California Things to Do

We walked from our accommodation on Sutter Street, near the city Centre, to Lombard Street, which is called “The Crookedest Street in the World”. Wow, those hills sure can be steep! Lombard Street is a part of a district interestingly called Russian Hill. The neighbourhood's name goes back to the Gold Rush era, when settlers discovered a small...

If you don't care about artificialism... If you don't bother staying in long lines... If you have time... and money... That's a funny place to spend a couple of hours, or more. I've been in Orlando's Walt Disney's parks and couldn't avoid comparisons. The same kind of creations and amusements, but still interesting, with attractions to all ages....

Does everyone know about the Zoo!? Yes! If you have a kid, are you probably going to the Zoo? Yea! Is it expensive - you bet! Will you find discount tickets, more than likely not. HOWEVER, we agreed that it was well worth the price paid to spend a day exploring the Zoo... especially knowing that the money goes towards maintaing the zoo, and caring...

Okay, they say a photo is worth a thousand words, so I have, by way of the photos here ALREADY written 5,000 words ^O^. But if you have the time, take the road up to Glacier Point, it is one of those "Kodak Moments" that you will not regret nor forget. I can only imagine what these panoramic vistas look like in the winter when they get their cloak...

17 mile drive is a gated drive around the ocean in the Pebble beach area. it costs about 10 dollars per car and although beautiful doesn't really contain anything ( other than the golf courses) that can't be seen elsewhere on the coast.

In the 1920s Chicago millionaire Albert Johnson was sold the ultimate snake oil – the idea that there was gold in California’s Death Valley. In the dry, scorching conditions the ailing Johnson found something more precious: improved health. So, he built a castle in the desert valley with the second-highest temperature on record. Today, the...

I am sure eveyone has heard the Queen Mary is one of the most haunted places in the U.S. Whether you believe in this sort of events or not, it is still fun to explore the ship especially down in the engine & exhibit rooms where most folks don't like to explore. They have tours available that takes you to places that most do not get to see. Yet,...

The highlight of the state park is McWay falls. To enter and park there is a self pay honor system of $10.00. As I heard many people say while walking around this is a huge waste of money because there is parking all along the road for free and it is closer to the falls. There is camping in the area and several trails to hike other than the one to...

Disneyland needs no further introduction and it certainly doesn't need my review to persuade you to go. Everything about this place is magical. So instead, I'll merely just share my experiences with you. This was my first picture of my 3-4 day trip here. We arrived pretty late at night after a taping at The Voice. The hotel was everything we...

This is in the pacific park on Santa Monica Pier, you have to pay extra $5 even if you bought the unlimited wrist band. They attach you on the waist and you can jump on a trampoline pretty high for about 3 minutes, it's fun, my daughter likes it...not sure it's worth the $5 extra dollars though.

I remember Hollywood Blvd, Sunset Strip, Melrose Ave, and etc., as being a very different world. The glizty and galmor has always been here, but there is the seedy side. Many of buildings here and there were very run down, and loads of homeless folks. There were your typical landmarks such as Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Walk of Fame, El Captain,...

Its most famous landmark is the Winchester Mystery House , 525 S Winchester Blvd, just off I-280 near Hwy-17 ($12.95-22.95; daily 9am-5pm, until 7pm June-Sept). Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune, was convinced upon her husband's death that he had been taken by the spirits of men killed with Winchester rifles, and believed...

This lovely park sits in the middle of town. We were exploring decided to explore the park too. Lots of wonderful bench and niches to sit on. Plus, some wonderful veterans markers located in different areas of the park. Plus there is a restroom, which was very clean.

Vikingsholm is located at the head of Emerald Bay in South Lake Tahoe, California. This magnificent "castle" is a unique blend of Nature's spectacular beauty and man's architectural ingenuity. Vikingsholm, is situated majestically among towering pines and cedars, was built as a summer home by Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight in 1929. Emerald Bay...

If you are looking for the Tunnel Tree in either Sequoia, King's Canyon or even Yosemite, you are out of luck. That poor creature who had its base tunneled through for tourism was never in fact in any of the parks but well within the general area. It fell in 1969 due obviously to weakening its base with the tunnel. It was 2100 years old and who...

