Make Your Own Surf Camp in California

Camping in California just goes with surfing. How else could most surfers afford a weekend in Big Sur? I know I can’t afford a spa. I’ve camped many times in places where I could surf. Though there weren’t always waves, there was always a fire and some hot dogs.

Like with any planned vacation, it can be tough coordinating a swell with reserving a spot. When I finally know some decent surf is on the way, many sites are already booked. Despite this, windows of opportunity pop up and we’ve gotten a campsite even after being informed by the computer/telephone/Internet/ signs that the place was full. It’s often worth the risk to go for it and hope something’s available. Just be sure to have a backup plan, such as another campground nearby that will almost surely have spots. As of yet, we haven’t had to pay for one of those pricey hotel rooms in Bodega Bay.

We always try to pack light, as light as one can when lugging kid gear, camping stuff, and, of course, a surfboard. It seems like there’s a lot of room in a vehicle until you start filling it with your crap. We used to have a 1982 VW camper van that we kept pre-packed most of the time. It was good for weekend trips. We’d just pull up and pop the top. It even had a sink, a stove, and a fridge, though we rarely use them, preferring to cook outside. Its main problem was that it was an old and slow Diesel. 1960’s VW love-vans flew past us on Highway 1. We used MANY turnouts. It was great once we got there, but next time I’d get the gas version without the stove and sink inside. It’s faster and has more room. Where to go? The big question always depends on swell, wind, and site availability. Here are some of the places I’ve gone camping and surfing. Most have really nice sites near or right on the beach.

Humboldt County

My wife and I got rained out of our tent in Trinidad, so we got a cheap cabin rental at Emerald Forest campground. It was rustic, with a wooden bed, a chair, and a little heater – perfect for the rainy conditions and simple enough that we still used our gear and felt like we were camping.

Along the drive north to one of the beaches, I noticed some glassy waves breaking about a mile away at a beach that turned out to be Dry Lagoon. Though it was overcast, the waves were glassy, head high, and fun. Guess I caught it on a rare day when it wasn’t blown out.

Del Norte County

My wife and I also went to the somewhat economically depressed Crescent City. It kind of reminds me of my home town of Pacifica, except that houses are four times more expensive at home. But Crescent City has potential, surrounded by ocean and redwoods. I surfed at South Beach in a sideshore wind, and it was kind of fun despite being sloppy.

Sonoma County

Bodega Bay is the main surfing spot in Sonoma county, and Doran beach is its most convenient campground, located right across from the beach. We’ve stayed there many times and it’s hard to beat for convenience. I just stroll across the road to the beach and paddle out. Just make sure it’s high tide and there’s enough swell to make it into this south facing beach. Nearby is Salmon Creek which can be fun when it’s not blown out or big and out of control. If your going with the family, I’d just stick with Doran Beach.

Marin County

We stayed out in Olema campground, about 25 minutes from Drakes beach at Point Reyes. The campground is a grassy meadow with a few trees, and the beach is kind of like Doran Beach – protected, an easy paddle out, and light on sandbars. I surfed it a couple of times almost completely alone on really fun, sunny, fast and somewhat short tides. A couple of other times I made the long drive for nothing. I got pretty close to the estuary at one point and decided to leave due to the shark potential. A northwest wind was strong offshore in front of the parking lot, which is at the end of “wind funnel” valley. You can also drive to Bolinas….Oh I forgot, nobody’s supposed to know where Bolinas is. If you can find it, say, with MapQuest or something, you can surf this place. It’s usually cleaner and more crowded than other spots around. If you want really mellow slow rollers that are good for a longboard, walk out to the beach, hang a right, walk past the smell of burning hemp, and you’re there.

Santa Cruz County

Here we stayed at New Brighton beach. It’s a nice campground with access to all the surf in town. We also stayed at Sunset beach, also very nice with a huge beach. It’s fifty miles across the Monterey bay with several surf spots. I caught it on a couple of windless-to-offshore days. It’s not fun if there’s any wind or too much swell. There’s also an RV park near the beach, but we felt a little silly staying there in our tiny VW camper van next to all the massive motor homes. The lady staying in her Honda Element made us feel more at home.

