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Best Family Beach Vacations

Posted on : 03-09-2009 | By : admin | In : Parks and Beaches, Travel tips, _ Restaurants and Bars

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The best beaches can be found along the Atlantic and Pacific Coast. Here are a few ideas you may wish to consider for your next family beach vacation.

Florida. From Ft. Lauderdale to Miami Beach, Florida is a prime resort area for family vacations. With perfect weather and miles and miles of beaches, this area is affordable, diverse, and has a wide variety of water-sports, restaurants, and a myriad of activities for children. Cocoa Beach is only an hour away from the Kennedy Space Center and Disney World. In addition, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort is considered one of the best in Florida.

Myrtle Beach. Among the many favorite activities for children include: Ripley’s Aquarium, Le Grande Cirque, a show quite famous for its acrobatics and other circus performers; and Myrtle Waves Water Park. For older children, a definite must-see is the NASCAR Speed Park.

With a myriad of dining options, shopping, and other historic sites; Myrtle Beach has been named the number one choice for beach family vacations in the U.S.

Hampton. One of the most affordable vacations for beach-loving families is East Hampton, New York. The best place to stay is at the East Hampton House. The rooms are available in one and two bedroom units that contain fully-equipped kitchens and/or kitchenettes. Moreover, you have guest privileges at the nearby beach.

Although this vacation spot does not offer food, it does have an indoor gym and offers morning coffee there as well. But, across the street is a deli that has an array of items on their breakfast menu and is very affordable. In addition, there is a Chinese restaurant across the street as well as a take-out barbeque, and deli.

The grounds are impeccable and there is a very large pool (one for the kiddies, too) where you can lounge in the sun. A tennis court is also on the premises. Every room has its own balcony with lounge chairs and a table.

If you live in the New York area, it is a 90-minute trip by car. The East Hampton Inn is centrally located – five minutes from town, restaurants, shopping, and a movie house. You can even take a short trip to Montauk and visit the historic lighthouse or spend time at the beach there.

Hawaii. Of course, nothing can compare to the beaches that are in Oahu, Maui, and Kauai. No matter what island you choose, Hawaii has the most pristine beaches anywhere in the U.S. Moreover, there are black-sand beaches on the island of Maui as well as a myriad of activities for the entire family.

San Diego. Shifting to the west Coast, your family might enjoy a stay at the Beach Cottages. This site offers numerous amenities such as water sports, biking, as well as an amusement park. For the kids, San Diego Zoo and Sea World are not far from the Beach Cottages.

Centrally located to restaurants and shopping, Beach Cottages is an affordable vacation spot where the family can enjoy the sun, the surf, and other amenities available. In fact, you can book a studio that offers a fully equipped kitchen.

Redondo Beach. Located on Santa Monica Bay, this report haven is perfect for family beach vacations. Here you can enjoy water sports, fishing bicycling, kayaking, as well as fine restaurants shops located not far from the Santa Monica Pier. There are many hotels that are situated across the street from the beach or within walking distance. Each has its own set of amenities that are geared towards families.

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Windansea is possibly one of the most beautiful beaches in Southern California

Posted on : 13-07-2009 | By : admin | In : Parks and Beaches, San Diego, _ Restaurants and Bars

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Past all of La Jolla’s ritzy homes, hotels, and well known restaurants, lies Windansea Beach. Down the hill, this beach is flanked by surfers and sunbathers on hot summer days. With sandstone cliffs, a sandy beach, and amazing surf breaks, Windansea Beach has been a popular surfing haunt as far back as the 1940s and a gathering spot of the Windansea Surf Club since the 1960s.

The shack on the beach that was built by surfers during World War 2 is now a San Diego Historic site. The beach is also great for body surfing and snorkeling. The north end of Windansea is fairly rocky, with the south being sandier, great for walking along the edge of the water. You can also enjoy a picnic in the grass next to the beach and bask in the splendid views of the Pacific Ocean.

