheduled to reopen in Glendale’s californiamuseum.org
Beat Museum
forest and a staggering million-gallon new Cultural Arts District—plans to offer thebeatmuseum.org
“Outer Bay” tank as fascinating as any IMAX seasonal “Neon Cruises” through the high- Contemporary Jewish Museum
thecjm.org
film. Give yourself a full day to enjoy Mon- voltage landmarks of downtown Los MoAD
terey’s iconic Cannery Row and explore this Angeles. In Long Beach, the Museum of moadsf.org
Asian Art Museum
PASADENA CVB; OPPOSITE: SF OPERA.

marvel of a museum. Latin American Art (MoLAA) features asianart.org

modern and contemporary work by artists Museum of Neon Art
neonmona.org
Culture from the New World. In Little Tokyo, the Japanese American National Museum
California is a rare and enduring alloy of Japanese American National Museum fea- janm.org
Mexican Museum
more than 50 ethnic groups. Its museums tures exhibitions ranging from the World mexicanmuseum.org
reflect the racial diversity and cultural his- War II incarcerations to a sprawling show MoLAA
molaa.com
tory of this melting pot in microcosm. on Hello Kitty.

42 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 PERFORMING ARTS
Encore! Encore!
California celebrates every flavor of live performance
SAN FRANCISCO
OPERA
The world-renowned San Francisco
Opera is the second largest opera
company in North America.
Founded in 1923, the company’s
first performance was Puccini’s
La Bohème. Opera had been popular
in San Francisco since Gold Rush
days, but until 1923 had only been
performed by visiting opera
companies. Today, opening night is
a festive occasion, with the War
Memorial Opera House always
packed. A scene from a recent
production of Tosca appears above.
The Opera also produces an annual
simulcast at AT&T Park, home of the
San Francisco Giants, above right.
BY JEFF GREENWALD & LAURIE WEED
Performance is the lifeblood of the arts,
especially in California. From the Barbary
Coast docks to the Paramount studio lots,
drama, dance and music have always been
an indelible part of the “Left Coast” spirit.
It makes perfect sense that, in the classic
1936 film San Francisco, Mary Blake
(Jeanette MacDonald) is singing her heart
out when the Great Earthquake strikes.
Today, nearly every town in California
boasts a stage of its own—from the Light-
house Repertory Theater in Crescent City
to San Diego’s Coronado Playhouse. The
state’s scores of concert halls, symphony
orchestras, theaters, jazz clubs, dance com-
panies, comedy troupes, cabarets, operas
and fringe festivals lay waste to the notion
of spending a quiet evening (or even an
afternoon) at home.
What would one expect, though, from
the birthplace of I Love Lucy and the home
of the San Francisco Mime Troupe? The
performing arts are one of California’s
great attractions, with a dizzying variety of
choices—sacred, profane and everything
in between—that is both inspiring and
maddening. A full accounting is impos-
sible, but here are some suggestions to
consider if you are visiting any of the
state’s urban hubs.
Regional Theaters
In San Diego, near the Mexican border, the
La Jolla Playhouse has seen 26 of its pro-
ductions move across the continent to
Broadway, earning 35 Tony Awards. The Old
Globe Theatre presents the plays of Shake-
speare (of course), as well as works by the
likes of Arthur Miller and an annual
Christmas production penned by a late
local resident: Dr. Seuss.
Los Angeles, naturally, features dozens
of small theater companies—such as Santa
Monica’s Open Fist, the Actor’s Co-op, the
diverse Cornerstone and Hollywood’s pro-
found Blank Theater (which hosts the
annual Young Playwrights Festival every
summer). The city’s star attraction is the
Center Theatre Group, with three stages:
The Mark Taper Forum, Kirk Douglas
and Ahmanson theaters. Here you’ll find
everything from top-shelf classics to
cutting-edge solo performances.
It is San Francisco, though, that quali-
fies as California’s theater epicenter. Home
of the legendary American Conservatory
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 43
 PERFORMING ARTS
Theater (A.C.T., which premiered Cole
Porter’s High Society in 1997), the city offers
live performance for every taste. The
Eureka Theatre (which premiered Angels in
America), the Magic Theatre (which estab-
lished playwright Sam Shepard), Z Space
and Aurora are just a few of the city’s native
companies—not to mention the politically
charged San Francisco Mime Troupe, now
in its 58th rabble-rousing year. For superb
solo performance, check out both Intersec-
tion for the Arts and The Marsh (“A
breeding ground for new performance”),
which has built an enviable reputation
with its four intimate theaters in two loca-
tions, San Francisco and Berkeley.
A terrific recent addition to the Bay Area
theater scene is We Players, led by
visionary artistic director Ava Roy. In col-
laboration with the National Park Service,
We Players have performed Ondine at the
Sutro Baths, The Odyssey on Angel Island
and Macbeth at Fort Point. Check their
website (see sidebar) for upcoming site-
specific shows.
Half a dozen California regional play-
houses have won Tony Awards—the
44 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
highest distinction in American theater.
These include the Berkeley Repertory The-
atre, 30 minutes by car or a short BART ride
from San Francisco. They continue a tradi-
tion of inspired experimentation, with a
roster that has included works by artists
such as Mary Zimmerman and Green Day,
and solo shows by Rita Moreno, Anna
Devere Smith and many others.
And while you’re in the East Bay, don’t
overlook “Cal Shakes”—the California
Shakespeare Company—with its gorgeous
open-air venue in the Orinda hills.
Other excellent theaters include the
South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, San
Jose Repertory and the Sacramento Theater
Company. Finally, the state hosts no less
than five cutting-edge Fringe Festivals—
search online for “Fringe Festival California”
to find up-to-date listings.
Symphonies, Opera & Ballet
Designed by visionary architect Frank
Owen Gehry, the Walt Disney Concert Hall
in downtown LA was designed to be one of
the most acoustically perfect performance
spaces on earth. It’s also one of the planet’s
most striking buildings, inside and out—
as well as the home of the renowned and
innovative Los Angeles Philharmonic. Cal-
ifornia’s other preeminent orchestra is of
course the San Francisco Symphony, under
the legendary musical direction of Michael
Tilson Thomas, at home in the Louise M.
Davies Symphony Hall.
There was a time, not too long ago, when
the pride of every major city in the world
was its opera house. Opera still maintains
a huge following in California, with nearly
thirty companies across the state—five in
the LA area alone. The San Francisco Opera
and Los Angeles Opera are two of the largest
in North America, with global reputations
for set production and excellence. Kudos as
well to the renowned Long Beach Opera,
now in its fourth decade.
But California’s two most prominent
cities don’t have a monopoly on great
music. San Diego, Sacramento, Oakland,
Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara all support
superb orchestras.
Ballet in the Golden State has an equally
impressive pedigree. The San Francisco
MATT MARRIOTT/DISCOVER LA. OPPOSITE: PLAYING FOR CHANGE FOUNDATION/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICR
Ballet, founded in 1933, was the first pro-
fessional ballet company in the United
States. The California Ballet Company in
San Diego has attained a stellar interna-
tional reputation, and remains the largest
professional ballet company in Southern
California. Celebrating its 10th season in
2016, the Los Angeles Ballet is a newcomer
to the scene, while the reinvigorated Oak-
land Ballet recently marked its golden 50th
anniversary.
Jazz & Blues
Here’s a quick sampler of the state’s best
jazz and blues clubs. Oakland, a rising star
in many arenas, is a hotbed of jazz with
clubs like Yoshi’s in Jack London Square,
Geoffrey’s Inner Circle and Birdland
leading the pack. Across the Bay in San
Francisco, don’t miss the SF Jazz Center,
 1LOVE PLAYING FOR CHANGE DAY at Whisky a Go Go,
West Hollywood, left; Broadway in downtown Los Angeles,
opposite bottom.

» FIND A
PERFORMANCE

La Jolla Playhouse LA Opera

and visit The Saloon and Club Deluxe for blues. In Santa lajollaplayhouse.org laopera.org
Cruz, it’s the Kuumbwa Jazz Center; in Fullerton, The Old Globe Long Beach Opera
Steamers; the Baked Potato and Catalina in Hollywood; theoldglobe.org longbeachopera.org

Charlie O’s in Van Nuys; and The Torch Club (for blues) in Open Fist Theatre San Francisco Symphony
openfist.org sfsymphony.org
Sacramento. In LA, find the hottest new offerings at the
Jazz Bakery. Actor’s Co-op Los Angeles Philharmonic
actorsco-op.org laphil.com

Cornerstone Theater San Francisco Ballet

Rock ’n’ Roll ’n’ More cornerstonetheater.org sfballet.org
From the Doors to the Dead, California has long been
Blank Theater California Ballet Company
Ground Zero for great live music. Here are a few of Cali- theblank.com californiaballet.org
fornia’s legendary rock ’n’ roll haunts, still going strong. In
Center Theatre Group Los Angeles Ballet
San Francisco, check out what’s on at the Fillmore, the centertheatregroup.org losangelesballet.org
Warfield, the Independent and Great American Music Hall. American Conservatory Theater Oakland Ballet
Just across the Bay Bridge, some of the best venues include act-sf.org oaklandballet.org

the Fox and glorious Paramount Theater in Oakland, as Eureka Theatre SF Jazz Center
theeurekatheatre.com sfjazz.org
well as Berkeley’s Greek Theatre—known simply as “the
Greek.” Over the Golden Gate, Sweetwater Music Hall in Magic Theatre Kuumbwa Jazz Center
magictheatre.org kuumbwajazz.org
Mill Valley, Marin County, often hosts well-known artists.
Z Space Yoshi’s Jazz Club
Looking to rock it in LA? Check out the Troubadour, the zspace.org yoshis.com
Roxy and Whisky a Go Go, an LA institution since 1964.
Aurora Theatre The Jazz Bakery
Some other legendary California venues include the Cat- auroratheatre.org jazzbakery.org
alyst in Santa Cruz, the Casbah and “the Brick” (Brick by
Intersection for the Arts The Baked Potato
Brick) in San Diego. theintersection.org thebakedpotato.com

The Marsh Catalina

Circus & Cabaret themarsh.org catalinajazzclub.com

Originally founded in 1969 by the late Clifford Vargas, San Francisco Mime Troupe The Casbah
sfmt.org casbahmusic.com
Circus Vargas is California’s largest home-grown circus,
featuring a vast Big Top that covers two acres and requires We Players Brick by Brick
weplayers.org brickbybrick.com
30 people to put up and pull down. Quebec-based Cirque
Berkeley Repertory Theatre Circus Vargas
du Soleil is also a frequent visitor to the state, with sched- berkeleyrep.org circusvargas.org
uled appearances in most major cities. Teatro Zinzanni
California Shakespeare Company Cirque du Soleil
(“Love, Chaos, and Dinner”) sadly departed San Francisco’s calshakes.org cirquedusoleil.com
waterfront in 2011, but the beloved dinner theater/vaude-
San Francisco Opera Teatro Zinzanni
ville/cabaret is making plans to return in 2016. Check their sfopera.com zinzanni.com/sf
website for re-opening news.

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 45
 MOVIES BY JACQUELINE YAU

Shooting on Location It’s the movies that have really been running things in
Many of your favorite films were made America ever since they were invented. They show you
what to do, how to do it, when to do it, how to feel
in California, at a location near you
about it, and how to look how you feel about it.
—Andy Warhol

SAN FRANCISCO
For decades, San Francisco has been a
popular location for films because of its
breathtaking setting and beautiful
architecture, as seen here on Lombard
Street, the famous “crookedest street in
the world.” Countless films have been
shot in the city and tours visit as many
as 70 movie locations.
For more than a century, filmmakers
have been inspired by California’s polyglot
culture, striking landscapes and laid-back
lifestyle to create a breathless diversity of
movies representing the human condi-
tion. A Paramount Studio location map
from 1927 shows what locations in Cali-
fornia could stand in for places across the
country and around the world—from
Wyoming cattle country to the Nile River
to the Swiss Alps to Sherwood Forest in
England. These movie-making master
illusionists have shaped perceptions
of the Golden State and influenced atti-
tudes and dress globally through such
memorable quotes as, “Just one word…
plastics,” from The Graduate (1967) and
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s line in The Ter-
F11PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: F11PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK
minator (1984), “I’ll be back.” There’s a
symbiotic relationship between the film
industry and the state, and many cities
have benefited economically from films
shot in and around them.
Film Locations by the Hundreds
So many movies have been filmed in Cali-
fornia that cottage industries have cropped
up guiding tourists to film locations. There
are hundreds of places to visit in Holly-
wood and greater LA, the cradle of the

46 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
HOLLYWOOD’S DOLBY THEATRE
and Walk of Fame, right.
movie business. One of the better-kept
secrets is Greystone Mansion and Park in
Beverly Hills. This estate is part of a public
park that sits on 16 acres of land and is the
setting for dozens of movies, including
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), The Social
Network (2010), the Spiderman series
(2002-2007) and X-Men (2000).
If you are hungry, snack on an apple
fritter at Randy’s Donuts, the oft-filmed
and iconic 24-hour drive-thru bakery, seen
in Iron Man 2 (2010) as protagonist Tony
Stark munches on the sweets reclining
inside the giant donut sign. Take a tour of
the Walt Disney Concert Hall featured in
The Soloist (2009) in downtown Los
Angeles. Or join Dearly Departed Tours for
their special Halloween Horror Film Loca-
tion Tour around Hollywood and Pasadena.
LA isn’t the only place movies are shot.
San Francisco has been the backdrop for
countless films. San Francisco Movie Tours
offers multiple tours. Its three-hour bus
excursion visits locations where 70 movie
scenes from more than 55 movies were
filmed (e.g., Vertigo, Mrs. Doubtfire, Basic
Instinct, The Rock, Contagion, The Pursuit of
Happyness). Down the coast a bit, the Mon-
terey Movie Tours winds through Monterey,
Pacific Grove and Carmel, spotlighting loca-
tions of other films; still farther south, a
more active tour put together by the Santa
Barbara Bicycle Coalition cycles along two
Sideways (2004) routes. You can also devise
your own itinerary up and down the state
and visit the locations of your favorite
movies shot in California.
Perhaps you’re nostalgic for classic films
such as American Graffiti (1973), shot in
downtown Petaluma in Sonoma County,
and East of Eden (1955), filmed in Mendo-
cino, or Some Like It Hot (1959) filmed at the
Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. Or you
want to retrace Tippi Hedren’s steps in
Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic suspense film, The
Birds, shot in Bodega Bay and other parts of
Sonoma County and in San Francisco.
Beyond these coastal film locations, the
Sacramento River Delta has been used many
times as a movie location, especially as a
stand-in for the Mississippi Delta. In the late
1950s, at least seven major movies were
filmed in the Stockton area, such as God’s
Little Acre, The Big Country (with Gregory
Peck and Charlton Heston), Miss Brooks,
Porgy and Bess (Sammy Davis, Jr. and Pearl
Bailey), Cool Hand Luke (1967) starring Paul
Newman and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).
Studio Tours, TV Audiences & Extras
Other ways to get a glimpse of the enter-
tainment business are to take a studio
tour, attend a live taping of a TV show or
sign up to be an extra in a movie.
Although there are movie studios in
other parts of California, including Pixar
Animation Studios and Lucasfilm in the
San Francisco Bay Area, most are located in
and around Los Angeles. Those that offer
behind-the-scenes studio tours include
Warner Bros. (peek into the costume and
prop room for the Harry Potter movies),
Universal (Hollywood’s most famous
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 47
 MOVIES
GATEWAY TO Universal Studios
» GO TO
THE MOVIES
Hollywood, right.

MOVIE LOCATIONS
Beverly Hills
greystonemansion.org
Inglewood
randysdonuts.com
Los Angeles
hollywoodmovietours.com
dearlydepartedtours.com
ultimatehollywoodtours.com
Monterey
montereymovietours.com
San Francisco
sanfranciscomovietours.com
Santa Barbara
bike-
santabarbara.org/rides/DIY/DIY.html
Sonoma County
sonoma-
county.org/film/moviemap.htm
Stockton
riverboatdaves.com/docs/cmovies.html
Regional Film Offices
film.ca.gov
Statewide
backlot, 13 city blocks on four acres in the
movie-locations.com
world’s largest working movie studio),
STUDIO TOURS
Sony Pictures (formerly the historic MGM Paramount
studios famous for Gone with the Wind and paramountstudiotour.com
Sony
The Wizard of Oz) and Paramount studios sonypicturesstudiostours.com
Universal
(the one remaining studio that is still
universalstudioshollywood.com
located in Hollywood). Many movies that Warner Bros.
wbtour.com
are shot on location outside LA also often Watch a Movie
have scenes shot on a studio soundstage. While in LA, consider doing what Ange- JOIN A STUDIO AUDIENCE
On Camera Audiences
Check for tickets before going on a studio lenos love to do: watch movies. During the on-camera-audiences.com
tour because many require advance tick- summer, enjoy a classic film under 1iota
1iota.com
eting or reservations. Ask your guide if you starlight with the dead and the living at the Audience Associates
tvtix.com
can take a peek into a current movie shoot Hollywood Forever Cemetery, going on its Audiences Unlimited
and you may spot a celebrity walking by. 15th season. tvtickets.com
Game shows, talk shows and TV Catch a movie where many directors BECOME AN EXTRA
comedy shows often need a live audience. screen their films and sometimes key off Central Casting
centralcasting.com/LA/actors
Free studio audience tickets are handled audience reactions to tweak a scene or two Casting Networks
home.sfcasting.com/casting-calls
through distributors such as On Camera at the AMC/IMAX Century City 15 Theatres
Be in a Movie
Audiences and 1iota. at Westfield Century City shopping center. beinamovie.com
Becoming a film extra isn’t as easy as it Pay homage to the pioneers of the motion FILM BUFF
might seem. There are a number of services picture era by watching a silent film on the Hollywood Forever Cemetery
summer movie screenings
SUPANNEE HICKMAN/SHUTTERSTOCK

that do casting calls for extras such as Cen-
tral Casting in Los Angeles or Casting
Networks in San Francisco. Often you are
required to sign up and provide a headshot.
If you do get cast as an extra, it requires
patience as you can stand around all day
with nothing to do.
second Saturday of the month at The Silent cinespia.org
Pacific Film Archive
Movie Theatre, a recently restored, Art
bampfa.berkeley.edu
Deco cultural landmark built in 1942. The Silent Movie Theatre
cinefamily.org/films/the-silent-treatment
When you next watch a movie filmed in Street Food Cinema
the state, remember that not only are you streetfoodcinema.com
Westfield Century City
experiencing the drama of life, you’re also westfield.com/centurycity/movies
getting a taste of California.

48 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 RAILWAY JOURNEYS BY JEFF GREENWALD & LAURIE WEED

Hear My Train a Comin’

All aboard for panoramic views and a blast of nostalgia

with train robbery reenactment) or take

the whole family along for a relaxed hol-
iday, you’re sure to find at least one train
ride that shakes your caboose.

AMTRAK
Founded in 1971 to provide
intercity passenger train service
across the country, Amtrak
serves 46 of the 50 states and
three Canadian provinces on
21,000 miles (34,000 km) of track.
Passengers enjoy themselves in
the lounge car, above; the Coast
Starlight passes Mount Shasta,
above right.
Can you hear that whistle blow? His-
toric, romantic, immortalized in legend
and song, a train journey goes beyond
mere transportation—it’s an experience,
one that recalls the Golden Age of travel.
With the historic completion of the first
transcontinental rail line in 1876, travelers
st
could suddenly reach the 31 state from the
East Coast in a seemingly magical four
days—a journey that previously took many
perilous weeks, even months, to complete.
California’s fame and fortune were built on
those long lines of track, some would say,
and Californians still love their trains—not
just for nostalgic reasons. There’s no better
way to view the state’s magnificently
diverse landscapes, from breathtaking
coastal bluffs lapped by Pacific surf to red-
wood forests, vast shimmering deserts,
alpine lakes and towering mountain peaks.
Whether you prefer to sip fine Napa
Amtrak Adventures
The gold standard of California rail trips is
arguably Amtrak’s Coast Starlight. Before
crossing the border into Oregon, north-
bound passengers experience the full
spectrum of California’s greatest hits.
Whether you board at Los Angeles’ Union
Station or Oakland’s Jack London Square,
you’ll pass snow-capped peaks, gorgeous
forests and shimmering shorelines. The
full trip, from Los Angeles to Seattle (or
reverse), takes 35 hours.
But accolades for the “most beautiful
train trip in North America” are lavished on
Amtrak’s California Zephyr, a 51-hour
adventure linking the Bay Area with
Chicago. The daily departure boards in
Emeryville (right across the bay from San
Francisco) and crosses two mountain
ranges—the Sierra Nevada to Reno, and the
Rockies to Denver—with unparalleled
vistas. You can also disembark at Truckee to
explore Lake Tahoe, a stress-and-traffic-free
alternative to crawling over the summit in
your own vehicle. If you’re drawn to a desert
crossing, Amtrak’s Southwest Chief con-
nects LA with Chicago via the Mojave. The
Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle—Amtrak’s most
southern route—joins LA with New Orleans
AMTRAK

wines in a luxuriously restored Pullman and Chicago via Tucson, San Antonio and
car, ride the rails Old West-style (complete Houston.

50 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 RAILWAY JOURNEYS
THE COAST STARLIGHT hugs the Pacific
north of Santa Barbara, right.
Three other popular California train
routes are operated by Amtrak, all of which
accommodate bicycles and offer free Wi-
Fi service. The Capital Corridor, beloved by
business commuters, runs from San Jose
to Auburn (via Sacramento), crossing the
state’s agricultural Central Valley. The
much more scenic Pacific Surfliner, a six-
hour run that skirts the Pacific, joins San
Luis Obispo and San Diego (via Santa Bar-
bara and Los Angeles). Travelers can
arrange trips to Yosemite via the San
Joaquin line to Fresno or Merced, where a
waiting bus will ferry them to the national
park. The San Joaquin joins the San Fran-
cisco Bay Area and Oakland to Los Angeles
via Sacramento, Fresno and Bakersfield.
Excursion Favorites
Until 1930, tourists visiting Mt. Tamal-
pais—the Bay Area’s signature 2,574-foot
peak—could board the Mt. Tamalpais &
Muir Woods Railway: “The Crookedest
Railroad in the World.” Though that line
was sadly dismantled, there are still plenty
of unusual steam-and-theme excursions
available to the 21st-century traveler. These
include Mendocino’s irresistible Skunk
Train. Starting at the coastal town of Fort
Bragg, the Skunk navigates some 30
bridges, trestles and tunnels on its 40-mile
journey between Fort Bragg and Willits.
Following an old redwood lumber delivery
route, it’s said to be one of the “Ten most
scenic train rides” in North America.
Book your tickets early for the popular
Napa Valley Wine Train, with three-hour
round trips in “meticulously restored rail
cars” between Napa and St. Helena in Cali-
fornia’s wine country. Enjoy a la carte or
gourmet dining, depending on your class of
52 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
ticket. Lunch trains run daily, with winery days when logs harvested in the Sierras were
tours available. For their frequent dinner delivered to the fast-growing settlements in
train schedule and popular special events, the Central Valley.
please visit the website (see sidebar).
Departing from Woodland, the Sacra- Second Childhood
mento RiverTrain features beer, wine, fine Speaking of super-short train rides, a peren-
food and live music as it follows the Sacra- nial favorite is the Redwood Valley Railway
mento River on a three-hour, 32-mile trip. in Tilden Park, Berkeley. The 12-minute
There are several specialty rides, including ride—with hand-built steam locomotives
Sunset Dinners, Great Train Robberies, pulling open-bed flatcars—chugs through
Beer Trains and Murder Mysteries. rustic tunnels and around wooded curves,
Another option is the Sierra Dinner Train, with (season permitting) panoramic views
which runs on one of several rail lines of San Francisco Bay. Tickets are $3, a five-
th
built in the late 19 century to link the ride ticket only $12, and children under two
Gold Country with the Central Valley. ride free. It’s a real family experience—even
Today, the excursion “provides visitors an dogs are welcome!
opportunity to travel on the historic Sierra
Railroad while enjoying a delicious meal,
beautiful countryside and a wide range of
entertainment.” Passengers board in Oak-
dale, 90 miles east of San Francisco (70
» CATCH
A TRAIN!
miles south of Sacramento). Both the
Sacramento River and Sierra lines also Amtrak
offer Zombie Train experiences: “One part amtrak.com
passenger train, one part zombie killing Skunk Train
skunktrain.com
machine.” Just sayin’.
Napa Valley Wine Train
winetrain.com
Historic Revivals
A variety of shorter train rides lace through Sacramento RiverTrain
sacramentorivertrain.com
the California landscape, recreating (more or
less) a taste of what travel was like for settlers Sierra Railroad: Oakdale
sierrarailroad.com
of the 1800s. Santa Cruz’s Roaring Camp
Railroad offers a Beach Train from Felton to Roaring Camp Railroad
roaringcamp.com
the Santa Cruz shore, or a steam train into
Yosemite Mountain Sugar
the Bear Mountain redwood forests. With Pine Railroad
several trips daily plus a regular “Moonlight ymsprr.com
Special,” which includes a BBQ and campfire Redwood Valley Railway
AMTRAK
sing-along, the narrow-gauge Yosemite redwoodvalleyrailway.com
Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad recalls the
 ROAD TRIPS
Get Behind the Wheel and Go
Explore California’s highways and byways
FAMOUS BRIDGES
The Golden Gate Bridge, above,
might be America’s most famous
bridge, but it’s not alone when it
comes to notable structures in
California. The San Francisco Bay
Bridge with its new eastern span
is a breathtaking workhorse
linking SF and Oakland, and the
Bixby Bridge in Big Sur, opposite,
is emblematic of California’s
rugged coast and Highway 1.
54 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
Californians didn’t invent the car, but
they like to think, with some justification,
that they invented the automobile lifestyle.
With drive-thru grocery stores, drive-
thru pharmacies, drive-thru churches and
even drive-thru mortuaries, one gets the
feeling that if Californians could only
invent a drive-thru delivery room they
could happily go from cradle to grave
without ever having to pull over to the curb.
California is a land of supersized dis-
tances, jumbo landscapes and big-gulp
vistas, and the best way to see it all is on a
road trip, or, better yet, a series of road
trips. Here are a few of our favorites.
Up the Coast
Northern Californians call it “Highway 1”
and Southern Californians call it the “Pacific
Coast Highway”—or, simply, the “PCH”—but
BY JOHN FLINN
JEROME KUNDROTAS/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: ASIF ISLAM/SHUTTERSTOCK; SUPPAVUT VARUTBANGKUL; RADOSLAW LECYK/SHUTTERSTOCK
there’s no doubt that the road that hugs the
state’s remarkable coastline, often close
enough to feel the salt spray, offers one of
the world’s classic driving trips.
From sun-splashed Southern California
beaches to the misty redwood forests near
the Oregon border, the journey, which
includes a few stretches on other high-
ways, is a touch over 1,000 miles.
The sights are so numerous we can
barely scratch the surface: The Hotel Del
Coronado, where Marilyn Monroe frol-
icked in Some Like It Hot; classic surf
breaks made famous by the Beach Boys;
star-studded Malibu; Riviera-like Santa
Barbara; Hearst Castle; Big Sur; Santa
Cruz, with its old-timey beach boardwalk;
San Francisco; Point Reyes National
Seashore; artsy Mendocino; Redwood
National Park.
 BIXBY BRIDGE on Highway 1, Big
Sur, left; Hotel del Coronado, San
Diego, below; you have two
choices when you hit Highway
395, LA or Bishop, bottom.

A few tips: Allow far more time than you Highway 395 grazes the shore of enor-
think you need; besides the frequent diver- mous Mono Lake, which is so alkaline
sions, the road is so winding in places it’s Mark Twain once joked he could do his
hard to average more than 30 miles per laundry merely by dragging it behind him
hour. If you’re prone to carsickness, this in a boat. In Bishop, the studio of the late
isn’t the trip for you. Keep your gas tank photographer Galen Rowell has become a
full and your bladder empty. In some areas, major attraction. Stop at Manzanar, just off
particularly Big Sur, it’s more than 40 miles the highway, for a poignant visit to the site
between gas stations—and restrooms. of a relocation camp for Americans of
Japanese heritage during World War II. In
Cowboys & Indians Lone Pine, the Indian Trading Post sports
East of the Sierra Nevada the green, popu- autographs on the wall from Gary Cooper,
lated West Coast ends and the brown, John Wayne and other cinematic cowboys
sagebrush-covered West begins. This is who filmed Westerns in the nearby Ala-
the Old Frontier of our imagination, a bama Hills.
realm of real cowboys and real Indians A few tips: Springtime, when the Sierra
(and also, as we shall see, of cinematic is still clad in snow, is the prettiest time for
cowboys and Indians.) the drive, although some side trips may be
Highway 395 hugs the state’s eastern limited. For an overnight stop, the town of
border, and the 264-mile stretch of high Bishop offers the largest selection of
desert from Reno to Lone Pine, which motels and restaurants.
passes tumbleweeds, swinging-door
saloons and ghost towns beneath the
breathtakingly sheer eastern wall of the
Sierra Nevada, is one of California’s most
iconic drives.
The northern stretch traverses ranch-
land that was once—and sometimes still
is—the domain of Basque sheepherders,
and in the town of Gardnerville, just over
the border in Nevada, you have your choice
of excellent Basque restaurants. As you
drive south, keep an eye out for cowboys,
although these days they’re as likely to be
riding an all-terrain vehicle as a horse. Far-
ther south, as you approach Mono Lake,
you’ll probably encounter members of the
Washoe and Paiute tribes.

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 55
 ROAD TRIPS

AN F-LINE HISTORIC streetcar

passes the Ferry Building on the
Embarcadero, San Francisco,
below; a passenger ship docks at
San Francisco’s cruise ship
terminal, right; Dodger Stadium
in Los Angeles, opposite top;
San Diego from Seaport Village,
opposite bottom.

of San Francisco’s skyscrapers you’ll come

to Muir Woods National Monument, a
cathedral-like preserve of old-growth red-
woods at the foot of Mount Tamalpais.
Follow Highway 1 to Point Reyes National
Seashore, where you might catch tule elk
grazing on misty hillsides above the wave-
battered coast. West Marin County, with its
organic farms, artisanal bakeries and

PIKAPPA51/SHUTTERSTOCK; TURTIX/SHUTTERSTOCK; PUNG/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: DISCOVER LA; GIMAS/SHUTTERSTOCK

gourmet cheesemakers, is the breadbasket
for San Francisco’s foodie culture. Stop for
lunch at the Hog Island Oyster Farm, where
you can munch on bivalve mollusks pulled
straight out of Tomales Bay. The long,
narrow bay, incidentally, is a submerged
section of the notorious San Andreas Fault.
Farther north on Highway 1 you’ll come to
Bodega Bay, a sleepy fishing village where
Alfred Hitchcock unleashed avian terror in
The Birds. The Tides restaurant, where ter-
rified townspeople took shelter, is still
there, although hardly recognizable in its
Day Trips current form. A few miles inland, in the
PICK YOUR
»
You don’t have to spend days or weeks on separate town of Bodega, you can find the

HIGHWAY the highway to see the best of California.
Within easy reach of major cities are exqui-
site road trips you can do in less than a day.
CA-1 The Coast
pacific-coast-highway-travel.com San Francisco
familiar schoolhouse and church from the
movie. Continue on to Sebastopol,
renowned for its juicy Gravenstein apples
and an outpost of Sonoma County’s wine
country. Turn south on Highway 101 and

US-395 Eastern Sierra

Head north, across the Golden Gate Bridge, head back to San Francisco, stopping for a
aaroads.com/California/us-395_ca to sample some of Northern California’s celebratory cocktail in Sausalito, with the
most bucolic scenery. Almost within sight lights of the city twinkling across the bay.

56 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
Los Angeles
On a day trip along the Angeles Crest Scenic
Byway you’re more likely to spot a bighorn
sheep than a Kardashian. As you wind up
and over narrow ridgetops in the San
Gabriel Mountains, above the smog, your
vistas can range from the vast, chocolate-
brown Mojave Desert to Catalina Island.
Also known as State Highway 2, the 66-
mile-long Angeles Crest Scenic Byway was
built 100 years ago to be “the most scenic
and picturesque mountain road in the
state.” Access it from the suburb of La
Canada Flintridge at the western end of the
San Gabriel Valley. The popular side-trip you step out of your car. Stop for a slice, A local landowner commissioned artist
hike to the summit of 6,164-foot Strawberry just out of the oven, warm and gooey with Ricardo Arroyo Breceda to produce more
Peak reopened in 2014 after being closed a scoop of French vanilla ice cream. The air than 130 giant sculptures in the desert,
since 2009 due to a fire. As you drive east here is so clean, and the views so exten- everything from life-size replicas of gom-
on the narrow two-lane road, keep an eye sive, that the California Institute of photheres (elephant-like creatures that
out for bears, mountain lions and bighorn Technology built the Palomar Observatory once lived there) to prehistoric camels and
sheep. Another side trip brings you to the a few miles away. Continue east, downhill, ground sloths to scenes from California
Mount Wilson Observatory, where on Highway 78 to Anza-Borrego Desert history: a Spanish padre, a gold miner and
astronomers found the first observational State Park, a 937-square-mile preserve that farmworkers. One of the latest is the
evidence for the Big Bang theory. If you’ve encompasses the eastern fifth of San undisputed highlight: an enormous sea
brought along your fishing rod, try your Diego County. If it’s spring, and the winter serpent that undulates so far across the
luck in Little Rock Creek near the Mt. has been wet, you’ll be treated to one of desert that it spans one of the main roads.
Waterman Ski Resort. Farther east, the road the most vivid and sweeping displays of From here you can retrace your route or
crosses the 2,665-mile-long Pacific Crest wildflowers in the United States. If the take the long way home via the Salton Sea
National Scenic Trail: From here you can flowers aren’t up, there’s still plenty to see. and Palm Springs.
hike south to Mexico or north to Canada.
From the road’s end at Highway 138, head
southeast to Interstate 15, which will whisk
you back to the Los Angeles Basin.

San Diego
Cross the Palomar Mountains to soak up
the vast and colorful Anza-Borrego desert
on a daylong drive from San Diego. Make
your way north on I-15 and east to
Ramona, and then continue on to the
ridgetop town of Julian. A beautifully pre-
served relic of an 1870s gold rush, Julian
these days is renowned for apples. You’ll
smell the aroma of baking pies as soon as

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 57
 STATE & NATIONAL PARKS BY BONNIE SMETTS

Stay and Play

Spend a day or fill a week exploring California’s natural grandeur

YOSEMITE
NATIONAL PARK
First protected by Abraham Lincoln
in 1864, then championed by John
Muir to become a national park in
1890, Yosemite is one of America’s
most beloved and visited national
parks. It is known for its soaring
granite cliffs and majestic waterfalls
as well as some of the country’s
most dramatic and accessible
backcountry wilderness. Yosemite
Valley, where most visitors spend
much of their time, has a wide range
of recreational activities, including
cycling to see the sights, the best
way to get around.
Make friends with banana slugs on a
tour of the redwoods. Snorkel through a
kelp forest at an offshore island.
Thrill at the sight of a rare condor
floating above the spires of California’s
newest park. Whatever your passion, Cal-
ifornia’s 279 state parks and 32 national
parks, seashores and monuments—
whose mission is to protect the state’s
natural and cultural treasures—are the
gateway to experiences as varied as the
state’s geography.
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
Yosemite National Park, with its glacier-
sculpted valley and granite peaks, has
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something for everyone. Come in spring
when the waterfalls thunder to the valley
floor. Come in summer when the park is
abuzz with visitors to explore by tram, bike
or on foot. Choose a gentle half-hour hike
or reserve a spot for the all-day climb of
Half Dome. Junior Ranger Walks are pop-
ular with kids. Backpackers can enjoy the
solitude of the park’s high country and
expert rock climbers have dozens of
granite walls to scale. Don’t leave the park
without stopping at Glacier Point with its
views of Half Dome and Yosemite Valley or
at the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias to
marvel at its 2,700-year-old Grizzly Giant.
To see a really big tree—the world’s

58 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 EMERALD BAY, LAKE TAHOE, left; giant sequoia forest,
below, and a California black bear, bottom, both in
Redwood National and State Parks.

largest by volume—head south to Sequoia

and Kings Canyon National Parks and
marvel at the weighty General Sherman.
While still in the mountains, take a trip to
Lake Tahoe, North America’s largest alpine
lake. Along the lake’s west shore, D.L. Bliss,
Emerald Bay and Sugar Pine Point state
parks offer camping, hiking and white
sand beaches. Farther north at Lassen Vol-
canic National Park, watch California take
shape in the roaring fumaroles, thumping
mud pots and boiling pools.

Giants in the Mist

While the Sierras are home to the heftiest
redwoods, the state’s fog-shrouded coastal
range from Oregon to Big Sur boasts the
loftiest—several are taller than the Statue
of Liberty. These rare trees, once logged to
near extinction, are now protected within
California’s redwood parks.
At Humboldt Redwoods State Park,
home to the largest continuous old growth
redwood forest on earth, drive the 31-mile
Avenue of the Giants and make stops along
the way to stroll among the titans.
Founders Grove with its majestic 346-foot
specimen is always a favorite. Visit in
spring to see the pink redwood lilies and
purple calypso orchids in bloom.
Farther north and closer to the coast, the
Redwood National and State Parks is a col-
lection of four parks with miles of
unspoiled coast and hiking trails. The
tallest recorded Coast Redwood hides here,
its location kept secret to protect it. How-
ever, you can visit the remote Tall Trees
Grove if you have a day to spare and want
to nab one of the 50 daily permits. But all
the parks provide easy access to magnifi-
cent groves as well as picnic sites,
campgrounds and trails for hikers, cyclists
and horses.

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 59
 STATE & NATIONAL PARKS
Burning Sands & Delicate Wildflowers
Miles from the coast, California’s deserts
are lands of extremes. Vast Death Valley
National Park holds the record for the
hottest temperature, driest climate and
lowest elevation in North America. It is
also famous for its explosion of wild-
flowers after winter rains. For a bird’s-eye
panorama, stop at Dante’s View. On the
valley floor, walk the Badwater Salt Flats or
take an afternoon drive to Zabriskie Point
to snap the garishly colored badlands. At
Scotty’s Castle, take a living-history tour to
sample the life of one of the valley’s most
colorful settlers. Trips to Titus Canyon and
the Racetrack take you deeper into the
park’s unique landscape, but only for those
with proper vehicles and preparation. Fur-

CHRIS GRANT/SHUTTERSTOCK; ANTON FOLTIN/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: RANDY ANDY/SHUTTERSTOCK; LUCKY-PHOTOGRAPHER/SHUTTERSTOCK

nace Creek Campground, one of nine in
the park, with sites for RVs, groups and
tents, makes for a central location for
exploring the park. Because of favorable
weather and temperatures, fall to spring is
the park’s busiest time.
The Mojave National Preserve is famous
for its singing sand dunes and seven-mil-
lion-year-old volcanic cinder cones. Joshua
Tree National Park, a favorite with rock
climbers, mountain bikers and birders, is
home to the gangly tree that gives the park
its name. While both have spring wild-
flower displays, Anza-Borrego Desert State
Park is legendary. Its flowers are usually
the first to burst into color—catching the
park’s cactus bloom is the prize.

To the Beach
JOSHUA TREES in, A visit to California is incomplete without
appropriately, Joshua spending time on the beach, but not all of
Tree National Park,
them are the iconic white sandy kind. You
above; blooming barrel
cacti in Mojave National will find black sand at Sinkyone Wilder-
Preserve, right. ness State Park on the north coast. At the
Mendocino Headlands State Park, bundle
up and enjoy a beach walk with a view of
the Victorian village.