Monterey County

Here we stayed at a campground in the hills about five miles inland. We drove out to Spanish Bay on an unbelievable day – ten foot waves with perfect shape. It was fun until the grizzled, burly, longboard crew showed up. They pretty much dominated after that, and I broke a leash. I also had great surf in Carmel beach. This place looks like Hawaii, just with cold water. Pearl white sand covers both Spanish Bay and Carmel Beach.

I have also had some fun days at Andrew Molera. The walk to the rivermouth is about a mile! A couple of times it was about 4 foot and clean and peeled pretty well – all rights. A few other times I dragged the wife and kids out to the windy spot and we watched tiny waves breaking for a few minutes before making the LONG walk back. I wouldn’t make the walk out unless you know there’s a southwest swell or decent sized west to northwest swell.

A good place to stay is Ventana campground with its beautiful sites in the redwood forest. But there are several options nearby. If you stay farther south at Plaskett Creek you can surf Sand Dollar beach across the street and a bit of a walk down the bluff. It has beautiful water, but the small, rocky shore isn’t much fun for the family. Some young women next to our campground asked if we were there to collect Jade. I guess that’s something else you can do there if you’re into that sort of thing. Willow Creek is another good spot nearby. It had some really nice waves that were well overhead when we were there.

San Luis Obispo County

Morro Strand State Beach is a campground on the beach near Morro rock. I woke up to low tide close-outs when we visited, but I found some surf near Montana De Oro state park. I don’t know exactly where I entered the path to the beach from the road. I just pulled over when I saw the surfboard racks on cars. Ten minutes through the trees and voila – surf!

What To See And Do In Monterey County

Monterey County, the vacationing family will find everything that was dreamt of, and planned out, before the vacation even began! Monterey County is a vibrant and eclectic, sun-filled location, that includes hillside vineyards, and fantastic giant redwoods, almost to the water’s edge! This is what makes central California such a fantastic place for every member of the traveling group as the sea-lovers will have their fill with the wonderful Pacific Ocean, while the greener, more forest-types, always have Big Sur to tromp around in! For the golf lover, there is, one of the most elite golfing locales in the entire world. Pebble Beach. If fine wines and five-star restaurants are listed as must do’s and eats, then it is Monterey California, and only Monterey California for the best in both of those finer art of living endeavors. A trip to Monterey California will shows the best of what California has to offer, and will remind one. Why California is one of the greatest state in the world!

Monterey California has everything for the vacationer and then some! For starters, there is Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row, made famous by legendary writer John Steinbeck, these iconic locales can be found in the beautiful city of Monterey California! While in Monterey, the family can take in the amazing sights of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This world famous aquarium has over 100 species of native marine wildlife that can be seen for the first time by every member of the family. To spend half a day in this fantastic and wonderful family adventure is to see exactly what central California is all about, the animal life and the people that make up this dynamic location. After having the fill of marine life and other swimming-things, it is time to take the show on the road and head to Cannery Row!

By accessing Highway 1, the Big Sur coastline, and its infinite beauty, will start and point the way toward a vacation of a lifetime! The famous Cannery Row area of Monterey is best accentuated and demonstrated at the Cannery Row Block Party. Every June 7, from 11 AM to 5 PM., the vacationer can turn into a ‘festival block party hound’ and have a day filled with fun, animal shows, balloon artists, live music, and even the famous rib-eating contest! As the sun drops down and the moon comes up, it is time to head out for some dinner if the ribs did not fill the stomach void enough, and a great place to eat at while in Monterey County is Rosie’s Restaurant. Located in old Monterey, this family owned restaurant serves everything from hamburgers to steak and really has a central California feel to everything that is served. Spend a day in any of the cities and towns of Monterey County and see exactly why central California earned the name “Heaven on Earth!”

