Sunday, December 14, 2014

Catalina's "Inn at Mount Ada" Closed for Two Months

Catalina Island's historic Inn on Mount Ada (an expensive but very special place to stay with fabulous views of Avalon Harbor) is closed in December of 2014 and January of 2015 for cleaning and minor renovations. The property's owner, the University of Southern California, signed a new long-term lease with Santa Catalina Island Company effective Dec. 1, 2014. The historic mansion will continue to operate as a bed and breakfast when it re-opens but it will be under new management, and extensive renovations are planned for the future to completely restore the home and property. 

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Ten Busiest Airports in California

The 10 busiest Airports in California are also the only airports in California serving more than a million passengers a year:
#1 - Los Angeles Airport (more than 30 million)
#2 - San Francisco Airport (more than 20 million)
#3 - San Diego Airport (more than 8 milliion)
#4 - Oakland Airport (more than 4.6 million)
#5 - Sacramento Airport (more than 4.4 million)
#6 - Orange County John Wayne Airport (more than 4.2 million))
#7 - San Jose Airport (more than 4.1 million)
#8 - Ontario Airport (more than 2.3 million)
#9 - Burbank Bob Hope Airport (more than 2.2 million)
#10 - Long Beach Airport (more than 1.5 million)

The next largest California airports after Long Beach are the Palm Springs Airport, the Fresno Yosemite Airport, and Santa Barbara Airport.  All of the other airports in California serve fewer then 200,000 passengers a year.

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Huge Port of Los Angeles Bridge to be Demolished

The Gerald Desmond Bridge over the Port of Long Beach is being replaced with a new bridge that is expected to be completed in 2016.  The current bridge will remain in place until the new bridge is opened to traffic, at which time the old bridge will be demolished.  The Gerald Desmond Bridge connects Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach with Terminal Island in the Port of Los Angeles.  Another bridge, the Vincent Thomas Bridge, connects Terminal Island with San Pedro.
- New Gerald Desmond Bridge Project
- About the New and Old Gerald Desmond Bridges
- About the Vincent Thomas Bridge


Saturday, April 26, 2014

Sierra Nevada Travel Guides - High Sierras and Gold Country

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy and Sierra Business Council have partnered with the National Geographic Society to capture the history and heritage of the Sierra Nevada region of California through an interactive Web site with a printable map, a mobile device app, and a free online map.  The Web site includes visitor information for the High Sierras and the California Gold Country regions in the foothills north and south of Sacramento.
- Sierra Nevada Tourism Web Site
- Yosemite Experience Web Site
Sierra Nevada Travel Guides at California for Visitors:
- High Sierras Travel Guide
- Gold Country Travel Guide

New California Tourism Videos

The Visit California Web site working jointly with the California State Division of Tourism has published a new series of free online videos highlighting four categories of California visitor destinations and activities: Adventurous, Cool, Inspiring, and Quirky:
- Adventurous California Travel Videos
- Cool California Travel Videos
- Inspiring California Travel Videos
- Quirky California Travel Videos

See also California Videos at Amazon.com

California Museums - by County and by Type

The Official Web site of the California Association of Museums includes a list of member museums organized by California county. The California for Visitors Web site has a list of California museums organized by type of museum (history, aviation, gold mining, logging, transportation, historic ships, most unusual museums, and others).
- List of Museums in California - Sorted by California County
- List of Museums in California - Sorted by Type of Museum

Monday, April 14, 2014

Growing Cactus and Succulents in Southern California

Tips for growing cactus plants and succulent plants in Southern California. Published by the Orange County Cactus and Succulent Society.  Includes basic care tips, watering, light and ventilation requirements, soil mixes, containers, fertilizing, pests issues and other growing information.
- How to Grow Cactus and Succulent Plants
- Flower Festivals and Shows in California

April Festivals in California

Information about many different types of April California Festivals  organized by festival name and by the location in which each festival takes place.  Includes Earth Day festivals, Japanese cherry blossom festivals, cultural festivals, film festivals, food festivals, music festivals, and other types
of California festivals held in April.

- April California Festivals by Name
- April California Festivals by Location
- All April Events in California

If you know about any April California events not listed on those pages please post a note on our California Facebook Page or send email to californiaforvisitors@gmail.com.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Dana Point "Two Years Before the Mast" Reading

DANA POINT COMPLETE READING OF TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST: The 4th annual complete reading of Richard Henry Dana Jr.’s classic sailor's memoir "Two Years Before the Mast" will take place in the Southern Orange County coastal city of Dana Point  over three days in early March 2014:
READING SCHEDULE:
- Friday, March 7 (1-4 pm)
- Saturday, March 8 (9 am-6 pm)
- Sunday, March 9 (9:00 am-noon)
ABOUT DANA POINT:
- Dana Point Travel Guide