60 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BROWN PELICANS on the rugged Big
Sur coastline near Cambria, below; dining
room and table settings at Hearst Castle,
San Simeon, right.
Closer to San Francisco, the sweeping
arc of Point Reyes National Seashore is
home to a dozen beaches, with drive-up
Drakes Beach and hike-in Limantour as
favorites. Make your way to park headlands
in early spring to view the gray whale
migration. Edging the entrance to San
Francisco Bay, the beaches and cliff trails
of the Golden Gate National Recreation
Area are the gateways to urban adventures
and historic sights such as Alcatraz Island.
Continuing down the coast to Santa
Cruz and Monterey, surfing spots alternate
with quiet coves home to sea otters and
seals. At Año Nuevo State Reserve, witness
elephant seals in breeding season. In
Carmel, whose beauty has been long
favored by plein air artists, Point Lobos
State Natural Reserve is a must-visit for
everyone. Big Sur’s Julia Pfeiffer Burns
State Park offers stunning views of the
rugged coast from its cliff-side trails.
Access to Pfeiffer Beach, a day beach, is just
south of the Big Sur Ranger Station.
At mid coast, rocky cliffs finally give
way to warm water and California’s famous
endless flat beaches. Movie buffs can camp
at Malibu Creek State Park where M*A*S*H
and Planet of the Apes were filmed. And
then there’s Huntington Beach, aka Surf
City USA. Huntington State Beach’s soft
sand, safe swimming and good surfing
make it the California classic.
Rocks to Castles Hollywood stars who gathered there. Also
California is more than its geography. at mid state, climbers and birders will not
Living history programs bring the past to be disappointed at Pinnacles, California’s
life in many parks. Indian Grinding Rock newest national park.
State Historic Park features a reconstructed Whatever kind of experience you seek,
village with a ceremonial roundhouse and from a city adventure to a high country
presentations by descendants of the trek, California’s parks have just what
Miwoks. The 21 missions founded by the you’re looking for.
Spanish along El Camino Real, or the
King’s Highway, preserve the arrival of
non-natives to California. Imagine mis-
sion life at La Purisima Mission State » FIND
YOUR PARK
Historic Park, one of the best along the His-
toric Mission Trail. Old Town San Diego
State Historic Park, with its restored plaza Individual State Parks
parks.ca.gov
and adobes, captures the period when San
Diego grew from a Mexican pueblo into an National Parks
nps.gov/state/CA
American town. And then there’s gold
fever. Pan for gold at Marshall Gold Dis- Campsites & Lodging Reservations
reserveamerica.com
covery State Historic Park where the recreation.gov
mineral was first discovered. Visualize a
Lighthouses
miner’s life at Bodie State Historic Park, an (many open to the public, some
intact ghost town from the era. offering accommodations)
nps.gov/maritime/inventories/
No place reflects California’s big lights/ca.htm
dreamers better than the Hearst San
Wildflower Updates at
Simeon State Historical Monument, a tes- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
tament to publisher William Randolph Wildflower Hotline
760-767-4684
Hearst and architect Julia Morgan. Tour Or check the park’s website
the 115-room castle and imagine the at parks.ca.gov.
presidents, publishing luminaries and
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 61
 ARCHITECTURE & GARDENS
Building in Harmony
Californians have always embraced the new and environmentally attuned
FILOLI
Sixteen acres of formal gardens
surround the country house
known as Filoli, designed by Willis
Polk and built for William Bowers
Bourn III in 1917. The site is now
owned by the National Trust for
Historic Preservation and is a
California Historical Landmark and
is listed on the National Register of
Historic Places.
62 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BY DAVID ARMSTRONG
sons and, of course, worship. Today, you
can find information about all things Mis-
sion online at the California Missions
Resource Center.
Missions to Victorians to Beaux Arts
The missions influenced California archi-
tecture and design for years to come. The
abundant open spaces, arches, tile-roofed
buildings and breezy arcades of Stanford
University’s main quad are legacies of the
Mission colonial era. The ornately  and
eclectically elaborated Casa de Balboa, in
San Diego’s Balboa Park, incorporates ele-
ments of the Mission Revival style. The
Architecture in California and the lush splendid 1927  San Gabriel Mission Play-
public gardens that add grace notes to the house is a direct architectural descendant
Golden State began to take shape in the late of the missions.
th
18 century, when the Spanish advanced By the 1860s, long, deep, narrow, high-
north from Mexico City to the rustic, ceilinged wooden row houses populated
remote province of Alta California. boomtowns like San Francisco. The Victo-
The California missions, 21 Roman
Catholic churches built from 1769 to 1823 on
a north-south axis, set the tone. The adobe-
walled, orange-tile-roofed churches erected
by the Franciscan friars eventually formed
the heart of major cities such as San Diego,
Los Angeles and San Francisco. The mis-
sions’ gardens were strictly utilitarian,
intended to produce food. Eye-pleasing
garden design blossomed later.
The Spanish-flavored colonial buildings
fell into disrepair after the newly inde-
pendent Mexican government desanctified
them. After moldering for years, many
were reconstructed in the 20th century,
opening to the public for tours, history les-
 THE DE YOUNG MUSEUM,
San Francisco, below; Walt Disney
Concert Hall, Los Angeles, right;
Montgomery Street and the
Transamerica Pyramid,
San Francisco, previous page, bottom.
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rians were built from the 1860s to the
1910s. In the 1970s, the once-modest
houses were reborn as gentrified, vibrantly
hued Painted Ladies. Surviving California
Victorians are especially numerous in San
Francisco, clustered on Alamo Square and
in the Haight-Ashbury, Western Addition
and Mission districts. Urban eye candy,
they are featured on City Guides San Fran-
cisco walking tours.
By the late 19th and early 20th centuries,
other, newer styles began catching on in
California.
Beaux Arts architecture lent grandeur to
citadels of commerce and government
buildings, bequeathing to San Francisco its
majestic, domed 1915 City Hall, and the
classically graceful, open-air Palace of Fine
Arts. But Beaux Arts was a European
import, not essentially Californian.
Arts & Crafts to Computer Contemporary
American Arts and Crafts became closely
associated with California at the turn of
th
the 20 century. The use of natural mate-
rials such as warm, burnished wood panels
and beams, glass and stone reflected Cali-
fornians’ deep feeling for nature. Such
buildings, exemplified by the 1908 Gamble
House in Pasadena, seemed to grow organ-
ically out of the earth. The cedar brown
shingle wooden homes of Berkeley, fea-
tured on Berkeley Architecture Heritage
Association walking tours, are pleasing
examples of the American Arts and Crafts
style. Berkeley affords glimpses of the Bay
Region style, a version of Arts and Crafts
practiced by Bay Area architects Bernard
Maybeck and Julia Morgan.
The streamlined power of early 20th-
century technology found mesmerizing
form in the Art Deco style of the 1920s and
1930s. Perhaps the noblest example of Art
Deco in North America is the 1937 Golden
Gate Bridge. With its taut suspension
cables, thrusting towers and trademark
International Orange color, the Golden
Gate Bridge dramatizes the energy, ambi-
tion and power of Art Deco.
The next breakthrough for architecture
in California came around the turn of the
new millennium with what could be called
Computer Contemporary style. Here, too,
the Golden State shines.
Frank Gehry’s brilliantly realized 2003
Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles,
with its swooping roofs and shining metallic
exterior, is a fantasia that couldn’t have been
designed without sophisticated computers
or built without modern alloys. The perfo-
rated copper exterior of San Francisco’s 2005
de Young Museum is of a piece with the con-
temporary, cutting edge work inside. For an
artful fusion of modern technique and nat-
uralism, the environmentally attuned 2008
home of the California Academy of Sciences
in Golden Gate Park is a must-see.
Gardens North & South
Major formal public gardens in the
modern sense blossomed in California in
the early 20th century, often in association
with great private fortunes, enormous
mansions and expansive public parks.
The Asian splendor of Hakone Garden,
opened in Saratoga in 1915, showed the way.
Hailed as the oldest Japanese and Asian
estate garden in the Americas, Hakone is a
loving replica of a traditional Samurai or
Shogun estate garden. Spreading over 18
hilly acres, serene Hakone Garden is
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 63
 ARCHITECTURE & GARDENS
CONSERVATORY of Flowers, San Francisco,
right; roses in the Huntington Botanical
Gardens, Pasadena, bottom.
known for koi ponds, waterfalls and
strolling and meditative walks.
A decade later, in 1925, Casa del Her-
rero (House of the Blacksmith) opened its
decorative Spanish Colonial Revival man-
sion, a style still hugely popular in host
city Santa Barbara. Today, the estate is
also celebrated for its Moorish garden
with its water fountain and hedged out-
doors “rooms.”
Both Los Angeles and San Francisco
host distinguished public
gardens. San Francisco debuted the erst-
while Strybing Arboretum in 1940 on
55 acres in Golden Gate Park. Now called
San Francisco Botanical Garden, it is
renowned for its rhododendron glen,
magnolia collection, redwood grove and
native California plants. The Los Angeles
County Arboretum and Botanic Garden
64 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
was opened in 1956 in aptly named
Arcadia, with a lovely waterfall, Queen
Anne cottage and garden of perennials.
By mid century, great gardens were
blooming around the state. The Mendo-
cino Coast Botanical Gardens (1961) shows
off an inspired profusion of blooms on
winding Highway 1 at Fort Bragg. In fairly
botanical
» FIND YOUR STYLE & DESIGN
ARCHITECTURE
California Missions Resource Center
missionscalifornia.com
Main Quad, Stanford University
stanford.edu/dept/visitorinfo/tours
Casa de Balboa
balboapark.org
San Gabriel Mission Playhouse
missionplayhouse.org
Walking Tours of San Francisco
sfcityguides.org
The Gamble House
gamblehouse.org
Maybeck Houses Tour of Berkeley
(Berkeley Architectural
Heritage Association)
berkeleyheritage.com
Golden Gate Bridge
goldengatebridge.org
Walt Disney Concert Hall
laphil.com
quick succession, more major public gar-
dens followed.
Among them: 654-acre Filoli, nestled in
the hills of Woodside south of San Fran-
cisco. Debuting in 1975, Filoli is known for
lovely paths and ponds, a charming rose
garden, 250-year-old live oak trees and
16th-century English Renaissance Garden.
In 1985, Palo Alto opened its 2.5-acre Eliza-
beth F. Gamble Garden. In 1993, the former
estate of Polish opera singer and socialite
Ganna Walska opened near Santa Barbara
as Lotusland, featuring fruit orchards, a
succulent garden and a butterfly garden.
Each garden has its own charms and par-
ticularities, but every one shares California’s
passionate embrace of the new, the innova-
tive and the environmentally attuned.
HUNTINGTON LIBRARY, ART COLLECTION, AND BOTANICAL GARDENS; CO LEONG/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: PHOTOGOLFER/SHUTTERSTOCK
de Young Museum
deyoung.famsf.org
GARDENS
Hakone Garden
hakone.com
Casa del Herrero,
House of the Blacksmith
casadelherrero.com
San Francisco Botanical Garden
(formerly Strybing Arboretum)
sfbotanicalgarden.org
Los Angeles County Arboretum
& Botanic Garden
arboretum.org
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
gardenbythesea.org
Filoli
filoli.org
Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden
gamblegarden.org
Ganna Walska Lotusland
lotusland.org
 GOLF
Golden Glow
to California’s Golf Courses
Diverse geography provides a cornucopia of options to tee up
MONTEREY
PENINSULA
One of the world’s top golf
destinations, the Monterey Peninsula
is home to the legendary Pebble
Beach Golf Links, above, as well as
several other top golf courses,
including Spyglass Hill, the Links at
Spanish Bay, Poppy Hills and Pacific
Grove Golf Links, fondly known as
the “poor man’s Pebble Beach.”
Ever since the game of golf originated in
the 15th century, the sport has continued to
thrive with cooperation from an assort-
ment of landscapes to test player’s skills,
and nowhere is that diversity more distinct
than throughout California. Mother Nature
has bestowed this land of mountains, val-
leys, forests, coastline and desert with a
heavenly canvas to provide a foundation of
fairways and greens that make the Golden
State one of the most attractive golf desti-
nations on the planet.
To take advantage of these geological
assets, a who’s-who of golf course archi-
tects, from old-school designers like
Alister MacKenzie, A.W. Tillinghast and
Willie Watson to modern-day shapers such
as Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. &
Jr., Arnold Palmer and Tom Fazio have
crafted their mark with challenges to suit
every golfer’s taste and budget.
BY ROBERT KAUFMAN
On that note, the good news for Cali-
fornia golfers is there are more than 600
public courses offering a broad range of
iconic masterpieces like Pebble Beach Golf
Links to hidden gems like Greenhorn
Creek Golf Course in the Gold Country. The
bad news is there are too many choices!
Therefore, depending upon one’s level of
golf and preferred environment, here are
some notable nuggets that will help unlock
a golf experience of a lifetime.
OCEAN COURSES
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Located along the storied Monterey Penin-
sula, there are few golf thrills like
teeing-up for the first time on Pebble
Beach Golf Links, ranked No. 1 on Golf
Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf
Courses” (2013/14). At the Jack Neville/
Douglas Grant design (1919), golfers can
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 65
 GOLF

WHITEHAWK RANCH GOLF CLUB,
below; Presidio Golf Course, bottom.
feel the presence of the game’s biggest leg-
ends that have competed in the annual
AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and
five U.S. Open Championships. Jack Nick-
laus said, “If I only had one more round to
play, I would choose to play it at Pebble
Beach.” pebblebeach.com
Spyglass Hill Golf Course
Taking a page from Robert Louis
Stevenson’s classic novel, Treasure Island,
Spyglass has hole names such as “Black
Dog” and “Billy Bones,” hints for the
unwary at this demanding 6,960-yard
layout. Designed (1966) by Robert Trent
Jones, Sr., holes 6, 8 and 16 are listed
among the toughest on the PGA Tour. Spy-
glass features two distinctly different
kinds of terrain that influence how the
fairways look and play: the first five holes
roll through sandy seaside dunes while the
remaining 13 holes cut through majestic
pines with elevated greens and strategi-
cally placed bunkers and lakes to grab
errant shots. pebblebeach.com
MOUNTAIN COURSES
Whitehawk Ranch Golf Club
Carved from the natural terrain of the
Mohawk Valley, approximately one hour
north of Lake Tahoe in the Plumas National
Forest, the fairways are framed with native
grasses and a profusion of wildflowers.
Seven meandering streams through tall
pines, cedars, firs and quaking aspens con-
tribute to the challenge and beauty of the
6,955-yard, Dick Bailey-designed course.
golfwhitehawk.com
Coyote Moon Golf Course
Nestled in a serene setting at 6,800 feet above
sea level in Truckee (Lake Tahoe) among
towering pines and enormous granite out-
croppings, the 7,177-yard Brad Bell design
serves up one of the best mountain golf expe-
riences in the country. With generous
fairways and not a single home to spoil the
dramatic views, this upscale daily-fee course
provides dramatic elements of risk,
th
including the 13 , a 200-yard par 3 that drops
80 feet from tee to green. coyotemoongolf.com

DESERT COURSES
PGA West—TPC Stadium Course
Since opening in 1986, the TPC Stadium
Course in La Quinta has been rated one of
the “Top 100 Courses in the World” by
GOLF Magazine. This 7,300-yard challenge
designed by Pete Dye hosts PGA Tour “Q-
School” Finals every other year with
players having to navigate cavernous
bunkers, an island green (known as “Alca-
traz”) at hole #17 as well as the menacing
water-lined 18th. Named “Stadium” due to
Dye’s ingenious plan to sculpt spectator
seating into the natural terrain, one of the
most memorable events includes Lee
ROBERT KAUFMAN

Trevino’s hole-in-one on #17 earning him

$175,000 from a carry-over skin in the 1987
“Skins Game.” pgawest.com

66 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 » FIND
TPC HARDING PARK, right;
Pasatiempo Golf Club, below.
YOUR GOLF

MORE TOP CHOICES

Old Greenwood
oldgreenwoodgolf.com
Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course
edgewoodtahoe.com
Greenhorn Creek Golf Course
greenhorncreek.com
Sierra Star Golf Club
mammothmountain.com/summer/
golf/sierra-star-golf-course
The Links at Bodega Harbour
bodegaharbourgolf.com
Yocha Dehe Golf Club
yochadehegolfclub.com
Windsor Golf Club
windsorgolf.com
Chardonnay Golf Club
chardonnaygolfclub.com
Presidio Golf Course
Indian Wells Golf Resort The memorable layout hosts the annual presidiogolf.com

Only 20 minutes from Palm Springs Inter-
national Airport, golfers have the
opportunity to play the newly transformed
Players Course (John Fought, 2007) and
Celebrity Course (Clive Clark, 2006), at a
property with the distinction of being the
only 36-hole public golf facility with both
LPGA Kia Classic and rewards all golfers The Course at Wente Vineyards
wentevineyards.com/course
with Tootsie Roll Pops during the round
Pasatiempo Golf Course
and chocolate chip cookies after. Golfers pasatiempo.com
can also get a tune-up at the nationally Bayonet & Black Horse Golf
Courses
ranked Kip Puterbaugh Golf Academy. bbhgolf.com
golfaviara.com Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort
alisal.com

courses on Golfweek’s “Best Courses You
Can Play” in California. Combined with a
lighted, 9-hole, natural grass putting
course and a brand new 53,000-square-
foot clubhouse, this “muni” golf
experience in the desert is unparalleled.
indianwellsgolfresort.com
TPC Harding Park La Purisima Golf Course
lapurisimagolf.com
Traversing a gently rolling peninsula sur-
Sandpiper Golf Course
rounded by Monterey Cypress trees and sandpipergolf.com
Lake Merced in San Francisco, the 7,169- Pelican Hill Golf Club
golfpelicanhill.com
yard layout follows the original routing
Rustic Canyon Golf Course
designed in 1925 by architects Willie rusticcanyongolfcourse.com
Watson and Sam Whiting. Also included is Journey at Pechanga
the interior 9-hole Fleming Course. In pechanga.com/golf

PARKLAND COURSES
Aviara Golf Club
Located in Carlsbad, the “Golf Manufac-
turing Capital of the World” with more
than 35 golf companies, including Call-
away, TaylorMade and Titleist, the Arnold
Palmer-designed Aviara GC overlooks the
2005, Harding’s strategy and character was Tustin Ranch Golf Club
tustinranchgolf.com
substantially enhanced with additional
Torrey Pines Golf Course
bunkers, re-contoured green complexes torreypinesgolfcourse.com
and an additional 400 yards to prepare the La Costa Resort & Spa
omnihotels.com/hotels/san-diego-la-
course for PGA Tour action that, so far, has costa/golf
included the 2009 Presidents Cup, 2005 The Grand Golf Club
WGC-American Express Championship fairmont.com/san-diego/golf

Batiquitos Lagoon nature preserve where
it is sculpted around rolling hillsides com-
plemented with native wildflowers and
plenty of bunker and water challenges.
and 2015 WGC Match Play. Harding’s rich The Classic Club
classicclubgolf.com
history continues in 2020 with the PGA
Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort
Championship, and the Presidents Cup in tahquitzgolfresort.com
2025. tpc.com/tpc-harding-park.

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 67
 SUMMER SPORTS BY BILL FINK

Fun in the Sun

California’s summer sunshine, seashores and soaring mountain summits
serve as inspiration to get outdoors and play

BEACH
VOLLEYBALL
The de facto state sport on
California’s 840 miles of coastline
has to be beach volleyball. Players of
all skill levels up and down the coast
jump in for informal games, such as
this foursome at Huntington Beach,
above. It’s generally accepted that
California beach volleyball began in
Santa Monica in the 1920s, then
grew more organized with
competitions over the decades, and
eventually became an Olympic
sport in 1996.
The California ideal of sun, surf and sand
has been popularized in decades of film
and TV shows, from Beach Blanket Bingo to
Baywatch. But visitors to California in the
summer can discover even more of the
state’s natural beauty heading inland to
majestic national parks.
Sports
Take a walk to the pier in Manhattan Beach
in Southern California on any given day
and you’ll see surfers whipping around the
waves, volleyball players diving in the sand,
and bikers and skateboarders rolling along
HUNTINGTON BEACH CVB. OPPOSITE: RON BERG; TRINITY COUNTY; RACHAEL GOLDBERG/SHUTTERSTOCK
the Strand. Drive the hills near San Fran-
cisco on a sunny day, and in a matter of
minutes you’ll pass pelotons of road bikers,
and hikers, horseback riders and mountain
bikers launching onto trailheads. In the
shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge, fleets of
sailboats ride ocean breezes, while the
wind powers kiteboarders and windsurfers
into acrobatics as mellow joggers and their
dogs enjoy the spectacle from shoreline
pathways. North and south, young and old,
Californians love their sports, and the state
provides limitless opportunities to ply your
favorite or try a new one.

68 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
SURFERS AT SANTA BARBARA beach,
right; river rafting in Trinity County, center;
mountain biker near San Francisco, bottom.

On Land
California has some of the world’s best golf,
including the legendary seaside Pebble
Beach Golf Links, home of Bill Murray’s
favorite annual event, the AT&T National
Pro-Am tournament. Or try any one of the
hundreds of public and private clubs scat-
tered across the state. If you aren’t into the
clubs, grab a frisbee and try some disc golf at
one of the more than 200 California courses.
Mountain and road biking are great
ways to get a workout while experiencing
the state’s landscape, whether it be from
tricky single-track downhill trails around
Lake Tahoe, flatter cross-country trips or
perhaps a rental in San Francisco’s new
Bike Share program. Skateboarding is prac-
tically the state sport, with skateparks seen
everywhere from the sport’s birthplace at
Venice Beach to the smallest inland town.
For a different sort of ride, make like
native son John Wayne and saddle up for
some horseback riding on trails near cities,
around dude ranches or on multi-day
wilderness journeys. If desert sands don’t
appeal to you, try those on the beaches of
Southern California that are lined with
volleyball nets for pickup games and pro-
fessional tournaments. California sunshine
is also good for year-round tennis, be it on
public courts or at a posh resort.

In Water
California has more than 840 miles of
coastline along the Pacific Ocean, a prime
launching spot for every manner of water
sport, including surfing, sailing, SCUBA
and sea kayaking. California has fully

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 69
 SUMMER SPORTS

THE LINKS at Terranea Resort, above;

hiking at Castle Crags, Shasta County, right.

embraced stand-up paddle boarding, with
many rental shops bordering lakes and the
ocean. Catalina Island and the kelp forests
of Monterey Bay are popular diving spots,
but be sure to wear a wetsuit in the chilly
Pacific waters. Surf breaks range from 50-
foot monster waves in Half Moon Bay to
more gentle rollers around Manhattan
FIND
» YOUR FUN
Biking
bikecal.com
labikepaths.com
sfbike.org
Beach. Marinas dot the coast from north to
south, where experienced sailors can rent
power yachts for deep-sea fishing or sail-
boats to ride the winds.
Moving inland, gentle streams and scat-
tered lakes provide fertile sport-fishing
grounds, while melting mountain snow
can create raging rapids for kayaking and
rafting enthusiasts, but those looking for a
gentle river float on an inner tube with a
beer cooler can still find their spots.
Boating is popular with waterskiers and
wakeboarders across the Sacramento Delta
and at a huge number of marinas on lakes
and reservoirs throughout the state.
The Great Outdoors
paths of Muir Woods, easily accessible
from nearby San Francisco.
A trip to the bubbling volcanic pools at
Lassen Volcanic National Park or to the Dr.
Seuss-like trees of Joshua Tree can make
visitors feel they’re on another planet,
while sunset in Yosemite Valley with views
of towering waterfalls can make it seem
like you’re in heaven.
California’s many mountains mean
climbing is a popular activity, be it a hike
up 14,505-foot Mount Whitney (the highest
point in the continental U.S.) or technical
rock climbing routes from the easy to the
extreme in legendary areas such as
Yosemite, Joshua Tree and Pinnacles
national parks.

Boating
California boasts 32 national parks, California’s state flag features a bear,
dbw.ca.gov seashores and monuments, 279 state parks and you may see some among the wildlife
Climbing and a plethora of wilderness areas, nature during your outdoor journeys. Black bears,
mountainproject.com/v/ preserves and other outdoor playgrounds. mountain lions, rattlesnakes and coyotes
California/105708959
rockclimbing.org
With landscapes ranging from the sheer put the “wild” in California wildlife, but
cliffs of Yosemite to the searing deserts of careful visitors should have no problem
Golf
pga.com/golf-courses/details/CA Death Valley and the scenic shorelines of with them. Abundant migratory and native
TERRANEA RESORT; SHASTA COUNTY

the Channel Islands, California offers a
Disc Golf
pdga.com lifetime of outdoor opportunities for the
visitor. Exploration options range from
Horseback Riding
horseandtravel.com/states/california multi-day backpacking trips for the hardy
in remote areas such as Lake Tahoe’s Des-
Surfing
surfingcalifornia.com olation Wilderness to relaxed, hour-long
walking tours through the gentle winding
birdlife makes California a prime birding
destination, while at sea, whale watching
is a perennial tourist favorite. Even
without an organized tour, visitors can
walk to view sea lions on San Francisco
and Santa Cruz piers, and observe sea
otters playing in the surf at Monterey.

70 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 WINTER SPORTS
BY BILL FINK
A Grand Season for Play
Bears may be hibernating in winter, but California’s many winter
activities provide lots of reasons to get outdoors

PLAYING IN SNOW
Snow play isn’t usually foremost
in people’s minds when they
think of California, but the state Southern California has long been
has some of the best skiing in the known as a warm-weather winter vacation
West, with the area around Lake
area, with sports and outdoor activities
Tahoe offering more options than
centered in San Diego and Los Angeles
anywhere in North America.
Young snowboarders are ready to and desert retreats like Palm Springs. But
attack the Mammoth Unbound the mountains of Lake Tahoe, Mammoth
terrain park at Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite beckon winter visitors
Mountain Ski Area, above.
who want to embrace snow-based sports
and recreation.
Sports
In winter, Southern California is still an
oasis for outdoor sports and adventure,
from golf to tennis, hiking and horseback
riding, whether in the still-baking desert
around Palm Springs or the perpetually
PETER MORNING/MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN SKI AREA. OPPOSITE: DELAWARE NORTH AT YOSEMITE; MONOCOUNTY.ORG
pleasant vacationland of San Diego or Los
Angeles. But for those seeking winter
sports, there may be no better place on
earth than the mountains surrounding
Lake Tahoe. The area hosted the 1960
Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley and con-
tinues to be home base for many U.S.
Winter Olympians who bang moguls, rip
the half-pipes and race on downhill runs
at more than a dozen area ski resorts. For
the non-extreme, plenty of beginner trails,
group lessons and smaller hills offer a safe
introduction to the sport.
Tahoe resorts including Squaw Valley,
Northstar and Heavenly feature ice skating
rinks and innertube runs for those looking

72 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
for more mellow activities, best enjoyed by
a fire pit with toasted marshmallows for
dessert. Cross-country skiing and snow-
shoeing courses dot the Tahoe area,
offering a brisk aerobic workout amidst
pine forests and sweeping mountain
scenery. South of Tahoe, Mammoth Moun-
tain boasts a world-class ski resort, while
Big Bear offers skiing within a reasonable
commute from Los Angeles, enabling the
highly motivated to surf and ski in a single
day. Outside of the ski resorts, snowmo-
biling provides high-octane motor sport
fun, while dogsledding is a way to enjoy a
different sort of ride with some furry
friends. For the adventurous, remote back-
country skiing, the increasingly popular
“sidecountry” Alpine Touring connected to
the ski resorts, ice climbing and hut-to-hut
hiking in the Sierra Nevada mountains can
feed one’s hunger for adrenaline.
The Great Outdoors
Step away from organized resort sports and
there’s still a wealth of winter outdoor
activities in California. The bears may be
hibernating but that doesn’t mean you have
FAMILY ICE SKATING at Curry Village ice rink, Yosemite,
above; cross-country skiing in Mono County, top right.
to as well. Avoiding the hot summer
months means visitors can enjoy temperate
winter hiking and camping opportunities
in desert parks such as Death Valley, Joshua
Tree and around Palm Springs (but be fore-
warned that the nights can still get frigid).
Prior to snowfall, the Sierra Nevada moun-
tain forests are ablaze with colorful fall
foliage, making a hike through the hills a
prime “shoulder season” activity.
Wintertime provides an escape from the
summer crowds often found in Yosemite
National Park. Visit the near-empty wilder-
ness to enjoy a quiet blanket of snow
covering towering cliffs, the sun glistening
off frozen waterfalls and the muffled
clomping sound of guided snowshoe
tours—and then retire to one of their
lodges for special winter food and wine Winter also is the time when visitors
events. Hot springs around Mammoth can spot many animals migrating south to
Lakes provide toasty outdoor relaxation follow the sun. From massive gray whales
with a view of snowcapped mountains. Or, to miniature monarch butterflies, flocks of
perhaps bundle up and climb a mountain birds in the central wetlands and pods of
for prime star-gazing opportunities in the seals come to mate on the shores of the
crisp and clear mountain air, then add a Pacific, the world’s wildlife also seems to
few more layers and try some ice fishing on think that California’s outdoors is a great
a high alpine lake. place to visit in winter.
» FIND
SPORT
YOUR
Skiing
skilaketahoe.com
mammothmountain.com
bearmountain.com
xcski.org
Hiking/Camping
yosemitepark.com
nps.gov/state/ca
parks.ca.gov
Wildlife
whalewatching.com/california
birding.com/wheretobird/california.asp
dfg.ca.gov/wildlife
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 73
 SHOPPING
Shopping Paradise
From outlet bargains to high fashion, California shopping
has everything you’d expect and many surprises
CALIFORNIA
SHOPPING
There are countless ways to enjoy
yourself on shopping sprees in
California, from one-of-a-kind
hole-in-the-wall shops to the
grandest department stores and
shopping districts. All of the top
brands are here, from Neiman
Marcus to Nordstrom to
Bloomingdale’s, and famous
districts from Orange County
malls to LA’s Rodeo Drive to San
Francisco’s Union Square will give
you plenty to explore. You can
always try on a new look, like
these shoppers in Huntington
Beach, above.
74 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
The Golden State’s iconic malls,
bohemian shops and posh boutiques can
astound even the most jaded sophisticate.
An enticing range of California’s eclectic
creativity awaits visitors throughout the
state, from theme park collectibles to
homegrown surfing gear to fine wine.
Foodies can sample fresh-made cheeses in
artisanal food shops. Fashionistas will love
San Francisco’s luxurious haute couture
haunts. And art lovers can bring home an
original California landscape from a red-
wood-scented artists’ enclave.
California shopping safaris may entail
sighting a celebrity in a Los Angeles bou-
tique, arriving at a mall by boat or hunting
BY LENORE GREINER
bargains behind the walls of a recreated
Mesopotamian palace. And super shop-
ping opportunities entice savvy shoppers
HUNTINGTON BEACH CVB. OPPOSITE: CARMEL PLAZA; PASADENA CVB
in millions of square feet of retail space.
SoCal Glamour
Malls sprawl throughout Los Angeles,
crowned by Rodeo Drive’s stratospheric
price tags. But you’ll find significant bar-
gains in rings, necklaces and other pieces in
the historic Jewelry District at prices up to
70 percent less than those in Beverly Hills.
More than 3,000 jewelry showrooms stand
on 6th and 8th streets between Olive Street
and Broadway Avenue. Behind a facade of
bas-reliefs of Babylonian princes and

heraldic griffins, the Citadel Outlets holds
700,000 square feet of retail bargains inside
a one-time 1929 tire plant modeled on an
ancient Assyrian palace. And between the
Farmer’s Market and The Grove shopping
center, the Grove Trolley provides shoppers
free rides along First Street.
The West Hollywood Design District fea-
tures high-end fashion, interior design,
furniture, decorative arts and luxury brand
stores on Melrose Avenue and Robertson
and Beverly boulevards. Sunset Boulevard’s
world famous Amoeba Music is the
nation’s largest music emporium, stocking
an overwhelming selection of vinyl, CDs,
tapes, posters and collectibles—at rock-
bottom prices.
In Santa Monica’s breezy, outdoor Third
Street Promenade, find the usual mall sus-
pects, Anthropologie and Gap, as well as
celebrity-soaked Fred Segal and Zara, a
trendy European chain.
Artsy shoppers should head to nearby
Venice Beach’s hip art galleries, bookstores
and vintage shops. For bargains, drive
north to Camarillo’s giant 160-store Camar-
illo Premium Outlets.
In Orange County, quintessential SoCal
shopping experiences await in huge open-
air malls, complete with valet parking.
Inspired by Spain’s Alhambra, the Irvine
Spectrum Center holds 130 stores, restau-
rants and a 21-screen cinema, anchored by
Nordstrom and Macy’s.
Fashion Island, with its casual resort
setting featuring splashing fountains and
a koi pond, overlooks the Pacific. Leading
with Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, this
coastal center has more than 100 shops
and 36 restaurants.
Beyond the malls, Laguna Beach’s
stylish art galleries line streets sloping to a
pretty beach. And, if heading to Palm
Springs, stop at the 180-store Desert Hills
Premium Outlets in Cabazon for luxury
designer brands.
Southward in San Diego, begin your
shopping trip with a delightful morning at
waterside Seaport Village. Then, hop on the
Coronado Island ferry and cruise to the
Coronado Ferry Landing Shops for more
sunny shopping.
San Diego’s own Rodeo Drive—Prospect
Street in La Jolla—has art galleries, bou-
tiques and sweeping Pacific views. In the
city center, the 16½-block Gaslamp Quarter
features mall chains as well as hip shops
and art galleries occupying restored Victo-
rian buildings.
In coastal Carlsbad, north of San Diego,
you’ll find an elegant outlet mall, the
Carlsbad Premium Outlets.
CARMEL PLAZA in
Carmel-by-the-Sea, left;
shopping in Pasadena, below.
Northern California Elegance
San Francisco’s massive malls and quirky
boutiques showcase the city’s European
style. Join the Prada-clad parade circling
downtown Union Square to max out your
platinum card in the upscale department
stores. Stroll down nearby Maiden Lane,
once lined with Barbary Coast brothels, for
more luxury.
Nearby, the Westfield San Francisco
Centre is an architectural gem with 200
stores, restaurants and two food empo-
riums under a stunning 1908 dome.
Don’t miss San Francisco’s great shop-
ping neighborhoods. On Chinatown’s
Stockton Street you can pick up Asian
antiques, silk clothing bargains or rare tea.
Herbal pharmacies proffer Chinese medic-
inal remedies, ginseng, deer antlers or
herbs costing $100 per pound.
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 75
 SHOPPING
WILSHIRE BOULEVARD
and Rodeo Drive are two of
» FIND YOUR
FASHION
LA’s most celebrated shopping
areas, right and below.
West Hollywood Design District
westhollywooddesigndistrict.com

Citadel Outlets
citadeloutlets.com

The Grove
thegrovela.com

Santa Monica Third Street Promenade

3rdstreetpromenade.com
Farm and in local farmers markets. Or
Amoeba Music
explore Saint Helena’s historic main street amoeba.com
for culinary tools and vintage luxuries.
Fred Segal
Three outlet malls—in Petaluma, Napa fredsegal.com
and Vacaville—offer brand names and
Venice Beach
Near Pacific Heights, Sacramento Street mall time. venicebeach.com/shopping
houses fancy consignment shops, luxury San Diego Gaslamp Quarter
goods retailers and haute couture children’s Farther Afield: North Coast, gaslamp.org

boutiques. Hippie culture thrives in Haight Yosemite & Theme Parks Coronado Ferry Landing Shops
coronadoferrylandingshops.com
Street shops selling incense, used records California’s wild North Coast inspires the
and vintage San Francisco postcards, handcrafted furniture and handicrafts, Seaport Village
seaportvillage.com
which make great gifts. pottery or jewelry found in artsy Mendo-
Irvine Spectrum Center
North Beach and Jackson Square are cino’s ocean view lanes. shopirvinespectrumcenter.com
famous for the legendary City Lights book- Yosemite Valley’s majesty and history
Fashion Island
store, Italian cafés and antique stores. inspire the gifts and mementos found in shopfashionisland.com
Japantown offers authentic Japanese Yosemite Museum’s Gift Shop, including Carlsbad Premium Outlets
goods, tansu chests, bonsai and antique authentic Native American-woven basketry. premiumoutlets.com/carlsbad

kimonos. Finally, Hayes Valley, a hipster
haven, has trendy stores and nary a chain
store in sight.
Two hours south, in Carmel-by-the-
Sea’s storybook village, shops display fine
French linen and European antiques. Big
Sur’s rugged coast inspires the art found in
small art galleries. On Ocean Avenue,
explore  designer shops  such
The Ansel Adams Gallery sells photographic Westfield San Francisco Centre
westfield.com/sanfrancisco
reproductions and collectible prints.
Shopping in theme parks goes beyond Carmel-by-the-Sea
carmelcalifornia.com
sunscreen or souvenirs. In San Diego Zoo
Carmel Plaza
Safari Park, The Bazaar stocks authentic carmelplaza.com
African artifacts and unusual jewelry. In
Sonoma’s Main Plaza
Disneyland’s Downtown Disney District, sonomavalley.com/sonoma.html
you’ll find surf gear and Disney col- FRAZAO PRODUCTION/SHUTTERSTOCK; VIEW APART/SHUTTERSTOCK
Mendocino Shopping
as lectibles. Finally, the world’s largest mendocino.com

Bottega Veneta or Kate Spade in the Carmel selection of LEGOs awaits in Carlsbad’s Napa Premium Outlets
premiumoutlets.com/Napa
Plaza shopping center  amid cafés,  artful LEGOLAND California Resort.
bronze sculptures and  abundant plants From sun-splashed malls to sophisticated Green String Farm
greenstringfarm.com
and flowers. art galleries, even the most experienced
Saint Helena’s Main Street
North, in the wine country, discover arti- shopaholic can score the perfect gift or sthelena.com
sanal food shops, olive oil producers and memento during a delirious California
Downtown Disney District
cheese makers on Sonoma’s main plaza. shopping experience. And it’s all located disneyland.disney.go.com/
destinations/downtown-disney-district
Napa Valley wineries offer fine vintages, on stage sets of ocean views, mountain
and foodies will love the seasonal abun- majesty, innovative architecture and quiet Yosemite National Park
nps.gov/yose
dance at Petaluma’s organic Green String redwood groves.

