California, here we come ...
Jill Weinlein
South Florida Parenting
Enjoy a week in sunny Southern California
A trip to the Golden State might seem like an awfully long way to go from Florida - particularly since California has much of the same to offer: a Disney resort, Universal Studios, and miles of sandy beaches and lots of sunny days.
But the Land of Milk and Honey also offers some destinations that you just can't find anywhere else in the world. Sure you can fly into Los Angeles and visit Hollywood, with a side trip to Disneyland and that would be lots of fun. But here are some exciting and charming vacation sites within a short drive and worthy of a visit.
SAN DIEGO
Two days
With miles of sandy Pacific Ocean beaches for swimming, boogie boarding and shell collecting, San Diego is also home to Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park and Balboa Park. Silver Strand State Beach, located between Coronado and Imperial Beach, is among the finest beaches anywhere.
Accommodations
At Paradise Point Resort, kids can enroll in Kids Kamp or play golf on an 18-hole putting course. After lunch they can have their hair wrapped in colorful string by a lagoon pool and then sail around Mission Bay in a rented sailboat. Before dinner, families can roam the 44-acre tropical resort on a quad bike. At night the resort brings a big screen to the main pool, pops some popcorn and shows family movies. Families sit in lounge chairs or swim while watching movies such as Shrek or Freaky Friday. During the summer, the movie ends in time for nearby Sea World's fireworks show. Inquire about their family special at 888-344-2626 or www.paradisepoint.com.
Upon check-in at Loews Coronado Bay Resort children receive a treasure-hunt map. Families search for answers then trade their map for a tasty treasure treat. Flotation toys, colorful balls and rings float in the tropical pool, and keep children safe and entertained. Nearby are a game arcade, kids club, spa/gym and tennis courts. The resort has a walkway to Silver Strand beach and frequent shuttle service. For more information call 800-235-6397.
Dining
Kids enjoy the DJ spinning the top songs from the '50s and '60s at the Corvette Diner. Waiters sing along to "You Ain't Nothing but a Hound Dog" and perform the Chicken Dance while serving burgers, salads, shakes and fries. Corvette Diner is located at 3926 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest area. For reservations call 619-542-1476. For more information on San Diego call 619-236-1212 or go to www.sandiego.org.
CARLSBAD
One night
Forty minutes north of San Diego is the seaside community of Carlsbad, home to the amusement park Legoland. Created by a Danish toy manufacturer and the only park of its kind in the United States, Legoland (www.lego.com) caters to families with children ages one to 13. Everyone enjoys the colorful rides, lively shows, and detailed models of major landmarks in Washington, D.C., New Orleans, New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles at 1/20th the actual size. Over 20 million Lego bricks were used to make these meticulously detailed replicas.
After visiting Legoland, explore the Museum of Making Music (877-551-9976). Five exhibits trace the growth of America's music industry from the 1800s to today. With over 450 vintage instruments and hundreds of music and video clips, it is an educational adventure for everyone. Throughout the tour push buttons to hear particular instruments and stories about musicians and songs from each era. It's a hands-on trip down memory lane.
Accommodations
The Grand Pacific Palisades Resort and Hotel (800-PALISADES) overlooks Legoland and the Pacific Ocean. Overnight guests can enter a nearby gate for quick access into Legoland and be among the first guests to enter the park in the morning.
Dining
Karl Strauss Brewery Restaurant (760-431-2739) offers an extensive lunch and dinner menu with tasty sandwiches, fresh fish, juicy burgers, french fries and salads. For additional information on Carlsbad, log on to www.visitcarlsbad.com.
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
One night
In central California, about four hours from Los Angeles, is Yosemite National Park. The park is about the size of Rhode Island with over 840 miles of hiking trails winding through breathtaking vistas of sculpted mountains and valleys carved from masses of granite.
Accommodations
Curry Village is an economical alternative to more expensive lodges. Near the entrance, a bike shop rents six-speed bikes with trailers for little ones and kids' bikes with training wheels. The Yosemite Valley provides miles of paved bike paths ideal for watching deer graze and enjoying the views of the magnificent waterfalls.
If you choose to stay at the finest, historic Ahwahnee Hotel offers 123 guest rooms, outdoor tennis courts and afternoon tea with cookies while sitting next to a roaring fireplace. Numerous celebrities, heads of state and royalty have stayed at this world-class hotel. Rooms are available by calling Yosemite Park reservations 866-646-0388 or www.nationalparkreservations.com/yosemite.htm.
Dining
The best meal is at the Ahwahnee, a beautiful restaurant with a spectacular Sunday brunch. Dress is casual for breakfast, lunch and Sunday brunch. Coats and ties are customary for evening meals.
Activities
Families enjoy walking, biking or taking a shuttle bus to Happy Isle and visiting the nature center. Signs direct visitors to various groomed hiking trails, including the popular Vernal Fall trail. Be sure to bring water and snacks. A hike up to Nevada Falls brings dramatic views of rushing melted snow water and Half Dome.
