Golden Gate Bridge City/Region: San Francisco The rust-colored towers, graceful suspension and supportive cables of the Golden Gate Bridge make this famous symbol of San Francisco the most photographed bridge in the world, and visible from almost any high point in the city, although it is often shrouded in rolling fog. Spanning the two-mile (3km) mouth of the bay, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time of its completion in 1937 and was built to withstand winds of more than 100 mph (161km per hour). During
high winds it can sway up to 27ft (8m) in each direction. One of the great engineering accomplishments of the 20th century, the bridge claims to have used enough wire in its construction to stretch around the earth several times. Walking across the bridge, under the towers that loom 65 storys above the water, is one of the best ways to experience the immensity of the structure and affords beautiful views of the San Francisco skyline, the bay and its islands. Golden Gate Bridge is also a favorite with the suicidal and the sidewalks are dotted with crisis-counselling phones. Address: Highway 101 North Phone Number: (415) 921 5858 Website: www.goldengatebridge.org Transport: Golden Gate Transit buses 10, 60, 70 or 80 depart daily for Marin County from the Transbay Terminal. Muni buses 28 and 29 also stop at the bridge toll plaza Hours: Access for pedestrians is on the east sidewalk during daylight hours only from sunrise to sunset (April to October from 5am to 9pm, November to March from 6am to 6pm). The bridge is open 24 hours for motorists Admission: A $5 toll is collected from cars when driving south towards the city
Alcatraz City/Region: San Francisco Out in the middle of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island, or 'The Rock', is one of Golden Gate National Recreation Area's most popular destinations. The notorious escape-proof island with its dreaded maximum-security prison once held the likes of Al 'Scarface' Capone, George 'Machine Gun' Kelly and the 'birdman of Alcatraz', Robert Stroud. With sheer cliffs surrounded by the icy waters of San Francisco Bay, known for its treacherous tides and currents, it was regarded as the perfect place to detain the country's most-wanted and dangerous criminals who were isolated in dark solitary confinement cells. There have never been any successful escapes from The Rock. Visitors can explore the prison as well as learn about its history: from its discovery as a pelican nesting ground, its location as a military outpost, and the years between 1933 and 1963 as an off-limit federal penitentiary. It was also inhabited by Native Americans before being declared a Recreational Area and protected bird sanctuary. Thousands of tourists flock here each year and take the excellent self-guided audio tours that contain commentary from former guards and prisoners about life on the island. There is also a slide show and a tour of the island's ecology and bird life led by a park ranger. The view from the island looking across to San Francisco is awesome. Phone Number: (415) 773 1188 (ferry schedules and information), or (415) 705 1042 (park information) Email Address: goga_alcatraz@nps.gov Website: www.nps.gov/alcatraz Transport: Blue & Gold Fleet boats depart throughout the day beginning at 9.30am, from Pier 41, Fisherman's Wharf. Night tours in summer and combined Angel Island-Alcatraz Island trips are also available Hours: The last boat leaves the island at 6.30pm in summer (April to October) and 4.30pm in winter Admission: Admission includes the ferry trip and is $21.75 (adults) or $13.75 (children). Night tours: $28.75. Other concessions are available. Advance reservations are strongly recommended, especially in peak season
Fisherman's Wharf City/Region: San Francisco Some people love the bustle of Fisherman's Wharf, while others make a conscious effort to steer well clear of it. But for better or worse it is massively popular, attracting more visitors than any other city sight, with Pier 39 the commercial tourist epicenter. The Wharf was once a fishing port with dozens of boats anchored here. Pier 45 is still used by fishermen in the early morning hours, and fish and seafood can be bought from the Fish Alley Market. There are shops galore, fast food stands and overpriced bay-view restaurants as well as bars, markets, street performers, and an endless variety of activities for the whole family. It is also the gateway for several top attractions: trips to Alcatraz and other bay cruises leave from here; numerous museums include the Historic Ships Pier; and the USS Pampanito submarine that can be boarded from Pier 45. The entertaining colony of sea lions that reside on the floating docks at Pier 39 are one of the best attractions on the quay. Address: The Embarcadero Transport: Bus 15, 30, 32, 42 or 82X goes to the wharf, or the Powell-Mason cable car line to the last stop