76 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 SPAS & WELLNESS BY LAVINIA SPALDING

Treat Yourself to the Ultimate Escape

California’s world-famous spas invite you to unplug and unwind

NAPA VALLEY
This celebrated region and
neighboring Sonoma Valley are In San Francisco’s vibrant Japantown dis-
known primarily for their wine,
trict, buses and bikes whiz by, teens
but their appeal runs deeper than
that. You can pamper yourself at congregate and people text as fast as they
luxury spas—such as Meadowood walk. But inside the Kabuki Hot Springs,
in Saint Helena or the Sonoma the city vanishes. The only sounds in the
Mission Inn & Spa—dine at some dimly lit, Japanese-style communal baths
of California’s (and the USA’s) best
are the gentle splashing of water and occa-
restaurants, shop at trendy
boutiques or live a little rougher sional strains of soothing music. In the
and explore wild state parks. sauna, you can lie back and detoxify as you
treat your eyes to chilled cucumber slices.
Then hit the steam room and exfoliate
with lemon and sea salt. Follow with a
long, lazy soak in the hot tub, and if you’re
brave, a cold plunge. When you’re finished,
start all over again. In fact, linger all day: it
only costs $25.
For people around the world, the name
“California” means escape and conjures
images of sunny beaches. But in today’s
demanding, perpetually wired world, a
true vacation requires more than just a
break from the office; it takes unplugging,
purifying and restoring. Luckily, this is
practically the state motto.
California has been a resort destination
since the early 20th century, beckoning trav-
elers with its year-round warm weather,
spectacular geography and mineral springs.
The 1950s brought yoga to the state, and the
1960s ushered in a wave of young hippies
passionate about all-natural food and
intentional living. Today, California is the

78 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 nation’s vortex of personal health and self-
improvement, with spas and wellness
centers almost as ubiquitous as scenic
views. From five-star luxury resorts and
posh day spas to holistic healing programs
and “hippie hot springs,” the array of
retreats will dazzle even the most experi-
enced serenity seeker. Here are some of our
favorite spots for the ultimate escape.
Taking the Waters
Home to numerous large geothermal
areas, California has for centuries been a
celebrated mineral springs destination,
with myriad spas statewide. Two hours
inland from Los Angeles, Desert Hot
JENNA ROSE ROBBINS/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR; SKENT KANOUSE/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR; SONOMA MISSION INN SPA. OPPOSITE: MEADOWOOD SPA
Wine Country Wellness
Californians are known to soak up a lot
more than wine in Napa Valley and
Sonoma. Residents have long enjoyed the
area’s natural mineral waters, and today’s
spa menus overflow with treatments using
grape seeds and skins, rich in antioxidants
and polyphenols. At the Kenwood Inn and
Spa, order up a vinotherapy bath and you’ll
soak in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or
sparkling wine elixirs, salts and oils. Or
refresh with a Vinosource Hydrating
Facial, a moisturizing treatment with
gentle exfoliation and fresh grape extracts.
But it’s not all about grapes in wine
country. At Sonoma’s Osmosis Day Spa

Springs offers dozens of options, from the

glamorous, sprawling Two Bunch Palms
(featured in the movie The Player) to cozy
boutique inns like Hacienda Hot Springs.
The Central Coast also boasts famous
baths, such as Esalen (equally known for
its extensive list of alternative-education
workshops) and Tassajara, the first Zen
monastery built outside of Asia. But small,
funky Calistoga in the north is the state’s
oldest spa town, renowned not only for hot
springs but also abundant volcanic ash
used for therapeutic mud treatments.
Eight thousand years ago, the Wappo
Indians named the area “Ta La Ha Lu Si,”
meaning “Beautiful Land” or “Oven Place,”
and today spa facilities run the gamut
from luxurious to laid-back. The oldest in
Calistoga—and likely California—is Indian
Springs, opened in 1862 by Sam Brannan, the
first Gold Rush millionaire. The property fea- A SHRINE WELCOMES
tures an Olympic-size heated mineral pool visitors to the bathhouse at
Tassajara Zen Mountain
(complimentary with spa treatment on week-
Center, top; Indian Springs
days; $30 extra on weekends), an adults-only Resort & Spa, Calistoga,
saltwater pool, mud baths, steam rooms above; facial in Sonoma
steeped with eucalyptus, and a meditation Mission Inn & Spa, left.
pond. Tip: book a hotel stay between
November and March (excluding certain hol-
idays) and get one free mud bath per room
and 10 percent off dinner at Sam’s Social Club.

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 79
 SPAS & WELLNESS
PRACTICING YOGA in Long Beach, right.
Sanctuary, an innovative, eco-conscious
day spa, the specialty is a cedar enzyme
“bath.” Guests immerse themselves to the
chin in warm, finely ground cedar, rice
bran and plant enzymes. Heated by natural
fermentation, the treatment is said to aid
digestion, improve circulation and relieve
muscle tension.
Or for first-class pampering, lavish
accommodations and
Michelin dinner, visit the brand-new
14,000-square-foot all-suite Meadowood
Spa, and choose a curated treatment
package such as “From the Earth,” which
includes a black walnut scrub enhanced
with custom-blended aromatherapy oils.
Located on a private, two-hundred-fifty-
acre estate, Meadowood also offers golf,
tennis, croquet, hiking and swimming.
Om Sweet Om
When yoga came to America, some of the
first studios appeared in Hollywood and
San Francisco. The practice has since
become a way of life for countless Califor-
nians, and hundreds of top-notch centers,
from ritzy to rustic, cater to beginners and
gurus alike.
One of the world’s most renowned yoga
retreats is tucked into the Santa Ynez
Mountains above Santa Barbara. At the
White Lotus Foundation Center, guests
spend their days doing sun salutations in
a canyon with ocean views, hiking through
old-growth oaks, meditating in an under-
ground Hopi-style kiva and swimming in
natural stone pools. Massages are avail-
able, gourmet vegetarian fare is served,
and sleeping quarters are private accom-
modations, heated yurts or creekside
camping under the stars.
80 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
a three-star
» FIND
Health First
When the sublime Golden Door opened in
Escondido in 1958, it was a pioneer among
YOUR SPA
American spas. It’s since become one of
the world’s finest health resorts, regularly Kabuki Hot Springs
hosting Hollywood’s biggest stars. Golden kabukisprings.com
Door specializes in fitness, Eastern philos- Two Bunch Palms Resort & Spa
ophy, relaxation and opulence. Guests twobunchpalms.com
pre-arrange completely customized four- Hacienda Hot Springs
to seven-day packages with fitness options haciendahotsprings.com
as diverse as Pilates, fencing, tennis, dance Esalen
and archery. Best of all, each stay includes esalen.org
facial treatments, herbal wraps, mani- Tassajara Hot Springs
pedis, and daily in-room massages. sfzc.org/tassajara
Another excellent (and more affordable) Indian Springs
option is The Oaks at Ojai, where healthy indianspringscalistoga.com
weight loss and conscious eating are Meadowood
emphasized, and activities include belly meadowood.com/spa
dancing, hula hooping, Qigong, hiking and Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary
aqua Zumba. Indulge in a seasonal sugar osmosis.com
rub (think Pixie tangerine, lavender or fig), Kenwood Inn and Spa
lemongrass lavender pedicure or hot kenwoodinn.com
RAY SMITH/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICR
Himalayan salt stone massage. White Lotus
Ultimately, California’s spa culture prom- whitelotus.org
ises visitors far more than relaxation; it Golden Door
ensures that this time you won’t need a goldendoor.com
vacation from your vacation. You’ll return The Oaks at Ojai
home relaxed and recharged—that is, if you oaksspa.com
can bring yourself to return home at all.
 CASINOS
High Rolling
Las Vegas isn’t the only show out West, California is a gambling destination, too
PECHANGA CASINO
The Pechanga Resort & Casino in
Temecula opened in 2002, and is still
the largest casino in California. The
resort is the biggest employer in the
Temecula Valley, a place the
Pechanga people have called home
for more than 10,000 years.
82 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
In the olden days—the days of Frank
Sinatra and Bugsy Siegel—U.S. gamblers
looking for a date with Lady Luck had one
option: Las Vegas. Nowadays, with changes
to gambling laws in many states, it’s a safe
bet that bettors can throw down their cash
just about anywhere. Of all the states that
BY MATT VILLANO
now offer gambling, the best (and most
plentiful) options are in California.
The Golden State has two choices for
people looking to place bets: Native Amer-
ican casinos, and card rooms (which are
glorified bars where gambling is legal, so
long as the house doesn’t win).
The Native American outposts tend to
be farther from major cities but offer nicer
digs. They have slots. They have table
games. They even have bingo. Many of
these wagering wonderlands are “Vegas-
style” resorts, complete with luxury hotels,
top-notch restaurants and indulgent spas.
A few of the properties even have their own
golf courses.
Card rooms are smaller, quieter and, in
many cases, more geared toward locals.
RAY SMITH/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR. OPPOSITE: PECHANGA CASINO; PECHANGA CASINO; SOUTH LAKE TAHOE CVB
Games here are far less varied—in most
cases, as the name suggests, only card games
are available. The upside? Gambling action
is usually loose (and that’s a good thing).
We’ve divided California’s gambling
scene into four distinct geographical
regions. Wherever you go, bet wisely, and
remember to stay within your means.
San Francisco Bay Area & Beyond
Without question, the Bay Area is the most
exciting region of California for gambling,
with more options than any other part of
the state. It also is home to the newest major
spot to let chips fly: Graton Resort & Casino.
This attraction, located in Rohnert Park,
is a hulking casino built and operated by
Station Casinos, one of the largest casino
companies in Las Vegas. Bettors cheer the
swanky gambling floor, which boasts a 20-
table poker room, more than 130 table
games, and thousands of slots. Foodies
EXCITING SLOT ACTION in Pechanga
Casino, right; Hard Rock Hotel & Casino,
Lake Tahoe, bottom left; tuna sushi in
Pechanga, bottom right; Thunder Valley
Casino Resort, Lincoln, next page.
flock to the place, too—the restaurant
lineup includes a Chinese bistro from Chef
Martin Yan, and a food-court outpost of
Tony’s Neapolitan-style pizzeria.
Other Native American casinos in this
region are small but superlative in other
ways. Many, including Cache Creek
(Brooks) and Thunder Valley (Lincoln),
have full-service hotels. Red Hawk, in Plac-
erville, offers child-care services for tykes
while mom and dad play.
Most of the other gambling options in
Northern California are card rooms, and
many are located in the suburbs of San
Francisco and Sacramento. The two most
popular: San Jose’s Bay 101, which hosts a
number of World Poker Tour events
throughout the year, and Colma’s Lucky
Chances, which doles out nearly $1 million
in cash prizes (not to mention lots of seats
to the annual World Series of Poker) over
the course of every year. Casino M8trix, in
San Jose, distinguishes itself with a
thumping nightclub.
SoCal and LA
Southern California—from the northern
edge of the San Fernando Valley to the
Mexico border, the Pacific Ocean to I-15—is
home to some of the biggest Native Amer-
ican casinos in the state, including Harrah’s
Resort Southern California in Valley Center;
Pala Casino Spa Resort in Pala; Barona
Resort & Casino in Lakeside; and Pechanga
Resort & Casino in Temecula. All of these
properties boast Vegas-style hotels with
eateries, shopping and spas. In 2014, after a
$160-million renovation, Harrah’s opened a
new 403-room hotel tower and a pool deck
that features a lazy river and weekend par-
ties with live deejays.
Closer to Los Angeles, the name of the
game is card rooms. Two facilities are
worth visiting for their grandeur alone:
the Commerce Casino (Commerce) and the
Bicycle Club (Bell Gardens). Both venues
have expansive poker rooms and host
some of the most popular tournaments in
the area.
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 83
 CASINOS

» KNOW
THE RULES

Just because California has casinos
doesn’t mean games there play the
same way they’d play in Las Vegas or
Atlantic City. Perhaps the biggest dif-
ferences: craps and roulette. State
gaming laws expressly prohibit the
outcome of a game to be determined
by dice or a ball. While the games
incorporate traditional elements
of dice and a ball, the games
themselves hinge on overturning
different types of cards.
For novices (or those just looking
The Desert
Package deals abound for stay-and-play
vacations at casino resorts in and around
the Coachella Valley and Palm Springs. At
Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Cabazon,
for instance, $229 per night gets guests a
room plus a $30 casino credit and a 50-
minute massage. Similar deals are available
at the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa
(Rancho Mirage). Most area casinos have
their own golf courses, but locals rave about
Eagle Falls, the course at Fantasy Springs
Excluding those in Reno, the most
accessible venues are located in South
Lake Tahoe. Here, the Montbleu Resort,
Casino & Spa (formerly a Caesars prop-
erty) is by far the swankiest, with
ultra-modern lounges and a steakhouse
that makes Ruth’s Chris seem like
McDonald’s. The new Hard Rock Hotel &
Casino Lake Tahoe, with 500 hotel rooms
and a 25,000-square-foot casino, opened
in 2015 in the old Horizon Casino Resort
space located down the street.
WORLD POKER TOUR/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICR

for a good time), these differences
are minimal. For hard-core craps and
roulette players, however, they make
the games so foreign that adjusting
becomes tough. Ask the croupier to
review the rules before buying-in.
If a game seems confusing, don’t
bother; there are dozens of other
options throughout the casino.
Resort Casino in Indio. The 18-hole course
was designed by architect Clive Clark.
Lake Tahoe
Okay, okay, so the casinos that sidle up to
Lake Tahoe are on the Nevada side of the
state line. Still, they’re close enough to
most other destinations in California that
they deserve a mention here.
Of course the best thing about casinos
at Lake Tahoe is that because they’re in
Nevada, they play by Nevada rules (see
sidebar). Since sports books and dice
games are illegal in the state of California,
this means Tahoe is the spot to place
those kinds of bets.
Big spenders, consider yourselves
warned. And good luck.

84 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
A place for dreams and reinvention

BY JACQUELINE YAU
TOP CITIES
Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Burbank, Santa
Monica, Malibu, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Venice,
Redondo Beach

T
hanks to the Beach Boys harmonizing about California girls,
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY beach party movies of the ’60s and TV shows like Baywatch, many
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), people think of Los Angeles as palm trees, endless beaches and
19 miles (31 km) from downtown LA
bikini-clad women. But LA is far more complex. It’s a mix of the old and
DOMESTIC GATEWAYS new, from cuisines to culture to ideas. The creativity and diversity of the
Long Beach Airport (LGB), 24 miles (38 km) region are reflected in the over 100 museums focused on the odd to the
from downtown LA; Burbank’s Bob Hope Airport
divine, vibrant global street art community and constant evolution of the
(BUR), 16 miles (26 km) from downtown LA
food scene.
TOURISM WEBSITES The City of Angels is also the land of reinvention. Henry Rollins—jour-
experiencela.com
nalist, punk legend, radio host, spoken word artist and actor—once
discoverlosangeles.com
lamag.com remarked, “For me, returning to Los Angeles annihilates the memories of
visitwesthollywood.com where I have just been with an astonishing speed.” Los Angeles County
LOS ANGELES CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

lovebeverlyhills.com
attracts seekers, dreamers, hustlers and wannabe actors/screenwriters/direc-
downtownla.com
visitpasadena.com tors. Most come from somewhere else and are looking for something better.
visitredondo.com A persistent optimism and self-expressiveness permeate the air.

POPULATION
10.1 million The Nation’s Largest County
As the most populous county in the nation, with over 10 million resi-
LOS dents, Los Angeles County comprises 88 cities with more than 100
ANGELES
COUNTY languages spoken within its 4,084 square miles. The county is larger than
the states of Rhode Island and Delaware.

86 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 SPECIAL
» EVENTS 2016 MUST
» SEE,
THE HOLLYWOOD REEL INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL Screens new feature films, DO
documentaries, shorts and videos by emerging filmmakers who possess an independent
spirit and create innovative work outside the studio system. Feb. 3-21 at multiple venues
and locations in Los Angeles. hollywoodreelindependentfilmfestival.com
FESTIVAL OF BOOKS Meet hundreds of literary lights and browse the booths at one of
the largest book festivals in the country. The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books celebrates
» Street Food Cinema Pack a blanket, beach
chair and pillows and join other Angelenos for this
its 20th year. April 9-10 at USC. events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks
curated outdoor movie series at one of the 11 loca-
SCI-FEST LA The third annual Los Angeles Science Fiction One-Act Play Festival returns, tions from Pasadena to the Pacific Palisades. Choose
creating and showcasing new science fiction content on the live stage featuring many actors from over 50 events. Enjoy the confluence of pop
from well-known sci-fi TV and movie franchises. May 5-29 at The Acme Theater in Hollywood.
culture films, celebrity guests, gourmet food trucks
sci-fest.com
and live music under the sun and stars.
LA STREET FOOD FESTIVAL Follow your nose to the seventh annual fest celebrating › streetfoodcinema.com
over 100 of L.A.’s food vendors, from top chefs and renowned restaurants to gourmet food
trucks and street food stalls. Sample a variety of libations too including craft cocktails and
tequila. Whether you’re looking for a gourmet treat or a simple repast, you’ll find something
» Venice Boardwalk Hang out with surfers,
that satisfies. In May at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. lastreetfoodfest.com skateboarders, body builders, street basketball
players, buskers, fortune-tellers and artists at the
HERO COMPLEX FILM FESTIVAL The Hero Complex Film Festival brings together sci- Venice boardwalk on Ocean Front Walk, a 1.5-mile
fi, comic book and fantasy film fans to watch their favorites on the silver screen and hear pedestrian-only promenade. Don’t miss the Venice
from those behind some of the biggest hits. In May at TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood.
events.latimes.com/herocomplex/film-festival Public Art Walls featuring graffiti art on the sand,
west of the bike path between Windward Street
JULY 4TH FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR—HOLLYWOOD BOWL Set against the Hollywood and Market Street.
Hills, this mecca for music is a 1920s-era amphitheater. The annual July 4th fireworks program › venicebeach.com
at the Hollywood Bowl features renowned musicians and fantastic fireworks displays.
hollywoodbowl.com › veniceartwalls.com

626 NIGHT MARKET Inspired by the bustling Asian night markets, this evening bazaar will
spice up your senses with more than 200 food vendors (tempting your taste buds with
» Olvera Street Browse lucha libre (Mexican
wrestling) masks, Day of the Dead figurines, piñatas
skewers of beef, spiraled fried potatoes, stinky tofu and mango shave ice), performers and
retail booths. Entering its fifth year, this Asian-food-themed festival is held in the summer at and other souvenirs in this block-long Mexican
Santa Anita Park in Arcadia. July-September. Check website for details. New this year: Taste marketplace located in Los Angeles Plaza Historic
of Night Market in Santa Monica, Feb. 5-6. 626nightmarket.com District. This section of LA was the town center
during the colonial era under Spanish and Mexican
THE ABBOT KINNEY FESTIVAL Founded in 1984, this eco-conscious artisan and food fes-
tival attracts many to this bohemian-chic area in Venice. Located on a one-mile stretch on rule through most of the 19th century. Many vendors
Abbot Kinney Blvd., from Venice Blvd. to Main Street. Sept. 25 in Venice. abbotkinney.org are the descendants of the original merchants in
this marketplace that was established in 1930 to
WEST HOLLYWOOD CARNAVAL Every Oct. 31, more than 500,000 people attend the world’s preserve and bring back “old Los Angeles” and its
largest Halloween street party along Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. Dress up in your
customs. Try a churro from Mr. Churro’s or a taco
favorite costume and prepare to dance the night away. visitwesthollywood.com/halloween-carnaval
amidst the street stalls and old structures.
› olvera-street.com

» See Improv, Sketch or Stand-up

Comedy Plan to laugh a lot when you visit one of
the many comedy clubs in Los Angeles. You may see
up-and-coming comedic geniuses honing their craft
or a legendary veteran headlining or dropping by.
Notable clubs include The Groundlings, Hollywood
Improv Comedy Club, Laugh Factory, Upright Citizens
Brigade and Comedy Store.
› discoverlosangeles.com/blog/comedy-clubs-los-angeles

» Kayak the Los Angeles River Paddle with

the LA Conservation Corps and its partners down a
1.5-mile stretch of the Los Angeles River in the San
Fernando Valley within the Sepulveda Basin. This
waterway has been open to the public through
supervised kayak trips since the summer of 2011. The
season runs from June through the end of Sep-
tember. Tickets sell out quickly, so don’t hesitate,
book now and paddle!
SANTA MONICA, above; Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, opposite. › paddlethelariver.org

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 87

INSIDER’S
» TIP
Near the GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY
is a local favorite. Mingle with
celebrities, moms, seniors, dog
walkers and more as you hike up
Mt. Hollywood to take in the
gorgeous 360-degree views of the
entire LA Basin, from the Pacific to
the SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS,
including the Hollywood sign on
MOUNT LEE. START on FERN DELL
DRIVE off LOS FELIZ in GRIFFITH
PARK and walk away from Los Feliz
up the hill to the Observatory and
continue up the path, or for a
shorter walk, park at the
Observatory and start there on the
CHARLIE TURNER TRAIL.
yelp.com/biz/ griffith-observatory-
hike-los-angeles
yelp.com/biz/charlie-turners-trail-los-angeles
88 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
The entertainment industry is an inte-
gral part of the local economy, annually
contributing $47 billion to the region. For
decades, the name Hollywood has been
synonymous with the movie business,
but today, most studios have moved into
neighboring suburbs such as Burbank
and Culver City.
Some of the better-known areas in LA
County aren’t even cities but rather dis-
tricts or neighborhoods within Los
Angeles, such as Hollywood, Silver Lake
and Venice. In contrast, Beverly Hills,
home to the most expensive residences
in the world, and West Hollywood, a
diverse mélange of gays, Russians and
musicians, are cities but completely sur-
rounded by the city of Los Angeles.
Seventy miles of beaches run along LA
County’s southwest border. Malibu, an
exclusive seaside community, has some
of the most beautiful beaches in the area.
To the north of the city of LA, hikers and
mountain climbers can explore trails in
the Santa Monica Mountains. To the east,
the San Gabriel Mountains rise up to
more than 10,000 feet above sea level.
City & Town
Los Angeles, the second largest city in the
nation, dominates the county. Writer
Dorothy Parker once quipped, “Los
Angeles is 72 suburbs in search of a city.”
Now, well over 100 neighborhoods in LA
form a rich cultural stew. Meander around
LIVE MUSIC at Perch, a rooftop lounge, left;
LA art district, below.
downtown LA’s Chinatown, Little Tokyo,
the Art and Fashion Districts, the Latino
enclaves around Echo Park, Hollywood’s
Laurel Canyon, Little Armenia, Thai Town
or Melrose District where hipsters shop.
When in LA, do as the celebs do and
start the day in downward dog at Bryan
Kest’s Power Yoga studio in Santa Monica.
Go shopping at Fred Segal, an LA institu-
tion known for cult beauty and makeup
brands. Need an outfit for an awards
show? Head over to Decades on Melrose
Avenue, a couture vintage store where
many stylists choose red-carpet gowns
for their star clients.
Hungry? Eat at The Ivy, a Beverly Hills
institution known for its casual chic
atmosphere and the steady flow of
celebrities lunching there. Or chow down
on a Chili dog at Pink’s in Hollywood.
Watch an LA Lakers basketball game at
the Staples Center and see stars on the
court and in the stands. End the day sip-
ping a cocktail at Chateau Marmont on
Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood,
where celebrities meet their agents and
studio execs.
Hollywood
Conceived originally as an outdoor bill-
board promoting a housing development
called “Hollywoodland” in 1923, the Hol-
lywood sign sits on the south side of
Mount Lee and Griffith Park—long a
symbol that this is a place where dreams
can come true.
LOS ANGELES CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
The first movie studio, the Nestor
Motion Picture Company, opened in the
fall of 1911 in Hollywood on the north-
west corner of Sunset Boulevard and
Gower Street. It was absorbed by the Uni-
versal Film Manufacturing Company,
which later became Universal Studios. By
the 1920s, 80 percent of the world’s films
were shot in California.
 LOS ANGELES THAI TOWN, below.
DRIVE
» TOUR
MULHOLLAND DRIVE
offers spectacular views of
the HOLLYWOOD BOWL,
the LA BASIN and
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY.
It’s about 24 miles from the
405 freeway to Highway 101 with overlooks all along the way. Or, drive
in a loop from HOLLYWOOD. Starting at the DOLBY THEATRE, home of
the Academy Awards, go west on HOLLYWOOD BLVD. in Los Angeles
till it ends. Turn right on LAUREL CANYON BLVD. and at the top, turn
left on Mulholland Drive. Stop at the NANCY HOOVER POHL
OVERLOOK and enjoy a great view of the “Valley.” Return to
Mulholland Drive, going eastbound, past Laurel Canyon Road until
you see the HOLLYWOOD BOWL OVERLOOK on your right. Park and
walk up to see the panoramic views of downtown LA, the Hollywood
sign, Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Bowl Amphitheater.
Continue east until you reach the bottom of Mulholland Drive. Turn
right on Woodrow Wilson and make an immediate right onto
CAHUENGA BLVD., heading south back to Hollywood.

Learn more about Tinsel Town’s history,
and experience its memorabilia at The Hol-
lywood Museum. Or participate in the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sci-
ences events and get swept up in the
pre-Oscar buzz.
The Great Outdoors
Despite its car culture rap, LA County
offers lots of outdoor activities. Rent a
bike along the Santa Monica Pier and
ride down the path that parallels the
ocean, through Venice and on to Marina
del Rey before doubling back. Pack a
picnic lunch and hike Echo Mountain in
summer, moist marine air is pulled inland
and forms a misty cover till it burns off by
the afternoon. Start in Malibu and show
your stuff at the iconic “Surfrider Beach” at
Malibu Lagoon State Beach and explore
tide pools and caves at Leo Carrillo State
Park. Perhaps watch filming in progress at
Malibu’s Point Dume State Beach, often
featured in movies such as the Iron Man
series (2008-2013), and it appeared in the
last scene of Planet of the Apes (1968). Or
look out for California gray whales during
their migration from December to mid
April. Next, wind your way down through
Topanga Beach and stop over for a volley-
the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits. Or if the kids
are tired of trying to spot stars on the
ground, take them to the Griffith Observa-
tory. Featured in many movies including
Rebel Without a Cause (1955), the observa-
tory is set on the southern slope of Mount
Hollywood in Griffith Park, with a view of
the Hollywood sign and greater LA below.
In addition to visiting the exhibits and
events held Tuesday through Sunday at the
Samuel Oschin Planetarium and Leonard
Nimoy Event Horizon Theater, go enjoy the
monthly, free public star parties held at the
Observatory from 2:00 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.
Budding astronomers and their families
LOS ANGELES CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

Altadena or the Arroyo Seco trail system
in the San Gabriel Mountains. Sign up
for rock-climbing instruction, take a
surfing or stand-up paddle boarding
lesson from one of the many surfing
centers in Santa Monica.
Explore the county’s many and varied
beaches, from the iconic to the little
known, but bring a sweater. In the
ball game at Will Rogers State Beach in
Pacific Palisades. Then hop over to Venice
and the Strand on Manhattan Beach to
people-watch.
Family Fun
Check out fossils of saber-toothed cats and
mammoths that roamed the LA Basin
during the Ice Age at the Page Museum at
are encouraged to try out different tele-
scopes and talk to amateur astronomers
about the sun, moon and planets.
Or for something different, head to Long
Beach and tour the Queen Mary, a retired
ocean liner that sailed on the North
Atlantic from 1936 to 1967 and is now a
hotel, historical landmark and entertain-
ment venue.

90 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 WEST HOLLYWOOD
“The Creative City” is a place to indulge your senses and let loose
SUNSET BOULEVARD at night, above; KNOWN FOR ITS live-and-let-live atti-
rainbow crosswalk, below; boys’ night tude since the late 19 th
century, West
out, opposite bottom.
Hollywood (WeHo to the locals) has always
been a little looser than its neighbors. This
central Los Angeles area, formerly an unin-
corporated stretch known as “Sherman”
during Prohibition, was loosely regulated
and out of reach of the Los Angeles Police
Department—an ideal place for oppor-
tunists, developers, mafia money and
celebrities. Speakeasies, nightclubs and
casinos proliferated along the Sunset Strip
where glam, glitz and grit rubbed shoulders.
Marilyn Monroe had her first date with
baseball Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio at the
Rainbow Bar & Grill, right across the street
from the iconic music venue, The Roxy The-
atre—the birthplace of many rock legends.
The decadent era of the 1920s and ’30s
gave way to the counterculture movement
in the ’60s—bringing to the area musi-
cians, seekers, publishers, promoters and
hippies—and fueling a renaissance in
music clubs, including Troubadour and
Whisky a Go Go, that are now part of rock
’n’ roll lore. The Troubadour cultivated
singer-songwriters like Randy Newman,
92 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BY JACQUELINE YAU
Neil Diamond and Elton John, who per-
formed his first U.S. show there in 1970.
And Whisky a Go Go served as a rock incu-
bator, hosting early performances by The
Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Blondie, Guns
N’ Roses and Red Hot Chili Peppers. The
club also gave The Doors their start as the
house band.
Creative City
West Hollywood is a densely packed 1.9
square miles, a key-shaped city within a
city, straddling the iconic Sunset Boulevard
and Santa Monica Boulevard, part of the
historic Route 66. Today, this cosmopolitan
and self-styled “creative city” is where
music, art, fashion and design intersect. A
mix of Spanish Colonial Revival and Art
Deco buildings, designer flagship stores,
furniture showrooms, art galleries, restau-
rants and clubs vie for attention. Music
lovers, entertainers, fashionistas, glitterati
VISIT WEST HOLLYWOOD
and people-watchers alike indulge their
senses and let loose here.
West Hollywood is home to a vibrant
gay and lesbian community and the largest
Russian community in the U.S. outside of
New York. The city hosts a number of section of San Vicente and Santa Monica
must-see annual events such as Halloween Boulevard, a reflection of West Holly-
Carnaval, when nearly 500,000 people cel- wood’s inclusiveness. » LIVE IT UP!
ebrate in the streets, and in June, the LA Next, head over to Sunset Boulevard and
PRIDE Festival, one of the largest gay pride visit Book Soup, an independent and
Tourism Websites
celebrations in the country. beloved local bookstore known for its
visitwesthollywood.com
celebrity readings and teetering towers of weho.org
Get Pampered, Shop, Eat & Rock Out books on music, art and film. facebook.com/wehoarts
To prepare yourself for a packed day in As the evening progresses, enjoy the weho.org/business/
West Hollywood, visit a first-class spa like pulse-pounding nightlife of the Strip and stir weho-pickup
The Gendarmerie or Voda. Then enjoy the it up at Whisky a Go Go, 1 Oak and The Roxy.
finest culinary creations where celebrities Or, if still energized for more entertainment, Events
like to dine with a touch of glamour at Cec- go south to Santa Monica Boulevard to the visitwesthollywood.com/
coni’s West Hollywood serving up refined popular gay clubs like Flaming Saddles, The
halloween-carnaval
Northern Italian cuisine, or savor modern- Abbey Food & Bar and Here Lounge. On
weho.org/pride
American dim sum at The Church Key. Friday and Saturday evenings, hop onto The
lapride.org
Now fortified, walk around the West PickUp Line, WeHo’s free trolley service, a
Hollywood Design District, bounded by six-mile circular line shuttling passengers
Melrose Avenue, Robertson Boulevard and between the city’s most popular venues on
Spa, Food & Fashion
Beverly Boulevard. Anchored by the Pacific Santa Monica Boulevard. thegendarmerie.com
Design Center, this area is a shopping Finally, rest your feet and lounge at one vodaspa.com
mecca for interiors and top fashions such of the many A-list hotels such as the cecconiswesthollywood.com
as Moschino, Christian Louboutin and 3.1 Sunset Tower, an elegant Art Deco building thechurchkeyla.com
Phillip Lim. Next, head over to Santa known for its city views and famous westhollywood
Monica Boulevard and see where locals eat former residents including Howard designdistrict.com
and shop. Grab a sandwich at Mendocino Hughes, Elizabeth Taylor and Frank pacificdesigncenter.com
Farms, sangria at Café D’Étoile or coffee at Sinatra; or the London West Hollywood,
mendocinofarms.com
Mocafe. Don’t miss walking across the known for its impeccable service, chic
cafedetoile.net
rainbow-colored crosswalks at the inter- interiors and rooftop bar.
mocafela.com
booksoup.com

Nightlife
theroxy.com
troubadour.com
whiskyagogo.com
1oakla.com
flamingsaddles.com
abbeyfoodandbar.com
herelounge.com
sunsettowerhotel.com
thelondonwesthollywood.com

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 93
 REDONDO BEACH
SoCal’s family friendly seaside playground
PERCHED ALONGSIDE the Pacific Ocean
with glorious sands and a lively pier, Redondo
SWIM, BIKE,
» DINE, RELAX! Beach is an ideal venue for living the Cali-
fornia dream, even if only for the weekend.
Redondo Beach Just seven miles from LAX and not far from
Chamber of Commerce Los Angeles’ top attractions, historic Redondo
& Visitors Bureau Beach is a destination in its own right.
visitredondo.com Typically sunny and in the 80s in summer
and comfortable most of the rest of the year,
the beach is less crowded than better-known
sands in Malibu and Santa Monica. Activities
range from sport fishing to whale watching,
REDONDO BEACH panorama, above; diving, surfing and stand-up paddle boarding
shopping at South Bay Galleria, below. to biking and beach volleyball.
Redondo Beach rose to prominence early
in the 20th century when George Freeth came
from Oahu and introduced surfing to the
mainland. Known as the “Man Who Can
Walk on Water,” Freeth attracted thousands
of spectators who gawked in amazement as
he rode his eight-foot-long wooden surf-
board from sea to shore.
Today the Redondo Beach Pier attracts visi-
tors with events including the annual Redondo
th
Beach Lobster Festival (LobsterFestival.com), 38
Annual Super Bowl Sunday 10k/5k run/walk
(Redondo10k.com), a classic car show and a kite
festival (redondopier.com/events). On the third
Saturday of each month there are free yoga ses-
sions on the pier, which has more than 50
94 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BY MICHAEL SHAPIRO
shops, rides and restaurants. Dining options
include seafood, Mexican specialties and hot
dogs. And there are more choices, such as a
bakery and a Japanese restaurant, on the pier’s
adjacent International Boardwalk.
The city’s cultural anchor is the Redondo
Beach Performing Arts Center. The 1,457-seat
venue hosts performances by the Los
Angeles Ballet, a slack key guitar festival, The
Nutcracker and theatrical musicals such as
Jersey Boys.
For lodging, a top pick is The Portofino, a
waterfront hotel located in Redondo Beach’s
marina with soul-stirring ocean views.
While staying in Redondo Beach, don’t miss
SEA Lab, a marine science education center
(lacorps.org/programs/sea-lab).
If you’re in Redondo Beach between
November and April, look out to sea and try MORTAUPAT/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR; REDONDO BEACH CVB
to spot gray whales migrating between Cali-
fornia and Mexico. You can often see the
behemoths from shore; to get closer, book a
whale-watching tour on a boat such as the
Voyager (voyagerexcursions.com).
But don’t feel obliged to fill your
schedule. Perhaps the best way to enjoy
Redondo Beach is to simply relax in the
sand, watch the waves curl and enjoy some
California dreamin’ in one of the state’s pre-
mier beach towns.
LA WATERFRONT
Bring the family and explore LA’s maritime past
BY JACQUELINE YAU
TWENTY MINUTES SOUTH of downtown
STROLL, DINE, Los Angeles, framing the busiest container
» PLAY, EXPLORE! port and global trade gateway in the United
States, is the LA Waterfront. This emerging
LA Waterfront destination encompasses LA’s San Pedro and
Visitor Information Wilmington communities and delights even
lawaterfront.org native Angelenos, many of whom don’t yet
facebook.com/LAWaterfront know that this place exists. More than a
decade ago, redevelopment began to turn the
waterfront from an industrial area to a place
filled with recreational spaces, artists’ stu-
ST
1 THURSDAY ARTWALKS bring dios and restored historical sites all geared
out all ages, above; children explore for families and visitors.
the tide pool at Cabrillo Marine
In 1542, Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez
Aquarium, below.
Cabrillo visited San Pedro Bay, surrounded by
tidal flats and marshes. Centuries later,
through the efforts of the “Father of Los
Angeles Harbor” Phineas Banning and his
sons, the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914
and the result of shipbuilding for both World
Wars, LA’s working class harbor has trans-
formed into one of the world’s busiest ports.
The LA Waterfront is not only a multi-
ethnic stew of descendants from the original
fishing families that came from Italy,
Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Norway and Japan,
and of “new” residents with Mexican and
96 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
African backgrounds, it is also home to the
first Wienerschnitzel restaurant, the world’s
largest lobster festival and the only
remaining Warner Brothers theater in the
nation (the Warner Grand, a gorgeous Art
Deco movie palace). Due to the work of John
Olguin, San Pedro’s beloved marine life edu-
cator, the nation’s first commercial whale
watching program for children launched
here in 1972, and the Frank Gehry-designed
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium was established.
Get ready to explore more than fifty points
of interest along the LA Waterfront, starting
with the spectacular water ballet at the
Gateway Fanfare Fountain near the World
Cruise Center. Visit San Pedro’s historic art
district, LA Maritime Museum, Ports O’Call
Village, CRAFTED weekend artisan market-
place, Brouwerij West (a brewery with
Belgian-inspired ales), Banning Museum, the
Battleship USS Iowa museum and SS Lane
Victory (a fully operational World War II-era
cargo ship museum). Events include open art
studios during 1st Thursday Artwalks, live
LA WATERFRONT
music performances, Los Angeles Fleet Week
(three-day event over Labor Day) and annual
classic car shows and film festivals.
ORANGE COUNTY
Beyond surfer dudes and Mickey Mouse, an ethnic melting pot with artistic energy

BY CHRISTINE DELSOL AND MARIBETH MELLIN

TOP CITIES
Anaheim, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Fullerton,

D
Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, isneyland put Anaheim, and thus Orange County, on the
Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Orange,
travel map, but visitors lost no time following locals to the
San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, San Clemente
warm, idyllic beach cities dotting 42 miles of postcard-
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY worthy coastline. Celebrities and surfers alike congregate on
John Wayne/Orange County Airport (SNA), now-famous beaches enhanced by historic missions, art colonies,
located at the juncture of Costa Mesa,
Santa Ana and Newport Beach near I-405 scenic marinas and renowned surf breaks.
Its teeming freeways reveal little more than mirrored office build-
TOURISM WEBSITES ings, sprawling malls and cookie-cutter residential developments,
visittheoc.com
but behind that facade, “The OC” is surprisingly diverse. Even Ana-
visitanaheim.org
visitbuenapark.com heim has established its own identity apart from the “Magic
travelcostamesa.com Kingdom,” with a massive convention center complex offering out-
surfcityusa.com
door dining and concert space, the Center Street Promenade revival
destinationirvine.com
visitlagunabeach.com of its historic commerce district and the bustling Packing House
visitnewportbeach.com food hall and market.
sanjuancapistrano.org
The seductive beach towns also have their own identities, from surf-
POPULATION centric Huntington Beach to tony Newport to artsy Laguna to serene
3,145,515 San Clemente. In addition to inland cities that grew of their own
accord, master-planned communities have supplanted great swaths of
orange groves. Primary among these is Irvine, encompassing a Univer-
sity of California campus, the still-developing Orange County Great
ORANGE Park and several “villages.”
COUNTY
These varied communities host distinctive festivals, farmers mar-
kets and events. Cultural attractions and performing arts venues, such

98 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 MUST
» SEE,
DO

» Laguna Beach and Pageant of the Masters

HISTORIC DC-3 “Flagship
Orange County” at Lyon Air
DENIS BLOFIELD/SHUTTERSTOCK; HUNTINGTON BEACH CVB; HUNTINGTON BEACH CVB; . OPPOSITE: JON BILOUS/SHUTTERSTOCK
Laguna Beach originated as a small artists’ colony in
the early 1900s, and its continuing devotion to the
arts is evident in its many festivals, galleries and
abundant public art. Best of all is Pageant of the
Masters, 90 minutes of living art tableaux in which
costumed people portray some of the world’s great
art masterpieces.
› visitlagunabeach.com
› foapom.com
» Mission San Juan Capistrano This
beautifully preserved, 18th-century mission covers 10
acres of gardens and adobe buildings in a scenic
town famous for the swallows that return every
spring. Besides the mission tours and religious
services, this important cultural hub hosts year-
round events, from rock concerts to mariachi
contests to the annual Christmas tree lighting
ceremony.