The Yosemite Museum and Visitors Center features traditional Indian art and crafts, books, maps and exhibits. Nearby the Ansel Adams Gallery displays many of his award-winning photos of Yosemite Valley.
Long Beach
Two days
Before the glitz and panache of Hollywood flourished after World War I, Long Beach was the motion picture capital of the world. Once known for its inexpensive land by the ocean, ideal Southern California climate, and abundant sunlight, Long Beach provided a perfect setting for the motion picture industry.
Already a theater town, it attracted many talented actors, directors, and technicians in the early 1920s. The Pike amusement area was home to eight film houses, two stock company theaters, roller coasters, and bathhouses. Silent-era film stars Buster Keaton and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle starred in comedies at the Balboa Amusement Production Company, then the world's most prolific silent-film studio. W.C. Fields and numerous other stars lived in fabulous mansions along Ocean Boulevard and First Street. Many of these grand homes are still owned by their heirs.
In 1933, Long Beach was nearly leveled by a powerful earthquake that damaged buildings for miles around. The city gradually rebuilt itself in the '30s and '40s to become known as a movie-star summer getaway, where residents frequently saw Clark Gable and Carol Lombard walking on the beach. Elizabeth Taylor and Nicky Hilton spent their honeymoon at the Hilton Hotel (now the Breakers Hotel) in Long Beach.
Another famous "star" moved into Long Beach in 1967 when Cunard Line's grand dame of luxurious cruise travel, the Queen Mary, was withdrawn from service and sailed into the harbor to become a world-renowned floating hotel and attraction.
Accommodations
The Queen Mary Hotel hotel (562-435-3511 or www.queenmary.com) offers lodging and tours of the grand ocean liner built in 1936. Guests learn that this massive trans-Atlantic liner served as a troopship during World War II. Painted camouflage gray, she was nicknamed "The Gray Ghost." While also serving as Winston Churchill's headquarters at sea, she traveled 660,000 miles, transporting more than 800,000 personnel. She is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Nearby, the Aquarium of the Pacific is one of America's newest and largest aquariums with some 550 species from three Pacific Rim regions. Guests enjoy this bi-level home to sharks, mesmerizing sea dragons, various types of gracefully dancing jellyfish, plus playful seals and seal lions. Families have an exciting time touching sharks, sea cucumbers and sea anemones at the outdoor tide-pool areas.
Bicycle rental stands are nearby for riding along the beach on paved bike paths to the Belmont Shores pier. Above the path on a towering bluff overlooking the Pacific is the Long Beach Museum of Art, housed in the historic Elizabeth Milbank Anderson House (a California Craftsman mansion built in 1929). The museum offers art exhibitions, art-making workshops, and educational programs. With oceanfront gardens and a charming cafe, it's a pleasant place to relax with a lemonade while viewing the beach and harbor.
For culture lovers, the Museum of Latin American Art is one of a kind in the West. Located in the newly developing East Village Arts District (and built on the site of the old Balboa Amusement Production Company), the museum spotlights colorful paintings and sculptures by contemporary Latin artists.
For something a bit more romantic, take a boat ride on an authentic Venetian gondola along the waterways winding among million-dollar homes on Naples Island. The Minnow departed from here for a "three-hour tour," as depicted in the opening sequence of the television show Gilligan's Island.
Dining
Two restaurants near the aquarium are recommended lunch stops. South Floridians will be familiar with P.F. Chang's, which serves delicious Chinese food, while Gladstones offers a wide variety of fresh fish. Both are at the new Pike at Rainbow Harbor. After lunch, this 18-acre Pike development is an entertainment paradise with a 14-screen Cinemark Stadium Theater, Game Works, and amusement park rides.
Nearby is charming Shoreline Village with souvenir shopping, arcade gaming, and a variety of dining venues. The Yardhouse restaurant is a fun place for burgers and salads; tables on the outside patio offer view of the harbor cruise boats, private yachts and city skyline.
As the sun sets, world cultures and energizing nightlife emerge. Flamenco dancers, salsa music, Greek belly dancers, live blues and jazz, and fine dining can be found within a four-block radius on Pine Avenue, aka "Bourbon Street West." For more information about Long Beach, call the Long Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-452-7829, or log on to www.visitlongbeach.com.
CATALINA ISLAND
One day
While in Long Beach, take a one-hour trip on the Catalina Express to Catalina Island. As the boat slows to dock, you will notice the dazzling views of Avalon Harbor and the famous Catalina Casino - not a gambling hot spot but a beautiful art-deco dance pavilion built in 1929 that hosted some of the biggest bands of the '30s and '40s. Today it is home to a movie theater, gym, dance pavilion and historical museum.
Avalon, the island's only city, offers soft sand, clear water, and few cars to dodge on the streets. Islanders ride bicycles, drive golf carts or walk around the 1-square-mile town.
Visiting Catalina Island is a step back into a simpler life. Visit www.catalina.com for reservations and information.
Jill Weinlein is a freelance writer, mother and native of southern California.