North Beach City/Region: San Francisco Between Russian and Telegraph Hills, North Beach is San Francisco's 'Little Italy', that has long been the central hub for anyone with alternative inclinations. During the 1950s the pleasure-seeking, non-conformist lifestyle of the Beat Generation and their rebellious literature contributed to the neighborhood's unconventional character and tourists poured into the district for 'Beatnik Tours'. Two of the Beat-era landmarks are the Vesuvio bar, and the first paperback bookstore in the US and hangout of Beat-era writers, the City Lights Bookstore. The steep stairways on Telegraph Hill lead to one of the city's most distinctive landmarks, Coit Tower, a monument to the volunteer fire fighters of the city providing superb 360-degree views of the city and San Francisco Bay. Inside the round, stone-tower murals of the Great Depression depict different aspects of life in California during the 1930s. The 'Crookedest Street in the World' winds down the steep eastern side of Russian Hill, the angle so steep that Lombard Street has to zigzag down with eight sharp turns to make any descent possible. The affluent residents inside their mansions with well-tended flowerbeds that flank the street bemoan the frequent traffic jams as thousands of visitors queue at the top and wait their turn to drive slowly down the tight curves, gathering at the bottom for photographic opportunities. Website: www.sfnorthbeach.org
Golden Gate Park City/Region: San Francisco Of the many open green spaces in San Francisco, Golden Gate Park is the biggest and the loveliest stretching from The Haight to the Pacific Ocean, featuring gardens, lakes, numerous sporting facilities, and museums. On Sundays the main drive is closed to traffic and becomes the playground for joggers, cyclists, roller-bladers and strollers. The California Academy of Sciences includes the Natural History Museum, aquarium and planetarium (temporarily relocated to 875 Howard Street until late 2008 due to renovations). The serenity of the Japanese Tea Garden with its bridges, bonsai and fortune cookies is a favorite with tour groups. Although filled with people, the park never seems crowded and there is always a secluded space somewhere on the lawns or in the gardens. Address: John F Kennedy Drive Phone Number: Park information (415) 831 2700, or (415) 321 8000 (Academy of Sciences), and (415) 752 4227 (Japanese Tea Garden) Hours: The Academy of Sciences is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Japanese Tea Garden is open daily from 9am to 6.30pm Admission: Park entrance is free. $10 (Academy of Sciences) plus $2.50 for the planetarium; $3.50 (Japanese Tea Garden)
Cable Cars City/Region: San Francisco One of San Francisco's most endearing attractions is its network of 130-year-old cable cars, the only mobile National Historic Landmark in the country, and the world's only surviving system of cable cars. Many cities adopted the system, but all have since been replaced by more practical means of transport. The perpetuation of these clanking museum pieces was due to determination by the city's residents and today they remain at the heart of the city's character. It is an experience to ride up and down the steep gradients of the hills, hanging on while the brass bell clangs, the conductor jingles his coins and the familiar clanking of the cables pulls the car at a constant 9.5 miles (15km) per hour. Many people have difficulty believing that these six-tonne cars can work without engines and the San Francisco Cable Car Museum affords visitors a closer look at the cable-winding machinery, and the 'home base' where cars are reeled in and out on 11 miles (17km) of steel cable. The museum also houses some interesting sights, including the first cable car (1873) and scale models of different types of cable cars that were once in use in the city. The idea of the cable car system was conceived by engineer Andrew Hallidie. After watching the uphill struggle of laden horse-drawn carts, he was determined to find a kinder and more efficient means of transportation, which he produced four years later. Address: 1201 Mason Street (Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse) Email Address: comments@sfcablecar.com Website: www.sfcablecar.com Hours: The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm (until 6pm from April to October) Admission: $3 per ride, each way. Day passports for the cable cars, buses and streetcars are also available. Entrance to the museum is free