At Windansea Beach, there are no restrooms. During the summer months, lifeguards are stationed all along the beach, even in some weekends of fall and spring. There are separate swim and surf zones at the beach, with no wheelchair access. When you visit, you can park on the street or try the tiny single lot near the beach.

Getting to the beach
You can find Windansea around 6800 Neptune Place. From the north, follow I-5 south to the Genesee Avenue exit then head west. Turn left on Torrey Pines Road and follow the road into downtown La Jolla. Turn left on Girad Avenue then take a right on Pearl Street. Take a left onto La Jolla Boulevard then make the right on Nautilus Street and your there.

From the south, follow I-5 north to the Ardath Road exit, Ardath Road will become Torrey Pines Road. Take a left from Torrey Pines Road onto Girad Avenue. Make a right onto Pearl Street then take a left onto La Jolla Boulevard. Take the next right on Nautilus Street and your there.

Windansea is possibly one of the most beautiful beaches in Southern California – and a great place for romantic strolls at sunset. Parents should use caution with small children at the beach, as the surf often breaks directly onto the shore with a lot of intimidating power.

If you plan to visit the Windansea Beach, you should make sure you get there early. As with most beaches in San Diego, getting there early will help you get the best parking and more privacy when the crowds start to arrive. Windansea is a very amazing beach, and worth your time on hot summer days. Windansea is possibly one of the most beautiful beaches in Southern California.

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The cross of Mount Soledad has been a subject of controversy

Posted on : 28-06-2009 | By : admin | In : San Diego

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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. The cross of Mount Soledad has been a subject of controversy.

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The Village of La Jolla is the vacation showcase of La Jolla

Posted on : 21-06-2009 | By : admin | In : Parks and Beaches, San Diego, _ Bed and Breakfast, _ Restaurants and Bars, _ Vacation Rentals

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The Village of La Jolla is the vacation showcase of La Jolla. The village offers postcard type beauty, with elegant homes, lush real estate, resorts, luxurious hotels, and even the best in intimate bed and breakfast lodging. The La Jolla Village is the gateway entrance to some of the most amazing beaches San Diego has to offer.

The village consists of a 30 block downtown La Jolla area that’s home to over 1,400 businesses that are fully committed to vacation pleasure to the over 7,000 people that visit the village each and every day.

In the village you’ll find all the conveniences that grace the shores, such as world class shopping and quaint boutique shops. Upscale restaurants, intimate cafes, museums, art galleries, and attractions such as the Birch Aquarium can be found here as well.

The La Jolla Playhouse is in the village as well. It has earned over 200 awards, including the 1993 Tony for outstanding regional theater. The Playhouse is a creative haven that attracts more then 150,000 theater enthusiasts each year.

Most visitors to the La Jolla Village like to walk the shoreline around Scripps Park and soak up the perfect weather and majestic views of the oceanfront panorama. If romantic tranquility is what you seek, late afternoon and early evening strolls are less crowded and at dusk you can catch some of the most stunning sunsets.

The beaches of La Jolla are the biggest tourist attractions here. All you need to do is choose your style of water recreation and relaxation. Swimming, surfing, bodysurfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, sun bathing, or just watching others swim. Make sure you arrive early to avoid the crowds, and then stay late to catch the beauty of the moonlit skies.

La Jolla Golden Triangle
The Golden Triangle of La Jolla is an area that’s intersected by three major freeways – I-5, I-805, and State 52. The Triangle lies east of La Jolla Village and ten minutes north of downtown San Diego.

The established residential community blossomed into a financial triad of high rise office buildings, full service hotels, shopping, and plenty of restaurants.

The Golden Triangle also offers the business traveler and vacationer all they need within a self contained area of business, retail, shopping, hotels, dining, and boutiques. The Golden Triangle is also located close to the oceanfront beach area of the village and all the vacation attractions that San Diego has to offer.