Museum, Santa Ana, top; › missionsjc.com

surfer at sunset, Huntington
Beach, left; shopping for
suroards, above; view from
Crescent Bay Point Park,
Laguna Beach, opposite.
SPECIAL
» EVENTS 2016
DANA POINT WHALE FESTIVAL March 5-6, 12-13, Dana Point festivalofwhales.org
SWALLOWS’ DAY PARADE March 12, San Juan Capistrano swallowsparade.com
BATTLE OF THE MARIACHIS May 14, Mission San Juan Capistrano missionsjc.com
SAWDUST ART FESTIVAL June 24-Aug. 28, Laguna Beach sawdustartfestival.org
HUNTINGTON BEACH 4TH OF JULY PARADE July 4, Huntington Beach hb4thofjuly.org
PAGEANT OF THE MASTERS July 7-Aug. 31, Laguna Beach foapom.com
TALL SHIPS FESTIVAL Sept. 9-11, Dana Point Harbor tallshipsfestival.com
NEWPORT BEACH CHRISTMAS BOAT PARADE Dec. 14-18, Newport Beach
christmasboatparade.com
» Balboa Island Ferry Fun-seekers have been
making the short crossing to Balboa Island since
1916. You can take the ride whether you’re on two
wheels or four, or just your own two feet. Explore the
classic beach bungalow architecture and magnificent
scenery on your own, or take the two-hour Saturday
walking tour.
› balboaislandferry.com
› balboa-island.net
» Bowers Museum More than one-third of the
OC’s population is Latin American and 18 percent is
Asian; English is a second language for 45 percent of
its residents. This Santa Ana museum honors the
county’s many cultures through their art in
exhibitions that have toured nationally and
internationally. It also hosts cultural festivals
throughout the year.
› bowers.org
» Disneyland Resort Before exploring Disney
California Adventure Park and Downtown Disney’s
array of restaurants and clubs, walk in Walt Disney’s
footsteps on a guided behind-the-scenes tour
revealing the imagination and challenges behind his
creation of the place that forever changed the
meaning of “amusement park” in 1955. Spend a night
at the acclaimed Craftsman-style Grand Californian
Hotel and return to the park in the morning for the
full-on Disney experience.
› disneyland.disney.go.com

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 99
as the Orange County Performing Arts
Center and the South Coast Repertory, are DRIVE
sprinkled throughout the county. When » TOUR
retail therapy is required, destination
shopping malls such as Irvine Spectrum, Highway 1 offers the most
Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza and Fashion scenic drive following the
Island in Newport Beach vie with dozens of coastline from DANA
out-of-the-way local shopping districts. POINT to LONG BEACH, a
For sports fans, the Los Angeles Angels drive best attempted on
play at the Angel Stadium of Anaheim and weekdays between rush
the Anaheim Ducks hockey team speeds
hours. Stop in the popular
over the ice at Anaheim’s Honda Center, towns of LAGUNA BEACH,
which also hosts concerts with major acts
NEWPORT BEACH or
such as the Rolling Stones and Bruce Spring-
HUNTINGTON BEACH for
steen. More than 40 championship courses
a taste of the Southern
and a year-round temperate climate lure
California beach scene.
golfers. Hotel and day spas help the OC’s
beautiful people maintain tone and tan.

THE HARBOR from Ken Sampson Overlook

Park in Dana Point, above; Huntington Beach
volleyball, left; Segerstrom Center for the Arts
in Costa Mesa, opposite top; garden in San
Juan Capistrano Mission, opposite bottom.

100 2016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A

City & Town
Orange County encompasses 34 cities and
several master-planned communities but
lacks a single distinctive downtown. Dis-
neyland makes Anaheim the most famous,
but history buffs enjoy San Juan Capis-
CHRIS COSTEA; RARENA/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: KESTERHU/SHUTTERSTOCK; JON BILOUS/SHUTTERSTOCK
trano’s mission, Yorba Linda’s Nixon
Presidential Library and the restored Vic-
torian homes and historic commercial
centers in Santa Ana and Orange. Hunt-
ington Beach offers the most vibrant
downtown beside the sea.
The Great Outdoors
For a mega-suburb, Orange County is
packed with natural wonders. Its coast
contains world-famous surf spots (Hunt-
ington Beach, the Wedge at Newport
Beach, Trestles in San Clemente), yacht
harbors (Newport Beach, Dana Point) and
Crystal Cove State Park’s protected under-
water reserve. Doheny State Beach,
California’s first, is adjacent to one of sev-
eral wetland reserves filled with birds.
Wild inland canyons and parks offer
countless hiking and biking trails.
Family Fun
Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm might
be all most kids need to hear about Orange
County, but there’s plenty more. Thrills
await parents and kids at Sky Zone Ana-
heim’s indoor trampolines and the
100-plus hands-on exhibits and 4D theater
at Santa Ana’s Discovery Science Center.
And what better way to learn about marine
science and maritime history than on a tall
ship or a research vessel with Dana Point’s
Ocean Institute?
INSIDER’S
» TIP
After the fall of Saigon, droves of
Vietnamese refugees touched
down first at Camp Pendleton,
just south of the county line.
Many stayed and became the
largest Vietnamese community
outside of Vietnam. LITTLE
SAIGON, straddling Westminster
and Garden Grove, held Southern
California’s first Tet Festival, the
exuberant lunar new year
celebration. It also published the
country’s first Vietnamese
newspaper and elected the first
Vietnamese-American to public
office. To delve into this rich
culture, browse the shops at
ASIAN GARDEN MALL, find
unique specialty ingredients at
A. DONG SUPERMARKET and seek
respite from city streets at the
CHUA HUE QUANG Buddhist
temple. Stylish QUAN HY turns
out upscale lunches, while simple
restaurants throughout the area
serve pho, the traditional
Vietnamese staple.
littlesaigonnow.com
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 101
 HUNTINGTON BEACH
Mellow surf vibe and chic shopping and dining
are quintessential Southern California
WHEN LEGENDARY Surfer George Freeth
DINE, SHOP, brought the age-old sport to Southern Cali-
» SURF, PLAY! fornia in 1907, he brought Huntington
Beach’s destiny along with him. In 2006, the
Visit city won the official “Surf City USA” trade-
Huntington Beach mark on the strength of its history, ten miles
surfcityusa.com of tawny sand, extraordinarily consistent
waves, and its longtime role as host of the
annual U.S. Open of Surfing. The Interna-
BEACH FUN HAPPENS both day, below, tional Surfing Museum, a favorite pilgrimage,
and night, above. displays exhibits on titans of surfing and
such historic relics as massive early 20th-cen-
tury longboards.
Much of life happens outdoors in Hunt-
ington Beach (pop. 200,000), from The Ocean
Strand, a paved beach path, to the superb
Huntington State Beach stretching three
miles south of the pier, to leafy, 350-acre Cen-
tral Park. The Strand is ideal for family bike
rides or a spin in a surrey, and the beach
draws kids of all ages to play in the surf or
build bonfires at sunset. The pride of the city
is the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve and
Huntington Beach Wetlands, the largest
restored saltwater marsh between Monterey
Bay and the Mexican border.
102 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BY CHRISTINE DELSOL
This city on the fabled Pacific Coast
Highway is more than its beaches. Beginning
where the beach leaves off, downtown
beckons avid shoppers and diners to its
lively, casual mix of surf shacks, outdoor
cafés and bohemian bars. A self-guided his-
tory walk from the pier takes in not just
surfing landmarks but the site of the Hunt-
ington Beach Company, railroad tycoon
Henry Huntington’s brainchild that devel-
oped much of the original city, along with
surviving turn-of-the-20th-century architec-
tural gems.
One-fifth of a mile south and well within
view of HB’s iconic pier, the new Pacific City
beachfront shopping, dining and artisanal
marketplace opened in late 2015. Its upscale
shops and restaurants favor local indie
stores, including a specialty food hall called
Lot 159 after the nearby lifeguard stations,
plus popular hipster brands from Los
HUNTINGTON BEACH CVB
Angeles, Chicago and New York. Four ocean-
front resort hotels, including the new
250-room Pasea Hotel & Spa opening in
summer 2016, are all within easy walking dis-
tance of downtown and Pacific City.
 LAGUNA BEACH
Oasis at the seaside
LOCATED ON THE COAST about 50 miles
PADDLE, SHOP, south of Los Angeles, Laguna Beach is a sub-
» VIEW THE ART lime destination for sun worshippers, outdoor
enthusiasts and art lovers, with more beach-
Laguna Beach front lodging than any other city in California.
Tourism Information In the early 1900s its idyllic beauty attracted
visitlagunabeach.com well-known artists who founded the Laguna
Beach Art Association and set the course for the
seaside hamlet to remain a locus of creativity.
Laguna Beach’s first art gallery opened in
SUNSET ON MAIN BEACH, above; 1918 and is now the Laguna Art Museum, which
shopping in downtown Laguna Beach, features more than 3,500 works by California
below. th
artists from the early 19 century to the present
day. On tap for 2016 are a Helen Lundeberg ret-
rospective and an exhibition of drawings by Los
Angeles modernist Frederick Hammersley. Art
festivals enliven Laguna Beach during summer.
The Laguna Beach Music Festival (Feb. 10-
14) features such outstanding classical and
contemporary talents as violinist Jennifer Koh.
The seaside town (pop. 24,000) has a mild
climate, typically reaching highs in the 80s
during the summer. The protected beaches
and waters are ideal for dolphin and whale
watching, volleyball, kayaking, snorkeling,
tide pooling and stand-up paddle boarding.
Laguna Beach’s seven-mile coastline is pro-
tected as a marine reserve: fishing and
motorized vehicles are banned, and no crea-
tures can be touched in the tide pools.
Don’t miss Pageant of the Masters, a 90-
minute show of living art masterpieces, such
as The Last Supper or paintings by Norman
Rockwell, created by people dressed as the
figures they represent. These tableaux
vivants come to life in an outdoor amphithe-
104 2016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BY MICHAEL SHAPIRO
ater as a live orchestra plays along with live
narration; it’s an exhilarating performance,
from July 7 to Aug. 31. The Pageant is part of
Festival of Arts, one of the nation’s oldest
and most highly acclaimed juried fine art
shows, from July 5 to Aug. 31.
Perhaps the best year-round activity is to
walk along the trails of Heisler Park on the
bluffs above the beaches. The natural beauty
of sea, sand and wildflowers is accentuated
by sculptures placed along the trail and
artists who bring their easels and paint. The
park is a great place for a picnic, or you can
eat at nearby restaurants such as Las Brisas.
Some favorites among Laguna Beach’s
more than 80 restaurants include Nirvana
Grille, whose menus change with the
seasons, and Slapfish, specializing in super-
fresh seafood from owner/chef Andrew
Gruel, whose fish shack was featured on the
Food Network. For elegant cocktails, try Drift-
wood Kitchen’s Stateroom Bar in the former
home library of actor Slim Summerville.
Among the other attractions, the Pacific
Marine Mammal Center (open daily, free but
donations appreciated) is a rescue center for
sea lions and other marine mammals that
have been injured or stranded along the
Orange County coastline.
The Free Laguna Beach Trolley shuttles
visitors along the coast daily during the
summer months, and on Friday evenings,
VISIT LAGUNA BEACH
Saturdays and Sundays from September
through June. The motorized trolleys
resemble San Francisco cable cars but run on
roads, not tracks.
 COSTA MESA
City of the Arts also offers retail therapy and is a foodie haven
TM
TUCKED BETWEEN Anaheim and the
coveted zip codes of Newport Beach on the
SHOP, EAT,
» PLAY, STAY coast, Costa Mesa (pop. 113,000) would be
easy for a visitor speeding through the city
Costa Mesa Conference on the I-405 freeway to dismiss as a typical
& Visitor Bureau suburb, except for one thing: the locals
travelcostamesa.com streaming in from all corners of the county
and beyond to the city’s retail centers, inven-
tive restaurants and major arts venues. The
SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS, coast is within easy reach, but Costa Mesa is
above; couple dining at The LAB in Costa
removed from the crowds and offers less
Mesa, below.
expensive lodging.
First a native village visited by Mission
San Juan Capistrano padres who grazed
cattle there, and later a prosperous agricul-
tural community, Costa Mesa hosted many
thousands of trainees during World War II at
the Santa Ana Army Air Base (site of today’s
Civic Center, Orange Coast College and
county fairgrounds). Many returned after the
war, rapidly building the city into a major
commercial and industrial center.
Luxurious South Coast Plaza is the West
Coast’s largest shopping destination and
claims one of the world’s largest collections
of fashion designers, but Costa Mesa also
hosts a thriving alternative shopping cul-
ture. The LAB “antimall” started the trend,
106 2016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BY CHRISTINE DELSOL
mixing diverse and quirky shops and eating
spots with art and DJ events; across the
street, The CAMP is a bastion of eco-con-
scious local artisans, equally enticing for
innovative restaurants serving rabbit tacos,
native cashew cheese and gelato flights. The
OC MIX is a something-for-everyone collec-
tion of unique shops and specialty foods.
Foodies can eat their way from Costa Mesa to
Newport Beach along the renowned East 17th
St. Culinary Corridor, but even the funky
strip malls harbor intriguing indie shops.
Costa Mesa adopted the motto, “City of the
Arts,” in 1999. The four performance halls,
studio space and education lab of the
Segerstrom Center for the Arts constitute
Orange County’s primary performing arts
venue, hosting three resident companies and
offering the best lineup of Broadway shows,
COSTA MESA CONFERENCE & VISITOR BUREAU
dance and musical performers outside of Los
Angeles. Also notable: the South Coast Reper-
tory theater, Costa Mesa Playhouse, and a local
secret: the California Scenario, also called the
“Noguchi Garden” for famous artist Isamu
Noguchi, whose 1.6-acre sculpture garden
weaves native plants and stone into an abstract
representation of the state’s redwoods, desert,
and everything in between.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY
From sun-kissed shoreline to inland desertscapes,
wide open spaces meet urban culture and history

BY CHRISTINE DELSOL AND MARIBETH MELLIN

TOP CITIES

C
alifornia has no shortage of beach towns, but San Diego is its only
San Diego, Coronado, Chula Vista, La Jolla, Del Mar,
Encinitas, Solana Beach, Carlsbad, Oceanside, “beach city,” with the state’s second-largest population but also 70
Escondido, El Cajon, Julian, Borrego Springs miles of scenic coastline and an ideal climate (averaging 70 degrees)
in which to enjoy them. Those sands, a wealth of outdoor recreation and
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY
family-oriented attractions are the city’s primary lure, but San Diego takes the
San Diego International Airport (SAN), also known as
Lindbergh Field, is conveniently located on the edge of “city” part seriously, too. Arts and intellectual pursuits enjoy deep support here,
downtown and writers, artists, musicians and scientists find inspiration while surfing at
La Jolla Shores or jogging in Mission Bay Park. The Tony-winning Old Globe
TOURISM WEBSITES
and La Jolla Playhouse frequently send plays to Broadway. Scientific landmarks
sandiego.org
lajollabythesea.com include the Salk Institute and Scripps Institute of Oceanography, magnets for
coronadovisitorcenter.com some of the world’s brightest minds.
delmarmainstreet.com Downtown’s diversions alone could easily fill a week. Something is always
visitcarlsbad.com
going on in the Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy and East Village, neighborhoods
RIGUCCI/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: LILYLING1982/SHUTTERSTOCK
visitoceanside.com
eastcountychamber.org packed with restaurants, clubs and shops. The Embarcadero traces San Diego
Bay’s edge, offering access to the USS Midway aircraft carrier turned museum;
POPULATION the Maritime Museum with its venerable Star of India’s tall sails and new San
3 million
Salvador, a replica of Spanish explorers’ ships; the expansive Waterfront Park;
and the sail-like rooftop of the San Diego Convention Center.
Cruise ships berth at the foot of Broadway, the main artery into downtown,
and passengers into San Diego International Airport fly over high-rise business
towers to land at the northern edge of downtown. Just a couple of blocks from

SAN the Embarcadero, the Santa Fe Depot also funnels Amtrak passengers into the
DIEGO city center. Hotels of every description and hip-quotient are scattered
COUNTY throughout the city’s core, making it one of the region’s most desirable places
to stay while exploring the county.

108 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A

A Bridge to Coronado
The swooping San Diego-Coronado
Bridge connects downtown to Coronado,
a genteel city with an active Navy base. Its
“island” actually is a peninsula tethered
to the mainland by the Silver Strand, a
narrow strip of road and sand running
past quiet lagoons and pristine beaches
to the southern part of the county.
Whether you arrive by bridge or by ferry,
Coronado promises serenity by one of
the world’s loveliest beaches—named
America’s best by Dr. Beach in 2012—after
the rigors of urban exploring. The Victo-
rian confection called the Hotel del
Coronado commands this broad sweep of
impeccable white sand. Coronado’s
beguiling simple pleasures include shop-
ping and dining on Orange Avenue,
SAN DIEGO-CORONADO BRIDGE, above; San Diego from Coronado island, opposite.
SPECIAL
skimming the water through the Coro-
nado Cays in a gondola, visiting the
Coronado Museum of History & Art,
ogling the San Diego skyline from Tide-
lands Park and, on the other side of the
bridge, teeing off at the stellar Coronado
Municipal Golf Course on Glorietta Bay.
MUST
» SEE,
DO
» USS Midway Though known for its beaches
and cultural diversions, San Diego is a Navy town at
heart. This 1,001-foot-long, 20th-century aircraft
carrier museum honors the more than 200,000
sailors who served aboard the vessel over its 47
years at sea and spotlights the city’s rich military
history. Exhibits and activities include the new
holographic Battle of Midway Theater, restored
aircraft, flight simulators and a self-guided audio
tour of the crew’s living and working quarters.
› midway.org
» La Jolla This upscale Mediterranean-style
community lives up to its name (“The Jewel” in
Spanish), with a postcard-ready setting, white sands,
turquoise waters, sea caves (including Sunny Jim
Cave, California’s only known land-access sea cave)
and an Underwater Park teeming with pinnipeds,
rays, scuttling lobsters and countless fish. It’s not
just another pretty face, though; it hosts the Tony
Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse, Museum of
Contemporary Art San Diego, Murals of La Jolla and

» EVENTS 2016 the Birch Aquarium—while also offering the “Rodeo

Drive of San Diego,” named for Prospect Street’s
stellar shops, galleries and restaurants.

FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN Jan. 28-31, Torrey Pines Golf Course, La Jolla
› lajollabythesea.com
farmersinsuranceopen.com
» San Diego Zoo Known for its naturalistic
GASLAMP QUARTER MARDI GRAS Feb. 6, Downtown San Diego sdmardigras.com habitats, endangered animal species and adorable
giant pandas, the zoo requires a minimum of a full
ART WALK @ LITTLE ITALY April 30-May 1, Little Italy artwalksandiego.org
day. Allow time for the fabulous shops.
FIESTA OLD TOWN CINCO DE MAYO April 30-May 1, Old Town San Diego › sandiegozoo.org
cincodemayooldtown.com

ROCK ’N’ ROLL MARATHON June 3-5, Central San Diego runrocknroll.competitor.com/san-diego
SAN DIEGO COUNTY FAIR June 3-July 4, Del Mar Fairgrounds sdfair.com
PORT OF SAN DIEGO BIG BAY BOOM July 4, San Diego Bay bigbayboom.com
COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL July 20-24, Downtown San Diego comic-con.org
DEL MAR THOROUGHBRED CLUB HORSERACING July 15-Sept. 5, Nov. 10-Dec. 4, Del Mar
dmtc.com
SAN DIEGO LGBT PRIDE PARADE, RALLY & FESTIVAL July 16, Hillcrest and Balboa Park
sdpride.org
ARTWALK NTC @ LIBERTY STATION Aug. 13-14, San Diego artwalksandiego.org
SAN DIEGO BEER WEEK Nov. 4-13, Throughout San Diego County www.sdbw.org
POINSETTIA BOWL & HOLIDAY BOWL December, Qualcomm Stadium Mission Valley
sandiegobowlgames.com/poinsettia-bowl
» Balboa Park The country’s largest urban
cultural park is a rambling landscape of museums,
theaters, artists’ studios and gardens. The tiled
California Tower, with its unobstructed 360-degree
view of the park and city, has become a treasured
landmark, reopened after an 80-year closure for the
park’s centennial in 2015
› balboapark.org
» Coronado Islanders at a happy remove from
Downtown’s bustle and clamor revel in their serene,
small-town ambience with beautifully restored
Victorian homes and wide streets festooned with rose
gardens. The Hotel del Coronado serves as a landmark
and attraction for the compact community, which
actually sits on a peninsula rather than an island.
› coronadovisitorcenter.com

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 109
 LA JOLLA SHORES is a popular place for
beach activities of all kinds, including
launching kayaks and canoes, right.

INSIDER’S
» TIP
Tex-Mex has nothing on San
Diego’s newest food sensation,
CALI-BAJA, a creative fusion
born of California’s locavore
movement and Mexico’s Baja-
Med cuisine. Baja-Med, created
in Tijuana, blends traditional
Mexican cooking with
Mediterranean ingredients and
techniques. San Diego’s location Balboa Park City & Town
and climate ensure year-round San Diego’s century-old cultural heart occu- Prescient developers and preservationists
fresh bounty from land and sea pies 1,200 acres of hills and canyons just have given San Diego an exciting, cosmo-
on both sides of the border. east of downtown. It hosts 16 museums and politan downtown with several hip
Chef Javier Plascencia first The Old Globe theater, winner of multiple neighborhoods, beginning with the his-
brought his Tijuana vision Tony Awards. Its most famous tenant, the toric Gaslamp Quarter in the 1980s. Its
across the border to ROMESCO justly renowned San Diego Zoo, celebrates picturesque streets are packed with classy
MEXITERRANEAN BISTRO in its Centennial in 2016 with a huge new restaurants and clubs in restored 19th-cen-
Bonita, 10 miles north of the Africa Rocks exhibit. Gourmet restaurants tury Victorian, Baroque and Frontier

border; and in spring 2015 he and gorgeous Victorian mansions line quiet buildings. Petco Park, downtown’s excep-
streets in nearby neighborhoods such as tional baseball stadium and sometime
founded BRACERO: COCINA
Bankers Hill, Hillcrest and Mission Hills. concert venue, spurred development of
MEXICANA DE RAIZ in Little
the burgeoning East Village neighborhood
Italy. Cali-Baja has spread
Beach Towns filled with trendy condo complexes, bou-
throughout San Diego and
The coast between the Mexican border (18 tiques, cafés and a stunning Central
throughout price ranges. Try
miles south of downtown) and Oceanside Library. Little Italy, a few blocks north of
PUESTO in Seaport Village, the
is lined with beach towns. Each has a downtown’s core, managed to hold on to
BLIND BURRO in the Gaslamp
unique character, from Ocean Beach’s some venerable pizza parlors, bakeries
Quarter or GALAXY BURRITO in
hippie holdover vibe to classy La Jolla’s and bars while evolving from a simple
La Jolla—that is, pretty much
DOBINO/SHUTTERSTOCK

Mediterranean village atmosphere. Italian community into a desirable urban

anywhere a craving for fresh,
Beloved by surfers and escapists with suf- neighborhood of modernist condo com-
truly multicultural cuisine
ficient wherewithal, a series of small plexes, trendy shops and gourmet
might strike.
communities line the coast north of La restaurants helmed by some of the
Jolla’s pristine Torrey Pines State Reserve. region’s top chefs.

110 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 As the hub of San Diego’s nightlife
scene, the entire downtown now pulses
with energy day and night. The city has
become one of the nation’s top craft beer
meccas, with more than 90 breweries with
a huge collection of awards.
The urban core continues uptown
through such established neighborhoods
as Bankers Hill and Hillcrest, the lively
heart of the LGBT community. A brand-new
neighborhood continues to evolve on the
site of the former Naval Training Center,
now called Liberty Station. The mixed-use
project already has completed the Point
Loma residential area, along with stores,
office space, galleries and educational
facilities. The capstone, occupying the
base’s Spanish Colonial-style former com-
missary building, is the new Liberty Public
Market, next to the existing Stone Brewery
and Restaurant.
The Great Outdoors
Surfers, swimmers, boaters and anglers all
play in and on the Pacific Ocean, from Mis-
sion Beach’s boardwalk and Belmont Park’s
historic Giant Dipper roller coaster to La Jolla
Shores’ mile-long beach with kayaking,
diving, surfing and swimming areas. Electric
orange Garibaldi and other exotic fish—
including curious but harmless leopard
sharks in late summer—draw snorkelers to
La Jolla Cove, and harbor seals have taken
charge of the nearby Children’s Pool.
East and north of the city center, the
landscape abruptly gives way to rolling
foothills and canyons. Lakes and reservoirs
offer freshwater fishing and tranquility.
The vast Anza-Borrego Desert State Park,
home of “California’s Grand Canyon” at
Fonts Point, provides hiking trails through
palm canyons and fields of cacti, and puts
on dazzling spring wildflower displays.
 CASA DEL PRADO at Balboa Park in
San Diego, left.

Heritage & Culture
Explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, long
claimed by Portugal but now believed to
have been Spanish, discovered San Diego
Bay in 1542 but sailed on north, leaving
the Kumeyaay Indians to their warm,
bountiful home. San Diego County’s 18
tribes represent the largest concentration
in the country, and more than half benefit
today from casinos in the east and north
county areas.
Cabrillo’s brief but momentous stay is
commemorated at Cabrillo National Monu-
ment at the tip of Point Loma overlooking the
bay. European settlers who returned in 1769
built a fort and mission church at Presidio
Hill, a gorgeous swath of lawns above Old
Town State Historic Park, which contains
many of San Diego’s oldest buildings. Today’s
downtown evolved in a burst of development
in 1867, producing the historic homes that
give the vibrant Gaslamp Quarter its character.
Family Fun
Adults and children alike relish the San
Diego Zoo and its separate Safari Park,
LEGOLAND California and SeaWorld San
Diego. Downtown’s New Children’s
Museum is an eco-friendly playground for
all ages, with multicultural, bilingual
exhibits that make learning fun, and its
adjacent one-acre park allows kids to burn
energy. Teens flock to fighter planes and
flight simulators at the USS Midway
Museum; the aircraft carrier is the most-
visited ship museum in the world. Top
choices for inexpensive entertainment:
Bicycling at Mission Bay and Coronado,
fishing off piers in Imperial Beach and
Ocean Beach, stargazing from Mount
Palomar and spotting spring wildflowers
in the Anza-Borrego Desert.

DRIVE
» TOUR OCEANSIDE

CARLSBAD

Historic Highway 101, also called the PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY, runs through
San Diego’s idyllic NORTH COUNTY coastal communities, passing by gor-
geous long beaches and wild lagoons. You can do the trip in a couple of
hours, but why hurry? Begin at the north end of La Jolla at TORREY PINES
LEUCADIA
STATE PARK and descend a steep hill to Torrey Pines beach, then uphill again
MOONLIGHT BEACH
ENCINITAS
to DEL MAR. Stop signs at each block force you to slow down and appreciate
the Tudor-style buildings and quaint shops and cafés in town before you CARDIFF-BY-THE-SEA

descend again and cruise through SOLANA BEACH, CARDIFF-BY-THE-SEA,

SOLANA BEACH
ENCINITAS, LEUCADIA, CARLSBAD and OCEANSIDE. Each town’s main street
presents an array of dining and browsing options, from funky Mexican take- DEL MAR

out stands to fancy restaurants on the sand. Of the many beaches along the
way, MOONLIGHT BEACH in Encinitas presents the most playtime possibili- TORREY PINES
STATE PARK
ties including a playground, snack bar, picnic tables and a year-round
SHALUNTS/SHUTTERSTOCK

lifeguard station. Take your time and stop often. The distance between
Torrey Pines and Oceanside is only 25 miles, but you can easily spend a full
day exploring. When you’re ready to return to central San Diego, just hop on
I-5 South at one of the many entrances along 101.

112 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 SAN DIEGO ZOO
& SAFARI PARK
Born to be wild

BY CHRISTINE DELSOL AND MARIBETH MELLIN

ONE OF THE WORLD’S 10 largest zoos,
San Diego Zoo earns its worldwide fame on
many fronts. It pioneered the concept of
zoos without cages. It houses 4,000 ani-
mals representing 660 species on 100 acres
of Balboa Park, forming a lush, 700,000-
plant arboretum in the process of
re-creating the animals’ natural habitats.
Many of its denizens are increasingly
scarce in the wild. Perhaps most impor-
tant, the zoo’s Institute for Conservation
Research lends its expertise to 132 conser-
vation and species-preservation projects
in 62 countries and has been instrumental
in replenishing populations of the giant
14, 2016, a new film about the zoo’s conser-
vation work was unveiled in January, and
a history-oriented multimedia animal
show opens in March. A 75-foot mural
depicting the zoo’s history already fes-
toons Centennial Plaza, behind the Reptile
House.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Originally a breeding facility for the down-
town zoo, this 1,800-acre adjunct park 35
miles to the northeast in Escondido offers
wide open spaces where more than 2,600
animals run free. While it concentrates on STAR ATTRACTION of the Panda Trek, top;
herd animals such as giraffes, antelopes relaxing on the Tiger Trail, above.

condor, giant panda and Tasmanian devil,
among many other species.
The Panda Trek and the Australian Out-
back, home to koalas mingling with other
marsupials and birds, are among the most
popular areas. 2015 brought a new Asian
and rhinos from the African and Asian
savannahs, the park houses about 300
species. Many rotate between the down-
town zoo and the Safari Park.
Getting close to these creatures can be
as simple as walking through areas such as
exotic birds. To focus on a favorite animal,
join one of the various safaris, undertaken
by cart, trike, jungle ropes or zip line. You
can even sleep among the animals on a
SAN DIEGO ZOO & SAFARI PARK

leopard habitat and a pair of endangered
African penguins, the vanguard of what
will be a large breeding flock in a major
new Africa Rocks project to open in 2017.
The focus right now is the zoo’s centen-
nial. Leading up to the main event on May
the Tiger Trail, the Lemur Walk or the
Cheetah Run, where you can feel the
whoosh of the world’s fastest cat speeding
past you. Riding on the popular Africa
Tram presents photo ops with herds of
giraffes, crashes of rhinos and flocks of
Roar and Snore Safari. Like the downtown
zoo, the Safari Park creates a lineup of spe-
cial exhibits and animal presentations that
guarantee a new experience even for visi-
tors who return over and over throughout
their lives.

114 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
The Bay Area’s diversity and scenic beauty make it a top destination

BY LAURA DEL ROSSO

TOP CITIES
San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose, Napa,
Sonoma, Palo Alto, Santa Rosa, Sausalito

T
he San Francisco Bay Area never disappoints visitors: the
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAYS majestic towers of the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco
San Francisco International Airport (SFO), 12 miles skyline and other cities of culture and great dining, ancient
(19 km) from downtown San Francisco; Oakland redwood groves, expansive vineyards and a coastline of rocky cliffs and
International Airport (OAK), 8 miles (13 km) from
sandy beaches. Combine those with a Mediterranean climate and a
downtown Oakland; San Jose International Airport
(SJC), 4 miles (6 km) from downtown San Jose dynamic environment of high-tech entrepreneurs and it’s no wonder
the San Francisco Bay Area encourages a seductive, can-do way of life
TOURISM WEBSITES that revolves around the high energy of its residents and the great out-
sanfrancisco.travel visitoakland.org
doors at its doorstep. The hub of the area is San Francisco, a city of
visitnapavalley.com santaclara.org
santacruzca.org sanjose.org diverse neighborhoods, world-class cuisine and a welcoming spirit of

SARAPORN/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: LUCIANO MORTULA/SHUTTERSTOCK

sanmateocountycvb.com visitmarin.org openness and tolerance in the most European of American cities.
visitberkeley.com sonomacounty.com Besides the landmark bridge, other popular attractions draw millions
sonomavalley.com
each year to what boosters call “Everyone’s Favorite City” at the center
POPULATION of the Bay Area.
7.35 million
North Bay: Marin, Sonoma & Napa
Across the Golden Gate to the north lies Marin County, one of the most
beautiful and affluent areas of the U.S. Sausalito, Tiburon and Mill
Valley are among its many inviting towns. The mountain bike was
invented here to maneuver the twisty trails on Mount Tamalpais. On
the Marin coast, one ruggedly gorgeous beach follows another,
SAN including along spectacular Point Reyes National Seashore.
FRANCISCO Also in the North Bay, Sonoma and Napa counties are home to acres
BAY AREA
of vineyards and dozens of wineries producing some of the world’s