Wine Country City/Region: San Francisco The Napa and Sonoma Valleys are at the heart of the Californian wine country, producing wines that are praised by connoisseurs worldwide, from a perfect climate of sunny days and cool nights. The area is a forerunner in the latest grape-growing techniques and wine making, and many individual growers, instead of selling their grapes to the larger wineries, are producing their own excellent boutique wines. The Napa Valley is the more commercial of the two, with more wineries, spas and tourist traffic, and a better selection of restaurants and hotels. The valley also caters for classic wine country activities such as hot air ballooning or biking through the vineyards; the world-renowned wineries also offer informative tours, which provide the ultimate wine-country experience. Sonoma Valley is less pretentious and more beautiful in a rustic way, with smaller family-run cellars and fewer visitors. Although the Napa Valley is the USA's best-known wine region, Sonoma boasts more awards than their snobbish neighbor, producing intensely complex reds. The Napa Valley is a relatively compact region with more than 200 wineries offering tours and tasting. Most of the large wineries with their orderly rows of vineyards are situated along the main thoroughfare that stretches from San Francisco Bay to Calistoga in the north. But there is more to the valley than wine tasting. The small resort town of Calistoga is famous for its mineral springs and mud baths, as well as the Old Faithful Geyser that shoots boiling water and steam 60ft (18m) into the air every 40 minutes. Nearby is a Petrified Forest with redwoods, seashells and marine life that were turned to stone after volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount St Helena covered the area. Website: www.winecountry.com
Hollywood City/Region: Los Angeles Los Angeles is the film and entertainment capital of the world and the name 'Hollywood' is the embodiment of glamour, success and money; the place where films are made, television shows are recorded and stars take up residence. The famous Hollywood sign on the hills above the city has become the enduring symbol of the movie industry and of Los Angeles itself - the 50ft-high (15m) white letters can be seen from miles away. The historic heart of the movie industry is centered on Hollywood Boulevard where millions of visitors flock to see landmark attractions and museums. The impressive Mann's (Grauman's) Chinese Theater is famous for its courtyard where over 200 stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood and Frank Sinatra have set their signatures and imprints of their hands or feet in cement. For many years the theater has been the spot for movie premieres and is modeled on a Chinese temple with columns, dragons and an ornate interior. Passing in front of the theater is the mile-long Walk of Fame, the world-famous sidewalk embedded with the names of legendary television, film, radio, theater and recording greats engraved within pink granite stars. More than 2,500 celebrities are honored, including Elvis Presley, Charlie Chapman, Marilyn Monroe and Michael Jackson. The cylindrical Capitol Records Tower is one of the most recognizable buildings in the city and is supposed to resemble a 12-story stack of records with a needle on top that blinks out 'h-o-l-l-y-w-o-o-d' in Morse code. Other attractions include the Kodak Theater designed to host the Academy Awards, and the Hollywood Entertainment Museum, as well as the Hollywood Guinness World Records Museum, the Hollywood Wax Museum and the Ripley's 'Believe It or Not!' Museum. Phone Number: Mann's Chinese Theater (323) 461 3331, Walk of Fame (323) 469 8311, Hollywood Entertainment Museum (323) 465 7900, Guinness World Records Museum (323) 463 6433, Wax Museum (323) 462 5991, Ripley's 'Believe It or Not!' Museum (323) 466 6335 Website: www.seeing-stars.com Hours: Hollywood Entertainment Museum opens daily 10am to 6pm (summer) and 11am to 6pm in winter (closed Wednesdays). The Guinness World Records Museum opens daily 10am to midnight; Wax Museum daily 8am to midnight; Ripley's 'Believe It or Not!' Museum open daily 10am to 11pm (until midnight on weekends) Admission: Mann's Chinese Theater movie tickets $10. Hollywood Entertainment Museum $12. Guinness World Records Museum and Wax Museum $12.95 each. Ripley's 'Believe It or Not!' Museum $11.95. Concessions are available
Universal Studios Hollywood City/Region: Los Angeles One of the most popular attractions in Los Angeles is Universal Studios Hollywood, reputedly the world's biggest film studio and theme park. The main attraction is the Studio Tour, a narrated tram ride that traverses the huge complex, passing stars' dressing rooms and famous back-lot sets, including an Old West town, the town square in 'Back to the Future' films, as well as Jurassic Park III and 'Curse of the Mummy's Tomb' sets. Along the way visitors will experience several realistic staged-disasters such as an earthquake, an avalanche, an attack by 'Jaws' and a meeting with an enormous version of 'King Kong'. Besides the tours there is a theme park that provides a thrilling introduction to the principles of special effects with several attractions and movie-related rides. The popular 'Back to the Future' ride is a simulated jerky flight in a