Southern California - what MUST we still see??
Apr 14th, 2003, 05:09 AM
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Southern California - what MUST we still see??
PLEASE HELP! We're planning our 8th cross-country, western adventure, including the southern california area. We have seen much of it on past trips including:
- The Getty
- Warner Bros Studios
- Paramount Studios
- NBC Studios
- Nixon's Presidential Library
- Reagan's Presidential Library
- A Dodgers Game
- Disneyland
- Disney's California Adventure
- Knotts Berry Farm
- Graumann's Theatre and area
- Hollywood Tour
- Santa Monica Pier and area
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon Nat'l Parks
- Death Valley Nat'l Park
- Joshua Tree Nat'l Park
- San Diego area
My question: Are there any other 'must-sees' that we've missed? Any lesser known 'gems' to explore? I KNOW we haven't seen everything!
We're also been up the coast to Hearst Castle, Monterey, San Francisco, Redwood Nat'l Park, Yosemite etc... at this point, i'm leaning towards another trip to Hearst Castle again....
Any and ALL ideas would be GREATLY appreciated! Thank you!!!!!
Apr 14th, 2003, 09:57 AM
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How about the Mission San Juan Capistrano, about 2 hrs or so south of Santa Monica. It is well worth spending a couple of hours there.
I see that you also go to some of the amusement parks, how about Six Flags Magic Mountain at Valencia,CA, although you must know about since that is what was used for Wally World in the first Family Vacation movie.
I see that you also go to some of the amusement parks, how about Six Flags Magic Mountain at Valencia,CA, although you must know about since that is what was used for Wally World in the first Family Vacation movie.
Apr 14th, 2003, 10:34 AM
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If you care to venture to gritty ol' Long Beach, there's always the Queen Mary (yeah, I know, just a big old boat, but it's cool) and the Aquarium of the Pacific (I like it a lot, although if you've been to the one up in Monterey, you may think differently). Shoreline Village has hokey souvenir shops, little specialty boutiques and some actually really great restaurants.
I second the vote for Laguna Beach. The nicest part of coastal Orange County, although it's a bit hard to get to.
I second the vote for Laguna Beach. The nicest part of coastal Orange County, although it's a bit hard to get to.
Apr 14th, 2003, 10:45 AM
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Great suggestions - thanks everyone!
rjw_lgb_ca: A few questions...
Where is Shoreline Village?
Whats the deal with access to Laguna Beach?
How long is the Queen Mary tour?
Bill I: yes, we are HUGE fans of wally world and plan a return visit to wally's California Adventure this summer, too!
Thanks again! Any other ideas anyone?
Apr 14th, 2003, 11:02 AM
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Shoreline Village is in Long Beach along the shore (hence the name, LOL), not at all far from the Queen Mary and just down the street from the Aquarium. Of course, all the Grand Prix grandstands and barriers are hiding it right now, but it's still sweet. And it's right by our downtown Marina, so you can walk around and get some sea air.
I'm exaggerating a bit about getting to Laguna, but it's like all beach communities in southern CA-- a bit removed from the Interstate freeways. Off the 405, you will be taking Laguna Canyon (the 133S), which is a winding drive, and though not incredibly long, you will be thinking to yourself, "Are we THERE yet?!" before you see signs of Laguna. But you drive by the Arts Festival site and the Laguna Playhouse, then through a couple of blocks of little shops and galleries, and then you're at Coast Highway and looking right at the beach!
Driving up and down PCH is always an option, but it ain't the fastest.
Hey, if you time it right, the Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts (or Arts Festival, or whatever the hell it's called) and the Pageant of the Masters is quite fun. I mean, how often will you see a community sponsor a living tableaux show recreating great works of art (they even did "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" of Picasso-- quite interesting!!)?
I'm exaggerating a bit about getting to Laguna, but it's like all beach communities in southern CA-- a bit removed from the Interstate freeways. Off the 405, you will be taking Laguna Canyon (the 133S), which is a winding drive, and though not incredibly long, you will be thinking to yourself, "Are we THERE yet?!" before you see signs of Laguna. But you drive by the Arts Festival site and the Laguna Playhouse, then through a couple of blocks of little shops and galleries, and then you're at Coast Highway and looking right at the beach!