116 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE spans the
entrance to San Francisco Bay, right; an
aerial view of downtown San Francisco,
opposite.
finest wines. Among the small towns
full of boutiques, shops and tasting
rooms is the Napa Valley hamlet of
Yountville, a foodie dining mecca, with
several Michelin-starred restaurants.
South Bay: Palo Alto
& Santa Cruz
In Palo Alto on the peninsula south of
San Francisco lies the bucolic campus
of Stanford University, one of the
country’s leading universities. Neigh-
boring San Mateo County’s coastline
still shows its traditional fishing and
agricultural roots. It’s within a short
drive of major population centers yet a
world away, with its sprawling arti-
DRIVE
» TOUR
Start by crossing the Golden
Gate Bridge driving north,
stopping in SAUSALITO.
Head northwest to MOUNT
TAMALPAIS STATE PARK and
take the steep, twisting road
to the Pantoll Ranger Station
and drive the PANORAMIC
HIGHWAY for ocean, city and
mountain views. Drive to
MUIR WOODS NATIONAL
MONUMENT for a short walk
among redwoods. Head back
toward Sausalito and
Highway 101 and drive north
to the wine country town of SONOMA. Explore its shady plaza,
surrounded by shops, wine tasting rooms and historic sites. From
Sonoma, it’s a short drive to California’s other major wine region, Napa
Valley, and the city of NAPA.
choke fields and miles of pristine
beaches. Santa Cruz County to the
south offers visitors a wealth of attrac-
tions, including parks and wineries in
its redwood-covered mountain range,
and laid-back beaches where surfers
polish their technique.
MUST
» SEE,
DO
» SAMPLE LOCAL FARE San Francisco is
perennially rated tops in the U.S. for its dining, and
visits aren’t complete without stops at the Ferry
Building’s Marketplace and neighborhoods such as
Chinatown for dim sum at City View or the Mission
for tacos at La Taqueria, a burrito at Taqueria Cancun
or pastries at renowned Tartine Bakery.
› sanfrancisco.travel
» SEE THE REDWOODS Muir Woods is the
most popular old growth redwood grove close to
San Francisco, but it is also the most packed. You
can avoid crowds and gape at equally awe-inspiring
mammoth trees at Sonoma County’s Armstrong
Woods State Natural Reserve or Big Basin Redwoods
State Park in the Santa Cruz mountains.
› parks.ca.gov
» URBAN OUTING Oakland has undergone a
boom in its food and cultural scene, with its
Uptown, historic Old Oakland and Temescal neigh-
borhoods undergoing a renaissance that has
attracted new art galleries, cafés and restaurants.
Jack London Square on the waterfront is also in the
midst of revitalization.
› visitoakland.org
» NAPA EXCURSION The Napa Valley has recov-
ered after the 2014 earthquake and is thriving with the
leafy downtown dotted with 19th-century Victorians
lined with wine tasting rooms, restaurants, cafés and
galleries. Don’t miss Oxbow Public Market for casual
dining and souvenir shopping.
› visitnapavalley.com
» COASTAL JOURNEY Driving Highway 1 along
the spectacular coasts of Marin and Sonoma coun-
ties is an unbeatable excursion. Stop at Point Reyes
Station to sample cheese at Cowgirl Creamery, visit
the wharf at Bodega Bay for clam chowder, and
stroll the bluffs and beaches north to Jenner, where
the Russian River meets the Pacific and a colony of
harbor seals thrives on the shore.
› visitmarin.org, sonomacounty.com
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 117
 INSIDER’S
» TIP
Don’t overlook travel by water
for unforgettable sightseeing in
the San Francisco Bay
Sail the bay by ferry to or from
SAN FRANCISCO’S EMBARCADERO
and FISHERMAN’S WHARF to
OAKLAND, SAUSALITO or TIBURON
and enjoy remarkable city and
bridge views. Along the SAN
MATEO county coast, three-hour
cruises from HALF MOON BAY
are awesome experiences in the
Pacific Ocean, particularly during
the December-May gray whale
migration.
East Bay: Berkeley & Oakland
On the eastern side of the bay lies the col-
lege town of Berkeley, with its history of
political idealism, University of California
academic prestige and coffeehouse intel-
lectualism. Berkeley is almost synonymous
with Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse and the
movement to organic, local and seasonal
food. Berkeley’s larger neighbor, Oakland,
is a culturally diverse city with vibrant
neighborhoods and lovely Lake Merritt,
whose three-mile path draws joggers
and walkers.
City & Town
Even though it was surpassed in popula-
tion by San Jose long ago, San Francisco
remains the region’s cultural hub. The city
draws more than 18 million travelers each
year to its dense 49 square miles con-
taining its famously steep hills, thousands
of restaurants offering an astonishing
variety of cuisines, different groups of
people, fascinating neighborhoods, parks,
Victorian-era houses and world-class
museums and cultural activities.
118 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
Area.
The city is easy to explore on foot, with
the waterfront Embarcadero, Fisherman’s
Wharf, Chinatown and Union Square (the
largest shopping area in the western U.S.)
all within a short walk of each other. Col-
orful vintage streetcars rumble down the
Embarcadero and Market Street, con-
necting to public transportation that carries
visitors to the city’s many diverse neighbor-
hoods and to Golden Gate Park, the large
greenbelt that extends to the Pacific Ocean.
The region’s other major cities are San
Jose, where revitalization has brought an
urban vibe, restaurants and museums
downtown, and Oakland, which attracts
visitors with the renovated Museum of
California, bay-front Jack London Square
and a trendy dining scene it shares with its
college town neighbor, Berkeley.
The Great Outdoors
One of the world’s largest urban parks—the
Golden Gate National Recreation Area—
stretches over 60 miles of Bay Area
coastline. The area encompasses beaches,
historic sites, biking and hiking trails and
vast open spaces to savor the Bay Area’s
varied natural beauty. Among the high-
lights are the majestic Marin Headlands
and San Francisco’s Presidio and Crissy
Field, a popular walking area and restored
wetlands that also draws kite boarders to
the white-capped waters at the Golden Gate.
Rolling green hillsides dotted with Cal-
ifornia golden poppies make spring an
especially ideal time to explore Mount
Tamalpais and Muir Woods in Marin
County. Point Reyes National Seashore’s
beautiful coastal terrain contains an abun-
dance of wildlife, including migrating
shorebirds and ducks, whales that are
easily seen off the coast in migration
season (mid January to mid March) and a
herd of tule elk.
There also is no lack of wide-open
spaces in the East Bay, where the regional
park district includes 65 parks covering
113,000 acres in Alameda and Contra Costa
counties. In the Santa Cruz mountains,
amid several vast open space preserves lies
California’s oldest state park, Big Basin
PIER 39
Redwoods, established in 1902.
 Heritage & Culture
Early Mexican and Spanish explorers and
settlers in the Bay Area left their mark,
mostly in place names but also in historic
buildings from that era. San Francisco’s
Mission Dolores, established in 1776, is the
oldest building in San Francisco and the
oldest intact original Mission in Cali-
fornia. The patchwork design of its
beamed ceilings resembles local Native
American basket weaving. Other old mis-
sions are found elsewhere in the Bay Area:
in Sonoma, San Rafael, Santa Clara, San
Jose and Santa Cruz.
Vestiges of San Francisco’s colorful past,
when the 1849 Gold Rush catapulted it from
a hamlet to a large city almost overnight,
th
can still be seen in thousands of 19 -
century Victorians and quaint old quarters
AQUARIUM OF THE BAY such as Alamo Square and Jackson Square.
at Pier 39, above. The Bay Area is home to world-class
museums, including the San Francisco
SPECIAL
» EVENTS 2016
CHINESE NEW YEAR PARADE Feb. 20, San Francisco chineseparade.com
CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL April 9-10, 16-17, San Francisco nccbf.org
BAY TO BREAKERS May 15, San Francisco baytobreakers.com
CARNAVAL May 28-29, San Francisco carnavalsanfrancisco.org
ETHNIC DANCE FESTIVAL throughout June, San Francisco worldartswest.org
STERN GROVE FESTIVAL Sundays, mid June-mid August, San Francisco sterngrove.org
GAY PRIDE WEEKEND June 25-26, San Francisco sfpride.org
KITE FESTIVAL July 30-31, Berkeley highlinekites.com
ART FESTIVAL Sept. 3-5, Sausalito sausalitoartfestival.org
HARDLY STRICTLY BLUEGRASS Oct. 7-9, San Francisco hardlystrictlybluegrass.com
ART & PUMPKIN FESTIVAL Oct. 15-16, Half Moon Bay miramarevents.com
UNION SQUARE TREE LIGHTING Nov. 25, San Francisco macys.com
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS Nov. 25, Yountville yountville.com
Museum of Modern Art, the de Young
Museum and California Academy of Sci-
ences in Golden Gate Park. In Oakland,
there’s the Museum of California and, in
Palo Alto, the Cantor Arts Center at Stan-
ford. A lively art scene is found
throughout the region and dozens of the-
ater, opera, symphony and dance
companies are based here.
Diverse cultural influences thrive in
pockets spread throughout the region,
including many from Asia: Japantown and
Chinatown in San Francisco, another
Chinatown in Oakland and thriving Viet-
namese and Southeast Asian communities
in South Bay cities. Mexican and other
Latin American influences can be found
throughout, particularly in San Francisco’s
Mission district, while Italian immigrants
left their indelible mark in San Francisco’s
North Beach and Sonoma and Napa wine-
growing areas.
Family Fun
Spend a day at the Santa Cruz Beach Board-
walk, a century-old amusement park
famous for The Giant Dipper, a 1920s-era
roller coaster.
On the San Mateo County coast, Half
Moon Bay’s mid-October festival features
pumpkin carving and pie-eating contests,
while nearby, Santa Clara’s Great America
theme park thrills visitors with the most
water rides in Northern California.
San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf and
Pier 39 are lined with shops, restaurants,
street performers and even a colony of sea
lions that wow crowds. The pier also offers
an antique carousel and the Aquarium of
the Bay, with more than 20,000 marine
animals. Over in Golden Gate Park, the Cal-
ifornia Academy of Sciences draws
families with its penguin exhibit, a walk-
through rain forest and aquarium with a
live coral reef tank.
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 119
 SAN FRANCISCO
No wonder it’s known as “everyone’s favorite city”
IN JUST 49 SQUARE MILES, San Francisco
contains more scenic beauty, neighborhood
COIT TOWER atop Telegraph
Hill, above; live music at Pier 39, diversity, good food and range of arts and cul-
below; the Hyde Street cable ture than any U.S. city of its size. The landmark
car climbs from San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, Alcatraz and
Aquatic Park with Alcatraz and
Fisherman’s Wharf are synonymous with the
Angel Island in the
City by the Bay, also known for an atmosphere
background, opposite.
of tolerance that stretches back to the Gold Rush
when one of the largest migrations in human
history brought thousands west.
San Francisco is one of the great U.S. cities for
food and dining, with renowned chefs, a wide
variety of ethnic cuisine and restaurant-mad locals
spending more on eating out than residents of any
other American city. Culture is abundant, with
world-class museums, theater, opera, symphony
and ballet, helped by a public commitment that
pre-dates the National Endowment for the Arts.
There’s a tech-fueled vitality in many parts of
the city: An influx of start-ups and young tech
workers has led to a boom in restaurants, bars
and nightlife, especially in the vibrant Mission
district and South of Market areas. At popular Off
The Grid events, groups of mobile food trucks
serve up gourmet food, including Sundays in the
Presidio and Friday evenings at Fort Mason.
The Presidio continues its stunning transfor-
mation from Army base to a vast national park
filled with historic sites, museums, artwork and
miles of walking and biking trails in forests and
along the bay. In 2015, the Presidio Parkway tun-
nels replaced a highway eyesore and smoothly
funnels traffic to and from the city and the Golden
120 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BY LAURA DEL ROSSO
Gate Bridge. The next two years will bring acres of
new landscaped areas, walking and biking trails
and a visitor center above the parkway.
The Round House, an Art Deco-style circular
building at the southeast foot of the Golden Gate
Bridge reopened in 2015, giving bridge visitors a
place to stop for food and drinks before browsing
the adjacent Bridge Pavilion that provides infor-
mation and exhibits. In 2016, there’s also much
new in San Francisco, including the permanent
installation of the 25,000 LED lights on the
western span of the Bay Bridge that “perform” in
patterns created by light artist Leo Villareal. The
Bay Lights are being re-installed in time for Super
Bowl 50 in February, which will turn the interna-
tional spotlight on San Francisco, officially the
host city. The NFL Experience—an interactive
MARI CHING/SHUTTERSTOCK; PIER 39. OPPOSITE: T PHOTOGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK
theme park—and a Super Bowl Fan Village are
expected to host one million fans downtown.
Elsewhere in the city, the Original Ghirardelli
Chocolate Manufactory at the Cannery reopened
after renovation with displays of more than 150
years of chocolate-making history alongside the
company’s perennially popular ice cream and
chocolate shop.
The major cultural development of 2016 is
the reopening of the expanded San Francisco
Museum of Modern Art, scheduled for spring.
The doubling of the museum’s exhibit space
makes room for The Doris and Donald Fisher
Collection, considered one of the world’s finest
collections of modern art.
For trip planning, see sanfrancisco.travel.
BERKELEY
Bastion of liberal thought, superb
dining and performing arts
WORLD-FAMOUS as a historic center of
DINE, free speech and 1960s counterculture,
Berkeley, on the eastern shore of San Fran-
» SHOP, GOLF, cisco Bay, has morphed into a foodie
SEE A PLAY destination and unique arts and shopping
Berkeley Tourism mecca. But it’s still Berkeley, proudly off-
Information beat, quirky and fun to visit, especially now.
visitberkeley.com The Downtown Arts District on Addison
Street showcases the Berkeley Repertory
Theatre, the Aurora Theatre Company and
the venerable folk music haven Freight &
SUNSET OVER SAN FRANCISCO BAY Salvage Coffeehouse, which is both a per-
and the Berkeley Campanile, above;
formance venue and community-minded
Berkeley Kite Festival, below.
folk music learning center. Two major
venues are set to open downtown this year:
The new, 83,000-square-foot Berkeley Art
Museum and Pacific Film Archive
(BAMPFA), at 2155 Center St. and, in later
months, the handsomely renovated UC
Theatre, a 1917 cinema-turned-music per-
formance space on University Avenue just
west of Shattuck Avenue. North Berkeley
along and near Shattuck is the city’s
Gourmet Ghetto, with its jewel in the
crown, Chez Panisse, founded by the
doyenne of fresh, local, seasonal California
cuisine, Alice Waters. The 1966 original
Peet’s Coffee and Tea shop is right nearby,
as are excellent food markets, the Cheese
Board cheese shop/bakery and fine restau-
122 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BY DAVID ARMSTRONG
rants such as the organic, artisan-minded
Mission Heirloom eatery.
One-of-a-kind shopping abounds on
Fourth Street, north of University Avenue
in West Berkeley; standouts include Miki’s
Paper, which features hand-made Japanese
stationery and wrapping paper.
Gorgeous brown-shingle wooden homes
and public buildings by celebrated architects
Bernard Maybeck and Julia Morgan—who
adapted Arts and Crafts design to form the
Bay Region style in the early 20th century—
enrich the city. Maybeck’s serene 1910 First
Church of Christ, Scientist, just east of Tele-
graph Avenue and south of the UC Berkeley
campus, is an architectural hymn to silence.
On campus, Cal Performances brings
DANIEL PARKS/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR; CDRIN/SHUTTERSTOCK
international headliners to Zellerbach Hall.
You can toast the artists and debate the true
meaning of art in a plenitude of craft micro-
breweries that dot the area near campus and
beyond; the Berkeley Brew Trail highlights
places to sip hand-crafted suds; specifics
are available from the city’s Visitor Informa-
tion Center, 2030 Addison St. Let’s not forget
cocktails; they’re original and inspired at
Tupper & Reed, located downtown. Got
golf? Certainly. You can tee it up at the 18-
hole Tilden Park Golf Course, in the woodsy
Berkeley Hills above the bay.
 HEALDSBURG
Sonoma’s sophisticated, relaxed, wine country town
DATING FROM 1857, the centerpiece and
TASTE, BROWSE, defining feature of Healdsburg is its
» DINE, EXPLORE beloved Spanish style plaza designed by
Harmon Heald. The one-acre quadrangle,
Healdsburg Chamber shaded by towering redwoods and date
of Commerce and palms, is grand in scale but has an intimate,
Visitors Bureau
accessible feel. Possibly the liveliest plaza
healdsburg.com
in Sonoma, it was recently voted one of
“America’s Most Beautiful Town Squares”
WILLIAMS SELYEM WINERY, above; and Healdsburg was ranked among the best
enjoying Healdsburg Plaza, below.
small towns to visit in 2014.
The plaza plays host to numerous
events including the Antique Fair spon-
sored by the Historical Society in May and
the popular Beer and Sausage Festival in
September. The highly regarded Healds-
burg Jazz Festival held in early June takes
place in various venues and locations
around the town. Throughout the summer
months, on Tuesday evenings, the plaza
transforms into an outdoor community
living room where locals and visitors
gather for a free concert series.
From the plaza it’s a leisurely stroll to the
many wine tasting rooms, artisan bakeries,
coffee spots, cheese shops, art galleries,
bookshops and boutiques offering clothing,
house wares and inspired one-of-a-kind
gifts. Or venture a few blocks off Center
124 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BY MARCY GORDON
Street to see scores of colorful, well-pre-
served historic homes, many in use as
B&Bs. Surrounded by vineyards, and located
just off Highway 101, Healdsburg is the
ideal home base from which to explore the
world-renowned wine appellations of
Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill, Dry Creek
Valley and Russian River Valley. Wine, of
course, is a main focus of the town with
more than 25 tasting rooms and wineries
within walking distance of its center.
Dining options are plentiful, from
casual cafés to elite restaurants creating
sublime seasonal fare incorporating the
bounty of local ingredients and show-
casing regional wines. Although most
famous for its wine, Healdsburg also has a
lively craft beer scene and is home to the DAVID SPENCER/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR; HEALDSBURG CVB
locally brewed Racer 5 India Pale Ale.
Beyond the city center, the Russian River
and peaceful stands of ancient redwoods are
the focal point for hiking and canoeing, and
the mostly flat back roads that wind through
the vineyard valleys make the area a world-
class bicycling destination.
Sophisticated, yet rustic, Healdsburg,
with its agrarian roots, delivers small town
charm and a wine country lifestyle that’s
both laid-back and luxurious.
SAN JOSE & SILICON VALLEY
High-tech, innovation, museums and more

BY LAURA DEL ROSSO

TOP CITIES
San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Los Gatos,

S
Saratoga, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Los Altos
an Jose and Silicon Valley, known worldwide for technology inno-
vation, have come of age as centers for the arts, culture and
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAYS attractions. The region will be in the national spotlight in February
San Jose International Airport (SJC),
when Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium hosts the NFL’s Super Bowl 50. In Palo

FRANCESCO CARUCCI/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: MARIUSZ S. JURGIELEWICZ/SHUTTERSTOCK

4 miles (6 km) north of downtown San Jose
Alto, one of the world’s leading private collections of modern American
San Francisco International Airport (SFO), art, the Anderson Collection, is drawing art lovers to its architecturally
36 miles (58 km) north of downtown San Jose
striking building on the Stanford campus.
TOURISM WEBSITES Downtown San Jose’s vibrant urban scene continues to grow with
sanjose.org museums, galleries and robust dining and nightlife. San Jose Jazz, which
santaclara.org
presents more than 100 live music events annually, is one of many
sanmateocountycvb.com
dynamic cultural groups.
POPULATION The valley has undergone a dramatic change since the mid 20th century
1.8 million
when farms, orchards and ranches lined Santa Clara Valley, and the area
was called “The Valley of Heart’s Delight.” With the technology boom came
the development of acres of office parks and an influx of bright, young
entrepreneurs—and the new name, Silicon Valley.
In the last decade, the vigorous economy led to a revitalization of cities
whose residents are known more for their long workdays than nights on
SAN JOSE the town. Visitors find pedestrian-friendly burgs, such as charming
& SILICON
Saratoga and Los Gatos, with Michelin-starred restaurants and chic shops.
VALLEY
Mountain View’s Castro Street and Palo Alto’s University Avenue are hop-

126 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
ping, and San Jose’s downtown and the
Santana Row district are alive with
nightlife and attractions, including the
Tech Museum, which pays homage to the
valley’s innovative spirit.
Palo Alto, home of Stanford Univer-
sity, also features a tiny museum
significant to Silicon Valley history: the
HP Garage, the garage where Stanford
classmates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard
founded Hewlett-Packard in 1939.
The valley also offers theme parks for
families and outdoor recreation in the
Santa Cruz Mountains.
Nestled at the foot of the mountains
are Saratoga and Los Gatos, hamlets with
picture-perfect Victorian homes and
Craftsman bungalows. Vast stretches of
parks, open space preserves and rows of
vineyards and winery tasting rooms
cluster in the surrounding mountains, as
well as south of San Jose, along the
Hecker Pass Highway and around the city
FIVE WOUNDS PORTUGUESE
National Church in San Jose, left;
Lick Observatory on Mount
Hamilton, opposite.
MUST
» SEE,
DO
» Stanford Art Stanford University’s campus
includes the Anderson Collection, a private
modern American art collection that features
major works by Pollock, Still, Rothko and
Diebenkorn, housed in a striking 33,000-square-
foot building. Next door is the Cantor Arts Center,
which includes 24 galleries and one of the largest
collections of Rodin bronzes outside Paris.
› stanford.edu
» History Park Stretching over 14 acres, San
Jose’s History Park conveys the richness of Santa
Clara Valley’s long history. The park features 27
original and re-created buildings connected by
running trolleys. Included are the Chinese-
American Museum, the Portuguese Historical
Museum and one of the first banks opened by A.P.
Giannini, founder of the Bank of America, who
was born in San Jose.

DRIVE › historysanjose.org

» TOUR » Planet Snoopy California’s Great America

theme park includes Gold Striker, Northern
Starting in PALO ALTO, take in California’s tallest and fastest roller coaster, with

vibrant University Avenue and PALO ALTO high-speed turns and drops, one falling 103 feet at
a 50-degree angle. In 2015 it expanded its Planet
drive the leafy lanes of the
SAN JOSE Snoopy children’s area to include three rides,
STANFORD CAMPUS, stopping SARATOGA taking kids on Snoopy’s skateboard, around a
to see the mosaics in LOS racetrack and on space buggies.
GATOS
Memorial Church and the › cagreatamerica.com
CASTLE ROCK
MAIN QUAD. Head west on STATE PARK
Sand Hill Road to Highway 280 » Super Bowl 50 Explore the venue of Super
Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium, the home of the NFL’s
south to revitalized downtown
San Francisco 49ers. Ninety-minute public tours
SAN JOSE for a visit to the
are conducted daily. Visits to the stadium’s 49ers
striking Tech Museum of Innovation. Take Highway 17 west to LOS
Museum and its 11 galleries that trace the team’s
GATOS, stopping to enjoy the village-like downtown and its shady history and a gourmet lunch are add-on options.
plaza, then head south on Highway 9 to the equally charming hamlet › levisstadium.com
of SARATOGA, nestled at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Continue on Highway 9 up into the mountains to Skyline Boulevard » Computer History Museum Technology
(Highway 35), the crest of the range. Here you’ll find uncrowded giants call Silicon Valley home and this museum
explores their history and impact on society.
wineries, pristine forests and many open space preserves and parks,
Large-scale exhibits describe the creation of self-
including CASTLE ROCK STATE PARK, the most spectacular. Follow
driving cars, and are filled with the world’s largest
Skyline Boulevard south and rejoin Highway 17 east, which leads back collection of computing hardware, software,
to San Jose and the heart of Silicon Valley. ephemera and photographs.
› computerhistory.org

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 127
 DANIEL AUSTIN HOHERD/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR; MARIUSZ S. JURGIELEWICZ/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: MARIUSZ S. JURGIELEWICZ/SHUTTERSTOCK; NAOTAKE MURAYAMA/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR
University. In 2014, the $1.2 billion Levi’s
Stadium opened, the home of the San
Francisco 49ers NFL team and the venue
for Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7.

Heritage and Culture

of Gilroy, which is home to an annual
INSIDER’S Garlic Festival that draws thousands.
» TIP With its Mediterranean climate of
warm summers and mild winters, and
Visitors to the Stanford campus location 50 miles south of San Fran-
can take advantage of several free cisco and 30 miles inland from the
tours, including a new Pacific Ocean, it’s no wonder that Sil-
HUMANITIES AND ART TOUR, icon Valley developed as a world center
which debuted in 2015. for innovation, drawing some of the
Undergraduates are the guides, best and brightest engineers in the
leading participants on tours of world to a quiet valley where once only
BING CONCERT HALL, the fruit trees blossomed.
ANDERSON COLLECTION, the
CANTOR ARTS CENTER, the RODIN City and Town
SCULPTURE GARDEN and the new
San Jose, the county seat of Santa Clara
McMURTRY BUILDING that houses
County, was founded in 1777 and today is
the Department of Art and Art
the largest city in Northern California and
History. There’s also a SCIENCE
th
10 largest in the nation. Downtown has
AND ENGINEERING QUAD TOUR
undergone significant revitalization over
that provides a look at two of the
the last decade, with historic buildings
University’s highly regarded
departments, where many of such as the California Theatre on the
Silicon Valley’s top executives same block where dozens of software
once walked the halls as companies have relocated. The adjacent
undergraduates. city of Santa Clara features historic Mis-
visit.stanford.edu sion Santa Clara de Asis and its lovely
grounds on the campus of Santa Clara
San Jose offers a big-city cultural scene
with first-rate museums that include the
Tech Museum, where visitors discover
what made Silicon Valley successful, the
Children’s Discovery Museum, the San
Jose Museum of Art and the West Coast’s
largest collection of ancient Egyptian arti-
facts at the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum
and Planetarium. About 10 percent of San
Jose’s population is Vietnamese, and this
ethnic group has a strong presence partic-
ularly in restaurants along Story Road and
at the Museum of the Boat People in
charming History Park, which also fea-
tures buildings representing Portuguese,
Chinese, Italian and other ethnic commu-
nities that were instrumental in the city’s
long history.
The Great Outdoors
Wherever you are in Silicon Valley, beau-
tiful open space is not far away. In
downtown San Jose, Guadalupe River Park
is a convenient greenbelt. Nearby Alum
Rock Park offers 720 acres filled with tree-
lined walking paths. Miles of roads in the
Santa Cruz Mountains lead to a diverse
collection of county and state parks and
open space preserves in redwood forests
ideal for camping, hiking, mountain
biking or a simple picnic.

128 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
Family Fun
For fascinating local lore, head to the Win-
SPECIAL
chester Mystery House, the 160-room
» EVENTS 2016
Victorian estate built by Sara Winchester,
the heiress of Winchester Rifles. The huge NFL SUPER BOWL 50 Feb. 7, Santa Clara sfbaysuperbowl.com
house is creepy but beautiful at the same
SANTA CLARA WINERIES SPRING PASSPORT WEEKEND
time, with its weird “Stairs to the Ceiling” March 19-20, Santa Clara County santaclarawines.com
that lead to nowhere, séance chambers
DOWNTOWN FARMERS’ MARKET Fridays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., May-Nov., San Jose pcfma.com
and fine woodwork.
California’s Great America theme park MOUNTAIN WINERY CONCERT SERIES July-Oct., Saratoga mountainwinery.com
offers the most thrill rides in Northern
CONNOISSEUR’S MARKETPLACE July 16-17, Menlo Park menloparkchamber.com
California and includes the massive Great
Barrier Reef wave pool. Additional fun is GILROY GARLIC FESTIVAL July 29-31, Gilroy gilroygarlicfestival.com

found at 23-acre Raging Waters in San SANTA CLARA COUNTY FAIR Aug. 4-7, San Jose thefair.org
Jose, which bills itself as the region’s
SAN JOSE JAZZ SUMMER FEST Aug. 12-14, San Jose summerfest.sanjosejazz.org
largest water park. San Jose’s Happy
Hollow Park and Zoo and Los Gatos’ ART AND WINE FESTIVAL Sept. 10-11, Mountain View miramarevents.com
Vasona Lake County Park, a lovely oasis SANTA CLARA ART AND WINE FESTIVAL Sept. 17-18, Santa Clara santaclaraca.gov
with a train and 1915 carousel, are two
other parks that kids love.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY FAIR, opposite left;

San Jose Museum of Art, opposite top;
annual Silicon Valley Duck Race in Vasona
Lake Park, Los Gatos, below; climbing at
Castle Rock State Park, right.

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 129
SANTA CLARA
Levi’s Stadium adds to city’s theme park fun, history and high-tech
LEVI’S STADIUM, home of the SANTA CLARA, just an hour south of San
San Francisco 49ers, above; dining Francisco in the heart of tech capital Silicon
in Levi’s stadium, below.
Valley, has stepped into the national spot-
light as home to Levi’s Stadium, host of the
National Football League’s Super Bowl 50.
Not only is the 69,900-seat stadium
home to the San Francisco 49ers, but it also
hosts college football, domestic and inter-
national soccer, concerts and other special
events. Its 20,000-square-foot 49ers
Museum celebrates the team’s history in 11
galleries and interactive exhibit spaces
devoted to sports history, Super Bowl
Championships and the Lombardi Tro-
phies. The museum and the stadium are
open for tours and visits year-round.
Theme Park Fun, Sports,
Shopping & Festivals
Families find entertainment and thrills at
California’s only combination theme and
130 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BY LAURA DEL ROSSO
water park, California’s Great America,
which offers more than 100 acres of rides
and shows. The park, open late March
through October, expanded with the Planet
Snoopy play area last year. Rides include an
interactive ride aboard Snoopy’s giant
skateboard, a Peanuts 500 race-car ride and
Snoopy’s Space Buggies, which lifts astro-
nauts high in the air for a lunar landing. The
vast Boomerang Bay water park features
water slides, rivers for tubing and pools.
Elsewhere in the city, sports fans will
find plenty to cheer. The city hosts major
swim meets at the George F. Haines Inter-
national Swim Center, and Santa Clara
University holds NCAA Division 1 athletic
competitions year-round.
A visit to Santa Clara wouldn’t be com-
plete without a look into the innovative high
tech giants of Silicon Valley. At the Intel
Museum at corporate headquarters, visitors
 see how computer chips are made in an
automated chip factory and how the valley’s
engineers shaped and changed society.
Some of Silicon Valley’s best shopping
is found at Santa Clara’s Westfield Valley
Fair mall, which is across the street from
the high-end Santana Row shopping dis-
trict. Santa Clara also draws visitors to its
Triton Museum of Art with an emphasis on
Bay Area artists and popular events,
including an annual Art and Wine Festival
SANTA CLARA CVB; SANTA CLARA CVB; MARIUSZ S. JURGIELEWICZ/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: SANTA CLARA CVB.
in September, Pacific International Quilt
Festival in October, and the spine-tingling
Halloween Haunt in October.
Mission Santa Clara de Asis &
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara has a long history that’s closely
tied with that of California. The fertile
valley that became known as Santa Clara
Valley and more recently, Silicon Valley,
was inhabited by the Ohlone when Spain
began colonizing California. Franciscan
missionaries established 21 missions that
stretched from San Diego to Sonoma,
choosing a spot in the valley in 1777 for
their eighth mission. They named it Mis-
sion Santa Clara de Asis after Saint Clare.
Visitors are welcome to visit the Mis-
sion Church and adjacent Mission Gardens
on the beautiful campus of Santa Clara
University. Founded in 1851, the university
GOLD STRIKER roller coaster at
is the oldest college in California. The cur-
California’s Great America, top left;
rent Mission Church was built in 1925 after
Santa Clara Convention Center, above;
a fire destroyed the previous 19th-century Mission Santa Clara de Asís, below.
building. Statues, paintings, liturgical
objects, one bell and the flavor of the
Spanish-style architecture remain. A new
pedestrian-only walkway leads to the
church, flanked by historic gardens.
Also on the Santa Clara University
campus is the de Saisset Art Museum,
whose most significant feature is a Cali-
fornia history collection. Artifacts that
trace Santa Clara history include a corner-
stone uncovered in an archaeological
excavation and 18th-century woodwork and
art. The museum also houses European art
from the Renaissance to the 19th century,
including prints by Durer and Piranesi;
modern works by Chagall, Matisse and
Picasso; and prints by San Francisco Bay
Area artists Arneson, Diebenkorn, Neri,
Thiebaud and others.
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 131
MONTEREY BAY & BIG SUR
The real “laid-back” California

BY JILL K. ROBINSON

TOP CITIES
Santa Cruz, Monterey, Carmel, Pacific Grove, Salinas

S
tretching south of one of the largest urban areas of the state—the
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY San Francisco Bay Area—the coastal region from Santa Cruz

SONGQUAN DENG/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: LUCKY-PHOTOGRAPHER/SHUTTERSTOCK; SEEMONTEREY.COM

San Francisco International Airport (SFO), through Big Sur is the ideal place to slow down and adopt a Cali-
62 miles (100 km) from Santa Cruz; fornia-style appreciation of the great outdoors and a laid-back lifestyle.
101 miles (163 km) from Monterey
With views that rival the rest of the state all packed into one area, this is
TOURISM WEBSITES where many Californians vacation, ditch workday stress and relax within
santacruzca.org earshot of the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean.
seemonterey.com The two biggest population centers of the region are Santa Cruz and
carmelcalifornia.com
the Monterey Peninsula. In historic Monterey, small-town Pacific Grove
pacificgrove.org
www.ci.salinas.ca.us and fashionable artist retreat Carmel-by-the-Sea, there are beautiful
beaches, ample performing and fine arts venues, outdoor pursuits, stylish
POPULATION shops, epicurean delights and an inland region known for wine and agri-
700,000
culture. Much of the same can be said of funky Santa Cruz, but away from
the redwoods, the university town resembles a beachside playground,
with its historic boardwalk and many surf spots.
The grand Big Sur coastline inspired artist Francis McComas to claim
that the area was the “greatest meeting of land and sea,” and the wild coast
perched on the edge of the continent has lured artists and fans of the great
outdoors to enjoy its remoteness as well as its rich restaurant choices—
MONTEREY
from Nepenthe to the Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant. On the other side of
BAY &
BIG SUR the Santa Lucia Range lie the otherworldly spires and crags of Pinnacles
National Park, an extinct volcano on a long voyage north on the edge of

134 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A

the San Andreas Fault. Both regions are
havens for hikers, bikers, climbers,
campers and birdwatchers.
Wine lovers won’t have much
chance to miss Napa and Sonoma, with
a wealth of quality vineyards in this
region. From Carmel Valley to the
Monterey River Road, there are more
than enough award-winning wines to
go around.
With such rich and varied geography,
it’s a blessing that the wonders of Mon-
terey Bay and Big Sur are laid wide open
for residents and visitors to appreciate
them. Whether your preference is a
charming urban escape, camping under
SEASCAPE in Big Sur,
opposite; Walton
Lighthouse, Santa Cruz,
above; Carmel Mission,
right.
the stars, fresh regional cuisine, world-
famous wines, getting active outdoors
or a leisurely beachcombing stroll—all
can be found here, and nobody’s
rushing you.
City & Town
Downtown Santa Cruz is between the
city’s vibrant beach attractions and the
mountains, where redwood groves
embrace the University of California at
Santa Cruz. Monterey’s Fisherman’s
Wharf is just steps from the city’s his-
toric buildings that date from the 18th
and 19th centuries—before California was
part of the United States. Made famous
MUST
» SEE,
DO
» Wild Coast Cruise Highway 1 along
the majestic Big Sur coast, where the sky
touches the sea.
› bigsurcalifornia.org
» California Condors Get a close-up view of
soaring California condors from the High Peaks
trail of Pinnacles National Park.
› nps.gov/pinn
» Mission Style Set among flowering gardens,
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo is one of
the most beautiful of California’s missions.
› carmelmission.org
» Dead Central Get a colorful look at exhibits
from the Grateful Dead Archive, on display at the
University of California Santa Cruz McHenry
Library.
› library.ucsc.edu/grateful-dead-archive/about
» Historic Fun Ride two National Historic
Landmarks, the Giant Dipper and the Looff
Carousel, at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
› beachboardwalk.com
INSIDER’S
» TIP
The best views of some
spectacular surf moves are from
the cliffs overlooking Steamer
Lane, near THE SANTA CRUZ
SURFING MUSEUM. Grab a spot
by the railing to watch top-notch
surfers get some sweet rides,
and then head on in to the
museum to see the best in Santa
Cruz surfing history.
santacruzsurfingmuseum.org
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 135
 MONTEREY CANNING COMPANY
on Cannery Row, right; sea nettle jellyfish at
Monterey Bay Aquarium, below.
DRIVE
» TOUR
Trace a beautiful path along the
California coast by starting on
HIGHWAY 1 and drive south, from
Santa Cruz through the
MONTEREY PENINSULA. Once you
pass CARMEL, you enter the 90-mile
stretch of California coastline
between Carmel and SAN SIMEON
called BIG SUR, shoehorned
between the ocean and the Santa
Lucia Mountains. The road twists
and turns along the wild coast, so
take your time and be sure to stop
and enjoy the view along the way.
136 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
by John Steinbeck’s eponymous novel, Can-
nery Row has morphed from a fishing
center to a bustling street with shops
and ocean-view restaurants. Steinbeck’s
hometown, Salinas, is a working-class agri-
cultural city, known as the “Salad Bowl of
the World.” Carmel, a freethinker’s retreat
born as an artist village, is home to stylish
shops, exquisite dining and top-notch art.
The Great Outdoors
While well-known urban areas dot this
region, there’s more than enough wide-
open space for fans of the outdoors. Take
a whale watching boat tour in Monterey
Bay, where you can spot migrating gray,
humpback and blue whales. Seventeen-
Mile Drive in Pebble Beach winds through
forest and along the Pacific coastline as it TASFOTONL/SHUTTERSTOCK; KEN WOLTER/SHUTTERSTOCK
skirts exclusive golf courses and resorts.
The eerie-looking spires and monoliths
of Pinnacles National Park lure climbers
as well as hikers interested in the explo-
sion of colorful spring wildflowers and
soaring California condors.
In Big Sur, where rocky cliffs drop into
the Pacific Ocean and cypress trees twist
in the wind, nature lovers can walk along
the beach or hike deep into redwood
forests, where waterfalls spring to life.
 Heritage & Culture
SPECIAL The inland region is dominated by agricul-
» EVENTS 2016 ture—from the Salinas salad bowl to
Carmel Valley wines—while the coast is
AT&T PEBBLE BEACH NATIONAL PRO-AM Feb. 8-14, Pebble Beach attpbgolf.com home to fishermen, artists, surfers and a
booming tourism industry. Don’t think the
STEINBECK’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION Feb. 27, Salinas steinbeck.org
model of the easy-going Californian only
JAZZ BASH BY THE BAY March 4-6, Monterey jazzbashmonterey.com exists on Orange County beaches. Whether
it’s a chef from Carmel, an artist from Santa
PEBBLE BEACH FOOD & WINE March 31-April 3, Pebble Beach pbfw.com
Cruz or a farmer from Soledad—all take
STEINBECK FESTIVAL May 6-8, Salinas steinbeck.org time to enjoy Monterey Bay and Big Sur.
CARMEL ART FESTIVAL May 13-15, Carmel carmelartfestival.org
Family Fun
CARMEL BACH FESTIVAL July 16-30, Carmel bachfestival.org
No matter your age, you can’t go wrong at
GILROY GARLIC FESTIVAL July 29-31, Gilroy gilroygarlicfestival.com the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, with rides
and entertainment for everyone. The Mon-
FEAST OF LANTERNS July 27-31, Pacific Grove feast-of-lanterns.org
terey Peninsula is a wonderland for
PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE Aug. 21, Pebble Beach pebblebeachconcours.net
families, with historic sites, accessible
CAPITOLA BEGONIA FESTIVAL Sept. 2-5, Capitola begoniafestival.com beaches, Dennis the Menace Park, the Mon-
terey Bay Aquarium and a wealth of outdoor
MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL Sept. 16-18, Monterey montereyjazzfestival.org
activities. South through Big Sur, camping
BUTTERFLY PARADE Oct. 1, Pacific Grove seemonterey.com/regions/pacific-grove options abound along the wild coast, and

FIRST NIGHT MONTEREY Dec. 31, Monterey firstnightmonterey.org the variety of hiking paths can lead you to a

SEEMONTEREY.COM. OPPOSITE: RICK K. WONG/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR; ERIC CHAN/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR

pink-sand beach or a seaside waterfall.
Inland, get a look at California’s pre-state-
hood past and follow the California
Missions Trail along Highway 101.

Monarch butterfly, above;

kids at Monterey tide pools, right.

138 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 GILROY
Great outdoors attractions for all ages

BY JILL K. ROBINSON

WITH MILES OF TRAILS, amusement
parks full of gardens and agricultural mas-
» GARLIC, GOLF,
WINE, FUN!
tery, there is enough in Gilroy to please
everyone in the family. This Santa Clara
The region’s wineries offer tastings and
tours for the grape-obsessed, and local
restaurants often include Gilroy’s beloved
garlic. The dedicated garlic heads come for

Gilroy Tourism
Information
gilroywelcomecenter.org
FAMILY DAY at Gilroy Gardens, top;
garlic harvesting contestant at the
Gilroy Garlic Festival, below.
County city is well known as the Garlic
Capital of the World, but the annual fes-
tival that celebrates the pungent plant is
only one of Gilroy’s many attractions.
Start with a visit to 4,595-acre Coyote
Lake/Harvey Bear Ranch park. It’s possible to
spend more than a day here, with local
wildlife exhibits, a 635-acre lake for fishing
and boating, camping and boat-launch facil-
ities, and miles of hiking, bicycle and horse
trails winding through oak canyons. The
Gilroy Gardens family theme park lures fam-
ilies with more than 40 fun rides, exhibits
and majestic gardens (including the leg-
endary “circus trees”). Once just a fruit
stand, Casa de Fruta is another popular des-
tination for travelers, from its Casa de Choo
Choo miniature locomotive to antique farm
machinery and freshly baked treats.
the Gilroy Garlic Festival at the end of July—
a three-day celebration of food and drink,
music, arts and family entertainment.
Shoppers enjoy searching for special buys
at the 145 designer and name-brand stores
at Gilroy Premium Outlets.
Walk back in time near downtown
Gilroy, where more than 75 historic build-
ings allow history buffs to meander at their
own pace to learn more about the region
once called “Pleasant Valley” and the
town’s founder, John Cameron Gilroy.
Favorite stops include the City Museum (in
a building that housed the town’s first
public library) and Old City Hall. A dif-
ferent kind of history haunts The Milias
Restaurant, where friendly ghosts tap
patrons on the shoulder and move kitchen
items around.

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 139
 MONTEREY COUNTY
Early California history and modern wine
WITH ITS GARDENS and old adobe
SIGHTSEE, buildings from California’s Spanish and
» WINE & DINE, Mexican eras, it’s quickly evident that Mon-
terey has an important place in state
PLAY GOLF!
history. That doesn’t mean Monterey
Monterey County County’s best days are in the past. The
Convention & Visitors region regularly adds to its tried-and-true
Bureau highlights, pleasing both locals and visitors.
seemonterey.com One of the best ways to see Monterey
through a resident’s eyes, complete with his-
torical and cultural elements (but based on
THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM,
above; winery on Highway G16, Carmel your preferences), is a private tour with
Tours by Locals. Learn more about Old Mon-
Valley, below.
terey, John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row, the
city’s most famous attractions, or combine
two in one day with a Monterey and Carmel
tour. Be sure to ask your guide for her favorite
local restaurant or bar to add to your list.
Wine grapes were first introduced to the
region by the Franciscan Friars near the
Soledad Mission in southern Monterey
County. Today, Monterey County encom-
passes eight smaller American Viticultural
Areas (AVAs) in addition to the larger
140 201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BY JILL K. ROBINSON
Monterey appellation, so wine fans will
enjoy visiting vineyards, wine bars, tasting
rooms, and shopping for wine with labels
denoting the region’s best new vintages from
Arroyo Seco, Carmel Valley, Chalone, Hames
Valley, San Antonio Valley, San Bernabe, San
Lucas and Santa Lucia Highlands.
Among Pebble Beach’s famed golf
courses with spectacular views, Pebble
Beach Golf Links is on every golfer’s dream
list. But that’s not the only place in Mon-
terey County where you can play next to
the pros. Pebble Beach is also home to RANDY WILDER/SEEMONEREY.COM; RANDY ANDY/SHUTTERSTOCK
Poppy Hills and Spyglass Hill, two courses
that have co-hosted the AT&T National
Pro-Am. The nearby Del Monte Golf Course
is the site of the Callaway Golf Pebble
Beach Invitational and First Tee Open. At
Poppy Hills, golfers can also choose to
advance directly to Porter’s in the Forest
restaurant—a far cry from the traditional
clubhouse café with its farm-to-table
menu, outdoor dining and panoramic view
of the Del Monte Forest.
CENTRAL COAST
Endless and uncrowded beaches

BY JILL K. ROBINSON
TOP CITIES
Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Morro Bay,
Cambria, Ventura, Lompoc, Solvang, Pismo Beach

L
ining the coast south of Big Sur to Santa Barbara is a string of small
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY beach towns, assembled just above the high-tide line of the Pacific
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Ocean, as if they’re merely part of the ocean’s treasure. Southern
98 miles (158 km) from Santa Barbara;
California may get prime beach town attention, but it’s California’s Central
192 miles (309 km) from San Luis Obispo
Coast region that has it all, except for the crowds vying for each sandy
TOURISM WEBSITES square foot. If you’re looking for a place to learn to chill-out like a local,
sanluisobispocounty.com get some fun and sun, escape the hustle and bustle, and sample some of
santabarbaraca.com
the best food and wine in California, pack your bags for the Central Coast.
travelpaso.com
morrobay.org The biggest population center is the Santa Barbara area, with its white
cambriachamber.org Spanish-style buildings and red-tiled roofs. In Santa Barbara, there are
visitventuraca.com RON BERG. OPPOSITE: SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY CVB; ONX WINES
vast beaches, plenty of fine arts venues, bright boutiques, outdoor adven-
lompoc.com
tures, culinary tastes and an inland region (the Santa Ynez Valley, featured
solvangusa.com
classiccalifornia.com in the movie Sideways) known for wine and Santa Maria barbecue.
Visitors can tour hilltop Hearst Castle, see hulking elephant seals at
POPULATION Piedras Blancas, relax in the sleepy beach towns of Cayucos and Morro
1,542,000
Bay, or find some action in college-town San Luis Obispo. Fresh seafood
often tastes best with a view of the ocean, and the old-fashioned piers of
Avila Beach and Pismo Beach are ideal spots to take that meal break. Ven-
tura’s Mission San Buenaventura is the last of the California missions
CENTRAL founded by Junipero Serra. The oceanside town is also a jumping-off point
COAST for adventures in Channel Islands National Park, called “California’s Galá-
pagos,” with tide pools, kelp forests and unique flora and fauna species.

142 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 Even though the Central Coast region’s
main highlight is indeed, its coast, the
varied geography and moderate climate
ensure that there are plenty of treats for
visitors to find. Whether your preference
is digging for clams, surfing the perfect
wave, strolling Mediterranean-style village
streets, sampling fresh regional cuisine
and world-famous wines, or lazing on the
beach, it’s all right here on the Central
Coast—and there’s enough for everyone.
City & Town
South of Big Sur, the sweep of coastline is
dotted with small beach towns. Cambria
A ROMANTIC MOMENT on the beach at
Santa Barbara, opposite; Pismo Beach
seascape, above; wine tasting among the
vines in Paso Robles, right.
INSIDER’S
» TIP
THE FASTEST GROWING WINE
REGION in California isn’t Napa
or Sonoma. Paso Robles
recently added 11 sub-AVAs
(American Viticultural Areas)
to distinguish the differences
in terroir in its entire growing
region. Try some at Paso
Robles’ best wineries and
tasting rooms. pasowine.com
perches on pine-forested hills above the
ocean, and has galleries and antique
shops. Laid-back Cayucos is an old-school
beach retreat with a surf break and fishing
pier near the main drag. Morro Bay’s land-
mark, an ancient volcanic peak emerging
from the ocean floor, stands at the
entrance to a beautiful estuary.
Tucked between the ocean and the Santa
Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara is often
called the “American Riviera” because of its
Mediterranean climate and red-tiled build-
ings. Head inland to artist enclave Ojai to
unwind and take in the “pink moment”
sunsets—the color of cotton candy.
MUST
» SEE,
DO
» Pink Moment Look to the east for the set-
ting sun’s reflection on the bluffs of the Topatopa
Mountains in Ojai for a brilliant pink sunset.
› ojaicity.org
» Spanish History Get a glimpse into Santa
Barbara’s origins with a visit to Mission Santa Bar-
bara, known as “Queen of the Missions.”
› santabarbaramission.org
» Castle on a Hill Visit Hearst Castle, the
over-the-top estate that William Randolph Hearst
called “the ranch.”
› hearstcastle.org
» Volcanic Sister Walk out to the base of
Morro Rock, one of a series of volcanic plugs
known as the Nine Sisters of San Luis Obispo
County, in Morro Bay.
› morrobay.org
» American Riviera Step off Stearns Wharf in
Santa Barbara and stroll along the miles of
beaches studded with palm trees.
› santabarbaraca.com
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 143
 SURFER at Morro Bay, left; Jeep
ride at Adelaide, San Luis Obispo
County, above; Hunter Ranch
Golf Course, opposite left; Santa
Barbara Mission, opposite top
right; downtown Solvang.
opposite bottom right.

