Fall is Time to Travel if you Can

Don't worry if summer passed you by and you never got to go on that trip. Today is a great time to make it happen, as the prices go down in September. Labor Day travelers headed for San Diego, Central Coast and San Francisco, but now they're gone. It's the budget traveler's time to shine. Get a deal, save some dough and go!

Vacationing in California this summer is costing you a whole lot more. If you are one of millions who will travel closer to home this year, you are not alone. The with gas prices in California over $4 / gallon and cities adding more fees to their hotel room bookings, the average overnight stay more than 50 miles from home is going to cost you a minimum $125-150. While that may seem cheap enough, the average overnight cost for a typical California trip is double that.

Places and things people are doing this summer in California include events. California is event-driven and people like to travel to see a fair, concert, or art festival, for instance. More & more individuals looking for money are selling their wares in fairs, requiring hotel rooms if they veer too far from home. 

It's depressing to just stay at home--all the time--so do plan an overnighter if you can. If you have to stay with relatives and friends, so be it. If you can opt for camping, do it. Life's too short not to have fun. Travel is one of the best entertainment values around. 

Dogs Invited to San Luis Obispo County Hotels, Fleas Stay Free!

A new ad campaign invites pet owners to bring their dogs and stay at some 60 hotels in San Luis Obispo County. A microsite was created to promote the concept, and the County marketing association is reaching out to travelers to spread the word.

I don't mind dogs, but am one of the more than 50% of population who DON'T own a dog. And when I stay at hotels, you don't even have to tell me that it's pet friendly. I will tell you because of the flea bites! I hate pet friendly hotels because the management usually doesn't fess up to which rooms have served pets. And the part about the room being sanitized--that pure poppycock! I stayed at the Santa Monica Le Merigot, a JW Marriott Hotel with my family and we were plagued by fleas. Another hotel where the fleas reign free is  hundreds of miles away in Monterey at the Hyatt Regency. It would be hard to stay at these places again, as I paid so much money to be assaulted by something I didn't want or expect. If you are a flea hater like my family is, it's time to speak out to these hotels and marketing people and let them know they are losing business from customers who don't dig being bit! 

Main Streets that Rock in California

When traveling through the state of California, one of the first places you'll wind up is on Main Street. Sometimes the street goes by a different name, but the fun is always the same. History, entertainment, dining, and shopping are the key ingredients to these historic or revitalized areas of a city or town. One of my favorite downtowns is Huntington Beach Main Street.  With over 20 al fresco (outdoor dining options) in one concentrated 4 block area, you can eat, drink and dance to live music throughout the year.

Some of the great pubs & bars such as Perqs, Killarney, Gallaghers, Hurricanes, Aloha Grill, and HB Beer Co. offer fun entertainment by the beach. Events that are popular are the weekly Surf City Nights held on Tuesdays from 5 to 9 p.m. It's all free and has some great musicians we like to watch. Guitarists, rock musicians and eclectic singers/songwriters are quite entertaining. Do check it out if you're visiting the Orange County city located between Seal Beach and Newport Beach.

Will the Japanese Tsunami Crisis Affect California Tourism?

As we head into summer so many questions about California travel exist.We love our beaches in California, but the threat of tsunami waves arriving on our shores, and the alert California has been given about being overdue for a big earthquake here, make nerves rattle.

The plus side for California travel is the large number of residents who comprise the tourist base within the state -- estimates from the California Travel and Tourism Commission are around 88%. For now, we wait to hear if the nuclear generating stations will blow in Japan, spreading cancer-causing chemicals around the globe. We wait to hear if our governer (Jerry Brown) will take control and get a budget passed to manage the state's own financial crisis.  And we contemplate the nuclear power plants along our coast--are the owners prepared for a similar quake that Japan just faced? So many questions in 2011.

The Scottish Festival at Queen Mary is a Blast

Every February for nearly 20 years the Queen Mary ship in Long Beach has hosted a Scottish Festival. It includes a great setting where  it's never too hot or cold. If you can make it over to the event, it's lots of fun for all ages. There is an admission fee, and unfortunately, it's not cheap...runs around $20 -25 for one day admission. But most the Scottish Festivals I've been to charge similar fees.

California Ballet is Big Biz

If you think that California is ALL about beaches, boogy boards and being outdoors, you haven't seen the line up of Nutcracker Ballets being planned for the holidays. There are hundreds of them in California--so many, in fact, that it is simply overwhelming. From the great Russian Ballet to San Jose, the sets, the cast and the music all provide amazing entertainment. If you haven't seen a performance, it is like watching the Olympics in some cases. Here's just a few we've uncovered in 2010.