time machine with exceptional special effects and is one of the park's best rides. The 'Jurassic Park' ride is a tour through a jungle full of frightening dinosaurs ending with an 84ft (26m) near-vertical drop into water. Other attractions include the spectacular 'Waterworld' live action stunt performance, a realistic warehouse fire in 'Backdraft', a 'Terminator 2' 3-D show, and animal tricks on 'Animal Planet Live!' Universal CityWalk is a separate venue with shops, restaurants, cinemas and nightclubs. Address: 100 Universal City Plaza, University City Phone Number: (818) 622 3801 Website: www.universalstudioshollywood.com Transport: Universal City station on the Metro Red Line, or numerous public bus routes to Universal City Hours: Opening times vary according to season and visitors are advised to check beforehand. Generally open daily in summer from 8am to 10pm (June to September), and in winter from 10am to 6pm (September to June) Admission: $61 (adults), $51 (children smaller than 48 inches/122cm). Combination tickets are available
Warner Bros Studios City/Region: Los Angeles The tour at Warner Bros offers a comprehensive behind-the-scenes look at an authentic working studio and provides more of a technical slant than the Universal Studios tour, focussing on the authentic filmmaking procedure. The informative two-hour tour takes visitors to view the sets, prop construction, wardrobe and sound department, as well as visiting active film and television sets where it is sometimes possible to watch actors in the midst of filming. There is also an introductory film and museum depicting the studio's film history. Address: 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank Phone Number: (818) 954 3000 Email Address: wbsf@warnerbros.com Website: wbsf.warnerbros.com Hours: Open for tours from Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm (9am to 3pm in winter). Reservations are required Admission: Two-hour tours are $42 per person
Disneyland Resort City/Region: Los Angeles Claiming to be 'The Happiest Place on Earth', Disneyland is an integral part of an American childhood and was the world's first mega theme park designed for the family by Walt Disney in 1955. It is one of America's most famous attractions and despite competition from other similar parks in Florida, Paris and Tokyo, nothing can compare to the original. It is an enchanted kingdom of fantasy and imagination filled with magical entertainment and attractions. The park is divided into eight 'lands' and each one features different rides, dining experiences and entertainment as well as daily live-action shows and parades. Adventureland, Fantasyland, Critter Country, Frontierland, Mickey's Toontown, Tomorrowland, New Orleans Square and Main Street USA offer such attractions as a boat trip through the underground caverns of 'Pirates of the Caribbean', an experience of the Wild West, a visit to Sleeping Beauty's Castle and flying with Dumbo the elephant, a giddy journey with Indiana Jones, or the experience of a pitch-black rollercoaster ride inside Space Mountain, and a wet ride on Splash Mountain. There is also a new shopping, dining and entertainment district called Downtown Disney. The latest appendage to Disneyland is the adjacent California Adventure, a separate park with the same style that offers further rides and rollercoasters, but an additional ticket is required. The parks are busiest during summer from mid-June to mid-September and during school holidays and there are usually long queues at the popular rides. The new Fastpass system allows visitors to reserve a place in line at the park's busiest attractions. Address: 1313 Harbour Boulevard, Anaheim Phone Number: (714) 781 4400 (tickets) Website: www.disneyland.com Hours: Both parks are open daily, but opening hours vary according to days and seasons; please check their website for up to date information Admission: Tickets to each park are $63 (adults), $53 (children, 3-9 years of age) which includes all rides, festivities and entertainment. Two, three, four and five-day passes, or discounted combination tickets for both parks are also available
West LA City/Region: Los Angeles West LA is famous for its trend-setting style; the place where the 'stars' live, shop and go out on the town. The area includes some of the most prestigious neighborhoods in Los Angeles, particularly Beverley Hills and Bel Air. Home of the rich and famous, and one of the world's most expensive residential areas, Beverley Hills flaunts its wealth with luxurious manors, tree-lined streets, grand estates and security gates concealing landscaped grounds that are home to the likes of Jack Nicholson and Harrison Ford. Scheduled tours are available or Star Home Maps can be picked up at any street corner vendor for the latest on who lives where. The neighborhood is also home to the famous shopping district centered on Rodeo Drive with expensive shops