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La Jolla is a well known tourist attraction

Posted on : 20-06-2009 | By : admin | In : Parks and Beaches, San Diego, _ Restaurants and Bars

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La Jolla is a well known tourist attraction, and by all accounts is the “jewel” in San Diego. Perched on the bluffs that overlook the Pacific Ocean, the city has captivated millions over the years, and continues to do so to this very day.

With it’s quaint village feel, expansive views, and easy to access coast, it can be said that La Jolla is a great attraction. If you had to break La Jolla down into 3 main areas, it would be the beach, the restaurants, and the shopping.

Home to some of the best coastline in the county, La Jolla offers beach goers and sun lovers the chance to play, relax, and bask in the sun on some of the finest beaches in the area. In their beauty, the beaches rival those of Hawaii for their seclusion and serenity.

From the long white sand of La Jolla Shores to the quiet and relaxing beach off Marine Street, you’ll have plenty to enjoy and find your very own piece of paradise.

La Jolla restaurants are world class, playing host to some of the finest chefs and coming chefs in the entire country. With its year round growing season, these chefs have some of the finest products to work their collective magic with – creating some of the best meals you’ll ever taste.

The village of La Jolla is said to have some of the best shopping anywhere. There are stores all over the area, with something for everyone.

Whether it’s shopping, swimming, or just checking out the area, La Jolla is truly a place to vacation or just visit. Summer is the best time to visit, as the beaches here are truly beautiful. If you’ve wanted to go somewhere different, La Jolla is where you need to be. La Jolla is a well known tourist attraction.

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Introduction to La Jolla, California

Posted on : 11-06-2009 | By : admin | In : Parks and Beaches, San Diego, _ Restaurants and Bars

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La Jolla California is a seaside resort community of around 25,000. Spanish for “the jewel”, it’s often times referred to as “jewel by the sea”. La Jolla borders the Pacific Ocean to the south and extends north to Torrey Pines State Reserve and Del Mar, California.

Along the way, La Jolla encompasses neighborhoods like Bird Rock, Windansea, La Jolla Shores, La Jolla Farms, Torrey Pines, Mount Soledad, and even La Jolla Village.

Residents of La Jolla and business owners refer to the “village” or “town” of La Jolla. The official postal address for the zip code 92037 is actually La Jolla, and not San Diego as it is for most communities within the City of San Diego. Sometimes, tourists get confused and believe that La Jolla is actually a separate city, which it isn’t.

La Jolla is a community of the City of San Diego. La Jolla has several community groups that work to unify the voice of the area, including several non profit organizations.

With it’s palm lined streets, large homes, and tropical climate and atmosphere, La Jolla is like a southern European village with it’s own touch of Beverly Hills along the retail shops on Prospect Street. A lot of the natural charm from La Jolla stems from the presence of the ocean and Mount Soledad.

Several narrow curvy roads follow the contours of Soledad with hundreds of nice homes overlooking the ocean, nestled gently on the slopes. There are several sandy beaches here as well, including the Windansea Beach, La Jolla Cove, La Jolla Beach, and La Jolla Shores.

La Jolla also has the Torrey Pines Golf Course, which was made famous by the PGA Tour Buick Invitational held there each February. Down the steep cliffs from the golf course is the famous Black’s Beach.

The downtown area of La Jolla is well known for it’s jewelry stores, up market restaurants, and even hotels. Prospect Street and Girad Avenue also offer several famous boutiques. Well known for its architectural and historical presence is the La Valencia Hotel, which used to welcome movie stars on retreat from Hollywood.

Recently, harbor seals have taken over the Children’s Beach, which is a quiet man made cove near the downtown area. The seals are protected under federal law, so removing them is nearly impossible. Now, the beach is open, as the rope is down. Swimming here is allowed, although it’s not recommended. Introduction to La Jolla, California.