The Great Outdoors

SPECIAL
» EVENTS 2016 Even though Santa Barbara and San Luis
Obispo are larger than the rest of the beach
towns, there’s enough space throughout
SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Feb. 3-13, Santa Barbara sbiff.org the Central Coast region to find ample
breathing room. Hike to the top of Bishop
WINTER WINE CLASSIC Feb. 20, Santa Barbara californiawinefestival.com
Peak, the tallest of the Nine Sisters, a chain
SAN LUIS OBISPO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL March 15-20, San Luis Obispo slofilmfest.org of volcanic peaks. Take advantage of some
sweet surf spots and catch the perfect
TASTE OF SOLVANG March 16-20, Solvang solvangusa.com
wave. Head out from Santa Barbara on a
PASO ROBLES WINE FESTIVAL May 19-22, Paso Robles pasowine.com/events/winefestival.php whale watching tour to see some of the
largest mammals in the Pacific Ocean.
CALIFORNIA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL May 21-22, Oxnard strawberry-fest.org
On the Carrizo Plain, considered the
I MADONNARI May 28-30, Santa Barbara imadonnarifestival.com largest single native grassland in the state,
it’s possible to see surface fractures of the
LOS OLIVOS JAZZ & OLIVE FESTIVAL June 4, Los Olivos jazzandolivefestival.org San Andreas Fault. The Los Padres
National Forest stretches across the scenic
SUMMER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION June 24-26, Santa Barbara solsticeparade.com
Coast and Transverse ranges, and offers a
SAN BENITO COUNTY SADDLE HORSE SHOW & RODEO June 24-26, Hollister wealth of opportunities for fishing,
sanbenitocountyrodeo.com
hiking, camping and bicycling. Kayak

GOLETA LEMON FESTIVAL Sept. 24-25, Goleta lemonfestival.com among tide pools and kelp forests where
sea otters live in Morro Bay, or just amble
EPICURE.SB Oct. 1-31, Santa Barbara santabarbaraca.com along miles of scenic beaches and dig your
toes in the sand.

144 201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 Heritage & Culture
Many place names on the Central Coast
DRIVE
remain from Native American tribes, as well » TOUR
as Spanish and Mexican settlers. The Cali-
fornia missions and other well-preserved
Get more than a glimpse of
buildings still remain from pre-statehood Cal- the Central Coast by driving
ifornia. The Central Coast’s inland region has south of Big Sur on
a wealth of land for agriculture—from wine to Highway 1 past the small
olives—but farmers here are just as comfort- beach towns of CAMBRIA,
able taking a quick trip to the wide, sandy MORRO BAY and PISMO
beaches during breaks from the harvest. Even BEACH. Be sure to stop
though Santa Barbara is the big city in the regularly to sample local
area, it has a relaxing vibe that would suffo- delicacies, whether caught
cate in a second in downtown Los Angeles. from oceanside piers or
made by hand in beach-
town bakeries. The highway
Family Fun
cuts inland for a short jog
The Central Coast is rich with adventure for fam-
after San Luis Obispo, but
ilies, including plenty of beaches and outdoor
pops back to the beach
space, historic sites and water activities. View
before approaching the
underwater life on a semi-submersible tour in
Santa Ynez Mountains and
Morro Bay. Discover how the ocean has shaped the
posh SANTA BARBARA.
history of the Central Coast at the Santa Barbara
Maritime Museum. Go camping in the Channel
Islands or Los Padres National Forest. Even
picking your own berries at a local farm is far
more fun when you can smell the ocean air.
TRAVELPASO.COM. OPPOSITE: J. MCPHAIL/SHUTTERSTOCK; TRAVELPASO.COM

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 145
VENTURA
Beach haven and North America’s Galápagos
THE ORIGINAL NAME of this California
BIKE, PADDLE, city, San Buenaventura, labels it as a city of
» SWIM, STROLL good fortune. And Ventura, with its beau-
tiful beach setting framed by mountains
Ventura Visitors & and the Channel Islands, does indeed
Convention Bureau make visitors feel as if they’ve stumbled
visitventuraca.com upon a bit of good fortune in finding this
scenic spot along California’s central coast.
Start with your toes in the surf, because
Ventura’s miles of beaches stretching from
Surfer’s Point to Ventura Harbor are one of
the city’s star attractions. Take a long walk,
lounge in the sun or grab a board and enjoy
the water yourself. The south-facing water-
front and breaks along the beaches are
essential qualities that lure surfers from
far and wide, so you owe it to yourself to
either try it out or settle down to watch a
few surf sessions.
Another reminder of how much the
Pacific Ocean figures into the daily life of
Ventura can be found at Ventura Harbor
Village. Wander through the boutiques for
that perfect souvenir, or score an outdoor
146 201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BY JILL K. ROBINSON
table overlooking the ocean to enjoy a meal
of fresh, local seafood and wine. The
harbor arcade, carousel and ice cream shop
HAYDEN BERGER; KAMILO BUSTAMANTE. OPPOSITE: KAMILO BUSTAMANTE; KAMILO BUSTAMANTE; CONNOR DETKO
will easily figure into a child’s dream list.
Channel Islands Adventures
Adventures abound at the Ventura Harbor
Village—from kayak and stand-up paddle-
board rentals in the harbor to whale watching
trips to boat trips to visit the Channel Islands
National Park and Marine Sanctuary. Also
known as North America’s Galápagos, this
string of five islands and its surrounding
waters are home to an abundance of wildlife,
including whales, dolphins, foxes and even
bald eagles. Hike along miles of trails to enjoy
the spectacular views of the islands’ rugged
beauty, or take advantage of the various
water-based activities and snorkel, dive, surf
or kayak in island sea caves.
The Channel Islands National Park is
also known as an important breeding and
resting area for a variety of seabirds. Back
on the mainland, birders have more to
VENTURA AT DUSK, opposite top;
surfer at Ventura Pier, opposite bottom;
Santa Cruz Island hiking, right;
Mission San Buenaventura, center right;
Ventura harbor, below.
choose from for viewing feathered friends.
With a varied elevation from sea level to
8,831 feet at the summit of Mount Pinos,
the area is rich with bird life. Up to 457 bird
species have been recorded in the county,
which includes globally important bird
areas such as Mugu Lagoon and the Los
Padres National Forest.
What’s Cooking Downtown
Early California history has a special place
in Ventura’s historic downtown cultural
district, which began as Father Junipero
Serra’s final mission settlement. Meander
through downtown to see Mission San
Buenaventura and the historic homes,
museums, boutiques, antique shops and
restaurants that dot the palm tree-lined
streets. With a wealth of family-owned
stores, cultural arts and thriving music and
foodie scene, the downtown area is an
ideal base for visitors. Tour along, using
the free trolley that runs between down-
town and Ventura Harbor Village, stopping
at major attractions and most major hotels.
Wine lovers can easily duck into a
downtown wine bar to taste the best of Cal-
ifornia’s Central Coast, which is recognized
as one of the world’s leading wine growing
regions. If you want to get closer to the
winemaking process, stop by the Ventura
Visitors Center to learn about the Ventura
County Wine Trail, which has a handful of
wineries that you can visit on your own or
on an organized tour, like the Sip and Savor
Wine Tour, which features some of Ven-
tura’s wine tasting rooms.
Ventura’s thriving music scene counts
more than 35 venues offering live music,
along with dozens of special events and
festivals annually. On nearly any day of the
year, you can check out local bands, solo
artists and musicians who play just about
every genre of music—and you never know
who will be sitting in with the band.
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 147
 PISMO BEACH
Classic California beach town
PICTURE YOUR IDEA of a classic Cali-
DINE, BEACH fornia beach town, and Pismo Beach may
» COMB, PLAY, look exactly like what’s in your mind. A
sandy strand, a wooden pier and surfers
EXPLORE! out past the break—waiting for the perfect
Pismo Beach wave. It sits on California’s Central Coast,
Conference & midway between San Francisco and Los
Visitors Bureau Angeles, encouraging territorial Northern
classiccalifornia.com and Southern California residents to claim
it equally.
Start with a walk on the 1,370-foot-long
SURFERS AT PISMO BEACH, above;
Pismo Beach Pier, which allows a peek at
surrey ride on the promenade, below.
the ocean and the beach below as easily as
it provides an optimal vantage point to
look back at land and view the homes,
hotels, restaurants and shops in town.
From there, plan your itinerary.
Wine Country and Wildlife
Pismo Beach lets visitors divide their time
between the waves of the Pacific Ocean and
the winemaking regions of Edna Valley,
Arroyo Grande and Avila Valley, located
only 30 minutes outside of town. And even
if you’re strolling through downtown
Pismo Beach, many restaurants include a
few local wines on their extensive wine
lists, to be paired with fresh wine-country-
inspired cuisine.
148 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BY JILL K. ROBINSON
While famous Pismo Clam (one of the
largest types of clam found along the Cali-
fornia Coast) has become scarce, folks here
still love to go clamming on Pismo’s
beaches. Offshore, you can spy sea otters,
migrating whales, seals and tide pool
inhabitants without having to get too wet.
Following their annual migration, thou-
sands of monarch butterflies drip from the
limbs of eucalyptus and Monterey pine
trees from late October through February.
Pismo’s Great Outdoors
With six state beaches, two nature preserves
and three state parks within a 30-minute
drive of town, Pismo Beach is an outdoors
fan’s dream. Discover these reserves on foot
or by bike, while your best options for water-
borne adventure are kayak, surfboard, and
stand-up paddle board. Even at a slow pace,
one of the ideal ways to commune with
Pismo’s coastal environment is to snag a
sandy spot on the beach for a sunset picnic.
Sports enthusiasts can find plenty to do
around Pismo, whether their favorite pas-
time is golf, fishing, surfing, kayaking,
PISMO BEACH CVB
kiteboarding, or horseback riding. And
once all the activity is over, the beach is
still there, beautiful as ever.
NORTH COAST
The “Land of the Giants” is a lush region
of redwood forests, fishing harbors
and Victorian villages

TOP CITIES
BY JOHN FLINN
Mendocino, Eureka, Crescent City, Fort Bragg,
Garberville, Arcata, Ukiah, Cloverdale, Ferndale

GATEWAY

U
The Arcata-Eureka Airport (EKA), 16 miles (26 km) from ntil you’ve seen one up close, it’s hard to grasp just how
downtown Eureka, has service from San Francisco and neck-craningly tall a coastal redwood tree is. Remember the
other hubs, but no international flights gargantuan Saturn V, the 35-story-high rocket that sent
astronauts to the moon? The largest Sequoia sempervirens grow even
TOURISM WEBSITES
exploredelnorte.com higher, topping out at 379 feet. These 3,000-year-old arboreal titans—
northcoastca.com nature’s loftiest skyscrapers—grow in only one place in the world: a
redwoods.info narrow strip of fog-shrouded mountains along California’s wild and DON LEONARD. OPPOSITE: VICTORIA DITKOVSKY/SHUTTERSTOCK
visitmendocino.com
relatively unvisited North Coast.
POPULATION
782,000 The Redwood Highway
Old-growth redwoods are preserved in a chain of parks strung along
Highway 101, known in these parts as the Redwood Highway. In
southern Humboldt County, Humboldt Redwoods State Park strad-
dles the scenic drive known as the Avenue of the Giants. In northern
Humboldt and Del Norte counties, a cluster of parks—Redwood
NORTH National Park and Prairie Creek Redwoods, Del Norte Coast Red-
COAST
woods and Jedediah Smith Redwoods state parks—form one
contiguous redwood reserve.

150 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 MUST
» SEE,
DO

» Big Footin’ The Bigfoot Collection is the big

attraction at the Willow Creek-China Flat Museum
in the mountain community of Willow Creek.
Plaster footprint casts, photos and pop culture
artifacts tell the story of the mysterious beast.
› bigfootcountry.net

The sounds of chainsaws and buzzing

» Big Eatin’ To satisfy a lumberjack-sized
appetite, drive across Humboldt Bay on the Samoa
sawmills that once dominated the North Bridge to the Samoa Cookhouse for colossal, all-
Coast are rapidly fading as the lumber you-can-eat meals served family style. The last
industry winds down. In former mill towns surviving cookhouse of its kind in the U.S., it’s
been serving hungry mill workers, longshoremen
such as Fort Bragg, tourism is replacing
and tourists since 1890.
timber as innovative galleries, restaurants › samoacookhouse.net
and brew-pubs spring to life.
Although it’s sometimes called the Red- » Ferry Tales Tour Humboldt Bay aboard the
Maraket, the last of a fleet of tiny ferries that once
wood Empire, the North Coast is more than
carried mill workers to their jobs. It’s the oldest
just tall trees: It’s also salmon-fishing boats vessel in continuous service in the country, with
LADY WASHINGTON at Humboldt bobbing in tiny harbors; Roosevelt elk bugling the tiniest licensed bar in California.
Bay’s marina, opposite; the Carson across misty meadows; steam trains chuffing › humboldtbaymaritimemuseum.com
Mansion is an elegant Victorian through a damp and dripping forest; hole-in-
house in Old Town Eureka, above.
» Boulevard of Big Trees Some of the most
magnificent redwoods on the North Coast are also
the easiest to see. At Garberville, turn off Highway
101 onto the Avenue of the Giants, a 31-mile
SPECIAL
» EVENTS 2016 stretch of the old highway that weaves like a
slalom course between vertiginous, old-growth
redwoods. The route takes you through the heart
TALL SHIPS AHOY Watch a recreation of an 18th-century naval battle in Humboldt Bay of Humboldt Redwoods State Park, which is
as two classic tall ships, the Lady Washington and the Hawaiian Chieftain, skirmish with sunnier and drier than redwood parks farther
north.
cannon fire (blanks only) and close-quarter maneuvers. April 15-20. redwoods.info
› avenueofthegiants.net
KINETIC SCULPTURE RACE Peripatetic artists of genius or possibly borderline insanity
» Victorian Hamlet Gaily painted Victorian
gather each Memorial Day weekend to race giant, whimsical, people-powered sculptures mansions line the streets of Ferndale, an idyllic
from Arcata to Ferndale along a 40-mile course that includes a crossing of Humboldt hamlet on the Eel River delta in southern Humboldt
Bay. It’s called “the triathalon of the art world.” May 28-30. kineticgrandchampionship.com County. Lovingly preserved, they give the town a
turn-of-the-last-century look that has proven
BIGFOOT DAYS The earliest and most persistent sightings of that elusive creature known irresistible to Hollywood. More than a dozen
as Bigfoot have happened around the Siskiyou Mountain town of Willow Creek. Each movies have been filmed here. Main Street’s shops
year on Labor Day weekend, the community fetes its furry friend with Bigfoot Days. Don’t keep the Victorian theme going, with old-fashioned
expect to see the big guy himself, but you’ll encounter a number of people who claim to mercantiles and even a blacksmith shop. Cradled
between two redwood forests, the entire town is
have met him. Sept. 5 bigfootcountry.net
listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
› victorianferndale.com

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 151

the-wall restaurants serving fish smoked
according to traditional Native American
recipes; vineyards close enough to the coast
to catch the salt spray; an old Russian trading
fort; handsome Victorian villages; possible
glimpses of the elusive creature known as
Bigfoot; wealthy, tie-dyed growers of the
region’s largest cash crop, which doctors in
DRIVE
» TOUR
From the GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE,
head over to the SONOMA COAST
at Bodega Bay (yes, that Bodega
Bay: Alfred Hitchcock filmed The
TOASTING THE SUNSET at Little River in
Birds there), and follow dramatic,
Mendocino County, top; a drive-thru
winding Highway 1 north past the
redwood and classic VW van, above;
historic Fort Ross, below. old Russian fort, FORT ROSS, and
Sea Ranch, GUALALA, MENDOCINO
and FORT BRAGG before heading
inland to connect with Highway
101—“The Redwood Highway”—at
LEGGETT, site of the DRIVE-THRU
TREE PARK. Continuing north on
the Redwood Highway, you’ll come
to HUMBOLDT REDWOODS STATE
PARK and the AVENUE OF THE
GIANTS, EUREKA and the cluster of
redwood parks extending almost to
the Oregon border.
152 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
California can legally prescribe; and bouts of
inspired lunacy such as elaborate sculptures
racing across the landscape.
For generations, the North Coast was
said to be on the far side of the “redwood
curtain,” the psychological barrier formed
by narrow, tortuous Highway 101, which
was little more than a two-lane conduit for
heavily-laden logging trucks. But Cali-
fornia has spent the last two decades
improving the road—straightening curves,
widening it in many places to four lanes—
and now the road is an easy drive.
City & Town
Transplanted New Englanders founded the
town of Mendocino on a rocky bluff above
the crashing Pacific Ocean, and it still
sports a whitewashed Cape Cod look. Once
a mill town, it went into decay in the 1930s
as the local timber trade waned but was
rediscovered in the 1960s by bohemians
CRESCENT
CITY
EUREKA
MENDOCINO COUNTY CVB; REDWOOD COAST; JIRKA MATOUSEK/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR
HUMBOLDT
AVENUE OF THE GIANTS
REDWOODS
STATE PARK
LEGGETT
MENDOCINO
GUALALA
FORT ROSS
BODEGA BAY
SAN FRANCISCO
and artists. On the shore of Humboldt Bay,
Eureka, the largest town on the North
Coast, has also reversed decades of decline
and turned its waterfront Old Town into
an inviting Victorian district of galleries,
boutiques and cafés. Crescent City was vir-
tually wiped off the map by a tsunami in
1964. Rebuilt now, it sports a smattering of
hotels and motels that make it a good base
for exploring nearby Jedediah Smith Red-
woods State Park.
Heritage & Culture
Native American tribes such as the Yurok
and Hoopa lived along the North Coast for
centuries before the arrival of fur trap-
pers—both Russians working their way
down from Alaska and American moun-
tain men such as Jedediah Smith coming
overland. For more than two centuries,
resource extraction—primarily logging—
was the region’s economic engine. As
dwindling forests and stricter environ-
mental laws took their tolls starting in the
1970s, the North Coast has transitioned to
tourism as its mainstay.
THE REDWOOD COAST, below.
INSIDER’S
» TIP
Part clown, part mime, part
acrobat, part juggler, the actors of
the DELL’ARTE COMPANY perform
in a uniquely physical style. A
third of all the clowns in Cirque
du Soleil shows are graduates of
this school in the tiny town of
Blue Lake. Drop by to catch a
performance or even enroll in the
School of Physical Theatre.
dellarte.com
Family Fun
Young children might have trouble fully
appreciating the timelessness of an ancient
redwood tree, but they’ll enjoy a gondola
ride through the silent forest canopy and a
chance to have their picture taken with
four-story-high statues of Paul Bunyan and
Babe the Blue Ox. Look for it at Trees of
Mystery, near the town of Klamath.
BOB WICK/VISIT MENDOCINO. OPPOSITE: SISKIYOU COUNTY
SHASTA CASCADE
A mystical mountain towers over an
outdoor adventure playground

BY JOHN FLINN
TOP CITIES
Redding, Mount Shasta City, Weaverville, Weed,
Chico, Oroville

T
hrusting 14,179 feet into the Northern California sky, Mount
Shasta is such an imposing presence that it creates its own
GATEWAY
Redding Municipal Airport (RDD) has flights from weather—most notably the eerie-looking lenticular clouds
Los Angeles and San Francisco, and is 9 miles (14 km) that form on its summit. Some people see in them a jaunty beret,
from the Redding city center others a UFO mother ship. It’s no wonder the snow-capped volcano
has long held a mysterious attraction for poets, artists, adventurers
TOURISM WEBSITES
visitsiskiyou.org and New Age mystics.
shastacascade.com At least two religions have been founded on the flanks of the
visitredding.com mountain, which some believe to be a vortex for spiritual activity,
and a race of psychically advanced people named the Lemurians is
POPULATION
274,000 rumored to live inside.
Mount Shasta is the focal point of one of California’s least-pop-
ulated regions, a land of high-desert tumbleweeds, majestic rivers
and craggy volcanoes. This is where the West Coast’s two major
mountain ranges—the Sierra Nevada and the Cascades—run head-
long into each other.
Just to the south of Shasta, Mount Lassen, the southernmost of
the Cascade peaks, erupted less than a century ago, spewing ash as
far as 200 miles away. Today, pots of boiling mud and steam vents
SHASTA smelling of rotten eggs attest that this volcano is far from dormant.
CASCADE
To the west rise the Trinity Alps and Marble Mountains, relatively
unvisited gems that are popular venues for fly fishing and horseback

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 155
 MUST
» SEE, MODOC INDIAN in traditional dress,
DO right; Red Bluff Rodeo in Tehama
County, below; Mount Shasta from
Military Pass Road, previous page.

» Vision Quest Embark on a guided, day-long

vision quest to the sacred springs, portals and
other sites that many believe make Mount Shasta
a spiritual energy vortex.
› shastavortex.com

» Crystal Persuasion Experience Mount

Shasta City’s metaphysical side by shopping for a
Lemurian Seed Crystal at The Crystal Room. But be
warned that they won’t let it go home with you
unless it’s a “good energy match.”
› crystalsmtshasta.com

» Castle Crags Do some exquisite hiking

among the soaring granite battlements of Castle
Crags State Park. It’s right off Interstate 5 a few
miles south of Mount Shasta.
› parks.ca.gov/?page_id=454

» Sundial Bridge Stroll across the Sundial

Bridge, Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava’s
now-iconic cantilever pedestrian span across the
Sacramento River, the centerpiece of the worth-
trips. To the north, the Klamath Basin The Great Outdoors
while Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding.
National Wildlife Refuge, which extends Mount Shasta is irresistible to climbers;
› turtlebay.org/sundialbridge
into southern Oregon, is part of the Pacific in the spring, summit-seekers are strung
»

Rolling on a River The Mount Shasta
region is a wonderland for whitewater rafting,
with a multitude of rivers offering everything from
easy float trips to challenging class 4 whitewater,
and trips lasting anywhere from a few hours to a
few days.
› mtshastachamber.com
INSIDER’S
» TIP
You don’t need to be a skilled
mountaineer to stand on the
summit of 10,463-foot MOUNT
LASSEN. A well-graded trail
(summer only) winds past
steaming, sulfurous fumaroles to
the top of the southernmost
volcano in the Cascade Range.
nps.gov/lavo
Flyway: In the fall its skies are darkened
by more than a million migratory birds.
City & Town
For travelers, Redding was nothing more
than a pit stop along Interstate 5 until
the opening of the instantly iconic Sun-
dial Bridge across the Sacramento River
in 2004. On the lower flanks of its name-
sake peak, Mount Shasta City sports a
main street lined with New Age book-
stores and shops selling crystals said to
have mystical powers. No less an
authority than James Hilton, author of
Lost Horizon, once claimed that the
pretty alpine hamlet of Weaverville,
gateway to the Trinity Alps, was the
closest he’s ever come to a real-life
Shangri-La.
LORISSA SORIANO; TEHAMA COYNTY. OPPOSITE: SHASTA COUNTY; LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK
out along its most popular routes like
ants on an anthill. To get to the top you
need an ice axe, crampons and the skill
to use them safely. But on Mount Lassen,
its neighbor to the south, a well-graded
trail runs all the way to the 10,457-foot-
high summit. World-class fly fishing
abounds in the Trinity Alps, and those
willing to walk a short distance with
their rods are almost guaranteed a spot
to themselves. On the Salmon River,
between the Trinity Alps and Marble
Mountains, Otter Bar Lodge (otterbar.com)
is one of the West’s premier whitewater
kayaking schools.
Heritage & Culture
The Shasta Tribe of Native Americans, a
band of hunters and fishermen who

156 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 SPECIAL
» EVENTS 2016
Classic cars, sock hops and ’50s-style burger joints are the big attractions of Redding’s
KOOL APRIL NITES. April 16-24 koolaprilnites.com

Get a close-up look at Redding’s two celebrity bald eagles, LIBERTY AND SPIRIT, on a
free tour of their nesting spots along the Sacramento River. Tours run every second
Saturday from October through mid June. facebook.com/FriendsoftheReddingEagles

lived in cedar-plank houses with base-
ments, once occupied much of what is
now far-northern California
southern Oregon. Their population
dropped rapidly as settlers seized land
following the discovery of gold in Yreka
and Upper Soda Springs in 1850. To the
east, at what is now Lava Beds National
Monument, the Modoc tribe and the
U.S. Army fought the last of the Indian
wars in California in 1872-73. In the late
1880s, the Central Pacific Railroad
spurred development of the timber and
tourism industries, and in the 1970s,
New Age seekers began filtering into the
area, culminating in 1987’s “Harmonic
and Convergence,” which identified Shasta
as one of the world’s “power centers.”
Family Fun
The Sundial Bridge is the big draw, but
for families, the surrounding Turtle Bay
Exploration Center in Redding offers a
full day’s worth of activities empha-
sizing the Sacramento River watershed,
including an aquarium, museum, zoo,
botanical garden and a recreated logging
camp. turtlebay.org

DRIVE
» TOUR
The VOLCANIC LEGACY
SCENIC BYWAY is a
500-mile-long route that
winds from LAKE
ALMANOR, south of
Mount Lassen, to CRATER
LAKE in southern Oregon,
with access to most of the
region’s major attractions.
volcaniclegacybyway.org

BUMPASS HELL, Lassen Volcanic

National Park, top right; Shasta
Dam and Lake, left.

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 157
HIGH SIERRA
The Range of Light is a user-friendly
land of superlatives

BY JOHN FLINN
TOP CITIES
South Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Tahoe City, Bishop,

“T
Mammoth Lakes, Oakhurst, Madera he Range of Light” was John Muir’s pet name for his
beloved Sierra Nevada. It’s not just the ethereal lumi-
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY
Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO),
nosity of the glacially polished granite that drew the
3 miles from Reno, Nevada city center renowned naturalist—and continues to draw people—to the Sierra
again and again. It’s the pristine lakes and rivers, the dramatic
TOURISM WEBSITES
hiking and biking trails, the contrast between the green meadows
yosemitepark.com
visitinglaketahoe.com
and stony battlements.
tahoesouth.com The Sierra Nevada may be one of the highest and most majestic
yosemitethisyear.com mountain ranges in North America, but it’s also one of the most
visitmammoth.com
accessible and user-friendly. Stretching 400 miles from north to
south, and about 70 from east to west, it’s crossed by seven high- RCPPHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: LYNN Y/SHUTTERSTOCK
POPULATION
600,000 ways—four of them open all year—and encompasses everything
from Lake Tahoe—where you might find yourself crowding
shoulder-to-shoulder around a boisterous craps table—to remote
canyons in Yosemite or Kings Canyon national parks where you
can spend a silent and solitary afternoon watching Muir’s favorite
bird, the water ouzel, plunge into waterfalls and cascades.
In a state with no shortage of superlatives, the region has more
than its share: It can boast the world’s oldest tree, the world’s most
HIGH massive tree, the Old West’s largest ghost town, the nation’s
SIERRA
highest waterfall and—until Alaska came along and rewrote the
record books—the nation’s highest peak.

160 2016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 MUST
» SEE,
The range is home to three national DO
parks, 15 state parks, two national mon-
uments and 20 officially designated
wilderness areas. Hikers get itchy feet at
the mere mention of its celebrated
walking paths: the John Muir Trail; the » Long Live Mono Lake Set in a brooding,
Tahoe Rim Trail; the Pacific Crest Trail; volcanic, Tolkienesque landscape, Mono Lake is
one of the most otherworldly sights in California,
the Tahoe-Yosemite Trail. At the drop of
with spiky tufa towers rising out of an alkaline
winter’s first snowflake, skiers begin lake. Explore it by kayak or canoe, or take a
making plans for the three premier ski guided naturalist walk along the shoreline.
resorts on America’s West Coast: Squaw Geographically speaking, the moun- › monolake.org
Valley (site of the 1960 Winter tain range is pretty much one big chunk
› calderakayak.com
Olympics), Heavenly and Mammoth of granite tilted like a badly placed brick » The Big Picture It’s nearly impossible to
Mountain. Streams rushing down the in a cobblestone street: It’s gently take a boring picture in Yosemite Valley, but to ele-
vate your camera work to the next level, sign up
range’s sheer east slope into the Owens sloped on the west side and quite steep
for a guided photography walk. They range from
Valley are renowned for their fly fishing. on the east, lower in the north and free beginners classes to inexpensive four-hour
courses offered through the Ansel Adams Galley.
› nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/art.htm
DRIVE › yosemitepark.com/ansel-adams-photography-
classes.aspx
» TOUR
» California’s Everest You don’t have to be
Sir Edmund Hillary or Tenzing Norgay to plant your
flag on the 14,495-foot summit of Mount Whitney,
the tallest mountain in the Lower 48. The pathway
to the top begins west of the town of Lone Pine
and gains an ear-popping 6,100 feet in 11 miles.
› mount-whitney.com
» Biggest Tree Tree-huggers, don’t bother
trying to wrap your arms around the General
Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park. With a cir-
cumference of 102 feet, the giant sequoia is the
largest known tree on the planet. While not quite
as tall as its coastal cousins, its staggering girth
more than makes up for it.
› nps.gov/seki/naturescience/sherman.htm
Highway 120 is a magical mystery tour through the heart of Yosemite
National Park’s exquisite high country. From the handsome old mining » The Wild, Wild West Bodie, possibly the
town of GROVELAND, follow 120 east into the park (HETCH HETCHY, the Old West’s most notorious mining town, now
exists in a state of “arrested decay” on a high,
fraternal twin of Yosemite Valley that was dammed to provide San
windswept plain northeast of Yosemite. It’s one of
Francisco’s water supply, is a short side trip) past the TUOLUMNE GROVE of America’s most extensive ghost towns.
giant sequoias and up into the rarified alpine world. Pull over at OLMSTEAD › parks.ca.gov/?page_id=509
POINT to view HALF DOME from an angle you’ve never seen before. You’ll
traverse TUOLUMNE MEADOWS, the jumping-off point for some of
Yosemite’s finest hiking trails, and cross 9,943-foot TIOGA PASS before KAYAKING on crystalline Lake Tahoe,
top; hiking in Yosemite National Park
descending three-quarters of a vertical mile to shimmering MONO LAKE.
with Half Dome, opposite.

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 161
 Row now houses busy restaurants and watch the progress of climbers inching

higher in the south. Keep that in mind
when choosing a hiking trail: for an easier
amble, look to the north and west; for a
challenging ascent, head south and east.
bars, some adorned with portraits of gun-
slingers and desperadoes. Farther south,
sprawling Bishop sports the Owens Valley’s
most extensive collection of lodging,
dining and resupply outlets.
The Great Outdoors
Just a few hours’ drive from San Francisco
or Los Angeles, the Sierra Nevada has been
California’s outdoor playground almost
since the arrival of the original 49ers. In
Yosemite Valley, spectators with telescopes
KENNY KARST/DNC PARKS & RESORTS AT YOSEMITE, INC.; KAVRAM/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: KENNY KARST/DNC PARKS & RESORTS AT YOSEMITE, INC.
their way up the impossibly sheer granite
walls. Tempted to try it? Sign up for an
introductory class at the Yosemite Moun-
taineering School—or at least treat
yourself to a “Go Climb a Rock” T-shirt.
With some of the most reliably sunny
summer weather of any major mountain
range, the High Sierra is a hiker’s paradise,
from easy day walks in the Desolation
Wilderness to challenging, multi-week
journeys through Kings Canyon and
Sequoia national parks. Skiers have their

SPECIAL
City & Town
Now connected by gondola to the Heav-
» EVENTS 2016
enly ski resort, the bustling town of South
Lake Tahoe, located on the lakeshore and Celebrate with some of America’s top chefs for evenings full of cooking demonstrations, meet-
the Nevada border, has seen an injection of and-greets and, of course, sumptuous dinners at Yosemite CHEF’S HOLIDAYS, held in the
landmark Ahwahnee Hotel. Runs most evenings from Jan. 10 through Feb. 4
energy and interest in recent years, with
yosemitepark.com/chefs-holidays
new restaurants, shops and galleries. With
a large inventory of hotel rooms and a
“LIGHTS ON THE LAKE,” held each Fourth of July at South Lake Tahoe, is the largest
cluster of hotel-casinos just a few steps synchronized fireworks show west of the Mississippi. July 4 tahoesouth.com
over the border, it’s a good bet for inexpen-
sive lodging. In Truckee, a handsome old With past participants such as Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and John Elway, South Lake
railroad and lumber town between Donner Tahoe’s AMERICAN CENTURY GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP has been called the “Super Bowl

Pass and Squaw Valley, a collection of Old of Celebrity Sports.” July 19-24 tahoecelebritygolf.com

West historic buildings along Commercial

162 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
choice of world-class venues, from
beginner-friendly Granlibakken to the
double-diamond chutes of Squaw Valley
and Heavenly. In summer, many of the
resorts—particularly Northstar and Mam-
moth—convert their lifts and gondolas to
carry mountain bikes.
Heritage & Culture
Native Americans, pioneer emigrants and
gold miners all left their marks on the High
Sierra—often literally. At Grinding Rock
State Historic Park near the town of Twain
Harte, Miwok Indians once ground acorns
on an outcrop of marbleized limestone. The
1,185 mortar holes they left behind consti-
tute the largest such collection in North
America. In the Hope Valley, just south of
Lake Tahoe, you can still see ruts in the rocks
left by the covered wagons of settlers on the
Emigrant Trail. The shafts of thousands of
abandoned mines pockmark the High
FAMILY IN THE MARIPOSA GROVE of giant
sequoias, Yosemite, opposite left; sunset on
Mono Lake, opposite top; chef demo at
Yosemite Food and Wine Events, below;
cross-country skiing in the high country, right;
Bracebridge Dinner at Yosemite, bottom right.
Sierra. One of the best places to see one is the
Great Sierra Mine, a short but steep hike
from Tioga Pass in Yosemite. You’ll find the
remains of old miners’ cabins, but exercise
care around the shafts, several of which
remain open and unfenced.
Family Fun
If the kids aren’t yet ready for full-on
camping, Lake Tahoe has two old-timey
resorts with knotty-pine cabins scattered
in the trees near the lakeshore, bike and
paddleboat rentals and ice cream parlors.
Camp Richardson is on the west shore,
near Tahoe City; Zephyr Cove is on the
south shore, just over the border in Nevada.
camprichardson.com zephyrcove.com
INSIDER’S
» TIP
The hardest part of hiking to
the top of YOSEMITE’S HALF
DOME might not be the mile of
elevation gain or the vertiginous
metal cables covering the last
400 feet: It’s scoring the coveted,
mandatory permit. They’re
issued via a daily online lottery
beginning March 1 and ending
March 31.
nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/
hdpermits
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 163
LAKE TAHOE SOUTH SHORE
Indoor and outdoor playground
FROM SERENE VIEWS over mirror-flat
HIKE, PLAY, morning waters of Lake Tahoe and the
» EAT, DANCE! gentle footfall of hikers on pine needle-
covered forest paths, to the jangle of slot
Visitor Information
machines and the pumping bass of a
tahoesouth.com
casino dance club, Lake Tahoe South Shore
skiheavenly.com
(what the marketers call Tahoe South) is a
tahoecelebritygolf.com
destination hosting a unique mix of
fs.usda.gov/ltbmu
wilderness and wild-ness, an indoor and
kirkwood.com
outdoor playground with equal measures
sierraattahoe.com of altitude and attitude. Visitors can follow
thelandingtahoe.com their desires to find peace and solitude on
basecamphotels.com back country hikes or ski runs, or dive into
hardrockcasinolaketahoe.com a swirling social scene at a packed summer
beach, holler at a crowded craps table or
slurp microbrews at an après ski bar com-
plete with go-go dancers. It’s dealer’s
choice on the South Shore. And with new
hotel, restaurant and retail spaces contin-
uing to open this year as part of a full
164 201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
BY BILL FINK
South Lake makeover, the choices are
greater than ever.
Summer
Summer activity around the South Shore
is understandably focused on the beautiful
waters of spectacular Lake Tahoe. Beaches
are packed with summer revelers, while
the waters are filled with every type of
floating vessel imaginable—from kayaks
and stand-up paddle boards to small sail-
boats, fishing cruisers, water-ski boats,
luxury cruising vessels and even two mas-
sive paddleboats, the Tahoe Queen and Ms.
Dixie II that run daily Emerald Bay cruises.
For fun out of the water, the South
Shore is a hiker’s paradise with journeys
ranging from multi-day treks into the Des-
olation Wilderness and a steep day’s climb
up to the awe-inspiring views of Mt. Tallac,
 SLEIGH RIDE fun, right; biking at
Corral Loop, below; kayaking on the
lake, opposite.
JAMIE KINGHAM/LAKE TAHOE VISITORS AUTHORITY; BEN FISH/LAKE TAHOE VISITORS AUTHORITY. OPPOSITE: JEFF DOW/CAMP RICHARDSON RESORT
to relaxed family strolls in flat meadows at
Camp Richardson and around the Tallac
Historic Site or just lazing at the beach.
Cyclists can take advantage of a network of
road rides and mountain paths with every-
thing from a scenic roll in the woods to
treacherous, teeth-rattling mountain
descents. The ambitious can even bike the
entire 72-mile circumference of Lake
Tahoe, while the cautious can pedal
recently opened bike paths close to town.
Golfers can check out the lakeside Edge-
wood Tahoe Golf Course (home of the
popular American Century celebrity golf
tournament in July) and several other
nearby courses.
Heavenly Mountain Resort’s on-moun-
tain Epic Discovery adventure center
includes new zip lines, an educational forest
canopy tour and a kids ropes course, as well
as a network of hiking trails branching off
from their gondola (which is worth a sight-
seeing ride even if you never step off it).
Winter
Lake Tahoe South Shore boasts three top-
notch ski resorts: Heavenly, Kirkwood and
Sierra-at-Tahoe. Heavenly is a huge and
popular mountain celebrating its 60th
anniversary. It spans two states, with con-
trasting views of the blue Tahoe waters
and the high-prairie Nevada countryside.
The Heavenly Gondola drops visitors right
into the action in the center of the city.
Heavenly’s Tamarack Lodge has an après
ski scene with pumping music, multiple
bars and go-go dancers gyrating to keep
themselves (and the viewers) warm. Kirk-
wood, about a 45-minute drive from town,
is known for its off-piste terrain, deep
snow and relaxed vibe. Sierra-at-Tahoe is
a medium-sized family-oriented ski resort
featuring a new base plaza, located on
Highway 50 between South Lake Tahoe
and Sacramento.
24/7/365
When the day of outdoor activity is done,
the second shift of fun is just beginning
around South Lake Tahoe. High-rise
casinos rock with the sounds and energy
of non-stop gambling. Gamers get
recharged in an array of restaurants and
buffets, as well as at comedy shows and
live music events like Harveys Summer
Concert Series, whose 2015 events featured
performers ranging from Elton John to
Kenny Chesney and Aerosmith, while the
Hard Rock Hotel has hosted both heavy
metal and bluegrass shows. Packed bars
and clubs give this indoor playground a
Vegas feel, albeit at 6200 feet above sea
level. Outside the casinos, the main strip
of town boasts shopping opportunities
with continued new openings in the
“Chateau at the Village” retail area, name-
brand boutiques as well as quirky local
ski shops and crafts stores. Dining can be
anything from sushi to pizza and
gourmet cuisine—offered at casual local
diners (like the newly opened California
Burger Company)—to luxury lakeside
restaurants. When you finally decide to
take a rest, South Lake Tahoe offers a vast
array of lodging options, including
recently launched boutique hotels like
the outdoorsy-themed Basecamp Hotel
and the waterfront five-star resort of The
Landing and the newly opened Hard Rock
Hotel & Casino.
Regardless of your choice of food,
activity or season, Lake Tahoe South Shore
is a spot to satisfy any sort of appetite—
you’ll only be hungry for another trip.
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 165
GOLD COUNTRY
A Mother Lode of attractions
in the Sierra Foothills

BY JOHN FLINN
TOP CITIES
Sacramento, Sonora, Placerville, Auburn, Downieville,
Sutter Creek, Nevada City, Jackson, Columbia, Murphys,
Jamestown, Angels Camp

I
t was a flash in the pan that changed the history of
California, and of the world. The sparkling gold nugget
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY
Sacramento International Airport (SMF), 13 miles (21 km) that caught the eye of James W. Marshall as he tended a
from the city center sawmill in the Sierra Nevada foothills in January 1848 set off
a gold rush that drew more than 300,000 would-be prospec-
TOURISM WEBSITES
tors the following year from the eastern U.S., South America,
discovergold.org
visit-eldorado.com Europe, even China. They were known as the 49ers.
visitsacramento.com Overnight, the Gold Rush transformed San Francisco
from a sleepy port to a rollicking city and persuaded Con-
POPULATION
gress to put California—wrested from Mexico by war just
650,000
two years earlier—on the fast track to statehood. Most of the
gold was found in a 300-mile belt that extended through the
Sierra foothills, from Downieville in the north to Coarsegold
in the south. Miners called it the “Mother Lode.”
In a state working tirelessly to invent the future, the Gold
Country remains the most visible manifestation of its not-
so-distant past, with towns sporting wood-plank sidewalks,
swinging saloon doors, hitching posts and red-brick build-
GOLD ings. (You’ll quickly discover that the best preserved of these
COUNTRY
belonged to Wells Fargo and, oddly, the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows.)