oozing designer labels such as Gucci, Armani and Vuitton. West Hollywood, between Beverley Hills and Hollywood, is the center of LA's gay community and boasts the area's best restaurants, trendiest shops, eccentric boutiques and modern galleries along Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard. Sunset Strip, a section of Sunset Boulevard, is famed for its nightlife with rock clubs, bars and posh hotels attracting a huge variety of characters, and many places have a history of big names. In the 1930s Errol Flynn and Rita Hayworth went dancing at nightclubs like Trocadero, by the 1970s it had become the focus of rock and roll with stage performances by the Doors and Elton John at Whisky-a-Go-Go club. The actor River Phoenix died of drug-related problems at the Viper Room, and Thunder Roadhouse was where Mickey Rourke bought his Harley-Davidson. Transport: Getting around by car is by far the easiest way to tour the area as public transport doesn't reach everywhere
The Beach Communities City/Region: Los Angeles The miles of sandy beaches along the Pacific Ocean are a celebration of the Californian lifestyle with distinct neighborhoods and oceanfront walks linking the communities. Malibu is popular with the privacy seeking rich and famous and their mansions line strips of privately owned shoreline; the wide sandy beaches, rocky outcrops and green open-spaces make Malibu the most scenic neighborhood in LA. It presents the classic Californian beach babe image immortalized by the 'Beach Boys' and 'Baywatch'. LA's premiere beach community, Santa Monica, is known for its alternative beachfront atmosphere, as well as its famous hideaway Hollywood residents. The palm-lined cliffs - once the location of the homes of Clark Gable, Joan Crawford and Greta Garbo - are today home to celebrities like Merryl Streep, Rod Stewart and Michelle Pfeiffer. The neighborhood's famous landmark is the Santa Monica Pier, boasting old-world carnival attractions, including a wooden 1920s carousel with painted horses, and plenty of seafood restaurants. Third Street Promenade is a lively pedestrian mall bustling with buskers, street vendors, evangelists and original shops, and is the heart of Santa Monica's cafes, restaurants and bars. Venice is best known for its Ocean Front Walk that is a non-stop parade of jugglers, artists, vendors, musicians and joggers. Venice Beach provides a classic Los Angeles lifestyle experience where beautiful sun-bronzed bodies on bicycles and rollerblades cruise along the walkway to Muscle Beach, where the outdoor weightlifting gym gleams with the sweat of muscle-bound hunks flexing their pecs for the onlookers. The area is full of laid back cafes and restaurants, health food shops, bike and blade rentals, and second hand record stores. After dark however the area becomes the haunt of street gangs and drug dealers; and visitors are advised to exercise caution in the area.
Balboa Park City/Region: San Diego Balboa Park contains one of the biggest groups of museums in the USA, many of them housed in magnificent Spanish-Mexican buildings, in addition to more than 85 Performing Arts and International Culture Organizations including theaters like the internationally acclaimed Old Globe Theater, and several art galleries. The park also houses the world-renowned San Diego Zoo with more than 800 species in spacious re-created natural habitats. The oldest and most famous of the 15 museums is the Reuben H Fleet Science Center with a big screen Omnimax Theater and virtual reality simulator that transports visitors to outer space. Other museums cover a wide range of interests, including cars and motorbikes, anthropology, various forms of art, and natural history. The Spanish Village Art Center provides a traditional ancient village setting for viewing sculpture, painting, glassblowing and pottery performed by crafts people in classic tiled-roofed studios. The park has numerous features and facilities including golf courses, hiking and cycling trails, promenades, extensive landscaped gardens and horticultural treasures, a Japanese Friendship Garden, fountains and restaurants, a pavilion for Sunday afternoon concerts and the world's largest outdoor organ. Address: 1549 El Prado Phone Number: (619) 239 0512 Email Address: info@balboapark.org Website: www.balboapark.org Transport: Buses 7, 16 or 25 from downtown. There is free tram transportation within the park Hours: The visitor center is open daily from 9.30am to 4.30pm (5pm in summer). Some museums are closed on Mondays, but the zoo, science center and Spanish Village Art Center are open daily Admission: Park entrance is free. A $35 Balboa Park Passport allows admission to 13 park attractions. Individual museum admissions are between $5 and $15. On Tuesdays museums offer free entry on a rotating schedule