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Experience the travel thrill and excitement of deep sea diving in San Diego, California

Posted on : 28-05-2009 | By : admin | In : Parks and Beaches, San Diego

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The underwater world is a unique place where there is a lot of colorful marine life to be seen. If you’ve seen documentaries about the marine world, then you know how beautiful it is. From the different species of marine life to the lush and colorful coral reefs, you will definitely enjoy visiting it. If you want to know more about the underwater world, then you might want to experience the travel thrill and excitement that deep sea diving has to offer.

Deep sea diving is considered to be a different specialty in the world of scuba diving. Unlike your average recreational diving, deep sea diving requires a special kind of training and also special kind of equipments. If you are already an advanced open water diver, then you will see that you will be able to qualify for deep sea diving.

First of all, you need to remember that in deep sea diving, different gases are used for breathing unlike in your average recreational diving where nitrox and air is used you will see that deep sea diving will require a different gas mixture, which is called trimix. The equipments here are also different. You have to remember that the deeper you go underwater, the colder it will be. Your regular neoprene wetsuit is not enough for you to survive deep sea diving. For this, you will be needed a dry suit.

Deep sea diving also requires extreme discipline and concentration. The fact that narcosis can disorient you whenever you go diving, you have to memorize every movement by heart in order for you to avoid making a mistake that can injure you or mistakes that can be fatal. It takes a lot of training to master deep sea diving. Also, it takes a lot of discipline.

You will also handle state-of-the-art scuba diving equipments that are specially designed for deep sea diving or technical diving. In the world of deep sea diving, you will see marine life that you will never normally see in your average recreational diving. Here, you will see large fishes and unique marine life that you might not even know existed.

If you wish to learn how to go deep sea diving, then you have to contact your nearest dive center. Whatever your diving agency is, whether it is PADI, NAUI, SSI, or other certified scuba diving agency, you can be sure that they will be able to offer you high quality training that can help you become a technical diver.

In deep sea diving, you will be able to experience being in an environment that few people have been in. You will encounter an alien world where everything will be full of thrill and excitement. So, contact your nearest dive center and start learning about deep sea diving. After getting certified, you can start diving and enjoy the wonders of deep sea diving can offer.

Remember these things, and you can be sure that you will be able to become one of the few deep sea divers and enjoy the wonderful things that only deep sea diving can offer. So, the next time you plan on going on a scuba diving vacation, why not consider getting certified as a technical diver? With this, you can be sure that you will be able to have more enjoyable and more travel thrilling dives that you will remember for the rest of your life. Experience the travel thrill and excitement of deep sea diving in San Diego, California

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Travel at a glance in San Diego, California

Posted on : 13-05-2009 | By : admin | In : San Diego, Transportation _

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Referred to as many as being the only travel area in the United States with perfect weather, San Diego remains the oldest port on the West Coast. Complete with a well known Naval Base and a high level of travel for tourism, this breathtaking city continues to dominate the economy.

Aside from offering high mountains, deserts, and over 70 miles of the world’s most renowned beaches, San Diego also offers other great attractions such as Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, and Wild Animal Park.

For art lovers, there are many different museums and even the Shakespearean play at the Old Globe Theater. Throw in the fact that San Diego has more championship golf courses than any other area in the world, and you have a city ready for anyone’s imagination.

As a tourist city or a place to call home, San Diego is one place you should at least visit. The night life here rivals that of Las Vegas, giving you something for everyone in the family. Young or old – San Diego is the one city that you’ll never find boring. Travel at a glance in San Diego, California.

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Travel to Ocean Beach in San Diego, California

Posted on : 13-05-2009 | By : admin | In : Parks and Beaches, San Diego, _ Restaurants and Bars

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Located in the Ocean Beach Community, Ocean Beach is actually just south of the entrance to the Mission Bay channel. Located at 1950 Abbott Street, the beach is a very popular location in the summer. During the winter months, couples like to walk the beach and just bask in the presence.

The Ocean Beach is wide in structure, about a mile long. Along the north end of the beach, you’ll find a volleyball court. During the summer, the court is always teeming with people playing volleyball while the sand around it is teeming with people watching.