Monterey California is more than just one dynamic and up-and-coming city; it is a conglomeration of wonderful central California towns and sleepy little hamlets, each bringing out the best in the Golden State. Another fine family location, for a weekend excursion, is the town of Marina California. This central Californian location is home to one of the most spectacular and user-friendly beaches of them all, Marina State Beach. The visiting family can watch brave and courageous hang-gliders soaring high like eagles, upon the currents of the air, as surfers ride the tasty waves below. Once the vacationing family has had their fill of the Pacific Ocean, it is time to head a bit inshore for a great meal and maybe some nighttime entertainment! Just one town over is the popular Salinas California village. The kids will just adore the parents as they are treated to a day at the Salinas Valley’s Wild Things Animal Ranch. What’s important to notice about the difference in this animal ranch from other animal ranches is that the children won’t just meet lions and tigers and bears, oh my, there are also porcupines, kangaroos, elephants and many more types of animals, which will fascinate and excite and also educate the youngsters! Monterey County offers so many activities for the traveler, it is difficult to list! A months worth of activities would be only a small mentioning of the totality of opportunities that exist in Monterey California!

As the date of departure grows nearer, smooth those frowning faces of the family and get on over to Carmel California. A great town for the dynamic and wonderful vacation of a lifetime in Monterey, California. In Carmel, California, there is Carmel’s Forage in the Forest, which is an authentic forge shop! Just like back in the gold miners day of the late 1800’s. Imagine the look on the children’s faces as not only will they get to see and experience what it was like to be a miner in the Golden State in the 1800s, they will also be able to physically touch and feel the authentic steel that was used to make rail-road spikes and other objects of metal. As the vacation comes to a sad ending, it is best that the family, or the independent traveler, seeing one more location before leaving Monterey County. This is the Monterey Museum of Art, located in the anchor city of Monterey California. The Monterey Museum of Art focuses on the dynamic and rich artistic heritage of central California, with such timeless works by artists such as Francis McComas, Armin Hanson and the intellectually-stimulating William F. Ritschel. Ansel Adams even has a collection of works that will surely astound and educate the entire group. Make the vacation of a lifetime to Monterey County, where the smiles never end!

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Discover The Best in Humboldt County

Everyone would want to spend their vacation at a perfect place where there are lots of worthwhile activities and events. To be able to enjoy, you should be at the perfect place and at the perfect time. Since there are thousands of holiday destinations all over the world, you should be able to point out where you want to go and Humboldt County should be included in your list because it is now one of the hottest holiday destinations these days not only in the US but all over the world. If you are planning to spend your vacation with your family but have no idea where to go, you are reading the perfect article. This is your ultimate guide to the top 4 holiday destinations in Humboldt County where you can have the most memorable experience of your life. Below is a list of top 4 places where you and your family can spend your vacation.
Avenue of the Giants The Avenue of the Giants is situated around the Humboldt Redwoods State Park, which is popular for having the largest untouched virgin redwoods in the whole world. Take time to camp, picnic, swim, hike, raft, fish, or ride a bike in the cool and fresh hush of ancient redwood forests.

Fort Humboldt State Historic Park The Fort Humboldt State Historic Park offers Fort museum, logging museum, bookstore, and a steam up of historically-rich logging equipment which is visited every 3rd Saturday of May until September. You may also enjoy the Dolbeer Donkey Days “?” a 2-day event held in April, which features logging skills competition and logging equipment operation.

Sequoia Park Zoo in EurekaThe Sequoia Park Zoo in Eureka is a high-quality and first-class facility that does not only offer the perfect care for a different animals, but also a great opportunity for any tourists to experience and indulge in a greater appreciation of the diversity and value of the planet Earth”??s life forms.

Historic Old Town of Humboldt County Of all the 58 counties of California, only Humboldt County boasts of more artists than anywhere else in the state of California. The abundance of poets and writers, museums, theater groups, dance companies, galleries, concerts, as well as other cultural and historical events allow the residents and visitors of Humboldt County to enjoy and indulge in a diverse collection of both indoor and outdoor activities and all these can be experienced at the historic old town of Humboldt County! Your search for the most incredible holiday destination has now ended. The perfect getaway that you want to have with your family can be found in any of the places mentioned above.

Immortality at Last! Professionally Produced Family Documentaries Come of Age

Immortality at last! The professionally produced family documentary comes of age.