Driving up and down PCH is always an option, but it ain't the fastest.
Hey, if you time it right, the Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts (or Arts Festival, or whatever the hell it's called) and the Pageant of the Masters is quite fun. I mean, how often will you see a community sponsor a living tableaux show recreating great works of art (they even did "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" of Picasso-- quite interesting!!)?
Apr 14th, 2003, 11:04 AM
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And as far as the Queen Mary tour, I recall it being about an hour. I also think they made the "Haunted Tour" a year-round offering, but I'm frankly not sure. But that can be fun-- there are a few ghosts lurking in the old boat, you know. There's also a tour of the Cold War-era Russian sub now moored next to the boat.
Apr 14th, 2003, 11:50 AM
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Hey rjw_lgb_ca, thanks for the info. But tell me this - will Laguna Beach be that much different from the other beaches? We've spent some time in Malibu and people watching on Venice Bch (!!
Hubby Clark IS a true beach bum tho, so that might be an option...And when exactly is the Arts Festival? It DOES sound way cool!
Angeleno: Thanks for your ideas! Is Olvera Street the original LA area? We've toured the Mission in Santa Barbara - one of the most beautiful we've ever visited, too.
Ok....what exactly is 'La Brea Tar Pits'?
Thank you again SOOOOO much! And please keep those idea coming! If i can't find something else to do there, we'll be adding another night to the two in Vegas!!!! Eeeeeks, not another 'vegas vacation'! lololol
)))
Apr 14th, 2003, 12:03 PM
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The ultimate Malibu walk: begin at Surfrider Beach and go west below the Colony .. to see all the glitteratti behind their locked gates. Then drive the canyons, e.g., Topanga, Tuna and Malibu, and look at the houses perched on impossible inclines.
You must drive Sunset Blvd. east to Rodeo, walk arounf and windwo shp, and then backtrack to Canyon Rd. and lunch at the Bel Air Hotel.
The Tar Pitts are best seen on a full tummy, with some wine.
You must drive Sunset Blvd. east to Rodeo, walk arounf and windwo shp, and then backtrack to Canyon Rd. and lunch at the Bel Air Hotel.
The Tar Pitts are best seen on a full tummy, with some wine.
Apr 14th, 2003, 12:10 PM
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Hey rhtt:
Sounds fun! If we DID do that, where would you suggest we stay? Looking for moderate rates, (is that possible?) as we use hotels mostly for sleeping lol
So...what is / are the Tar Pits??!!!
Apr 14th, 2003, 12:11 PM
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RE: Laguna Beach.... It's quite different from the other beach communities everyone knows in that it's more of an upscale artists' community. Think of Ojai, then transfer it to the short. It's hilly, there are always a lot of people walking around, and the streets are full of galleries and little shops and restaurants with open-air seating in front. Look up the hills and you see million- and two million-dollar houses clinging to the sides-- and you can look carefully and see which ones are pre-fires and post-fires. It's a very relaxed vibe, not unlike La Jolla.
Apr 14th, 2003, 12:15 PM
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The La Brea Tar Pits are literally that-- tar pits ("la brea" is Spanish for tar). It's an archaeological site where fossils of prehistoric beasts that used to roam Museum Row (foraging for food, not souvenirs at the Museum Stores) have been dug up and mounted at the adjacent Museum of Natural History.
Apr 14th, 2003, 12:17 PM
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The Pits, memory save me, got their oozing start 40,000 years ago, when some kind of gunk suddenly broke through the earth's crust, and created quite a mess. Apparently animal life was a bit slow on the uptake, and many stumbled into the goo, never to reemerge. But were instead encased for all of us to view in what was to become downtown LA. Even today, some stars stick their hands and feet into a different type of goo, hoping for a similar immortality.
Apr 14th, 2003, 12:18 PM
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ok, i did a search on the tar pits and its actually something son rusty (and future MD) would LOVE! How long should we allow for a tour? And could we combine it in one day with the rodeo dr/ canyon home tour?