THE BEACH! After strolling around town, down the Pier and treading the sand at the beach it became apparent why some people have such high praise for Manhattan Beach, especially compared to other parts of L.A. This is more of a local hang-out than a huge tourist destination and it seemed that the locals take full advantage of the opportunities...

Downtown' Santa Barbara's Historic Arts District is full of unique shops and a variety of cultural venues unique galleries, performing arts, restaurants, historic sites and museums. There was plenty of parking, public restrooms, benches, We counted over forty beautiful galleries with sculptures outdoors. There were well over fifty restaurants with...

Coronado doesn’t waste any time trying to relieve tourists of their dollars: day-trippers to the “island” walk off the ferry and almost directly into this cluster of shops and restaurants. I took a gander through here one morning after taking pictures of the bay from the beach, and found it to be largely geared to overpriced tchotchkes and...

This section of the city was the nucleus when it started in 1848 with the gold discoveries. Thousands of people came here to seek their fortune and maybe even find gold. Sam Brannen began a store here in 1850 along the waterfront, which ended up being the mecca for goods shipments in, and items going out via water river route. The commerce started...

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in Palm Springs, California, is the largest rotating aerial tramway in the world. Rising 8500 feet above the desert floor, the Palm Springs Tramway offers access to hiking and camping trips in this famous San Jacinto state park wilderness. I hate heights but this was worth it. The ride is incredible. Its only 10...

The trail ends at the shimmering blue lake, which, from the outlet, doesn't seem to merit its name (very few islands are visible). The scene is absolutely amazing, with Banner Peak, Mt. Ritter, the glaciers on Banner Peak, Mt. Davis, and Mt. Lyell rising above the lake. And the lake is so unbelievably, unbelievably blue. Walk southwest along the...

The current Santa Cruz Wharf, built in 1914 is the 5th wharf to occupy this site. The wharf was originally built to ensure continued shipping operations as the bay was filling with silt. This wharf had a railroad track, a few warehouses and no shops or restaurants. Today the wharf has about 10 restaurants, numerous shops offering gifts and touristy...

The California Missions were founded from 1769, starting with Mission San Diego de Alcala, with the leader at that time being Father Junipero Serra. (1713-1784), a priest in the Franciscan order of the Catholic Church who came to Mexico and the Californias to establish the missions till the twenty-first Mission, San Francisco de Solano in 1823. In...

LEGOLAND is a big Danish amusement park that caters to smaller children. The whole idea of it is that everything is built out of LEGOS. LEGOLAND wanted to live in Del Mar, but the citizens snubbed their nose at the idea and Carlsbad found a nice piece of land in its hinterland to offer. It wasn't easy for me to find, even following directions so...

The indentation on this rock was formed by a combination of two geological processes; Undercutting and Cavernous Weathering. These are when moisture is trapped on the surface of the rock or in the soil long enough to erode away some of the minerals forming the rock. Then rain and wind wash away the loosened parts of the rock.

Why is Laguna Beach worth taking the time to write VT pages about? In a nutshell, walking the beach and the glorious sunsets. Here is a quick low-resolution sunset shot from a cheap [email protected] digital camera. No camera can completely diminish the beauty of a Laguna Beach sunset. Wanna' see some amazing Laguna Beach sunsets taken with a good...

the beautiful rugged landscape of La Jolla Cove is like a post card perfect place where you can watch and take pictures and videos of it and then post them at your favorite apps like facebook, instagram, twitter, flickr, google plus and here in Virtual Tourist. We did that and even had wacky and zany poses as me and my crew, if you happen to see by...

This is a colorful oversized scupture of workman with hammer by artist by Viola Frey. I should had taken more photo's of it, and sorry I didn't. There are so many halliway and hidden treasure tucked away along the streets. You just have to explore it.

A lot of people give Oakland a bad rap. Yes there are turf/drug gangs. However, as far as personal safety is concerned for a tourist, San Francisco is far more dangerous. San Francisco money makes sure it doesn't get the same media attention though. If you're in a normal tourist area doing normal tourist things you are much safer than you would be...