Commissioning a set of formal portraits in sombrely framed oils was once the fashionable way for well-to-do families to leave images of themselves for posterity. But today’s cash-rich, time-poor masters of the universe have found a new and creative way to preserve their family history.

Welcome to the age of the professionally produced family documentary, where budgets almost rival broadcast TV productions. Well-heeled City slickers, corporate bigwigs, lawyers, doctors and the like are spending as much as 60,000 dollars on having experienced TV crews shoot biographical documentaries about their own family, for private viewing.

These productions are being made by one of the leading production company’s in the field, “Times of your Life Media” and put together with all the skill, resources and production values of professionally produced documentary television. Crews are sent worldwide to do location shoots that many independent TV companies simply couldn’t afford. Hundreds of hours are sometimes spent assembling historical sequences from old family films, videos and collections of photographs.

And many TV professionals, depressed by the onslaught of reality and tabloid celebrity television that relies on the exploitation of cheap and plentiful media graduates, are actively choosing to make movies for private individuals because they see them as one of the last refuges of serious, story-telling documentary film-making.

Styling itself as a “Family Media Company”, a two-year-old film company, “Times of Your Life Media”, located in the Washington DC suburb of Reston Virginia is the brand leader in this emerging sector of the television documentary industry. With a turnover of close to a million dollars last year, and a staff of 14 editors, camera people and directors, “Times of your Life Media has all the amenities and buzz of a fully fledged TV production house, even though none of its work will ever be seen on television.

Yet while TV professionals increasingly complain about broadcasters caring little about documentary quality, people commissioning private family films seem genuinely appreciative of their work.

“Even somebody who was not a family member wouldn’t be bored watching the film we had made about my grand father,’ says Tommy Link, a Fort Lauderdale business owner, dispelling in a sentence, perhaps, most people’s visceral fear of being subjected to friends home movies and videos.

Links 45-minute film cost around 22,000 dollars and required a Times of Your Life crew to travel to New York City and Chicago. The film was helped by its subject matter “Thomas Link who has led a life more fruitful as documentary fodder than most of us enjoy. He was a business man and inventor who designed and built the Link Trainer which was used to train aviators during the Second World War.

But now Link and his wife, Clarise, who also works for a government agency, are having a second movie made, at a cost of around 5,000 dollars currently in post-production, about their children. The director came for a whole day and was very comfortable with the kids, says Link. “He was really in tune with families just like us. It’s not intrusive, as if you’ve let someone into a very intimate part of your life.”

“He went with the children from one of their activities to the next” a Saturday afternoon soccer game, dressing up as pirates and charging through the kitchen and so on. He fitted into their routine of being noisy and childlike and spoke with them while capturing the moments on high definition cameras. He’d ask things like, ‘Who’s your best friend?’, ‘What’s your favorite food?’ What’s it like being at school?’, ‘What’s the nicest thing you’ve ever done?’ It was really a lot of fun, and the kids enjoyed the entire shoot.

Heather and David Thomas both working professionals in Fairfax Virginia have had a Times of Your Life Media production made costing around 25,000 dollars made.

One was about Thomas’s family, and was shot as a 50th birthday present for him over six days on location in and around Northern Virginia. ‘Within three weeks, the guys put together a movie of his life. “It was amazing”, says Thomas. “It was especially great because following the filming one of our great aunts who was featured in the production passed away. “It was a fantastic experience for my family to have this production with my father. It meant so much to us to capture him as he was, and I really couldn’t put a price on the results. My parents are now busy showing the movie to all their friends and they’re really not a home movies type of crowd.”

Shooting family documentary footage is only a part of the new personal family documentary business. Most of what “Times of your Life Media” does is painstakingly constructing watchable productions from dusty boxes shoe full of random home videos, ancient reels of film home movies and thousands of unsorted family photos.

Robert Clay, say’s that he dumped, 20 years worth of photos and video on the Times of your Life’s doorstep. The material, which included over100 hours of video and some 12,000 still photos of his children, filled a van that arrived to pick it up from the family home near Warrenton Virginia.

