Tour the States: California

Showing posts with label California. Show all posts

Monday, May 30, 2016

Getty Center Museum - Los Angeles, California

In its billion-dollar in-the-clouds perch high above the city, the Getty Center presents triple delights: a stellar art collection (Renaissance to David Hockney); Richard Meier's cutting-edge architecture; and the visual splendor of seasonally changing gardens. On clear days, you can add breathtaking views of the city and ocean to the list.

Even getting up to the museum aboard the computer-operated tram is fun. From the sprawling arrival plaza, a natural flow of walkways, stairs, fountains, and courtyards encourages a leisurely wander between galleries, gardens, and outdoor cafes. Must-sees include Van Gogh's Irises, Monet's Wheatstacks, and Rembrandt's The Abduction of Europa.

When not wandering the galleries, take time to visit the lovely Cactus Garden for those amazing Los Angeles city views. Sunsets create a remarkable alchemy of light and shadow and are especially magical in winter, when the orange orb drops straight into the Pacific.

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Tuesday, May 10, 2016

El Capitan - Yosemite National Park, California

Yes, it's a big rock, but what makes El Capitan a must-witness sight in Yosemite is the fact that it's the largest exposed-granite monolith in the world. Oh, and people climb it. Rising 3,593 feet (1095 meters)—more than 350 stories—above the Valley, El Capitan was once considered impossible to climb.

However, since Warren Harding first conquered the "nose" in 1958, El Capitan has become the standard for big-wall climbing.

Take binoculars to spot the little bits of color that pinpoint adventurous climbers tackling the smooth and nearly vertical cliff.

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Carmel Mission - Monterey & Carmel, California

The Carmel Mission, or San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo Mission, to give its full name, was originally not in Carmel at all. Father Junipero Serra founded the mission at the Monterey Presidio in 1770, making it the second of California’s missions. It was moved to its current Carmel location on Rio Road, where there was better soil and water, the following year.

Although the mission was destroyed in the middle of the nineteenth century, it has undergone extensive renovations. Today the mission is a U.S. Historic Landmark, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the only California mission to retain its original bell tower.

The mission is still home to a Catholic parish and, as well as holding mass several times each day, hosts regular concerts, art exhibitions and community events. Spanish Colonial liturgical art and artifacts are displayed throughout the church, which also features arched ceilings and thirty-foot altarpieces.

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Saturday, May 7, 2016

Cannery Row - Monterey, California

In 1958, Monterey’s most famous waterfront street changed its official name from Ocean View Avenue to its long-time nickname Cannery Row in honor of the 1945 John Steinbeck novel of the same name.

Today’s Cannery Row is a far cry from that of the “tin and iron and rust and splintered wood, chipped pavement and weedy lots and junk heaps, sardine canneries of corrugated iron …” described in Steinbeck’s novel. There has not been a cannery here since 1973 and the street is now filled with shops, from boutiques to chain stores, hotels and restaurants -- and usually populated by more tourists than locals.

It is a wonderful place for strolling, admiring ocean views, snacking on salt-water taffy, gaining easy beach access and watching the many characters that gravitate here. The world famous Monterey Bay Aquarium is located at the northern end of Cannery Row, housed in what was once a sardine cannery.

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Yosemite Falls - Yosemite National Park,California

The highest measured waterfall in North America, Yosemite Falls is the superstar attraction in the park, especially in late spring when the snow melts and water flow is at its peak. With a cumulative drop of 2,425 feet (739 meters), Yosemite Falls actually consists of three falls and is also the sixth highest waterfall in the world (seventh according to some sources).

Though there is some discussion about its place in the world's highest list, it's an incontrovertible fact that Yellowstone Falls is the centerpiece of the valley and the park.

The best views of the cascading torrent can be seen from various vantage points, including Yosemite Village and Yosemite Lodge. For active viewers, a one-mile loop trail leads to the base of Lower Yosemite Fall and also possible to hike to the top of Yosemite Falls as a strenuous, all-day hike. For a unique experience, on a clear night with plenty of moonlight and enough water to create mist.

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Monterey Bay Aquarium - Monterey & Carmel, California

There is a reason that Monterey Bay is considered the top aquarium in the country and draws around two million visitors a year. The nearly 200 exhibits and galleries feature 623 different species of plants and creatures: from adorable sea otters to otherworldly jellyfish, swirling sardines and crafty sharks that glide through the water.

Visitors can get up-close with bat rays at the petting pool, and watch divers hand-feed sharks and fish at the kelp forest and blackfooted penguins in the Splash Zone.

What makes Monterey Bay Aquarium so special is its commitment to environmental conservation and education. The aquarium continuously pumps Monterey Bay ocean water through the tanks. During the day the water is filtered for clarity and at night the unfiltered water brings in food in the form of plankton. Waste ocean water from the aquarium is returned to the bay – making the aquarium essentially a part of the ocean.

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Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Griffith Park - Los Angeles, California

One of the largest urban green spaces in the country, Griffith Park is a wonderful playground for all ages and interests. The park embraces an outdoor theater, the city zoo, and observatory, two museums, golf courses, tennis courts, playgrounds, bridle paths, hiking trails, Batman's caves, and even the Hollywood sign.

For astronomy buffs, the landmark Griffith Observatory opens a window on the universe in its planetarium with the world's most advanced star projector; the Big Picture, a floor-to-ceiling digital image of the universe bursting with galaxies and stars; and rooftop telescopes. At the Los Angeles Zoo, you can wander among some 1,200 finned, feathered and furry friends, which promises to enthrall the kids.

