Tag: california
My Favorite Santa Barbara Hotel (by far)
My favorite Santa Barbara hotel? That’s easy. Belmond El Encanto won my heart with gracious suites in historic cottages, beautiful gardens, and a panoramic ocean view. Spread over seven acres, the hotel feels more residential than commercial. This isn’t surprising, since the bungalows here started out as lodging for students and faculty when a state […]
Shell Beach – Best Central CA Vacation Spot
Shell Beach: What makes this area the perfect spot for a summer vacation? Great weather and a relatively laid-back atmosphere. Further north, coastal fog can be a problem, and in some areas to the south, beach resorts are packed in cheek-to-jowl. But Shell Beach, which is the upmarket resort area of Pismo Beach, feels quiet […]
Restaurants in La Jolla Shores – Part 2
Restaurants in La Jolla Shores are my favorites, and this isn’t just because they are close to our house. What I really enjoy is the sense of community that I feel when I’m there. As I think you know, La Jolla is San Diego’s favorite beach area, and there are plenty of places to eat […]
Catalina Island – An Insider’s Guide
Catalina Island – the place that’s “26 miles across the sea,” has a reputation as being touristy, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There’s also an authentic side to Catalina. On my last visit, I found a charming inn, a great place to eat, and a spa that truly reflects the island’s heritage – all […]
Best La Jolla Shores Hotels, San Diego
La Jolla Shores Beach is a long stretch of sand about a mile from La Jolla’s popular shopping and dining areas in the “village.” The Shores is where San Diego locals and visitors head for walking, kayaking, surfing, sunning, SCUBA diving, and playing in the waves. In short, La Jolla Shores is pretty much paradise. […]
El Camino Real, Maggie’s 800-Mile Mission Walk
El Camino Real, the Royal Road, is a route that links California’s 21 iconic missions and provides an authentic view of the state’s colonial history. I’ve visited many of these landmarks and enjoyed the serenity they offer – and that was enough for me. In contrast, my friend and fellow travel journalist Maggie Espinosa felt compelled […]
Best Hotel Suites Near La Jolla Cove, San Diego
La Jolla Cove is easily the most recognized spot in my hometown – and for good reason. The lovely little beach is a mere dollop compared to the long stretches of sand in the rest of San Diego. And – because it’s sheltered by low sandstone cliffs – La Jolla Cove feels cozy. Snorkelers and […]
Monterey, CA – Wildlife, Great Food & More
Monterey is a mixed bag. At first glance, it’s not very exciting. The commercial district is chockablock with the predictable chain stores, and nearby lodging and dining options are also ho-hum. So why am I writing about this Central California city? Because the flip side is that Monterey is home to some of the best food, most authentic wildlife […]
California Road Trips With Kids – LA to San Fran
California road trips are the best – especially ones along our long, beautiful coast. I’ve lived here most of my life, and I’m still amazed at the sights I see when I travel along Highway 101 and Highway 1. Because I love coastal California road trips, I was alarmed when I heard a mother of […]
Carmel Valley – Where to Stay and Play
Carmel Valley is a popular destination for luxury loving Californians. Resorts, lodges, and restaurants in this area two hours from San Francisco offer the food, wine, and activities that Golden State residents love. Want to connect with the local culture? You couldn’t make a better choice than to spend some time at Carmel Valley Ranch. When I […]
Best La Jolla Beach Boutique Hotel
La Jolla beach hotels tend to be busy places, but one boutique property offers a sweet retreat with an ocean view. Scripps Inn faces the Pacific a few blocks south of La Jolla Cove – just far enough from the Children’s Pool seal colony to avoid the masses of visitors that the marine cuties attract. I’ve lived […]
Best Time to Visit La Jolla, California
The best time to visit La Jolla – my hometown – will depend on what you want to do when you get here. For classic car enthusiasts, that means early April, when the La Jolla Concours d’Elegance takes place. In fact, the 2016 La Jolla Concours will take place Sunday, April 10. Now in its 12th […]
Larry’s Meaning of Life Travel Experience
My friend Larry Kessler contributed this guest post. The meaning of life. No small task. Thank God for Google ’cause we’re running out of real estate to house the volumes of texts that cover this subject. But hey, since I just had a life changing, meaning of life travel experience, I’d like to offer my […]
Local Photographer’s Santa Barbara Food Tour
This Santa Barbara food tour trip report is brought to you by Jessica Roy who – as you’ll read below – had a great time sampling local culinary specialties as a guest of Eat This, Shoot That! Her guide and ETST owner Tara Jones is an expert foodie and a crash hot photographer. Tara attended Brooks Institute of Photography in […]