Six months and 45,000 dollars later, the Thomas family movie is nearing completion. So far it spans six DVDs of 50 minutes each. “The first two DVDs have been delivered and the children are glued to them,” says Clay. “They just keep watching them again and again, beginning to end, and then putting on the next one. The editor did a great job of selecting the best material. We would never, ever, have looked at the original material. Even for those of us in it, it wasn’t really watchable before, and it was completely un-catalogued.

It does cost a lot of money, but when people see the finished product; they realize just how much you’re getting for that. If I could put a dollar into this and a dollar into my pension, I’m pretty sure this is better value. The Clays are planning to keep on filming and snapping and to go back to Times of your Life every few years to update their production.

I gave Times of Your Life my family beach vacation videos spanning 15 years. It was a huge collection of photos, videos of various formats and super 8 film after six weeks, I received a superbly edited 60-minute montage of film and contemporary music that has been shown even to non-family members, who if they were bored by it were polite enough not to say so. Some even went as far as to say that the production was genuinely interesting and evocative.

What was remarkable about their work was how the editor, Joey Thomas, somehow made sense of all the fuzzy relatives and toddling infants and got the archive into a sensible chronological order. “Its detective work,” explains Thomas, the 46 year old owner of Times of Your Life Media. “With the videos and film, there were no labeling clues as to what was what and it wasn’t in any particular order. So what you’re looking for are visual clues. The only narrative you have with this kind of montage work is the chronology. You’re working out which holiday was which, which Christmas, even counting the candles on birthday cakes.”

For Thomas, family movies are the future for his film-making career. Tommy Link, a film- school graduate, has a hard news cameraman background in Washington DC, but says: “I find this work really stimulating. It’s actually film-making at its most personal and emotional. We get stories from the people that lived them, and there’s nothing more fascinating to me than that.”

Thomas explains that the company’s success is based on a demographic change in middle-class society. ‘I started this because I had kids in my forties, and I realized that by the time my kids were in their twenties my dad would probably not be with us any more and they’d never get to know each other. I wanted something that my son, when he’s in his thirties, would have to realize what a great guy his grandfather was. And then I also wanted something for my dad to have, so he could know how cool his grandchildren are. Also, my family is really spread out and getting people together has just become impossible. I was aware that while I had these strong family ties, there was little chance that my three kids would spend much time with their cousins or get to know one another.

Thomas goes on to explain: “A good percentage of our customers are in a similar boat in that their parents or sister or brother are in California or over seas and they never really see each other. When I was a kid, my great fear was family reunions, because I didn’t know who anybody was. But when my kids meet their family in Miami, they know them all from watching the DVD.’

That’s all very well, but isn’t it all a bit, well, un-American, to spend large sums of money on vanity video productions?

“I certainly needed convincing that it wasn’t going to be something incredibly tacky that only rich investment bankers would do,” says Tom Link. “But you could see from looking at the films they’d done of other families that they really capture the essence of the families and the children. And with us, they got it right.”

“My friends were perfectly comfortable with the idea, but I have to say I mentioned it with embarrassment because they were initially like me. But then my friends came round to the idea that it could be a nice way of capturing the family in a way that most of us are pretty incompetent at. You know, all those terrible home-video soundtracks you get with the kids saying, “Mummy can I stop doing this yet?”

‘But now my friends have realized that this isn’t something brash or showy. Quite a few of them are now considering doing the same.’

www.timesofyourlifemedia.com. Montage documentaries of archive material typically cost between 2,000 dollars and 5,000 dollars. Full biographical films cost from 5,000 dollars to 80,000 dollars and up, depending on the breath and scope of the project.

Finding Vacation Rentals in North Lake Tahoe

The main difference between North and South Lake Tahoe is that
most people who live on the lake year around tend to own houses
on the northern end. Here you’ll find housing developments of
the highest quality, serene resorts, campgrounds, beautiful
beaches as well as shopping and dining as good if not superior
to the choices in the busier, more crowded southern end of the
lake. North Lake Tahoe vacation rentals tend to favor the more
family-oriented traveler, seeking peace and serenity. Because
there are more permanent living facilities on the north shores,
there are more houses and condos available for rent to tourists
than there are on the southern shores. Furthermore, the resorts
dotted throughout the area are, for the most part, more of the
smaller, boutique resorts rather than the larger, bustling
hotels. Because the northern shores are in California there is
no gambling there. This major difference accounts for the total
difference in ambiance between the two locations around the
lake.