San Diego Zoo City/Region: San Diego The San Diego Zoo is one of the city's biggest attractions and has a worldwide reputation for its enlightened management program, worldwide conservation efforts, natural animal environments and most notably its success in breeding endangered species in captivity for reintegration into their natural habitats (together with the Wild Animal Park north of the city). It is the only zoo to have successfully bred Chinese giant pandas in captivity. The zoo houses more than 4,000 mammals, birds and reptiles. Many rare and endangered animals roam simulated natural habitats, while tourists follow walkways and bridges, passing waterfalls, tropical forests, sandy plateaus, arctic tundra, and bird aviaries. The 100-acre (40-hectare) park can be explored on foot, on narrated open-air trams, hop-on-and-off buses, or above the ground on the aerial Skyfari tram or hot air balloon. One of the highlights is the Tiger River Asian rainforest with animal enclosures situated along misty trails enhanced by waterfalls and exotic plants. It features tigers, pythons, tapirs and crocodiles. Other highlights include the Gorilla Tropics, Sun Bear Forest, polar bears in a simulated freezer, and the Ituri Forest Exhibit that features African buffaloes, monkeys and hippos. There is also a Children's Zoo where small animals such as bunnies, goats and sheep can be petted, and the nursery where the latest arrivals are looked after. An outdoor amphitheater has daily sea lion and other animal shows. Address: 2920 Zoo Drive, Balboa Park Phone Number: (619) 234 3153 Website: www.sandiegozoo.org Transport: Bus 7 from downtown Hours: Open daily from 9am to 10pm (Mid-June to mid-September), and from 9am to 4pm (mid-September to mid-June) Admission: Basic admission is $33 (adults), $22 (children age 3-11). Combination packages with the associated Wild Animal Park and the museums of Balboa Park are also available
SeaWorld City/Region: San Diego On the shores of Mission Bay is one of San Diego's best-known attractions whose mascot, the resident killer whale Shamu, has for many become synonymous with the city. SeaWorld is a leader in marine conservation and plays an important role in rescuing and rehabilitating animals found beached along the West Coast. It is also one of the world's largest marine entertainment parks and is a source of education as well as family recreation. The park is best known for its work with killer whales (Orcas) and dolphins, and the Dolphin Interaction Program provides the experience of feeding, stroking and wading with bottlenose dolphins (requiring advance booking and an additional fee). SeaWorld's favorite attractions are its arena shows that run throughout the day, highlighting the behaviors and talents of trained marine mammals such as sea lions, walruses, otters, dolphins and killer whales. Most of the exhibits are walk-through marine environments like the Penguin Encounter that passes through a glass-enclosed Antarctica with remarkable emperor penguins sliding over glaciers into the icy water. The walk-through glass tube that passes through the Shark House affords frightening face-to-face encounters. Adventure rides include the Shipwreck Rapids ride with its turbulent rivers and underground canyons, the exhilarating Journey to Atlantis and the virtual-reality trip to the world of beluga whales, polar bears and walruses of the Wild Arctic. During summer peak hours the shows and more popular exhibits can be very crowded with long queues. Address: 500 SeaWorld Drive, Mission Bay Phone Number: 1 800 257 4268 or 800 380 3203 (recorded information) Website: www.seaworld.com Transport: Bus 9 or 24 from downtown Hours: Open daily, but park hours vary according to the season. Generally open from 9am to 10pm (summer) and from 10am to 5pm (September to May) Admission: $56 (adults), $46 (children aged 3-9)
Downtown City/Region: San Diego The active downtown area is compact and easy to walk around. It encompasses the business district, the historic Gaslamp Quarter, the post-modern Horton Plaza pastel-colored shopping mall, and the waterfront Embarcadero with boardwalk shops, museums and restaurants. The Gaslamp Quarter was the first commercial district in San Diego and is now a trendy 16-block area of historic buildings and old-fashioned wrought-iron street lamps, antique stores, shopping centers, art galleries, chic coffee houses, restaurants and jazz bars. The Horton Grand is a reconstruction of a 19th-century hotel with Victorian décor and costumes, well worth a peek. San Diego is one of California's most important centers for the performing and visual arts, and its artistic and musical heritage is celebrated annually with the opening of artists' studios and galleries to the public, as well as its numerous Blues and Jazz festivals. Summer evenings are the liveliest time to visit, when people flock to the outdoor tables, bars and clubs and wander the streets. However visits after dark should be confined to the populated, well-lit areas.
