San Francisco City and County Share a Government

The City and County of San Francisco has been a consolidated city and county government since 1856, and it is the only such consolidation in the State of California. The government of the City and County of San Francisco also has jurisdiction over the San Francisco International Airport, even though that airport is located within San Mateo County.
- About the County of San Francisco
- City of San Francisco Travel Guide

California Has a New State Amphibian

The California Red-Legged Frog became the official state amphibian of California on January 1, 2015.   This species of frog is probably most well-known for its appearance in Mark Twain's short story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County".  It is the largest native frog in the Western United States and it is almost exclusively located in California. See also Other State Symbols of California and the Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee.

Films Nominated for the February 2015 Academy Awards

The 87th  Academy Awards ceremony presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will take place on Sunday, February 22, 2015 at the Dolby Theatre (formerly known as the Kodak Theatre)  in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles.  Awards will be presented for best films of 2014. 
- Nominated Films
- ABC TV Schedule

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. 

- Catalina Island Travel Guide

- Inn on Mount Ada Bed and Breakfast

- Other Hotels on Catalina Island

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.

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

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

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.

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

Air Shows in California

Where to find some of the most spectacular Air Shows in California.  Includes the the California Capital Air Show, the California International Air Show, the El Centro Air Show, the Miramar Air Show, the San Francisco Fleet Week Air Show,  the Lake in the Sky Air Show, the Wings Over Wine Country Air Show, and many other air shows in Northern, Southern, and Central California.
- Air Shows in California
- Aviation Museums in California
- Airports in California
- Military Bases in California
- Military Museums in California

High Tech Attractions in the Silicon Valley

Where to find some of the most interesting high tech attractions in the Silicon Valley area of Northern California. Includes high tech museums, historic sites, company stores open to the public, and other microelectronics and scientific technology related attractions and visitor sites in the Santa Clara County and San Mateo County areas of the Santa Clara Valley.
- High Tech Silicon Valley Attractions
- Northern California Travel Guide

Guide to California Food Festivals

Information about many different types of California food festivals. Includes California wine festivals, fruit festivals, vegetable festivals, salsa festivals, beer festivals, and other types of food festivals in California. To view the guide visit this Web page: Food Festivals in California

Snowy and Sunny Winter Resorts in California

Information about Warm Winter Resorts and Cold Winter Resorts in California. Includes cold winter resorts in the Shasta, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Mammouth, and San Bernardino Mountain areas and warm winter resorts in Palm Springs, other Coachella Valley towns, Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, and the beach cities of Los Angeles and San Diego County: For more information see Winter Resorts in California.

Places to Play in the Snow in California

Almost every child loves to play in the snow, and California kids are no exception.  Many California visitors are surpised to learn about the large number of private and government manged snow parks and sledding resorts in California.  Here's where to find them:
Snow Parks in California

New Palm Springs Travel Guide

Take a look a the newest regional travel guide on the California for Visitors Web site: the Palm Springs Travel Guide.

Welcome to the New California for Visitors Blog

This new blog is the official blog associated with Kathie Fry's California for Visitors Web site.