There are concerts, art shows, dance recitals and other local
gatherings on the north shore that are more typical of a small
town while the south end is more typical of a Las Vegas
atmosphere. In Lake Tahoe you’ll find more emphasis on skiing in
the winter and mountain play all year round. You can take the
Heavenly Gondola Tram into the mountains and hike to your hearts
content. Then cool off with a relaxing swim in the lake. In the
summer the Renaissance Fair holds its annual merrymaking in the
hills around the north shore.

North Lake Tahoe is well known for its community living. Resort
condominiums are springing up all over the area. They feature
many of the same luxuries found in the major hotels with maid
service, beautiful pools, lakeside cabanas and recreation
rentals, with one exception – you’re an owner not a tourist.
True, you can rent out your condominium to tourists as a source
of extra income. Or you can just buy it and keep it to enjoy for
the rest of your life. In North Lake Tahoe you get the best of
both worlds – the peaceful serenity of the mountains and the
lake situated minutes away from the glamorous nightlife at the
south shore casinos

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What To Expect When Visiting Mendocino County

Situated on the spectacular Redwood Coast of California, approximately 200 miles north of San Francisco, Humboldt County is very proud of its wonderful experiences and attractions for any curious traveler. However, its greatest claim to fame is that it is the true home of the ever popular California Coastal Redwoods. Moreover, Humboldt County is a proud home of the world’s tallest trees, the estate of original old-growth redwoods, and the best and largest redwood parks including Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Redwood National Park, and Drive Thru Trees, as well as the most scenic and accessible groves, trails, and driving tours.
Combined with more than 100 miles of outstandingly beautiful Californian coastline, with everything from sandy beaches to rocky tide pools and rugged cliffs, Humboldt County redwood forests provide great outdoor playground that is certainly second to none. Nature is the very first reason why travelers choose to visit Humboldt. Whether you are in Humboldt for a gentle stroll along the towering redwoods, a backcountry tour by motorcycle or car, or a challenging and adventurous mountain trail, you will find an unspoiled yet wild slice of California. If you are into wildlife viewing and bird watching, sailing, rafting, kayaking or other water sports, cycle touring or mountain biking, backpacking, bouldering or other extreme sports, or just beachcombing and kicking back on the shore, Humboldt County offers the most untouched and scenic place in California to do these activities.
You don’t have to be a mountaineer to appreciate the beauty of Humboldt County. Its natural wonders are only a few minutes away from cities and small towns that provide a full range of dining, lodging, shopping, as well as other attractions for any traveler to experience.
Eureka is the largest city in Humboldt County with the most amenities for travelers, a vibrant art scene, lots of places to see and lots of things to do. It certainly makes an ideal home base for a Humboldt County vacation. Arcata, the college town in the northern part of Eureka offers any travelers with unique attractions such as the Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary. Other popular towns for travelers include Trinidad, Orick, Victorian Village of Ferndale, and Shelter Cove.
Moving away from its coast, the Avenue of the Giants and Garberville are the gateways to the Southern Humboldt. In the eastern part is the Willow Creek, the doorstep of the Six Rivers National Forest, which is very popular for rafting, fishing, and Bigfoot.
Humboldt County is a nature-oriented, rural destination with lots of coasts, forests, and countryside between many small towns. If you decide to stay in any of the towns given above, you can certainly make day trips to beaches, redwood parks, and other public lands. You can also enjoy other activities from art appreciation to wine tasting to local events to heritage touring.