The Beaches City/Region: San Diego Epitomising Southern California lifestyle, the beaches and seaside suburbs are the heart and soul of the city, with bikini-clad bodies, sun-tanned surfers, and a plethora of little shops, coffee houses, cafes, and restaurants. The 70 miles (113km) of sandy coastline attracts swimmers, sunbathers, surfers, volleyball players and snorkelers. A boardwalk that runs from Mission Beach to Pacific Beach is extremely popular for rollerblading, jogging and cycling. Mission Bay is a playground for waterskiing, sailing and windsurfing, and the surrounding beaches of Mission Beach, Ocean Beach and Pacific Beach are known for their wide stretches of sand as well as for the vibrant nightlife and dining. The northern part of Ocean Beach is known as 'Dog Beach', one of only two beaches in the city that allows dogs. Mission Beach is the most popular with plenty of action, particularly along the Ocean Front Walk that resembles the boardwalk parade of Los Angeles' Venice Beach. To the north, the pretentious seaside suburb of La Jolla is known for its high-priced real estate, expensive shops and excellent restaurants, as well as its beautiful coastline with lovely coves, cliffs, gorgeous beaches and superb surfing. La Jolla Cove has clear waters and the offshore San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park affords brilliant snorkeling and diving, with giant kelp forests and a deep canyon.
Coronado Island City/Region: San Diego The isthmus of Coronado contains an upmarket resort community with several beaches, including the award-winning Silver Strand State Beach, hotels, outdoor dining, boutiques and the Museum of History and Art dedicated to the history of Coronado. A naval station occupies the western end of the island. The island is of little interest except for the historic Hotel del Coronado around which the community grew. 'The Del' is a much-loved San Diego institution, and a National Historic Landmark dating back to 1888. Its distinctive Victorian turrets, conical towers, balconies and curious architecture have served as a filming location for many years, and a stage for political meetings and social happenings. Its glamorous old-world ambience with polished oak pillars and arched ceilings has hosted guests like Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and a number of presidents. Guided tours are available, or visitors can choose to dine and dance here, stay as a guest or simply wander through the grounds and look at its historic photo gallery. Visible across the bay is Point Loma where a statue of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo commemorates the landing of the first European in 1542. Address: Coronado Visitor Center is at 1100 Orange Avenue, Coronado Phone Number: CVC (619) 437 8788 Website: www.coronado.ca.us Transport: A ferry runs from San Diego's Broadway Pier to Coronado Hours: The visitors center is open from Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, weekends 10am to 5pm Admission: Free
Yosemite National Park City/Region: National Parks One of the country's premier national parks, Yosemite receives millions of visitors each year with more than four million people visiting the Yosemite Valley alone. It is home to the biggest piece of exposed granite in the world, some of the highest waterfalls, and giant redwoods that are among the tallest and oldest trees on earth. The Yosemite Valley was formed by glacial action that carved away the softer rock creating the almost-vertical 3,000ft (914m) granite cliffs that line the seven-mile (11km) long valley floor. The towering cliffs are streaked with waterfalls and the valley floor is covered in meadows, rivers and forests that are the habitat of black bears, deer and coyotes. It is one of the world's most dramatic geological sights with granite monoliths like the 3,600ft (1,097m) piece known as El Capitan, and the sheerest cliff in North America, the Half Dome. Climbers on the granite faces are almost invisible to the naked eye and at night pinpricks of light halfway up indicate where they have tied themselves in for the night, ready for the next day's climbing. The most spectacular views of the valley are from Glacier Point, the top of a sheer cliff perched high above the valley, with magnificent vistas of Half Dome and the mountains of the High Sierra in the distance. There are numerous trails in the valley and many lead to several of the incredible waterfalls that are at their most dramatic after the spring snowmelt, including the 2,425ft (739m) Yosemite Falls and the Vernal Falls that drenches hikers in rainbow-colored spray. A loop trail takes walkers to the hundreds of towering redwoods in Mariposa Grove, one over 2,700 years old. Although the park is big enough to absorb the crowds, 95 percent of the tourist activity is concentrated within the valley, and outdoor enthusiasts need only walk a little further along the trails to find all the solitude and