Catalina Island Day Trippin'

A recent blog post discussed the activities and things to do on a trip to Catalina Island. But the author forgot to mention the details in regard to the main point of the story about renting a golf cart while on the island. Here's the details you need to know before you go: Cartopia Golf Cart Rental, 615 Crescent Avenue, (310) 510-2493.

Amping it Up in California

The travel season has begun. The signs are there. Hotel bookings are up, the weather is warming up to mid-70s, low 80s and its February, and daylight savings "spring forward" rules are turning the clocks to an extra hour of sunlight in March. In the real world, all this points to pent up energy and millions of people ready to break out the beach towels, the sunblock, and get ready for summer. The events calendar is showing lots of car shows, fund-raisers, food fests and street fairs.

What will you be doing this year? Will you take a vaction out of area? If you are like the majority of travelers, you'll book your hotels closer to your trip (1-5 days before,) you'll stay less days, and you'll travel closer to home.

Oh Nuts, It's Almonds & Strawberry Season in California

Food provides one of the best reasons to hop in a car and explore California. With the almond festivals prepping for their big parades, carnivals, and food displays, get ready to enjoy some of California's finest crops. But wait a minute...there's also the strawberry season going on right now.

As my friend drove along the Central Valley the other day, she told me that she saw kiwi fruit sold at stands along the road. That got me doing some research to find out about kiwis in California, another delicious fruit to enjoy. Add to these treats some fine California wines, and you have yourself a road trip filled with delight. Don't drink & drive, but do stop to buy the berries if you can.

Finalists at Mavericks Ready to Take to Waves

On Feb. 13, 2010, the finalists at Mavericks (Princeton by the Sea) near Half Moon Bay prepare to take to the waves for the final show down. The purse on this event is $150K, the largest sum of money for any big wave contest.

Finalists as of 1.10 p.m. were: Anthony Tashnick, Dave Wassell, Shane Desmond, Carlos Burle, Kenny Skindog Collins, and Chris Bertish.

While maverickssurf.com site was experience slow service due to viewer overload, you could go directly to ustream.tv to watch the event online, where over 32,000 viewers tuned in at any given time to see the contest where up to 50 foot waves sometimes challenges the world's strongest and best surfers. The majority of surfers in this year's event came from Santa Cruz. Finalists represented Hawaii, South Africa, San Francisco and three surfers from Santa Cruz. We'll post winners as they become available around 4 p.m. or earlier, most likely.

California Valentine Overload is Sweet!

The Valentine's weekend approaches in California and for many it will be a sweet deal. But for me, it is overload times 20, just trying to figure out which events to attend. My family has designs on something local..a pet fair with a doggy costume contest called Happy Howlentine's Day.

My money's on the camel & ostrich races at the Riverside Country Fair. Many of my friends will head straight for the mountains to ski with the great rains that just brought snow to the mountain resorts.

Calico Ghost Town near Bakersfield is having a Civil War Re-enactment. Read more.

Time to Plan Your Summer Vacation

We see it in the numbers. The hotel prices are edging up for summer. It's a time when you may be able to lock in some cheaper room night rates. If you wait, there is a wild card that could change the equation. If sales stay soft going into the summer months, you may have some bargaining power during that time. There are no real guarantees as to how it will play out. But from last year's pricing during the summer months, we don't expect to see any deep cuts for hoteliers and managers to fill rooms.

Runners Wish For Rain at California's Beach Marathons & Runs

With the arrival of two running events this weekend, a marathon in Huntington Beach, and a 10K run in Redondo Beach, any chance and hope of rain may be dashed by the storm passing through during the pre-Super Bowl time frame. The Redondo Beach event include a baby buggy run and a costume contest, so that event is actually more light-hearted. The HB event is a Boston Marathon qualifier and involves some serious runners.

It has actually rained at previous annual events and those impacted most are the the onlookers, bands playing at specific locations, and support staff. Runners actually say the rain provides a cooling effect to the body during long distance runs.

While Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 7, 2010) is known as the ultimate celebration for couch potatoes, the exercise events offer an alternate form of entertainment for the go-getters who would rather participate than watch. With all the ads during the Super Bowl, you can actually get your run in and catch the games, as well. Go!

Note:
Hotels in Huntington Beach are sold out for event.

Sports Vacation in Huntington Beach, Super Bowl Sunday Marathon

20,000 runners and their families will converge on Huntington Beach, California this week for the Surf City Marathon (formerly known as Pacific Shoreline Marathon). Hotels are sold out at the beach, but rooms are available just down the "street" on Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach, Sunset, and Seal Beach.

Street closures on Coast Highway will greet travelers from Super Bowl Sunday morning (Feb. 7, 2010), to late afternoon. Best advice is to avoid that route, and take the freeway or inland streets at Warner Ave. to Beach Blvd.

For fans wanting to watch, the route travels along the coast, then heads up Garfield Street, through Central Park down Edwards, and up Seapoint back to PCH. Will it be crowded?