Avenue of the Giant

The Redwood Forest – Avenue of the Giant is a great destination vacation. This first-class world-famous spectacular scenic drive is just a 31-mile portion of the old Highway 101, which is parallel to the Freeway 101 with 51,222 acres of thick redwood groves. The Redwood Forest is by far the most exceptional display of giant trees in the 500-mile forest redwood belt and may be accessed through convenient transportation services provided on the way. The Avenue of the Giant is situated around the Humboldt Redwoods State Park, the home of the largest remaining stand of untouched virgin redwoods in the whole world. Take time to camp, picnic, swim, hike, raft, fish, or ride a bike in the cool and fresh hush of the ancient redwood forest.
Do not forget to visit the Rockefeller Forest, the home of the 10,000 acres of beauty beyond description. There are many hiking trails in the forest, as well as the 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th tallest trees, including the “Champion Coast Redwood” which is 370 feet tall.
Scotia, one of California’s last and still existing “company-owned” towns. This is where you will find the Historic Logging Museum with artifacts, photos, and machinery used in the old logging camps.
You should also visit the Shelter Cove which offers an airport, superb lodging, golf course, fine dining, surrounded by high mountains, beautiful beaches, and exceptional coastal views. This community also boasts of excellent beachcombing, mountain trail hiking, and ocean fishing, all within your reach.
You should also not miss Garberville, the center of commerce and activities in this area. This is where you will find a nice variety of restaurants and lodgings and accommodations. You should also check out the different distinct and unique shops in town. Garberville is just 10-minute drive from the Avenue of the Giants and 45-minute drive from Shelter Cove.
Your visit to the Redwood Forest will not be complete without a drive through the Dyerville Giant. Along the nature trail of the Founders Grove and within the Humboldt Redwoods State Park lie the two special examples of giant redwoods found near the Eel River’s South Fork. The Founders Tree was especially dedicated to the advocates of the “Save the Redwoods League”. This area was touted as the “Champion” Coast Redwood certified by the AFM or the American Forestry Association until it collapsed on the 24th of March, 1991.

If you’ve got a big birthday coming up….don’t freak out. Celebrate it. Play. Get muddy, climb a mountain, hug a big tree. Just get yourself in the car and do what makes you happy and don’t come home until you’ve got some *scars*. (Just a note: The bench was at the top of the mountain I climbed, way off the trail. The message on it…perfect. Serendipity…yesssss.) Part II (The Beach) is now uploaded as well.
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The Amazing Wonders Of California

Variety. I guess I would say that is the main reason that so many people come to live in California from all over the United States in the world. Since the gold rush back in the 1800’s, people from all over have flocked here for a variety of reasons and movies out of Hollywood always seem to have a young girl or boy or a couple dreaming of moving to California. Why do people seem to be drawn to this place? Variety, my friend.

California has high, snowy mountain tops and low, scorching deserts. Don’t like either one of those? Then, try the beach. Still not doing it for you? Try giant redwood trees hundreds of years old, big enough to drive a car through.

Not into nature? Some of the biggest cities in the country are here. Los Angeles, San Jose, San Francisco, San Diego, huge centers of entertainment and commerce are in California.

Did I say entertainment? Don’t forget about Hollywood! Everyone should see the Walk of Fame at least once. The big stars are all here, so if you want to walk among them, Hollywood and Los Angeles are the places you want to be. As long as there is television, Los Angeles and Hollywood shall remain the home of most American entertainment superstars.

Not too interested in big stars and flashing lights? Try the San Francisco Bay area instead. Since they have become one of the greenest cities in the country, you’ll probably appreciate their attitude toward the environment.

California is also hugely cultural, with a high concentration of immigrants from other countries. In certain areas of some cities, you could walk a mile without having to hear a word of English. If you enjoy encountering other cultures without having to leave the United States, the city is the place for you to visit.

Let’s also not forget the wonderful weather. Not too hot or too cold in many places, you should be able to find a climate that is perfect for you. People worry about the earthquakes, but you really have to wonder if you would be any safer in any other part of the country, since others are subject to hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards on a regular basis. In the United States, not many people are killed by earthquakes every year in comparison with other natural disasters.

There are so many faces to California, you won’t be able to see them all in one day. Probably not even in one week. But, I can almost guarantee that you’ll find a place to call home within its sunny borders.