168 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 SPECIAL
» EVENTS 2016 MUST
» SEE,
Nearly three dozen El Dorado County wineries participate in TALES FROM THE DO
CELLAR, a blend of wine-tasting, live music, food and literary-themed events. April 9-10
and 16-17 passporteldorado.com

Wager on a jumping frog as Mark Twain’s most beloved story is commemorated each
year at the CALAVERAS COUNTY FAIR & JUMPING FROG JUBILEE in Angels Camp. » All Aboard Rail buffs will want to lay tracks
May 19-22 frogtown.org for the California State Railroad Museum, one of
the best of its kind in the nation. It’s located in Old
The HANGTOWN HARMONICA CHAMPIONSHIP is the highlight of the Cowboys Sacramento, which preserves a district of the state
and Cornbread festival celebrating western living at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds. capital pretty much as it looked in Gold Rush days.
July 16 cowboysandcornbread.com › csrmf.org
» Mother Lode Underground Scratch
beneath the surface for a tour of limestone cav-
TOWER BRIDGE in Sacramento, opposite; Calaveras Big Trees Association carriage ride erns sporting dogtooth spar crystals and
at Winter Wonderland, below; a historic building in Old Sacramento, bottom right. head-banging stalactites at Mercer Caverns.
› mercercaverns.com
» Bottoms Up Sample rich, jammy Zinfandels
and other wines without the crowds at dozens of
wineries in California’s up-and-coming wine
region—Amador, El Dorado and Calaveras counties.
› discovercaliforniawines.com/discover-
california/sierra-foothills

» There’s an Apple for That Allow the aroma

ALAN BEYMER/GOLD COUNTRY VISITOR’S ASSOCIATION; MILOSK50/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: PHOTO.UA/SHUTTERSTOCK

of freshly baked apple pies, fritters, turnovers and

strudel to lure you off Highway 50 east of Plac-
erville to a place called Apple Hill. More than 50
growers participate in a celebration of the apple
harvest—and of autumn itself—with cider,
hayrides, pumpkin patches, hay mazes and other
family fun. It runs from Labor Day to Christmas.
› applehill.com
» “Gem of the Southern Mines” Step back
into the 1850s with a visit to Columbia State His-
toric Park, a functioning town preserved as it was
in the Gold Rush era.
› parks.ca.gov/?page_id=552

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 169

INSIDER’S
» TIP
Inspect the signatures of everyone
from Mark Twain to Ulysses S.
Grant to Charles Bolles (better
known as Black Bart) in the
register of the historic MURPHYS
HOTEL, one of the oldest
continually operating hotels in
California. murphyshotel.com
170 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
Today you can still pan for gold—it’s
often said there’s more left in the ground
than the original 49ers ever took out—but
you can also raft some of California’s froth-
iest rivers, explore caverns and sample
Chardonnay and Syrah in a number of
uncrowded, up-and-coming wineries.
City & Town
Sacramento was the terminus of the
Transcontinental Railroad—from there,
passengers completed their journey to San
Francisco by ferry and barge—and the city
still plays a vital role as the jumping-off
point for exploring the Gold Country.
Since the arrival of the 49ers, the small
towns of the Gold Country proper have
morphed through several distinct stages,
from rough-and-tumble boomtowns, to
somnolent hamlets, to destinations for
biker rallies, to, finally, genteel venues for
weekend getaways sporting comfortable
B&Bs, sophisticated restaurants, antique
stores and nearby wineries. Among the
most popular are Sutter Creek, Nevada
City and Murphys. The two largest towns
of the Sierra foothills—Sonora and Plac-
erville—offer all this, plus a large
selection of motels, restaurants and shops
in all price categories.
The Great Outdoors
From May to mid October, the American
River is California’s top venue for white-
water rafting. The river flow is controlled
by releases from upstream reservoirs, so
rafters are assured of good conditions.
Outfitters offer both half-day and full-day
COLUMBIA STATE HISTORIC PARK,
left; old timers making music in the
western gold mining town of
Columbia, above; California’s State
Capitol in Sacramento, opposite.
 trips through Class III whitewater,
ending up at Marshall Gold Discovery
State Historic Park or Folsom Lake. In the
northern Sierra, the town of Downieville
has become a center for mountain
biking. Local bike shops offer rentals and
shuttles on old mining roads and single
tracks from the casual to the technical,
including a 15-mile ride with a 4,000-
foot descent. Houseboaters flock to vast,
sprawling Gold Country reservoirs such
as New Melones Lake, Don Pedro Lake
and Lake McClure.

DRIVE
» TOUR

NAVIGATING A TOUR
through the Gold Country
couldn’t be easier: HIGHWAY
49—named for the original
49ers—traverses the entire
HERMOSA CHRIS/SHUTTERSOCK. OPPOSITE: JASPERDO/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR; PIERDELUNE/SHUTTERSTOCK

region. It stretches nearly

300 miles through the
Sierra foothills, from
DOWNIEVILLE in the north
to OAKHURST in the south,
linking all the Gold
Country’s major towns and
sights. Allow at least two
days for the journey. Start
with a mountain-biking excursion in DOWNIEVILLE, poke around the
galleries and antique shops of NEVADA CITY and drop by the site where
Marshall and Sutter found those first sparkling nuggets in COLOMA.
SUTTER CREEK, with a bounty of inviting B&Bs and restaurants serving
the local wine, is a good place to spend the night. On your second day,
explore ANGELS CAMP—perhaps pausing to wager on a frog if it’s
jumping season (the third week in May)—try your hand at panning for
gold at COLUMBIA STATE HISTORIC PARK and take a ride on the historic
steam train in JAMESTOWN’S RAILTOWN 1897 STATE HISTORIC PARK.
 CENTRAL VALLEY
California’s rich garden

TOP CITIES BY JILL K. ROBINSON

Modesto, Fresno, Bakersfield, Davis, Stockton,
Fairfield, Merced, Visalia, Madera, Vacaville,
Manteca, Lodi

C
alifornia’s Central Valley contains thousands of acres of land

GARY C. TOGNONI/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: LODI CVB; JUVENILE TETE-A-TETE/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR

INTERNATIONAL GATEWAYS
under cultivation and small farming communities that seem
Sacramento International Airport (SMF), 80 miles to have been frozen in time. The fertile green strip in the center
(129 km) from Modesto, 172 miles (277 km) from Fresno of California is considered by many to be the greatest garden in the
San Francisco International Airport (SFO), 94 miles world. The 400-mile-long Central Valley, wedged between the Sierra
(151 km) from Modesto, 186 miles (299 km) from Fresno Nevada range and the coastal mountains in the center of California, is
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), filled with farms, orchards and vineyards growing everything from
118 miles (190 km) from Bakersfield almonds to peaches to grapes. It’s likely that you’ve benefited from the
region even if you haven’t visited before, as it supplies as much as 45
TOURISM WEBSITE
visitcentralvalley.com
percent of the food eaten in the United States.
In the larger cities of the Central Valley (Modesto, Fresno and Bak-
POPULATION ersfield), there’s still a small-town friendliness that encourages visitors
4,858,000
to slow down and look beyond the farmland. From the quiet, northern-
most towns of Orland, Yuba City and Davis to Visalia, Tulare and
Maricopa at the southern end of the valley, it’s easy to feel at home and
see what some call “the Other California.”
Travelers using Interstate 5 to get through the Central Valley may
believe the agricultural region is nothing more than a sleepy little
farming area, but it also has a wealth of spectacular scenery, opportu-
CENTRAL
VALLEY nities for outdoor recreation, highlights of California history and funky
roadside diners. The best way to discover the area is by slowing down

172 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 MUST
» SEE,
DO

» Middle Mountains Hike the Sutter Buttes,

remnants of an ancient volcano and known as the
“world’s smallest mountain range.”
› sutterbutteslandtrust.org
» Baseball Island Catch a baseball game at
Banner Island, home of the Stockton Ports, an off-
shoot of the team credited with inspiring Ernest
Lawrence Thayer’s famous poem, “Casey at the Bat.”
› stocktonports.com

» Underground Gardens Wander through

the gardens in the hand-built network of
Forestiere Gardens’ underground rooms, court-
yards and passageways.
› undergroundgardens.com
PADDLE BOARDING at Lodi Lake, above; Sandhill Crane Festival, bottom right;
rolling green hills of a ranch outside Fresno, opposite. » Wine Tasting Pay a visit to one of the 85
wineries in Lodi, producing more than 40 percent
of the state’s premium Zinfandel.
› lodiwine.com
DRIVE
» TOUR » Old Town Wander through the delta town of
Locke, the only U.S. town built exclusively by the
Chinese for the Chinese.
It may be tempting to cover › locketown.com
the Central Valley by zooming
along on Interstate 5, but
instead, take the slower
HIGHWAY 99—often referred
to as “California’s Main Street,”
and the very same road the
fictional Joad family traveled
in The Grapes of Wrath. Start
in oil-town BAKERSFIELD and
head north toward FRESNO,
MERCED and MODESTO. As
you pass from the San
Joaquin Valley into the
Sacramento River Delta, take
a jog over to Interstate 5 to pass to the west of Sacramento and into
Yolo, Colusa and Glenn counties at the north end of the great
Central Valley.

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 173
 THE OLD SOUTHERN PACIFIC TRAIN STATION, Modesto, right;
food and wine tasting at Lodi, below.
INSIDER’S
» TIP
Get to know the distinctive country music style known as the
BAKERSFIELD SOUND, popularized by Buck Owens and Merle
Haggard in one of the best places to hear it: Buck Owens’ Crystal
Palace in Bakersfield.
174 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
and taking Highway 99, which feels more
like a back road. Cities and towns cluster
along the route, giving you a chance to pull
off and explore at your leisure.
Two river valleys—the Sacramento and
San Joaquin—dominate the majority of the
region, and the area waterways serve as
opportunities for sport (fishing, rafting,
waterskiing) and bird migration rest stops,
as well as a necessary element of farming.
In the hot summer months, the area’s
rivers and lakes help residents and tourists
alike cool off, and a shady swimming hole
is an ideal spot to spend an afternoon.
The most notable souvenir from a trip
through the Central Valley comes from any
of the unbeatable roadside produce stands.
ANTHONY MCCAMMON PHOTOGRAPHY; SCOTT PROKOP/SHUTTERSTOCK
Be sure to enjoy them before you return
home, because the edible treasure of the
region is best sampled fresh.
City & Town
Bicycles outnumber cars in college-town
Davis, with more bikes per capita than any
U.S. city. Hotrods and Modesto were the
stars of American Graffiti—and auto fans
still flock to the valley city. Fresno’s archi-
tectural history includes brick warehouses
along the Santa Fe railroad tracks and the
1928 Pantages Theatre.
 SPECIAL
» EVENTS 2016

MARCH MEET March 3-6, Bakersfield famosoraceway.com

ROGUE PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL March 3-12, Fresno roguefestival.com

PICNIC DAY April 16, Davis picnicday.ucdavis.edu

ZINFEST WINE FESTIVAL May 13-15, Lodi zinfest.com

AMERICAN GRAFFITI CAR SHOW & FESTIVAL June 10-12, Modesto americangraffitifestival.com

VILLAGE FEST Sept. 10, Bakersfield bakersfieldvillagefest.com

FESTIVAL OF ROSES Sept. 10, Wasco ci.wasco.ca.us

BIG FRESNO FAIR Oct. 5-16, Fresno fresnofair.com

The Great Outdoors
BRUBECK FESTIVAL Oct. 14-15, Stockton pacific.edu/Brubeck-Institute.html
A sprawling web of rivers twists through the
Central Valley—from the Sacramento to the SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL Nov. 4-6, Lodi cranefestival.com
San Joaquin to the Feather. The best place to
enjoy river life is in the Sacramento Delta,
with lush wetlands and vast orchards. The
Sutter Buttes—considered the world’s
smallest mountain range—rise above the
flat valley at its northernmost point.

Heritage & Culture

Agriculture has drawn a diverse group of
people to the Central Valley over the years,
including migrant workers from Latin
America, Dust Bowl-era farmers and
entertaining country music masters. Vis-
itors are always welcome to join regional
celebrations, from Basque festivals to har-
vest days to Portuguese festas—which
include bloodless bullfights.

Family Fun
Families who love wide-open spaces will
find plenty to do in the Central Valley.
Escape the summer heat by tubing down
the Sacramento River, discover the
amazing Forestiere Underground Gardens
in Fresno, wander through the delta town
of Locke, or gawk at restored military air-
craft at the Castle Air Museum.

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 175
DESERTS
A fun in the sun playground for everyone

B Y C H R I S TO P H E R P. B A K E R
TOP CITIES
Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage,
Barstow, Indian Wells, Needles, Salton Sea, Mojave

W
ith its awesome landscapes and sublime winter weather, Cal-
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY ifornia’s desert region has a unique allure. More than five
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), 10 minutes million visitors annually descend on Palm Springs and envi-
from downtown Palm Springs, 44 miles (71 km) from
rons for club- and racket-swinging recreation and to sample nature’s raw
Anza-Borrego State Park
beauty, from lush palm oases to soothing hot mineral spas. Add hip trade-
TOURISM WEBSITES mark mid-century architecture and a slow-and-easy lifestyle that’s being
ci.palm-springs.ca.us revived with a feverish and youthful new Hollywood energy. No wonder
palm-desert.org
“It’s hot!” has new meaning. After all, where else can you golf in the
la-quinta.org
morning, go snowshoeing in the afternoon, and enjoy a chilled martini

WELCOMIA/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: JPHOTOGOLFER/SHUTTERSTOCK

ranchomirageca.gov
barstowca.org by the pool in the evening?
indio.org In the 1950s and ’60s, Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack made Palm Springs
Anza-Borrego SP: parks.ca.gov/?page_id=638
the definition of cool. By the 1970s, the Hollywood set had moved “down
Death Valley NP: nps.gov/deva
Joshua Tree NP: nps.gov/jotr valley” to Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage, with their luxurious golf
courses and country clubs. But Palm Springs has staged an impressive
POPULATION comeback. Newly fresh and compelling, this epicenter for desert vaca-
750,000
tions exudes contemporary cool. No wonder a whole new generation of
Hollywood stars and millennials is flocking to where it’s the 1960s all over
again. Plus, a spectacular and dramatic redevelopment plan, which broke
ground in 2014, promises to add even more luster to downtown Palm
Springs, with several exciting new luxury hotels, a stunning new Agua
DESERTS Caliente Cultural Museum, and a pedestrian walkway linking the world-
class Palm Springs Art Museum to “The Strip.”

176 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
OLD TOWN LA QUINTA, Coachella Valley, opposite; LPGA Tour
tournament at Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage, below.
SPECIAL
» EVENTS 2016
PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Jan. 1-11, Palm Springs psfilmfest.org
RIVERSIDE COUNTY FAIR AND NATIONAL DATE FESTIVAL
Feb. 12-21, Indio datefest.org
BNP PARIBAS OPEN March 7-20, Indian Wells bnpparibasopen.com
FASHION WEEK April 3-9, Palm Desert fashionweekelpaseo.com
COACHELLA MUSIC FESTIVAL April 15-17, 22-24 Indio coachella.com
STAGECOACH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL
April 29-May 1, Indio stagecoachfestival.com
JOSHUA TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL
May 12-15, Oct. 6-9 Joshua Tree joshuatreemusicfestival.com
51ST ANNUAL BORREGO DAYS DESERT FESTIVAL
Oct. 28-30 Borrego Springs borregodays.com
DEATH VALLEY 49ERS ENCAMPMENT
Nov. 9-13 Death Valley deathvalley49ers.org
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS PARADE Dec. 3, Palm Springs psfestivaloflights.com
An easy 90-minute drive from Los Angeles, “Palm Springs” is under-
stood as the entire Coachella Valley, comprising eight “desert resort
communities” clustered at the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains. They
merge into one another along Highway 111—one of California’s great
urban drives. The physical setting is out of this world. Majestic moun-
tains soar on three sides, glistening with snow in the winter sunshine.
There’s no shortage of activities and attractions. The dining is fabulous.
The spas are among California’s best. And the region boasts several ritzy
casinos. Museums cater to WWII aviation buffs, art fans and nature lovers
keen to experience desert ecology. El Paseo gives Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive
a run for its money in its quality and range of boutiques. Palm Springs’
MUST
» SEE,
DO
» Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Revolving through 360
degrees as it climbs more than two miles to the mountain station at
8,516 feet elevation, this tram whisks you to another world. It’s a
sensational ride, perfect for escaping the heat of summer to hike
amid pine forest where the temperatures are pleasantly cool. Or
head up to the snows in winter to explore by snowshoe or on cross-
country skis. The mountain station has a gourmet restaurant—great
for a candlelit dinner with the lights of the valley sparkling far below.
› pstramway.com
» Palm Springs Modern The mid-20th-century Modernist
movement imbues Palm Springs with much of its unique appeal. For
a fascinating insight into sophisticated designs, explore the city with
an expert architectural guide who can explain the inspiration for the
iconic Bank of America building, Kaufmann House and “Ship of the
Desert.” Perhaps you’ll even get to see inside the famous steel
houses, and even a home or two of the rich and famous.
› palmspringsmodern.com
» Palm Springs Museums To satisfy cultural yearnings, start
at the Palm Springs Art Museum. Considered one of California’s
finest regional museums, this world-class venue is notable for its
contemporary art and astounding glass art in the Denney Western
American Art Wing. Its Mesoamerican collection includes basketry,
pottery and other artifacts by local Amerindian tribes. The Palm
Springs Air Museum is one of the world’s foremost museums
dedicated to WWII aircraft, displayed in two hangars replicating the
European and Pacific theaters.
› psmuseum.org
› palmspringsairmuseum.org
» Valley Vistas To truly appreciate the desert’s beauty and
scale, get up high. Look to the horizon from the Coachella Valley
Vista Point, on Highway 74, five miles uphill from Palm Desert. The
Bump and Grind trail rewards hikers with sensational views over
Palm Springs, as does the Peaks Restaurant at the Palm Springs
Aerial Tram’s Mountain Station. And hauling yourself out of bed
early for the pre-dawn drive to Dante’s View is well worth it to
watch Death Valley, far below, unveiled at sunrise.
› nps.gov/deva
» Windmill Tours There’s a reason thousands of wind turbines
stud the landscape north of Palm Springs and northwest of Mojave:
gale-force winds whip through the San Gregorio and Tehachapi
passes, respectively. Thick as forests, the turbines inspire a “WOW!”
response. Curious to find out the facts behind these giant fans with
blades half the length of a football field? Palm Springs Windmill
Tours will take you behind the scenes and give you the low-down on
four generations of technology.
› windmilltours.com
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 177

MILKY WAY BEFORE DAWN at Joshua
Tree National Park, top; BNP Paribas
Open, above; Marilyn Monroe statue in
Palm Springs, opposite.
INSIDER’S
» TIP
Wildlife abounds in the desert,
but for the most part you’d never
know it—critters hide by day,
especially in summer. It’s easy to
get close to desert flora and fauna
at LIVING DESERT ZOO & PARK,
which displays animals from arid
environments around the world.
Local denizens include bighorn
sheep, rattlesnakes and coyotes.
livingdesert.org
178 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
music, film and arts festivals are world-
renowned. More than two million visitors
come annually to play golf on more than
one hundred courses. Almost as many
arrive to explore the palm groves, alpine
summits or spectacular desert landscapes
of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and
Joshua Tree National Park. And farther
afield, Death Valley National Park outdoes
them all for its kaleidoscopic physical
beauty.
Active Adventures
You might be forgiven for thinking that a
desert offers little to do and that it’s just too
darn hot to do it in any event. Wrong on
both counts! The region is replete with
exciting recreational activities. Fabulous
winter weather spells Nirvana for hikers,
rock-climbers, cyclists and other out-
doorsy folk.
Let’s start with golf. There’s no more
quintessential image of the Palm Springs
region than an emerald greensward
studded by palms and framed by boulder-
strewn mountains gloriously snowcapped
in winter. In fact, the Coachella Valley has
earned the distinction of “Golf Capital of
the World,” with more golf courses than
you can shake a 4-iron at: about 120 in all.
Incising the slopes of the San Jacinto
Mountains, the three Indian Canyons
tempt hikers with 30 miles of trails and
picnic sites. Fed by natural springs, stands
of desert fan palms crowd the canyon
floors, providing sheltering oases for kit
fox, bighorn sheep and coyote. Ancient
petroglyphs can be seen while hiking
Andreas Canyon and Tahquitz Canyon,
with its spectacular 60-foot-tall waterfall.
Natural Wonders
Brimming with the glories of nature, the
desert is a paradise for anyone who appre-
ciates stupendous landscapes. The scenery
is far more diverse than you might imagine,
ranging from below sea level to more than
10,000 feet atop Mount San Jacinto.
Abundant rains in winter carpet the
desert with wildflowers—nowhere more
spectacular than the springtime bloom of
Antelope Valley Poppy State Reserve, near
KEITH CUDDEBACK/FLICKR/CREATIVE COMMONS. PALM SPRINGS CVB. OPPOSITE: GORD MCKENNA/FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS
the town of Mojave. Snaking south through
the Coachella Valley, scenic palm-lined
Highway 111 will deliver you to Anza-Borrego
Desert State Park. Capital of desert botanica,
this 500,000-acre park is ablaze with fiery
red poppies and other wildflowers.
A 30-minute drive northeast from Palm
Springs, Joshua Tree National Park spans
1,240 square miles of Mojave and lower
Colorado deserts and protects one of the
most spectacular desert regions in North
America. Popular with rock climbers, its
dramatic landscapes are made surreal by
the “Joshua tree” species of yucca, with
strange, arm-like branches.
From Joshua Tree, historic Route 66
unfurls past Mojave National Preserve,
where the Kelso Dunes tower almost 1,000
feet above the desert floor. They’re known
as the “singing dunes” because they emit a
buzz or rumble when sand slides down the
dune-face. Nearby, 32 ancient volcanic
cones stud Cinder Cones National Natural
Landmark—a gateway to the stand-out
draw of the northern Mojave: Death Valley
National Park. The highest ground temper-
ature ever recorded on earth was here, at
Badwater, a sunken trough that reaches 282
feet below sea level. Yet Death Valley is
rimmed by 11,000-foot mountains. Winter
months are deliciously temperate, when
tourists flock to marvel at chromatic
canyons and sun-bleached salt pans. Well-
paved roads lace the park, while dirt roads
open up a world of extreme adventure for
visitors with suitable vehicles.
Cultural Connections
Culture vultures thrill to find the desert is
far from dry. The Native American Agua
Caliente occupied the Palm Springs region
long before Europeans arrived. Their proud
legacy is on show at the Agua Caliente Cul-
tural Museum in downtown Palm Springs.
History buffs also delight in the Palm
Springs Air Museum, replete with World
War II-era warplanes from a P-51 Mustang
to a B-17 Flying Fortress.
The monied elite that pours into Palm
Springs for the winter is a major patron of
April, be there or be square for the
Coachella Music Festival, hosted in the
warm open air of neighboring Indio.
Almost 200 performers rock half a million
attendees; unannounced surprise per-
formances have included Beyoncé, Paul
McCartney and Gwen Stefani.
Higher culture? Palm Desert’s McCallum
Theater resounds to laughter and cheers
of delight with a lineup that can range
from Itzhak Perlman and The Vienna Boys
Choir to The Nutcracker ballet and the
Peking Acrobats.
Since the valley’s Cahuilla Indian terri-
tory is a sovereign nation, it’s exempt from
California’s state ban on gambling. Try
DRIVE
» TOUR
Start in downtown PALM SPRINGS
and follow Highway 111 southeast to
PALM DESERT, then head into the
San Jacinto Mountains along steep,
twisting Highway 74 to the
COACHELLA VALLEY VISTA POINT
for a sensational view. Retrace your
route to Highway 111 and continue
east. Turn south onto Highway 86
past date palms and vineyards and
the Salton Sea to SALTON CITY, then
head west along Highway 522
through the BORREGO BADLANDS
to the artists’ community of BOR-
REGO SPRINGS. Explore the
fantastical metal sculptures in GAL-
LETA MEADOWS, then lace up your
hiking boots to explore cactus-
studded ANZA-BORREGO DESERT
STATE PARK.
PALM SPRINGS

the arts. Hollywood star and long-time your hand with Lady Luck at any of half a PALM
DESERT
resident Kirk Douglas was a major donor dozen casinos. And shopaholics are in for
COACHELLA VALLEY
to the Palm Springs Art Museum, one of a treat: Art galleries, haute couturiers, and VISTA POINT

California’s top regional art venues—its
Plein Art, MesoAmerican, and Contempo-
rary Glass collections are outstanding.
And any sojourn through Palm Springs is
a magical mystery tour of “art-chitecture,”
thanks to the city’s stock of more than two
thousand midcentury Modernist homes.
Many of the finest exemplars of Mod-
ernism are boutique hotels, and almost all
have played host to the Hollywood A-list.
“Sinatra slept here” and “This was Angela
Jolie’s room” is no idle chatter.
Festivals to Casinos
Palm Springs has festivals to please
everyone. In March, the world-class Indian
Wells Tennis Garden fills to overflowing
for the annual BNP Paribas Open. And in
boutique stores specializing in retro mod-
ernist décor offer a dash of retail therapy
between your spa treatments.
Family Fun
Kids love the desert, which offers heaps of BORREGO
GALLETA BADLANDS
MEADOWS
family fun, including old ghost towns such as SALTON CITY
ANZA-BORREGO
DESERT STATE PARK
Pioneertown and Randsburg. Another favorite VISITOR CENTER
BORREGO
SPRINGS
is the Living Desert Zoo & Gardens, exhibiting
nearly 400 species of animals, from aardvark
to zebra. With luck you might even spot eye view of the Coachella Valley. Then
bighorn sheep in the wild on a Desert Adven- delight the kids, and yourself, with a ten-
tures eco-tour by Jeep. Even camels add to the minute jaunt to Alaska (at least
fun at Indio’s Riverside County Fair & metaphorically) aboard the Palm Springs
National Date Festival in February. Aerial Tramway. It ascends through four
In summer, beat the heat splashing life zones to the mountaintop station,
about at Knott’s Soak City. Or take to the air where the air is 30 degrees cooler than it is
with Fantasy Balloon Flights for a bird’s- in the desert below.

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 179
INLAND EMPIRE
This often-overlooked region offers highlights of California, from deserts
to soaring mountain ranges and abundant vineyards and orchards

BY LENORE GREINER

TOP CITIES

W
ithin the Inland Empire’s vast 5,000 square miles, the scenery
Big Bear Lake, Lake Arrowhead, Temecula, Ontario,
and historic sites deftly capture quintessential California, from
San Bernardino, Riverside
Spanish and Native American history to the era of stagecoaches

CREATIVE JEN DESIGNS/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: LOWE LLAGUNO/SHUTTERSTOCK; STEVE MINKLER/SHUTTERSTOCK.

INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY and the Golden Age of traveling Route 66. The diverse landscape reflects
Ontario International Airport (ONT), 35 miles (56 km) Golden State extremes: snow-capped granite peaks of the San Bernardino
east of downtown Los Angeles, 23 miles (37 km) west
Mountains to the north and the San Jacinto range to the east fast descend
of San Bernardino, 16 miles (26 km) west of Riverside
into arid high deserts and, finally, to verdant vineyards and groves.
TOURISM WEBSITES In the birthplace of California’s citrus industry, discover tranquil, scenic
bigbear.com beauty among vineyards, hiking paths or ski runs. Or partake in distinctly
lakearrowhead.net
Californian pursuits: wine tasting, escaping to a quiet golf resort, or
temeculacvb.com
riversidecvb.com soaking in steamy hot springs. And with fewer crowds and lower prices
than Lake Tahoe and Napa Valley, the Inland Empire offers the same thrills
POPULATION and diversions with less fuss.
2.1 million

The Great Outdoors

In the San Bernardino Mountains’ fresh alpine air, vacationers head to two
popular lakes. At Big Bear Lake, outdoor enthusiasts enjoy year-round recre-
ation, from summer watersports to winter’s alpine sports at Big Bear
Mountain and Snow Summit for excellent skiing and snowboarding. Sum-
mertime watersports lovers will find abundant fishing, boating, kayaking
and even parasailing on Big Bear Lake. Lake Arrowhead offers hiking, horse-
back riding, biking and stream fishing. Or wander in the natural beauty of
INLAND the Swiss Chalet-style alpine village of Lake Arrowhead with charming
EMPIRE
shops and year-round ice skating. Or simply stargaze, watch the autumn
leaves turn or the winter snowflakes fall.

180 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
TREASURE ISLAND AND BOULDER BAY at Big Bear Lake, below; tour boat on MUST
Lake Arrowhead, bottom right; vineyard in Temecula, opposite.
» SEE,
DO

» Saddle Up Wine Tours Take a scenic ride

on horseback through the vineyards with stops for
tastings at one, two or three wineries of Temecula’s
wine country.
› saddleupwinetours.com

» March Field Air Museum Encounter the

world’s fastest airplane, the SR-71 Blackbird, and
the massive B-52 Stratofortress among the 70 air-
craft on display. More than 30,000 artifacts
encompass U.S. aviation history, from World War I
until the era of space exploration.
› marchfield.org

» San Bernardino National Forest Jutting

skyward from the Riverside valley floor, this
660,000-acre national forest mountain range reaches
as high as the 11,502-foot Mount San Gorgonio.
› fs.usda.gov/sbnf

» Pechanga Resort & Casino The Luiseno

Indians’ tribal casino, California’s largest, offers a
SPECIAL huge concert venue, a 200,000-square-foot

» EVENTS 2016 gaming floor, all night poker and a AAA Four Dia-
mond resort hotel.
› pechanga.com
TEMECULA ROD RUN Roaring hot rods descend upon Old Town Temecula.
March 4-5 rodruntemecula.com » Mission Inn Hotel & Spa Since 1902, this
National Historic Landmark has hosted eight presi-
Playing since 1926, the RAMONA OUTDOOR PLAY, a tragic romance about the dents and countless movie stars in a rambling
Ponca Indians, is America’s longest running drama and California’s Official Outdoor Play. blend of Mission Revival, Moorish and Oriental
April 16-17, 23-24, 30 & May 1 ramonabowl.com architecture, and Louis Comfort Tiffany mosaics.
› missioninn.com
At the KORONEBURG OLD WORLD RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL a 1450-1600 European
village comes alive in Southern California’s only permanent renaissance hamlet inside
the 120-acre woods of Riverview Park in Corona. Weekends, May 7-June 19 renaissanceinfo.com

TEMECULA VALLEY BALLOON & WINE FESTIVAL features hot-air balloon rides,
wine and craft beer tastings, gourmet food, live music and more on Lake Skinner.
May 20-22 tvbwf.com

LAKE ARROWHEAD ANNUAL ANTIQUE & CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT SHOW

showcases rare antique and classic wooden boats in Lake Arrowhead Village.
June 11-12 lakearrowhead.net

BIG BEAR LAKE & LAKE ARROWHEAD VILLAGE OKTOBERFESTS feature bands,
beer and brats at a 7,000-foot elevation. Weekends, Sept. 10-Oct. 29
bigbear.com, lakearrowhead.net

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 181
 WELCOME SIGN to the town of Big Bear
Lake, below; Mark Knopfler concert at
DRIVE Pechanga Casino, Temecula, below left.
» TOUR
RIM OF THE WORLD SCENIC North of Temecula, play in the mud or
BYWAY: This 107-mile scenic soak in the soothing mineral waters of the
drive begins on State Highway 150-year-old Glen Ivy Hot Springs, dating
138 just west of I-15 at the from early stagecoach days. For excitement,
MORMON ROCK FIRE spend an evening at the gaming tables at
STATION. Travel east on 138 to the Pechanga Casino. Or soar in a hot air
the CAJON PASS OVERLOOK
balloon over Temecula Valley’s 35,000-acre
for breathtaking views, then
wine country, dotted with B&Bs and luxury
east to SILVERWOOD LAKE
resorts amid endless vineyards. Afterwards,
and the Mojave River basin. 138 merges with 18 along the rim of the San
relax with a glass of local wine on a winery
Bernardino forest and provides sweeping vistas of San Bernardino,
portico or play golf in this quiet oasis of the
Redlands and the Los Angeles Basin. At BIG BEAR LAKE DAM, follow the
California good life.
road around Big Bear Lake to MILL CREEK RANGER STATION. This tour
can be done in four hours.
Heritage & Culture
Head into Riverside to discover a wealth of
California history. Here, the state’s first and
oldest orange tree, planted in 1873, still
stands on Magnolia Avenue where Cali-
fornia’s multi-million-dollar citrus industry
began. Since 1880, the Mission Inn has
hosted U.S. presidents and delighted trav-
elers with a Hearst Castle-like eclectic mix of
Spanish and Moorish architecture, adorned
with priceless Italian and Spanish treasures.
The San Bernardino Museum explores
local history by exhibiting a covered
wagon that crossed the Mojave Desert

SD DIRK/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR; PAUL MATTHEW PHOTOGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK

INSIDER’S from Salt Lake City and a Wells Fargo

» TIP stagecoach. The Hall of Anthropology

showcases local native cultures, the

Since 1949, drivers on historic Mojave, Serrano and Gabrielino. Within

Route 66 checked into this icon the citrus groves surrounding the
of roadside Americana, the museum, the Zimmerman Citrus Kiosk
WIGWAM MOTEL, once encircled explores the area’s citrus heritage.
by San Bernardino orange City & Town
groves. One of only three Food and wine fans can stroll through Family Fun
remaining, remodeled, 30-foot- Old Town Temecula’s historic district of The fun begins with rides on the trains and
tall, free-standing concrete 1890s buildings while wine tasting and trolleys of the Orange Empire Railway
tepees surround a kidney- sampling local fare in a friendly, Old Museum. Tom’s Farms offers kids an 1800s
shaped swimming pool and West ambience. Or visit Redlands, the steam train, a carousel, a real gem mine and
have WiFi and air-conditioning. “City of Beautiful Homes,” and its opu- pony rides. Take a fast, cool water ride on
wigwammotel.com lent Victorians and Arts and Crafts style the twisting curves of the Alpine Slide in the
homes of yesteryear. Magic Mountain Recreation Area.

