California is bustling with activity during the summer season. Most tourists flock to places like Hollywood and Los Angeles, but the west coast has more to offer than the many celebrities and expensive rooms of the inner city. For a true California vacation you’ll never forget, you’ll want to visit one of these great places.
Mount Shasta
Mount Shasta is a volcano that has not been joined by any other mountain. It is the fifth highest peak in California, and stands 14,162 feet high. It offers everything from white water rafting and climbing to fishing and cave exploring. There are plenty of opportunities for mountain biking, kayaking, camping, water skiing, water tubing, rock climbing; horseback riding and also in the tennis court and other indoor activities are organized for adults and children. The climbing season on Mount Shasta begins in late April and continues through October. The most popular trail is Avalanche gulch, or the John Muir trail. Mount Shasta is home to the 4th of July fireworks display that is projected over Lake Siskiyou. The celebration usually has things like wine tasting, art vendors, live shows and concerts, and all that can be breakfast. Teresa Ambord covers the event in the accompanying content article, “For a Real Fourth of July Celebration, Visit Mount Shasta, California.”
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
This is one of my personal favorites. I spend as much time as I can in Santa-cruz and MARMORA is so hard to leave. Santa Cruz map in California is Coney Island. It was first opened in 1865 when John Leibrandt opened the public baths at the mouth of the river. People began pouring salt into salt water for washing. From there merchants began to set up shops and stalls and by the end of the century they became popular vacation spots.
Today the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is an amusement park filled with fun roller coasters, games and carnival stalls. Fairly reasonable coupons and discounts can be found in grocery stores, on the sides of soda cans and scattered around. including credit union boards. The unlimited summer season will cost you about $65 per person, but you can get unlimited rides and attractions plus one free all-day unlimited rides pass. Single day passes for rides are $28.95 and single day attraction passes cost $36.95. If you want to save a few bucks, Santa Cruz is on the beach so you can spend your vacation in the surf. Anthony Scannell of Sancta Cruz, Ca. He calls this coastal town home and has provided a wealth of information on what to see, where to go and what to do in Santa Cruz.
Just 6 miles away is a very pleasant village called Capitola. The village is a separate part of the Capitoline city and is much more fun than the city itself. You can see the deck from MargaritVille on the back. The village is very small and best explored on foot. You’ll find some of the most unique jewelry and accessories and clothing you’ve ever seen in local shops. John Dominic has a lot of knowledge about the area and recently wrote an article titled “Visitors Guide to the California Capitol.”
Monterey/Carmel
Since these two towns are separate, you cannot visit one without the other. Cannery Row sits in the heart of the Monterey Peninsula. Here you’ll find the Monterey Aquarium, tide pools, shops, restaurants and museums, not to mention regularly scheduled special events, concerts, shows and exhibitions. The aquarium is one of the main attractions of Cannery Row. The lagoon is like a pool of millions, which contains otters, penguins, starfish, sharks and much more. It introduces a lot of learning skills and marine life to small children through hands-on access to tidal marshes.
17 Mile Scenic Drive along the coast. Monterey is a must-see for anyone visiting. You’ll see pristine beaches, stately homes, and rugged bush-covered mountains, and of course the crashing waves as they hit the cliffs rising up from the ocean. The 17 Mile Drive takes you past some of the most famous golf courses like the Pebble Beach course where Bing Crosby started the Pebble Beach National Pro Am.
Carmel, which is adjacent to Monterey, and the place ending 17 miles away is commonly called Carmel to the Sea. It is known for its European charm, hundreds of art galleries and stately homes. This is another one of those towns that you want to explore on foot. There are so many alleys and alleys with shops, rooms, restaurants and restaurants in them that you cannot visit all of Carmel in one day. If you get a chance to see this city by the sea, be sure to stop at Jack London’s Bar and Grill for some calamari.