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Discover the Beauty of Mount Soledad

Mount Soledad in beautiful La Jolla gives you the chance to enjoy amazing, 360 degree views under the shadow of a towering cross. All along the summit, there are many veteran’s plaques. Mount Soledad is truly splendid to look at, as it is a well known fixture to the area of La Jolla.

On Mount Soledad, you stand more than 800 foot high underneath the shade of a 43 foot high cross, and enjoy the views and splendor the mount provides. You can enjoy a picnic here, the panoramic views, or just watch the sunset. Mount Soledad is also a great spot for photos, if you like to take photos.

Beauty – everywhere you look Below Mount Soledad is the shimmering waters of La Jolla Shores and terra cotta roofs of those that are very lucky folks indeed. To the north you have the coastline that extends all the way up to Orange County.

To the south of Mount Soledad there are views of Mexico with city skyline and everything else the area has to offer. And off to the east, there are vistas as far as the eye can see.

The cross You may be wondering just what the cross is and what it’s for. The story dates back to 1913, when Pacific Beach residents built a cross out of redwood and set it atop the mountain. Thieves removed it ten years later, and the replacement was created in 1934, which was taken out by high winds in 1952.

Soon after that, the Mount Soledad Memorial Association build the current cross to commemorate soldiers of the Korean and the two world wars.

The cross of Mount Soledad has been a subject of controversy, although the problem appeared to be solved in the late 1990s. The San Diego Council sold the cross and the half acre of land that surrounds it to the Memorial Association.  

In 2002, mini walls were installed to honor the veterans that are underneath the cross, though they have fueled more controversy from those who feel that the towering symbol highlights Christian vets over others that are there.

For those that live in the area, Mount Soledad and the cross are a true beauty. For visitors and tourists, Mount Soledad provides amazing views and the cross seems to add to the detail.

If you ever visit La Jolla, make sure you check out Mount Soledad. It’s very close to the downtown area, and it’ll be one thing you’ll be glad you made time for. The cross is something you simply must see – as words can’t begin to describe it.

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How To Plan A Perfect Romantic Getaway In California

Are you ready for a romantic getaway in California? Because there are plenty of hotspots, you will never be lack of choices when planning a vacation in California. Here, we’ll look at a few places that you might want to try!

If You and Your Partner are Wine Lovers…

You will absolutely adore the wineries dotting the northern cities during your vacation in California. The wine country is filled with the beauty of vineyards and the rich, sweet taste of wines and similar adult beverages.

Best of all, you will be shock at how affordable the cost will be, so plan on taking home some of the “good stuff” to remind yourself of your romantic getaway in California!

If You and Your Partner are Fun-Lovers

Why not head to Disneyland for to renew your romance? It’s a small world after all… so no matter where you stay, you can get there in a hop, skip, and a jump.

Though Florida’s Disneyworld tends to take much of the spotlight away from Disneyland, do not forget the fact that Disneyland is the first amusement park and destination hotspot of its kind. And it absolutely caters to lovers, making it an ideal romantic getaway in California!

If You and Your Partner are Free Spirits…

There is nothing better than a drive up (or down) the coastline for a trip in the sunny state that you will surely remember for years to come. Enjoy the sea breezes and the towns that dot the coast as you cruise through this sunny state. Taste the variations of foods from the natural, healthy food inspired north to the Mexican-inspired south.

Just make sure you give yourselves a full week or two to enjoy your in the sunny State, as it should never be rushed.

If You and Your Partner are into Entertainment…

Hollywood is the place for you! There is so much to see there, and Tinseltown should be part of this vacation. Who knows? You might even spot a few celebrity or starlets, so bring along your camera. And head to Rodeo Drive for a shopping experience of a lifetime if you have just won the lottery!

If You and Your Partner are into Cultural Activities…

San Francisco has it all! The history, the arts, the sports… it is all there on this romantic getaway in California! And depending upon the time of year, you can actually broker some pretty decent rates at some of the downtown hotels. Or, if you prefer, you can always stay at a bed and breakfast near the city… but far enough away to feel a tad rustic.

There are absolutely endless possibilities for a romantic getaway in California, so plan yours now!