There are different wine tasting tours available at the winery and they inlcude: 1)Discovery Tour- This 30-minute walking tour includes a viewing and discussion of the historic To Kalon Vineyard, state-of-the-art To Kalon Cellar, and barrel aging room. The tour also includes a taste of two of our signature wines. Hours:Offered weekends on the hour...

If you love historical buildings, then you are going to just love this place. Kern County has taken great pride and effort to preserve the history of pioneers and where they once lived. These 56 buildings on 16 acres were lovingly moved and restored inside the park and arrange into a wonderful presentation of what an old town would look like. Most...

Huge waterslides for all ages and nerve levels! A great way to cool off on a hot summer day. Discount coupons can be found at grocery stores and in the pamplet sections of your hotel/motel lobby. Though this is a wonderful idea, the park has undergone name changes and owner changes since it's first opening. At present Knotts, of Knotts Berry...

The ruins known as the Great Stone Church is one of the most interesting sections of SJC Mission. This is also the section that the swallows retrun to mostly. The church was laid out as a cross shape with a bell tower that, it is said, could be seen for ten miles away and the sound of the bells carried even further.This church lasted only six...

Hi to all. Mission San Luis rey is located at Oceanside and it is the biggest Mission of all. You should visit cemetery, oldest in San Diego that is still in operation and old church as well. You will enjoy. Founded in 1798 by Padre Fermin Francisco de Lasuen, the Mission was named after St. Louis IX, King of France, who lived during the 13th...

The Tehachapi Pass Railroad line was cut thru solid granite by over 3000 Chinese laborers between 1874 to 1876 and is considered a feat of civil engineering genius and one of the 7 wonders of the railroad world! It is a single track line and still in constant use today. It was part of the last and final link of the first railroad line connecting...

The estate of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. Built during the depths of the Great Depression, this is the most elaborate mansion on the West Coast. It is one of the true architectural gems of California. You can sign up for a number of different tours, which show you the inside of the mansion, the guest houses, the gardens, and other...

Take sometime to visit the center of Sonoma and explore some of the side streets. There are wall paintings, shops and great restaurants. Beautiful, quiet park to enjoy and some interesting characters if you are into people watching.

When you get here, make sure to walk down the Rodeo Drive and check out all the sights. You just never know what you may find or there might be a store that catches your fancy. I think some folks stay within the Two Rodeo and not wonder down the road. We didn't walk into any of the shops till a young gal wanted me to try some face cream. Wow, it...

Fridays are the days for the Farmers' Market in I.B. they have two schedules, Winter, starting in October: 12:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. and Summer, starting in April: 12:00 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. This is a typical small town Market and quite well attended by the locals and probably some of the people staying at the near-by hotels. Each stand offers, fresh...

This is a beautiful beach with towering sand dunes that are very popular with off-roaders. It's also the only beach in the state where you can drive vehicles on the beach. You can enjoy all matters of water activities here as well as riding horses on the beach!

Is it the yellow submarine? No, no, no. I don't want to go. Wait! It isn't a submarine but it is a boat, half in the water with windows to the sea and half out of the water with fresh air seating under the sun. Okay, more my speed. This is a fun way to go around Morro Bay and see what is going on under the water as well as above. Sub-Sea Tours is...

This is an interesting and prominent old water tower that is a major landmark in downtown Fresno and one of the oldest surviving structures in the area. It is essentially a Romanesque Revival -style structure looking vaguely like a romanticised version of a castle. It is now open as a visitor centre. Inside, one can get tourist information, buy...

This is a must do if you visit Huntington Beach. I mean, the city is geared towards surfing and what better way than to take a surfing lesson and rent a board. The people here are very friendly and they are attached to the Toes on the Nose Surfwear building in a separate office next to the Hyatt. My instructor was super patient and helped me get up...

One of the original California Rancheros, this 1847 ranch house was built by Raymundo Olivas as the center of Rancho San Miguel. It was later bought and preserved by Max Fleishmann of Fleishmann yeast fame.

Buckeye Point is part of China Camp State Park. I like this spot, kinda, because it is a short walk to the water, and it has an outdoor shower. Also a restroom. It's hardly used so there normally are few people, if not none at all. But it has its deficiencies. There is no real beach, so it's not a super easy launch. The water is shallow, and there...