Fall is a special time to visit San Diego, a perfect few months to escape crowds and discover new reasons to love the SoCal city from Halloween attractions to family-friendly events and new restaurants. Monstrous Halloween Fun For the first time, The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular is coming to Sesame Place San Diego this year on …
The locals don’t like sharing, but we give you permission to uncover some hidden experiences in SoCal’s Orange County. This bucket list has something for everyone from cruising scenic harbors, hiking to breath-taking vistas and getting sworn in as a pirate to discovering hidden restaurants and splashing around one of the longest water park’s lazy …
As the leaves turn gold and a brisk chill returns to the to the alpine forest of the San Bernardino Mountains, it can mean just one thing: the return of Pumpkins in the Pines! In fact, colorful leaves, apple cider, cozy sweaters and Pumpkins in the Pines just belong together. To get in the fall …
By Barbara Beckley It’s true. There always seems to be something new at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, California. At least, whenever I visit. What’s the Latest? The JW Garden! Described as a “kitchen garden with a twist,” this lush collection of edible native plants and a budding olive …
Autumn in Boise marks a canopy of fall foliage and harvest season, including wine grapes, apples, pumpkins and so much more. It’s hard to be bored with a never-ending roster of festivals and events, wine trails and scenic hikes. Follow the locals to this fall’s hottest happenings: Hike or Bike the Foliage From mid-October on, …
SoCal’s Oceanside may be straddling more than three miles of northern San Diego’s summer-perfect coastline, but you have to admit that it is the less glitzy counterpart to nearby beach-going communities—a casual, grittier throwback to California’s authentic beach spirit. Oceanside continues to hit its stride as SoCal’s coolest, under-the-radar beach town with a host of …
By Kathy Strong Those who know me aren’t surprised that I have a special affection for bed & breakfasts. I owned one of the first ones on California’s Central Coast and I authored the state’s first bed & breakfast guide book, Recommended Bed & Breakfasts: California. Part of my adoration of this sector of hospitality …
One early winter morning in 2012, in a sleepy train station in Guadalajara, the Jose Cuervo Express redefined the “Tequila Sunrise” experience. Along some 40 miles of restored train tracks and over two hours, travelers were transported back in time with tastings and music before arriving in the heart of Tequila for a full day …
It just wouldn’t be Halloween in SoCal without LEGO® Monsters running wild at LEGOLAND® California Resort. And this year, Brick-or-Treat presents the all-new Monster Party. Every Saturday beginning September 17 through October 29, the Park transforms into the ultimate family Halloween celebration, complete with treat stations, new LEGO® Monster characters, new family-friendly entertainment and the …
Story & photos by Barbara Beckley So. I’m driving through Mission Beach in San Diego… Predictable oceanfront apartments, quirky clapboard beach houses, corner bars. Then I turn right – Oh My Gosh! I’m in Polynesia! Behind the “Bamboo Curtain” Entering the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa, I truly am in another world. High-beamed Fiji-style …
Article and photos by Barbara Kerr The Laguna Beach Festival of Arts was created to lift depression. Literally. It was established in 1932 during some of the darkest days of the Great Depression. Ninety years later, this vibrant event has been named one of the top art festivals in the nation, attracting tens of thousands …
By Kathy Strong Laguna Beach has been an exclusive haven for the arts for nearly a century, as well as the sparkling jewel of Southern California’s own scenic Riviera coastline. A year-round destination, Laguna shines brightest in the summer months. Gentle ocean breezes combine with some of the cleanest beaches, water and air on the …