182 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
2016 TRAVEL GUIDE TO
CALIFORNIA RESOURCES
» GENERAL
INFORMATION
» CALIFORNIA WELCOME CENTERS

THERE ARE SEVENTEEN OFFICIAL state Welcome Central Valley

POPULATION: 38,042,000
Centers in 10 of the state’s tourism regions. Each 710 W. 16th Street, Suite A
AREA: 158,693 square miles. It is approx- center is listed by the region in which it is located. Merced 209-724-8104
imately 770 miles long from the Mexican For more information, go to VisitCWC.com.
border to the Oregon border, and 250 San Francisco Bay Area
miles wide from the Pacific Ocean to the Pier 39, Building B, Second Level, Unit B12
Nevada and Arizona borders. San Diego County San Francisco 415-981-1280
928 North Coast Highway
TIME: California is in the Pacific Time Oceanside 1-800-350-7873 Gold Country
Zone (GMT minus 8 hours). The state 760-721-1101 1103 High Street, Suite 150
observes daylight saving time. Auburn 530-887-2111
5005 Willow Road, Suite 110
TAXES: The state sales tax is 7.5%. Local
Alpine 619-445-0180 2085 Vine Street, Suite 105
taxes may be as much as an additional 1%.
El Dorado Hills 916-358-3700
DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE: For local Desert Region
numbers, dial 411; long-distance, 2796 Tanger Way, Suite 100 High Sierra
1 plus area code plus 555-1212; toll-free, Barstow 760-253-4782 10065 Donner Pass Road
1-800-555-1212. Truckee 530-587-8808
56711 29 Palms Highway
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE: Call 911 Yucca Valley 760-365-5464 2510 Main Street
toll free from any public telephone to Mammoth Lakes 760-924-5500
obtain police, fire or medical assistance. Orange County
LIQUOR LAWS: Alcohol is sold throughout 6601 Beach Blvd. North Coast
California. Legal drinking age is 21. Buena Park 1635 Heindon Road
1-800-541-3953 Arcata 707-822-3619
SMOKING LAWS: You must be 18 to
purchase tobacco products. Smoking is Central Coast 9 Fourth Street
prohibited in all public buildings and 333 Five Cities Drive, Suite 100 Santa Rosa 1-800-404-7673
enclosed spaces throughout California. Pismo Beach 805-773-7924
Many cities in California have passed Shasta/Cascade
ordinances prohibiting smoking in all 1213 North Davis Road 1699 Highway 273
public places. It is even illegal to smoke Salinas 831-757-8687 Anderson 530-365-1180
on certain beaches in Southern
California—watch for signs. 2786 Seaglass Way, Space 5105 2 California 96
Oxnard 805-988-0717 Yreka 530-475-3814

QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE TO TRAVEL

GENERAL TRAVEL FESTIVALS SENIOR TRAVEL

visitcalifornia.com californiafairsandfestivals.com roadscholar.org
BEACHES festivals.com aarp.org
beachcalifornia.com FISHING SKI CONDITIONS
BORDER SERVICES wildlife.ca.gov onthesnow.com
cbp.gov fishingnetwork.net SOLO TRAVEL
BUS TRAVEL FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAMS cstn.org
greyhound.com frequentflier.com STUDENT TRAVEL
CALIFORNIA STATE GOVERNMENT webflyer.com statravel.com
ca.gov GAY & LESBIAN TRAVEL SPORTS TRAVEL
CALIFORNIA NATIONAL PARKS, gaytravel.com sportstravel.com
NATIONAL FORESTS & PUBLIC LANDS gogaycalifornia.com TRANSPORTATION REGULATIONS
nps.gov/state/ca GOLF dmv.ca.gov
fs.fed.us/r5/ca.blm.gov golfcalifornia.com TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS golflink.com travelforkids.com/Funtodo/California/california.htm
parks.ca.gov HUNTING familyvacationcritic.com
COOKING SCHOOLS wildlife.ca.gov TRAVELERS WITH DISABILITIES
epitourean.com/Destination/8/California.aspx RAIL TRAVEL accessnca.org/resources
ECO, ADVENTURE, OUTDOOR amtrak.com WEATHER CONDITIONS
alopexadventures.com ROAD CONDITIONS wunderground.com
infohub.com dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi WOMEN TRAVELERS
adventurewomen.com
journeywoman.com

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 183
RESOURCES

» CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAUS

Amador County Chamber of Commerce Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau San Francisco Travel Association
& Visitors Bureau 1-800-452-7829 415-391-2000
209-223-0350 visitlongbeach.com sanfrancisco.travel
amadorcountychamber.com
Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau
Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Conven- 1-800-228-2452 1-800-726-5673
tion Bureau discoverlosangeles.com sanjose.org
1-855-405-5020
anaheimoc.org Mammoth Lakes Tourism San Luis Obispo County Tourism Information
1-888-GO-MAMMOTH 805-541-8000
Bakersfield Convention & Visitors Bureau visitmammoth.com visitsanluisobispocounty.com
1-866-425-7353
visitbakersfield.com Marin County Convention & Visitors Bureau San Mateo County Convention
415-925-2060 & Visitors Bureau
Berkeley Convention & Visitors Bureau visitmarin.org 1-800-288-4748
1-800-847-4823 smccvb.com
visitberkeley.com Marina del Rey Convention & Visitors Bureau
310-305-9545 Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau
Beverly Hills Visitors Bureau visitmarinadelrey.com 805-966-9222
1-800-345-2210 santabarbaraca.com
lovebeverlyhills.com Mendocino County
310-305-9545; 1-866-466-3636 Santa Clara Convention & Visitors Bureau
Calaveras Visitors Bureau visitmendocino.com 1-800-272-6822
1-800-225-3764 santaclara.org
visitcalaveras.org Modesto Convention & Visitors Bureau
1-888-640-8467 Santa Cruz County Conference
Central Valley Tourism Association visitmodesto.com & Visitors Council
visitcentralvalley.com 1-800-833-3494
Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau santacruzca.org
Costa Mesa Conference & Visitor Bureau 1-888-221-1010
1-888-588-9417 seemonterey.com Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau
travelcostamesa.com 1-800-544-5319
Napa Valley Destination Council santamonica.com
Crescent City/Del Norte County Chamber 707-251-5895
of Commerce legendarynapavalley.com Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau
1-800-343-8300 805-688-6144
exploredelnorte.com Newport Beach Conference & Visitors Bureau solvangusa.com
1-888-5-NEWPORT
El Dorado County Visitors Authority visitnewportbeach.com Sonoma County Tourism Bureau
1-800-457-6279 707-522- 5800
visit-eldorado.com North Lake Tahoe Visitors & Convention Bureau sonomacounty.com
1-888-434-1262
gotahoenorth.com Stockton Convention & Visitors Bureau
Eureka/Humboldt County Convention 1-877-778-6258
and Visitors Bureau Oakdale Tourism & Visitors Bureau celebratestockton.com
1-800-346-3482 209-345-9264
redwoods.info visitoakdale.com Temecula Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau
1-888-363-2852
Fairfield Tourism Association Oakland Convention & Visitors Bureau temeculacvb.com
707-399-2445 510-839-9000
visitfairfieldca.com visitoakland.org Tri-Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau
925-846-8910
Fresno City and County Convention Palm Desert Visitors Center visittrivalley.com
& Visitors Bureau 1-800-873-2428
1-800-788-0836 palm-desert.org Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau
playfresno.org 1-800-446-1333
Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention tcvb.com
Gilroy Visitors Bureau & Visitors Authority
408-842-1625 1-800-967-3767 Vacaville Conference & Visitors Bureau
gilroywelcomecenter.org visitgreaterpalmsprings.com 707-450-0500
visitvacaville.com
Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce Pasadena Convention & Visitors Authority
& Visitors Bureau 1-800-307-7977 Vallejo Convention & Visitors Bureau
707-433-6935 visitpasadena.com 707- 642-3653
healdsburg.com visitvallejo.com
Pismo Beach Conference & Visitors Bureau
Huntington Beach Visitors Bureau 805-773-4657 Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau
1-800-729-6232 classiccalifornia.com 805-648-2075
surfcityusa.com visitventuraca.com
Redding Convention & Visitors Bureau
Kern County Board of Trade and Film Commission 1-800-874-7562 West Hollywood Convention & Visitors Bureau
661-868-5376 visitredding.com 1-800-368-6020
visitkern.com visitwesthollywood.com
Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce
Laguna Beach Visitors Bureau & Visitors Bureau Yolo County Visitors Bureau
949-497-9229 310-376-6911 530-297-1900
visitlagunabeach.com visitredondo.com yolocvb.org
Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau Yosemite Mariposa County Visitors Bureau
530-544-541-5255 1-800-292-2334 209-742-4567
tahoesouth.com discovergold.org yosemiteexperience.com
Lodi Conference & Visitors Bureau San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau
209-365-1195 619-232-3101 559-683-4636
visitlodi.com sandiego.org yosemitethisyear.com

184 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 » HOLIDAYS
January 1 New Year’s Day September 5 Labor Day
January 18 Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday October 10 Columbus Day
February 15 Presidents’ Birthdays November 11 Veterans Day
March 31 César Chávez Day November 24 Thanksgiving Day
May 30 Memorial Day December 25 Christmas Day
July 4 Independence Day

» CLIMATE/TEMPERATURES

Average temperatures reflect those of a city centrally located in the region. Temperatures at the coast are often 5 or more degrees cooler than inland tem-
peratures because of coastal breezes and fog, and farther inland, temperatures are often significantly warmer than central locations at the same elevation.
Cities for average temperatures: San Diego County: San Diego; Desert: Palm Springs; Orange County: Orange; Inland Empire: San Bernardino; Los Angeles
County: Los Angeles; Central Coast: San Luis Obispo; Central Valley: Merced; San Francisco Bay Area: San Francisco; Gold Country: Sacramento; High Sierra:
Truckee; North Coast: Arcata; Shasta Cascade: Redding
Source: Weatherbase.com
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

SAN DIEGO F° 49/65 51/65 53/66 56/68 59/69 62/71 65/75 67/76 65/76 61/73 54/69 48/65
COUNTY C° 9/18 10/18 12/19 13/20 15/20 17/22 19/24 19/25 18/24 16/23 12/21 9/18

F° 46/69 48/73 53/79 57/85 65/93 71/102 77/107 78/106 73/100 62/89 52/77 44/67
DESERTS C° 8/21 9/23 12/26 14/29 18/34 22/34 25/42 25/41 23/38 17/32 11/25 7/20

ORANGE F° 45/65 46/67 47/67 50/71 54/72 57/77 61/82 62/83 60/82 56/77 50/71 46/66
COUNTY C° 7/18 7/19 8/19 10/21 12/22 13/25 16/27 16/28 15/27 13/25 10/21 7/18

INLAND F° 37/62 39/66 41/68 46/71 50/77 53/84 60/93 60/93 57/89 50/80 42/71 37/64
EMPIRE C° 3/17 4/19 5/20 8/22 10/25 12/29 16/34 16/34 14/32 10/27 6/22 3/18

LOS ANGELES F° 48/65 49/66 50/68 53/70 56/73 58/76 62/82 63/82 61/81 58/77 53/73 50/68
COUNTY C° 8/18 9/18 10/20 11/21 13/22 14/24 16/27 17/27 16/27 14/25 11/22 10/20

CENTRAL F° 41/64 42/64 44/65 45/69 48/72 51/75 54/77 55/80 54/79 50/76 44/70 40/65
COAST C° 5/18 6/18 7/19 7/20 9/22 11/24 12/25 13/26 12/26 10/24 7/21 4/18

CENTRAL F° 38/53 41/59 43/64 47/72 53/80 58/88 63/94 62/92 58/87 51/77 43/63 38/53
VALLEY C° 3/11 5/15 6/17 8/22 11/26 14/31 17/34 16/33 14/30 10/25 6/17 3/11

SAN FRANCISCO F° 46/56 48/60 49/61 50/63 51/64 53/66 54/66 54/66 56/70 55/69 51/64 47/57
BAY AREA C° 7/13 8/15 9/16 10/17 10/17 11/18 12/18 12/18 13/21 12/20 10/17 8/13

GOLD F° 38/53 41/60 43/64 46/71 50/80 55/87 58/93 58/91 56/88 50/78 43/64 38/53
COUNTRY C° 3/11 5/15 6/17 7/21 10/26 12/30 14/33 14/32 13/31 10/25 6/17 3/11

HIGH F° 14/39 17/43 21/46 26/54 31/63 37/72 42/82 40/81 36/74 29/64 22/49 16/41
SIERRA C° -9/3 -8/6 -6/7 -3/11 0/17 2/22 5/27 4/27 2/23 -1/17 -5/9 -8/4

NORTH F° 42/53 42/54 42/54 44/55 48/57 51/60 52/60 52/61 51/62 48/60 45/57 43/55
COAST C° 5/11 5/12 5/12 6/12 8/13 10/15 11/15 11/16 10/16 8/15 7/13 6/12

SHASTA F° 36/55 38/61 43/6 48/73 53/81 60/89 66/98 62/97 57/91 50/81 40/65 35/55
CASCADE C° 2/12 3/16 6/18 8/22 11/27 15/31 18/36 16/36 13/32 10/27 4/18 1/12

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 185
RESOURCES
MEDICAL CARE &
» TRAVEL INSURANCE
Visitor Medical Insurance plans are designed to cover
medical expenses resulting from a sudden illness or
injury while visiting the USA or other countries.
Typically, visitor insurance plans offer benefits to cover
inpatient hospital, outpatient doctor ojjfice visits,
surgery and prescription drug expenses.
Go One Global Corporation
1-800-257-7718 g1g.com
Distributor of online travel and international medical
insurance products and services.
Insubuy 1-866-467-8289 insubuy.com
Provides a variety of short—term medical insurance
for foreigners visiting the USA.
International Services, Inc.
1-877-593-5403 nriol.net
Financial services company with focus on providing
quality insurance for U.S. residents, travel
insurance for tourists, and medical insurance for
international students.
Multichoice Insurance Services
1-855-444-6247 insurancemultichoice.com
Fast, simple, online (secured) and effective way to
fulfill travel insurance needs.
Patriot America 1-877-778-4562
patriotamericainsurance.net
Worldwide travel medical insurance for non-U.S.
citizens traveling outside of their citizenship country.
Visitors Care 1-877-593-5403
visitorscareinsurance.net
Low Cost Travel Medical Insurance for all non-US
citizens traveling to the United States.
USA-Assist Worldwide Protect
1-877-539-8619 usa-assist.com
Provides travel insurance, assistance and protection
to all kinds of travelers, including groups and
business travelers worldwide.
» RESOURCES FOR THE DISABLED
RESOURCES FOR THE DISABLED ACCESS NORT-
HERN CALIFORNIA: A non-profit organization
dedicated to providing increased opportunities and
improving access to travel and outdoor recreation
for people with disabilities throughout Northern
California. Website (accessnca.org) has a large
resource section with lodging, parks, transportation,
adaptive recreation and more.
ACCESSIBLE SAN DIEGO: This is a non-profit
information center for travelers with disabilities in
San Diego County. Information available via their
website (access-sandiego.org) and they publish an
annual guide available via download or hard copy.
186 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
DRIVING REGULATIONS
LICENSE/DOCUMENTATION: You must have a valid driver’s license from a U.S. state or foreign
country. Minimum driving age is 16. For more information about California driver’s license regu-
lations, call 1-800-777-0133.
SEATBELT: By law, everyone in a vehicle must wear a seatbelt. Children under the age of eight
(8) must be secured in a car seat or booster seat in the back seat. Infants should stay in rear-
facing seats until they weigh at least 20 pounds, can pull themselves up to stand, or reach one
year of age.
HELMETS: Motorcycle helmets must be worn by all motorcycle riders, as well as their passengers.
Bicycle riders under the age of 18 must wear helmets.
SPEED LIMITS: These are posted in miles-per-hour (mph). Generally, the speed limit on multi-
lane freeways is 65 mph. On two-lane highways it is usually 55 mph. The speed limit on city streets
is usually 25-35 mph. In residential areas, near schools and in areas with heavy foot traffic, the
speed limit is almost always 25 mph.
CARPOOL LANES: Major urban areas have carpool lanes (or “diamond lanes”) identified by small
black-and-white signs and by diamonds painted on the roadway. To drive in a carpool lane, you
must usually have two people (including the driver) in the car. Some carpool lanes in the San Fran-
cisco Bay Area require three people (including the driver).
CELL PHONES: The Wireless Communications Device Law makes it an infraction to write, send
or read text-based communication on an electronic wireless communications device, such as a
cell phone, while driving a motor vehicle. Drivers must also use a hands-free device when speaking
on a cell phone.
ACCIDENTS: You must report accidents to the California Department of Motor Vehicles if injury
or death occurs, or if damage exceeds $750.
DRINKING AND DRIVING: It is illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol (blood alcohol
concentration of .08% or higher).
ROAD CONDITIONS: The California Department of Transportation maintains a free 24-hour hot-
line for information at 1-800-427-7623. In the San Francisco Bay Area, dial 511 on your phone to
get up-to-the-minute transportation information.
OTHER: Roundabouts are uncommon in California. Most intersections are either signed by traffic
lights or by stop signs. Unless signed otherwise, it is legal to make a right turn on a red light after
you come to a complete stop.
CAR RENTAL: Avis Rent a Car has an “Avis Access” permanent disability. The Golden Access Passport is
program that offers a dedicated 24-hour toll-free available at any National Park Service Headquarters.
number (1-888-879-4273) for customers with special
travel needs; special car features such as swivel STATE PARKS: The California Department of Parks
seats, spinner knobs and hand controls; and acces- and Recreation offers a Disabled Discount Pass
sible bus service. which provides a 50 percent discount for use of all
basic facilities (including day use parking, camping
HEARING IMPAIRED ASSISTANCE: Dial 711 for and boat/day use parking fees) at any unit of the
TDD-to-voice or voice-to-TDD relays. California State Park System operated by the State
Department of Parks and Recreation. Cost is $3.50
LOS ANGELES HANDICAPPED TOURIST ACCES- and is available online (parks.ca.gov) or by calling 1-
SIBILITY GUIDE: Available online at latourist.com. 800-777-0369.
Includes accessible tourist attractions, hiking trails,
outdoor activities, transportation and more. TRAIN TRAVEL: All rail services in California are
wheelchair accessible. In addition, Amtrak offers a
NATIONAL PARKS: Free access to national parks 15% discount to travelers with disabilities (1-800-
is available to U.S. citizens and residents who have a 872-7245 or amtrak.com).
 » AIR DISTANCES BETWEEN SELECTED CITIES
SAN DIEGO PALM SPRINGS LOS ANGELES SAN JOSE SAN FRANCISCO SACRAMENTO
(SAN) (PSP) (LAX) (SJC) (SFO) (SMF)

SAN DIEGO mile/km/h — 85/137/<1 109/175/<1 417/671/1 437/703/1 480/772/1

LOS ANGELES mile/km/h 109/175/<1 110/176/<1 — 308/495/1 327/527/1 373/600/1

SAN FRANCISCO mile/km/h 437/703/1 410/660/1 327/527/1 20/32/<1 — 84/135/<1

NEW YORK mile/km/h 2440/3928/5 2373/3819/5 2469/3974/5 2562/4124/5 2570/4136/5 2514/4046/5

MIAMI mile/km/h 2267/3649/5 2232/3593/4 2432/3769/5 2559/4118/5 2574/4142/5 2552/4107/5

CHICAGO mile/km/h 1723/2773/3 1652/2658/3 1744/2807/3 1829/2944/4 1837/2956/4 1781/2867/4

DENVER mile/km/h 853/1373/2 776/1249/2 862/1387/2 948/1526/2 957/1541/2 910/1464/2

SEATTLE mile/km/h 1050/1690/2 987/1589/2 954/1535/2 696/1121/2 682/1097/2 605/974/2

TORONTO mile/km/h 2157/3472/5 2085/3355/5 2176/3501/5 2245/3612/5 2251/3622/5 2191/3526/4

VANCOUVER mile/km/h 1177/1894/2 1114/1793/2 1080/1739/2 819/1318/2 804/1293/2 729/1173/2

h = flight time rounded to nearest number of hours; <1 = less than 1 hour

» DRIVING DISTANCES
SAN PALM LOS SANTA SAN SAN
DIEGO SPRINGS ANGELES BARBARA MONTEREY JOSE FRANCISCO SACRAMENTO YOSEMITE LAKE TAHOE REDDING

SAN DIEGO mile/km — 126/203 127/204 218/351 450/724 468/753 514/827 509/819 482/776 604/972 664/1069

PALM
mile/km 126/203 — 114/183 204/328 453/729 447/719 487/784 490/789 468/753 591/951 651/1048
SPRINGS

LOS
mile/km 127/204 114/183 — 91/146 327/526 347/558 387/623 388/624 359/578 484/779 544/875
ANGELES

SANTA
mile/km 218/351 204/328 91/146 — 242/389 286/460 327/526 379/610 398/641 500/805 535/861
BARBARA

MONTEREY mile/km 450/724 453/729 327/526 242/389 — 69/111 114/183 188/303 203/327 284/457 316/509

SAN
mile/km 514/827 487/784 387/623 327/526 114/183 44/71 — 90/145 182/293 185/298 217/349
FRANCISCO

YOSEMITE mile/km 482/776 468/753 359/578 398/641 203/327 174/280 182/293 196/315 — 198/319 247/397

LAKE TAHOE mile/km 604/972 591/951 484/779 500/805 284/457 214/344 185/298 102/164 198/319 — 256/412

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 187
RESOURCES
» NATIONAL PARKS & HISTORIC SITES
Arranged north to south.
Lava Beds National Monument, Tulelake
Rugged landscape dotted with diverse volcanic
features. Hiking, camping.
nps.gov/labe
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Whiskeytown
Mountain lake recreation area. Hiking, mountain
biking, camping, water sports.
nps.gov/whis
Redwood National and State Parks,
Del Norte & Humboldt counties
An ancient coast redwood ecosystem that is
home to the world’s tallest trees. Park is
comprised of 112,000 acres of forests, rivers and
wild coastline. Hiking, camping.
nps.gov/redw
Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral
Large group of volcanic domes set in the Cascade
Mountains. Hiking, camping, geothermal pools.
nps.gov/lavo
Point Reyes National Seashore, Point Reyes
Rare undeveloped California coastline hosting myriad
plant, animal and marine life. Hiking, mountain
biking, bird and whale watching.
nps.gov/pore
Muir Woods National Monument, Mill Valley
Set just outside San Francisco, this old-growth forest
leads down to Muir Beach. Hiking only.
nps.gov/muwo
Alcatraz Island, San Francisco
The first lighthouse and fort on the West Coast that
later became an (almost) inescapable federal prison.
Tours.
nps.gov/alca
San Francisco Maritime National
Historical Park, San Francisco
Located at Fisherman’s Wharf, this museum is host
to a number of historic sailing vessels.
Tours. nps.gov/safr
Fort Point National Historic Site, San Francisco
A decommissioned fort in the Presidio, you can tour
the facility that began guarding the entrance to the
Bay during the Civil War.
nps.gov/fopo
Presidio of San Francisco, San Francisco
A former army post, this 1500-acre park contains a
museum, national cemetery, historic architecture,
miles of coastline and forested hiking trails. Tours,
hiking, biking.
nps.gov/prsf
188 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco
One of the world’s largest urban parks, the GGNRA
encompasses venues from San Mateo to Marin
counties and includes such sites as Alcatraz, Sutro
Baths, Fort Funston, Crissy Field, Muir Woods and
more. Hiking, cycling, camping, water sports, tours.
nps.gov/goga
Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site, Danville
The home of the famed American writer is now a
museum, and can be visited by reservation only.
Tours. nps.gov/euon
Port Chicago Naval Magazine
National Memorial, Concord
This memorial to the men and women who lost their
lives loading munitions during WWII is located
inside the Concord Naval Weapons Station. Tours.
nps.gov/poch
Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front
National Historical Park, Richmond
One of the newest national parks, this park honors
the men and women who worked behind the scenes
during WWII. Includes the SS Red Oak Victory Ship,
which is accessible to visitors. Tours.
nps.gov/rori
John Muir National Historic Site, Martinez
John Muir is considered the father of the National
Park Service. His home and Mt. Wanda are both part
of this historic site. Hiking, tours.
nps.gov/jomu
Devils Postpile National Monument, Mammoth Lakes
Devils Postpile formation is a geologic wonder
towering 60 feet high and one of the world’s finest
examples of columnar basalt. The area also boasts
the 101-foot high Rainbow Falls and pristine
mountain scenery. Hiking, camping.
nps.gov/depo
Yosemite National Park, the Sierra Nevada
One of the first wilderness parks in the United
States, and now a World Heritage Site, this famous
park spans three counties and 760,000 acres. It is
host to spectacular waterfalls, mountains, granite
cliffs, forests and backcountry. Hiking, rock
climbing, camping, backpacking, mountain biking,
fishing, water sports, tours.
nps.gov/yose
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks,
Southern Sierra Nevada in Tulare & Fresno counties
Also known as the Land of the Giants, this park is
home to huge mountains, rugged foothills, deep
canyons, vast caverns, and some of the world’s
largest trees. Hiking, camping, backpacking, rock
climbing, tours.
nps.gov/seki
Manzanar National Historic Site, Independence
Manzanar served as a relocation center for
Japanese citizens during WWII. This internment
camp is now a museum that illustrates the land’s
past uses. Tours.
nps.gov/manz
Pinnacles National Park, Paicines
These massive monoliths, spires, sheer-walled canyons
and talus passages are the remains of an ancient
volcano. Hiking, camping, caving, backpacking, tours.
nps.gov/pinn
Death Valley National Park, Death Valley
Three million acres of mountains and desert terrain,
Death Valley is also home to abandoned mines,
Scotty’s Castle, hiking trails and large stands of
Joshua Trees. Hiking, camping, tours.
nps.gov/deva
Mojave National Preserve, Barstow
Another desert wilderness covering 1.6 million
acres, the Mojave is home to sand dunes, volcanic
cinder cones, Joshua Tree forests and carpets of
wildflowers. Hiking, camping, hunting, tours.
nps.gov/moja
Santa Monica Mountains National
Recreation Area, Thousand Oaks
This park encompasses multiple mountains, parks
and open space preserves and is one of the best
examples of a Mediterranean climate ecosystem in
the world. Hiking, camping, tours.
nps.gov/samo
Channel Islands National Park, Ventura
This park is made up of a chain of five islands
located off the Southern California coast and is also
a national marine sanctuary. Hiking, camping,
snorkeling, kayaking, birdwatching, tours.
nps.gov/chis
Joshua Tree National Park, Twentynine Palms
This desert wilderness, composed of both the
Mojave and Colorado deserts, lies atop hundreds of
earthquake faults, allowing visitors to see unique
rock formations throughout its 789,745 acres.
Hiking, camping, backpacking, mountain biking,
rock climbing, tours. nps.gov/jotr
Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego
Celebrating the first European to step on West Coast
shores, this park boasts a monument, tidepools,
trails, a lighthouse, museum and former military
installations. Hiking, bird and whale watching.
nps.gov/cabr
 » HOTELS, RESORTS & INNS
Auberge Resorts 1-866-282-3743 Hawthorn Suites 1-800-337-0202; hawthorn.com Marriott Hotels 1-888-236-2427; marriott.com
aubergeresorts.com Hilton Hotels 1-800-HILTONS; Hilton.com Preferred Hotels & Resorts 1-866-990-9491
Best Western 1-800-780-7234 Historic Hotels of America 1-800-678-8946 preferredhotels.com
bestwesterncalifornia.com historichotels.org Radisson Hotel & Suites 1-800-967-9033
California Association of Bed & Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express radisson.com
Broughton Hotels 714-848-2224; broughtonhotels.com 1-877-865-6578; holidayinn.com Ramada Inn 1-800-854-9517
Choice Hotels 1-877-424-6423; choicehotels.com Homestead Studio Suites Hotels ramada.com
Crowne Plaza 1-888-233-0368; crowneplaza.com 1-800-804-3724; homesteadhotels.com The Ritz-Carlton 1-800-542-8680
Days Inn 1-800-225-3297; daysinn.com Howard Johnson 1-800-221-5801; hojo.com ritzcarlton.com
Doubletree 1-855-610-TREE Hyatt Hotels 1-888-591-1234; hyatt.com St. Regis and Luxury Collection
doubletree.hilton.com Intercontinental Hotels 1-877-865-6578 1-800-325-3539; starwoodhotels.com
Embassy Suites 1-800-EMBASSY ihg.com Starwood Hotels 1-877-782-0150
embassysuites.hilton.com Joie de Vivre 1-800-738-7477; jdvhotels.com starwoodhotels.com
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts 1-800-257-7544 Kimpton Hotels 1-800-KIMPTON Travelodge 1-800-525-4055
fairmont.com kimptonhotels.com travelodge.com
Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts La Quinta Inn and Suites 1-800-SLEEPLQ W Hotels 1-877-W-HOTELS
1-800-819-5053; fourseasons.com lq.com starwoodhotels.com
Hampton Inn & Suites 1-800-HAMPTON Larkspur Hotels 1-877-527-5778 Wyndham Hotels & Resorts 1-800-347-7559
hamptoninn.hilton.com larkspurhotels.com wyndhamworldwide.com

» AIRPORTS

DISTANCE COST COST OF

AIRPORT/CODE OF TAXI SHUTTLE PUBLIC TRANSIT PHONE WEBSITE
FROM CITY (APPROX.) (APPROX.)

BOB HOPE AIRPORT

2.7 mi Metrolink, Amtrak, MTA Bus,
(BUR)
4.3 km $15 $15 1-818-840-8840 burbankairport.com
Burbank Bus
BURBANK

FRESNO-YOSEMITE
5.4 mi
8.7km Fresno Area Express Bus, VIA
INTERNATIONAL (FAT)
Yosemite 92 mi $20 — 1-800-244-2359 flyfresno.com
(Yosemite Connection Service)
FRESNO
148 km

LONG BEACH
6 mi Long Beach
AIRPORT (LGB)
9.6 km $23 $20 562-570-2600 lgb.org
Transit Bus
LONG BEACH

LOS ANGELES
16.5 mi Metro Bus and
INTERNATIONAL (LAX)
26.5 km $70 $18 310-646-5252 lawa.org/welcomelax.aspx
Rail lines
LOS ANGELES

OAKLAND
4.6 mi
INTERNATIONAL (OAK)
7.4 km $40 $29 AC Transit Bus, BART 510-563-3300 oaklandairport.com
OAKLAND

ONTARIO
2.3 mi
INTERNATIONAL (ONT)
3.7 km $18 $18 OmniTans Bus 909-937-2700 lawa.org/welcomeont.aspx
ONTARIO

PALM SPRINGS
1.8 mi
INTERNATIONAL (PSP)
3 km $17 $15 MBTA Bus, SunLine Bus 760-318-3800 palmspringsca.gov
PALM SPRINGS

SACRAMENTO
10 mi
INTERNATIONAL (SMF)
16 km $45 $15 YoloBus 916-929-5411 sacairports.org
SACRAMENTO

SAN DIEGO
5.3 mi
INTERNATIONAL (SAN)
8.5 km $18 $12 Metro Bus 619-400-2404 san.org
SAN DIEGO

SAN FRANCISCO
14 mi AC Transit Bus, BART,
INTERNATIONAL (SFO)
22.5 km $60 $17 1-800-435-9736 flysfo.com
SamTrans Bus, CalTrain
SAN FRANCISCO

SAN JOSE
2.5 mi
INTERNATIONAL (SJC)
4 km $20 $19 VTA Bus 408-392-3600 flysanjose.com
SAN JOSE

JOHN WAYNE – ORANGE

9.3 mi OCTA Bus,
COUNTY AIRPORT (SNA)
15 km $40 $21 949-252-5200 ocair.com
Irvine Shuttle Bus
SANTA ANA

201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 189
RESOURCES
» TRANSPORTATION
AIRLINES Hornblower Cruises and Events
Air Canada 1-888-467-6256 hornblower.com Offers half- and full-
1-888-247-2262 aircanada.com day cruises from San Diego, Long Beach, Newport
Alaska Airlines, Inc. Beach, Marina Del Rey, San Francisco, Berkeley and
1-800-252-7522 alaskaair.com Old Sacramento. CAR RENTALS
American Airlines 1-800-433-7300 aa.com Red & White Fleet 415-673-2900
Delta Air Lines 1-800-221-1212 delta.com redandwhite.com San Francisco Bay cruises.
Frontier Airlines 801-401-9000 ADVANTAGE
frontierairlines.com TRANSPORTATION BY REGION 1-800-777-5500
advantage.com
Hawaiian Airlines 1-800-367-5320 San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
hawaiianair.com 619-233-3004 sdmts.com Train, bus and trolley system
ALAMO
JetBlue Airways 1-800-538-2583 jetblue.com around the San Diego environs.
1-877-222-9075
Southwest Airlines 1-800-435-9792 SunLine Transit Agency 1-800-347-8628 sunline.org aIamo.com
southwest.com Bus service for the Desert Region (Coachella Valley).
Spirit Airlines 801-401-2222 spirit.com Orange County Transportation Agency AVIS
United Airlines 1-800-864-8331 united.com 714-560-6282 octa.net Bus and rail service for 1-800-633-3469
Virgin America 1-877-359-8474 all of Orange County. avis.com
virginamerica.com Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) 951-565-5002
Westjet 1-888-937-8538 riversidetransit.com Bus service for the Inland BUDGET
westjet.com Empire/Desert communities. 1-800-218-7992
Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority budget.com
RAIL 1-323-466-3876 metro.net
DOLLAR
Amtrak California 1-800-USA-RAIL Train and bus system for the greater Los Angeles area.
1-800-800-5252
amtrakcalifornia.com Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD)
d0IIar.c0m
Train travel throughout California and beyond. 805-963-3366 sbmtd.gov Bus service for Santa Barbara
County/Central Coast. ENTERPRISE
BUS Regional Transit Authority 805-781-4472 855-571-8410
Greyhound Bus Line slorta.org Bus service for San Luis Obispo enterprise.com
1-800-231-2222 greyhound.com County/Central Coast.
National bus service serving all of California. Monterey-Salinas Transit FOX
1-888-678-2871 mst.org Bus service 855-571-8410
BUS TOUR COMPANIES for Monterey County. foxrentacar.com
California Parlor Car Tours 1-800-227-4250 Santa Cruz Metro 831-425-8600 scmtd.com
HERTZ
calpartours.com One- to seven-day tours of California Bus service for Santa Cruz County/Central Coast.
1-800-654-3131
sights. Tri-Delta Transit 925-754-6622
hertz.com
Caravan.com 1-800-CARAVAN caravan.com California trideltatransit.com Bus service for Delta
coast and Yosemite tours. communities/Central Valley. NATIONAL
Gray Line Bus Tours 1-888-428-6937; YoloBus 530-661-0816 yolobus.com Bus service for 1-877-222-9058
1-800-828-6699 sanfranciscosightseeing.com; the Central Valley. nationalcar.com
graylineanaheim.com Transit 511 511 transit.511.org Train, light rail, bus,
Tours of San Francisco Bay Area sights, wine country, trolley, cable car, BART, and ferry system serving San PAYLESS
Central Coast, Yosemite and more; tours of Southern Francisco, Marin, East Bay and Peninsula, South Bay 1-800-729-5377
California including Tijuana, Mexico. and parts of the Central Coast. paylesscar.com
Silverado Stages 1-888-383-8109 Sacramento Regional Transit 916-321-2877 sacrt.com
silveradostages.com Day and weekend tours, primarily Bus and light rail for Sacramento County/ THRIFTY
1-800-334-1705
up and down the California coast to various destinations. Gold Country.
thrifty.com
Starline Tours 1-800-959-3131 starlinetours.com Santa Rosa CityBus 707-543-3333
Hourly, daily or multi-day tours of srcity.org/departments/transit/CityBus
California sights. Bus service for Santa Rosa/North Coast.
Sonoma County Transit 1-800-345-7433
RV RENTALS
CRUISE LINES sctransit.com Bus service for Sonoma County/
Catalina Express 1-800-481-3470 North Coast.
catalinaexpress.com Cruise and ferries from Southern Mendocino Transit Authority 1-800-696-4682
CALIFORNIA RV RENTALS
California to Catalina Island. mendocinotransit.org Bus service for Mendocino 1-866-838-4465
Flagship Cruises & Events 1-800-442-7847 County/North Coast. caIiforniarvrentaIs.com
flagshipsd.com Tours of San Diego Bay, as well as
Pacific Ocean tours (including whale watching). FERRY TERMINALS CAMPER TRAVEL USA
Also dinner and brunch tours. Includes Coronado Transit 511 511 transit.511.org Includes all ferry 1-877-778-1752
Island ferry information. systems serving the San Francisco Bay Area. campertraveIUSA.com
Harbor Breeze Cruises 562-432-4900
2seewhales.com Whale watching tours from Long CRUISE AMERICA
Beach (Los Angeles area).
1-800-671-8042
cruiseamerica.c0m

190 2 016 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
 » ART MUSEUMS
SAN DIEGO
San Diego Museum of Art
1450 El Prado, San Diego
619-232-7931 sdmart.org
Museum of Photographic Art
1649 El Prado, San Diego
619-238-7559 mopa.org
Museum of Contemporary Art
700 Prospect Street, La Jolla
858-454-3541 mcasd.org
Mingei International Museum
1439 El Prado, San Diego
619-239-0003 mingei.org
LOS ANGELES & ORANGE COUNTY
American Museum of Ceramic Art
340 S. Garey Avenue, Pomona
909-865-3146
amoca.org
California African American Museum
600 State Drive, Exposition Park,
Los Angeles 213-744-7432
caamuseum.org
California Heritage Museum
2612 Main Street, Santa Monica
310-392-8537
californiaheritagemuseum.org
Craft and Folk Art Museum
5814 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
323-937-4230
cafam.org
The Huntington Library
and Art Collections
1151 Oxford Road, San Marino
626-405-2100 huntington.org
The J. Paul Getty Museum
1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles
310-440-7300
getty.edu/museum
The Getty Villa 17985 Pacific Coast
Highway, Pacific Palisades 310-440-7300
getty.edu/museum
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
323-857-6000 lacma.org
Museum of Contemporary Art
250 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles
and The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA
152 North Central Avenue, Los Angeles
213-626-6222 moca.org
Norton Simon Museum
411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena
626-449-6840 nortonsimon.org
Orange County Museum of Art
850 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach
949-759-1122 ocma.net
Pasadena Museum of California Art
490 E. Union Street, Pasadena
626-568-3665 pmcaonline.org
PALM SPRINGS John Natsoulas Center for the Arts
Coda Gallery 521 1st Street, Davis 530-756-3938
73-151 El Paseo, Palm Desert natsoulas.com
1-760-346-4661
codagallery.com/palm_desert OAKLAND
Palm Springs Art Museum Oakland Museum of California
101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs 1000 Oak Street, Oakland
1-760-322-4800 psmuseum.org 510-451-3322 museumca.org
SAN JOSE SANTA BARBARA
San Jose Museum of Art Santa Barbara Museum of Art
110 S. Market Street, San Jose 1130 State Street, Santa Barbara
408-271-6840 sjmusart.org 805-963-4364
Cantor Arts Center 328 Lomita Drive sbmuseart.org
Stanford 650-723-4177
museum.stanford.edu MONTEREY/CARMEL
Triton Museum of Art Monterey Museum of Art
1505 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara 559 Pacific Street, Monterey
408-247-3754 tritonmuseum.org 831-372-5477
Movimiento de Arte y Cultura montereyart.org
Latino Americana Center for Photographic Art
510 South 1st Street, San Jose San Carlos Street at 9th Avenue,
408-998-2783 maclaarte.org Carmel-by-the-Sea
831-625-5181 photography.org
SAN FRANCISCO
Asian Art Museum SANTA CRUZ
200 Larkin Street, San Francisco The Museum of Art & History
415-581-3500 asianart.org at McPherson Center
California Historical Society 705 Front Street, Santa Cruz
678 Mission Street, San Francisco 831-429-1964
415-357-1848 californiahistoricalsociety.org santacruzmah.org
Cartoon Art Museum
655 Mission Street, San Francisco MARIN COUNTY
415-227-8666 cartoonart.org Marin Museum of Contemporary Art
The Contemporary Jewish Museum 500 Palm Drive, Novato
736 Mission Street, San Francisco 415-506-0137
415-655-7800 thecjm.org marinmoca.org
de Young Museum
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, SAN LUIS OBISPO
San Francisco 415-750-3600 San Luis Obispo Museum of Art
deyoung.famsf.org 1010 Broad Street, San Luis Obispo
Legion of Honor 805-543-8562
100 34th Avenue, San Francisco sloma.org
415-750-3600 legionofhonor.famsf.org
Museum of African Diaspora IRVINE
685 Mission Street, San Francisco The Irvine Museum
415-358-7200 moadsf.org 18881 Von Karman Ave. Suite 100, Irvine
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art 949-476-0294
(SFMOMA) 151 Third Street, San Francisco irvinemuseum.org
415-357-4000 sfmoma.org Closed for
expansion until May 14. NAPA
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts di Rosa Preserve
701 Mission Street, San Francisco 5200 Sonoma Highway, Napa
415-978-2787 ybca.org 707-226-5991
dirosaart.org
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Crocker Art Museum FRESNO
216 O Street, Sacramento 916-808-7000 Arte Américas
crockerartmuseum.org 1630 Van Ness, Fresno
Viewpoint Photographic Art Center 559-266-2623
2015 J Street, Sacramento arteamericas.org
916-441-2341
viewpointgallery.org
201 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 191
RESOURCES
» THEME PARKS

Adventure City PixieLand

1238 South Beach Blvd., Anaheim 2740 E. Olivera Road, Concord
714-236-9300 925-676-9612
adventurecity.com pixieland.com

Balboa Fun Zone San Diego Zoo Safari Park

600 East Bay Ave., Balboa 15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido
thebalboafunzone.com 619-231-1515
sdzsafaripark.org
Belmont Park
3146 Mission Blvd., San Diego Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
858-488-1549 400 Beach Street, Santa Cruz
belmontpark.com 831-423-5590
beachboardwalk.com
California’s Great America
4701 Great America Pkwy., Santa Clara Scandia Ontario
408-988-1776 1155 S. Wanamaker Ave., Ontario
cagreatamerica.com 909-390-3092
scandiafun.com/ontario
Castle Park
3500 Polk Street, Riverside Scandia Sacramento
5070 Hillsdale Blvd. Sacramento
951-785-3000
916-331-5757
castlepark.com
scandiafun.com/sacramento
Children’s Fairyland
Scandia Victorville
699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland
12627 Mariposa Rd, Victorville
510-452-2259
760-241-4007
fairyland.org
scandiafun.com/victorville
Disneyland/Disney California Adventure
SeaWorld
1313 South Harbor Blvd., Anaheim 500 SeaWorld Drive, San Diego
714-781-4000 1-800-257-4268
Disneyland.disney.go.com seaworld.com

Fairytale Town Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

3901 Land Park Drive, Sacramento 1001 Fairgrounds Drive, Vallejo
916-808-5233 707-644-4000
fairytaletown.org sixflags.com/discoveryKingdom

Funderland Six Flags Hurricane Harbor

1350 17th Ave., Sacramento 26101 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia
916-456-0131 661-255-4527
funderlandpark.com sixflags.com/hurricaneharborLA

Gilroy Gardens Six Flags Magic Mountain

3050 Hecker Pass Hwy, Gilroy 26101 Magic Mountain Pkwy., Valencia
408-840-7100 661-255-4100
gilroygardens.org sixflags.com/magicmountain

Knott’s Berry Farm Splash Kingdom Waterpark

8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park 1101 California Street, Redlands
714-220-5200 909-335-7275
knotts.com splashkingdom.net

Legoland Storyland Playland Family Amusement Park

1 Legoland Drive, Carlsbad 890 W. Belmont Avenue, Fresno
760-918-5346 559-486-2124
California.legoland.com storylandplayland.com

Pacific Park Universal Studios

380 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City
310-260-8744 1-800-UNIVERSAL
pacpark.com Universalstudioshollywood.com

192 2 01 6 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A