wilderness they desire. Above the valley are the large open fields of Tuolumne Meadows that offer fantastic scenery, uncrowded camping and a haven for hikers with hundreds of miles of trails. Yosemite Village is the largest developed region in the Yosemite Valley and holds the main visitor's center, restaurants and shops as well as nearby hotel accommodation. Phone Number: (209) 372 0200 Website: www.nps.gov/yose Transport: Shuttle buses are available between all areas of the park. There are bus services into the park from Merced, Mariposa and nearby communities, and from the Fresno-Yosemite Airport 90 miles (145km) from the south entrance Hours: The park is open all year round, 24-hours, but some roads may be closed from October to June due to snow, such as the Tioga, Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove Roads. Chains may be required on the other roads during winter. The Yosemite Village Visitor Center is open daily from 8am to 6pm (June to September) and until 5pm in winter Admission: $20 per vehicle or $10 per individual, valid for seven days
Death Valley National Park City/Region: National Parks The name itself suggests images of all that is harsh, inhospitable and hellish, and it is not by chance that many of the park's features have names like Coffin Peak, the Funeral Mountains, Dante's View, the Devil's Golf Course and Furnace Creek. These are the topographical features of a waterless desert landscape that is as hot as Hades. Average summer temperatures are 112°F (44°C); eggs can be fried on the baking ground and the second hottest temperature in the world was recorded here at 134°F (57°C) - in the shade. Yet despite this hostile wilderness, it is a heavily visited tourist destination with spectacular desert scenery, interesting desert wildlife, remarkable geological formations and sites of historical interest. There are miles of rippled sand dunes, the sheer black walls with ancient petroglyphs of Marble Canyon and incredible views from Zabriskie Point and Dante's View. Amazing kaleidoscopes can be found at Artist's Palette where the intensely colored hillside has been eroded into a tableau of red, gold, black and green, and the mineral-rich waters of the saline Badwater Lake that evaporate into sharp crystal formations. At the Devil's Golf Course, the saltpan on the valley floor is littered with lumps of crystallised salt. In the center the pan drops to almost 300ft (91m) below sea level, the lowest point in the western hemisphere. Hoards of people wait to tour the Spanish-Moorish luxury of Scotty's Castle, a bizarre mansion with indoor waterfalls and a remote-controlled piano player that was built by 'Death Valley Scotty' in the 1920's for Albert Johnson, a Chicago insurance tycoon. Although winter is the peak season, many tourists are beginning to tour Death Valley from the comfort of air-conditioned cars, visiting sites at sunrise or sunset, booking into comfortable hotel accommodation and cooling off in the pool at Stovepipe Wells Village. Phone Number: Furnace Creek Visitor Center and Museum (760) 786 3200, Scotty's Castle Visitor Center and Museum (760) 786 2392 Website: www.nps.gov/deva Transport: There is no public transport to the park so a private vehicle is necessary Hours: The park is open all year round. Furnace Creek Visitor Center is open daily from 8am to 5pm. Scotty's Castle is open daily from 8.30am to 5pm Admission: $20 per vehicle, or $10 per individual, valid for seven days. The guided tour of Scotty's Castle is $11
Tijuana, Mexico City/Region: San Diego A typical border town, Tijuana is not suited to everyone's taste, with plenty of noise and frenetic activity. Its location on the American/Mexican border and proximity to San Diego ensures a steady stream of curious day-trippers and souvenir hunters from up north. Tijuana's notorious 'sin city' image of prostitution and sex shows has now taken a back seat; the sleazy element, the drugs and violence that seems to be the lot of a border town, is still there, but the focus has shifted in an effort to clean the town up a bit, and it has become something of a shopper's delight along with the intense nightlife and non-stop entertainment. This is the place to shop, drink and dance the night away; there are souvenir stalls, numerous duty-free shopping malls and markets selling goods from all over Mexico, and countless bars, restaurants and dance clubs. Tijuana has some traditional attractions as well, including bullfighting and Jai Alai (a Spanish ball court game), but this is not the classic Mexico that stories are made of. Just across the Mexican border, 30 minutes from downtown San Diego, Tijuana is unlike other Mexican cities, but is a worthwhile experience that provides a fascinating contrast between Mexico and the USA. Website: www.seetijuana.com Transport: Trolley from downtown San Diego or bus 932 from the Santa Fe Railroad Depot in San Diego
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