Also here is the delightful Travel Town Museum, with its displays of dozens of vintage railcars and locomotives; the Bronson Caves, where scenes from Batman and Star Trek were filmed; the Museum of the American West.

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Mt San Jacinto Wilderness State Park - Palm Springs, California

The Mount San Jacinto Wilderness State Park is dominated by 10,834-foot (3,250-meter) Mount San Jacinto, Southern California’s second-highest mountain.

In summer, miles of hiking tracks wind through the state park wilderness of sub-alpine forests, ferny mountain meadows and granite peaks. Snow falls here in winter for cross-country skiing and snowshoe fun.

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SeaWorld San Diego, California

One of San Diego’s most popular attractions, SeaWorld is most famously know as the home of Shamu, the killer whale, who has become an unofficial symbol of the city. But the zoo has much more, including plenty of other whales, sharks, dolphins and penguins. And if you like your marine life choreographed, various special animal performances are held, too.

Indeed, San Diego SeaWorld’s highlights are its live shows, featuring trained dolphins, seals, sea lions, and killer whales. “Believe” is the most visually spectacular, a 30 minute show in which the three star performers – Shamu, Baby Shamu, and Namu – glide, leap, dive, and flip through the water while interacting with each other, their trainers, and the audience.

In Penguin Encounter, several penguin species waddle and frolic in a habitat that faithfully simulates Antarctic living conditions. You’ll see dozens of sharks as you walk through the acrylic tube at Shark Encounter.

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Sunday, April 24, 2016

San Diego Zoo - San Diego, California

Packed into 40 hectares, the San Diego Zoo presents a stunning variety of nature's largest, smallest, noblest, oddest, and most endangered creatures. This famous zoo has more than 3,000 animals representing over 800 species.

Stop first at the San Diego Zoo visitor center to pick up a map. Highlights of the zoo include the Tiger River bioclimatic exhibit, which realistically recreates an Asian rainforest environment, and Gorilla Tropics, which does the same with an African rainforest. The koalas and the rare giant pandas are also popular.

The gardens at the San Diego Zoo are renowned and some of the plants are used for the specialized food requirements of particular animals. Especially for kids, the Children’s Zoo allows young ones to pet small critters; they will also enjoy the animal nursery, which shows off the zoo’s newest arrivals. For an aerial perspective on the park, take a ride on the Skyfari.

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Palm Springs Aerial Tramway - Palm Springs, California

It’s a breathtaking 8-minute journey to the peak of Mount San Jacinto aboard the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Along the way, you’ll travel through 5 vegetation zones, from arid desert to alps.

At the top, the incredible desert views are surrounded by 54 miles (87 km) of hiking trails in Mount Jacinto State Park. The restaurant and cafeteria at the summit mountain station are surrounded by terrific views. The headquarters for the state park are also at the mountain station.

In winter there’s cross-country skiing or snowshoe treks, and on summertime guided nature walks you might spot deer and other wildlife.

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Cable Cars - San Francisco, California

In this age of seat belts and air bags, a rickety ride on a much-loved San Francisco cable car is an anachronistic thrill. Indeed, cable cars may not be the most practical means of transportation, but in San Francisco, a cable car ride is a must-do experience when visiting the city.

They clank up and down the city’s steep hills, carrying locals and visitors alike, some seated, some hanging onto leather straps or standing on the outer running boards. You catch a cable car two ways: at the turnaround stops at the beginning and end of the lines, or as the locals do - by following the tracks up a few blocks and hopping on when the car stops.

Once on board, hang on to the pole, and have your $6 fare ready to hand to the brakeman. It’s from out here that the best views of San Francisco unfold.

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Santa Monica Beach & Pier - Los Angeles, California

You'll instantly recognize it from film and TV: the neon-lit arch of the Santa Monica Pier. Feel the ocean breeze as you stroll past snack shacks, a game arcade, lively entertainers, and anglers to the far tip where the entire arc of the Santa Monica Bay, from Malibu to Palos Verdes unfolds before you.

Kids get their kicks at Pacific Park, with its solar-powered Ferris wheel, kiddy rides, and midway games. Near the pier entrance, nostalgic souls and their offspring can ride the colorfully hand-painted horses on the vintage merry-go-round.

Just below the carousel is Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, where sea stars and sea urchins can be scooped up and petted. And then there's the wide and long sandy expanse that is Santa Monica Beach. Here you’ll find sunbathers, families, volleyball players, and roller skaters.

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Saturday, October 17, 2015

Venice Beach - Los Angeles, California

Southern California’s quintessential bohemian playground, Venice Beach is a haven for artists, New Agers, homeless people, and free spirits of all stripes. This is where Jim Morrison and the Doors lit their fire, where Arnold Schwarzenegger pumped himself to stardom, and where Julia Roberts and Dennis Hopper make their homes today.

Life on Venice Beach moves to a different rhythm and nowhere more so than on the famous Venice Boardwalk, officially known as Ocean Front Walk. It’s a nonstop Mardi Gras of fortune tellers, street musicians, and characters of all colors, shapes, and sizes. This is where to get your hair braided, your karma corrected, and your back massaged qigong–style.

Encounters with hoop dreamers, a Speedo-clad snake charmer and a roller-skating Sikh minstrel are pretty much guaranteed, especially on hot summer days. The Sunday-afternoon drum circle draws hundreds of revelers for tribal playing and spontaneous dancing.

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