At the south end of the beach you’ll find the Ocean Beach Municipal Pier. The Pier is open to the public with plenty of walking and fishing available. Located on the pier is a bait and tackle shop along with a restaurant. Although you don’t need a fishing license to fish off the dock, catch regulations are enforced.

If you walk to the south end of the beach you’ll find many restaurants, surfing shops, and many other commercial shops and establishments. Although you can travel to the north end of Ocean Beach, it’s mostly bordered by residents of the ocean area.

The unique part of Ocean Beach is the Dog Beach, located at the north end. This sandy area is where dogs can run and play without a leash – anytime – day or night. Although dog owners are responsible for their dogs and the clean up of them, Dog Beach is actually pretty nifty for anyone who owns dogs.

For your protection along the beach, lifeguards are out each and every day, year round. They are generally on duty from 9 AM until dark although you can check with them for their specific hours of operation. They are there for your protection and very willing to answer any question that you may have.

Keep in mind while on the beach, California beaches do experience powerful rip currents. It’s because of these currents that beaches in California experience over 1,000 rescues by lifeguards every year. To be on the safe side while in San Diego at Ocean Beach, it’s always a good idea to swim near a lifeguard.

For those who like surfing, surfing is permitted at Ocean Beach in designated areas. Scuba isn’t recommended however, because of the lack of undersea life, heavy rip currents, and the surf.

For swimming or enjoying the California lifestyle, Ocean Beach is a great place to go. It is a very popular place in the summer, drawing hundreds of thousands of people. If you long for a taste of the California lifestyle, make sure you visit Ocean Beach in San Diego. Travel to Ocean Beach in San Diego, California.

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8 Travel facts about San Diego, California

Posted on : 12-05-2009 | By : admin | In : Parks and Beaches, San Diego

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Considering how San Diego is one of the best cities in the United States, it’s really easy to tell how popular the city is for tourists. Among the many accomplishments behind San Diego, let’s take a look at several facts behind this amazing city.

Fact 1 for travel
Inside the city limits of San Diego, more than 1 million people live there. This makes the city the second largest in California and the sixth biggest in the entire United States! For the city to be this big, the residents still have that hometown experience – which is quite amazing!

Fact 2 for travel
No matter what type of year it is, it’s never the wrong time to visit. The weather is near perfect year round, giving you the chance to experience everything to offer here. With an annual high of 70 degrees and a low of 55 degrees, you can pretty much go swimming year round.

Fact 3 for travel
If you visit between December – March, you can catch some glimpses of the impressive gray whale. All along the coast or on a cruise, you can catch this very amazing mammal.

Fact 4 for travel
If you travel just 23 miles south, you’ll be in the beautiful city of Tijuana. What was once thought of as dangerous happens to be an amazing place of Mexican hospitality, with great restaurants, shopping, and a pleasing nightlife.

Fact 5 for travel
San Diego offers an amazing array of flowers and roses. With the climate being dry, it’s the perfect conditions for roses, wild daises, and other exotic flowers. With different flowers in the winter and summer months, avid flower lovers will fall in love with everything San Diego has to offer them.

Fact 6 for travel
It’s no secret that one of the biggest attractions to San Diego are the beaches. Make sure you read the signs though, as the beauty behind the beaches vary almost as much as the rules do.

Fact 7 for travel
When it comes to nightlife, San Diego has something to please everyone. From country dancing to singing in a bar, the city has a very happening nightlife. No matter what you like to do at night, San Diego has it all – and probably a bit more.

Fact 8 for travel
The most attractive feature to San Diego is the zoo. The 100 acre zoo here houses almost 4000 animals all of which who have plenty of room to roam around. With pandas for everyone to see, the San Diego zoo is reason enough to give the city a visit.

For more reasons than one, San Diego is the perfect city to visit. You can visit here with family or friends and know that you’ll always have places to go and things to see. Winter or summer, San Diego is the one place you’ll never find boring. 8 Travel facts about San Diego, California.

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