CALIFORNIA between city and nature

Now travel stories abound about California, so I think it is worthwhile for anyone who wants to tackle a trip of this type, dwell on the needs of those who participate in the trip and the time available. Us of time we had enough because it was 3 weeks of August 6-27, programmed with 2 weeks and traveling to San Jose cousin of our guests, with displacement of 1 or at most two days and return. The composition of the family group (1 child of 11 years and a nephew of 18) has done the rest, because the promise to the least was to go to theme parks and go on any roller coaster we had met on our journey and the biggest , shopping spree and visit Alcatraz. If then we put that I had that my husband wants a little 'and all of nature, a few half-day by the sea .... This is the route out.
We were always in California except the bet in Las Vegas leaving for another trip definitely organized in a different way, the tour of the parks outside the borders of the state.
We stayed in the city, always at least three days in order to environmental performance, directing and not having to deal with every day "bags and miles" while in the parks, we slept in villages close to the revenue and not inside, to save some '.
Except in the flight booking agency, the rest (auto, insurance, hotels, tickets) was all booked through the internet. We have not used browsers, but only maps and routes printed out from google map, knowing the addresses of the motel booked from Italy.
Among the considerations made at the end of the journey, I must say that the choice of being 2 or 3 days in each city was especially appreciated by children, such as never do too many km in a time or, where appropriate, distinguish in of the day with stops arranged for the visit of something and not just to "stretch my legs and the legs on." We were also pleased to have attended the beaches as bathers. Also relaxing on the beach you find many things ... for example in these enormous beaches, people are focused in front of the turrets of the lifeguards, but why? Well, the sea is the ocean and he can not be trusted even if the water will reach the knees, if you're swimming out of the area controlled by Baywatch is invoked with the whistle from the "lifeguard" and sent in "area rescue. " The beach comes alive around noon, with families coming to the picnic with sandwiches and coca cola, and many even strip, so even though the sun to peak, the air is fresh. The promenade is a continuous bike path or pedestrian for skaters, skaters or runners and unlike that in other areas of California, here are a few "extra", and many physicists have rather dry and cured.
In our wanderings we realized how the Americans are correct in your car, the respect they have for pedestrians and for all those who are on the road, you know that the major junctions have 4 stop and go in order of arrival aull'incrocio? That exists around highways in major cities, one lane for those traveling by car from NOT ONLY and that no one dares to take them improperly? If you have any need please contact me and I will be happy to give you, if I am able, advice or information.
For those interested, this is the itinerary of our vacation.

 

7th to 10th August - Los Angeles

The arrival in Los Angeles was at 19.00 so I booked a motel that was easily accessible by car but already in the "tourist" and not near the airport. The Beverly motor hotel is in a position to say my perfect, near the Farmers' Market which is the old farmers market full of shops, fruit stalls, butchers, bakers etc. .. where the food at lunch or even better evening between light and complessini playing, while a pizza bite "pepperoni" which is actually the salami! It'sa very busy area at night, it's convenient and close to Hollywood and Beverly Hills.
As we all we went to visit the Hollywood Walk of fame, the Chinese theater and the impressions of famous people. My advice is to go early in the morning, because then you can see the stars and with no fingerprints on the sidewalks. Around 11:00 am it was Full of people and you can safely leave the area and chaos. In the afternoon we opted for a tour in Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drives that I was not impressed at all. With hindsight we could use those hours to visit the area called "miracle mile" with museums of every kind and Brea Pit, an outdoor area with archaeological excavations and the remains of mammuth close to our motel, which we had skip to lack of time.
The next day was entirely devoted to Universal Studios and Universal Citywalk in the evening for dinner by Bubba Gump and purchase of sweatshirts and T-shirt all'Hard Rock Cafe.
And now taking a "sea day" with the morning spent in Santa Monica on the beach in Baywatch, and the first roller coaster on the Santa Monica Pier, early afternoon on the beach to "Mother beach" at Marina del Rey between families of mainly local color barbecue lunch that much, and where children could swim in the calm waters of the inner part of the bay. The late afternoon and sunset we passed spectacular in Venice beach, with its own charm: the feeling is truly summer, freedom, holiday, sport, shops, music and impromptu dancing on the beach! It 's very "freak" but relaxing! In the evening .... All cooked, smoky red despite the sunscreen, we have prepared the bags for departure to Las Vegas.

10th to 13th August - Las Vegas

On the way from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, of course, stop at one of the many outlets that are located along the main roads and arriving in the afternoon to our hotel on the strip: the Excalibur, booked by a promotion and therefore not refundable, 65 euro per night (queen bed 2 x 4 people). In many travel diaries are talking about Las Vegas as an item worth only a toccata and fugue. It 'true that Las Vegas is Pacchiana, but it should be viewed not with the expectation of something artistic or exciting, megaparcodivertimenti rather as a for both adults and children. Who is an adult can play in casinos, see the most beautiful musical performances or in production at the time, or with their children may turn to watching these huge hotel with the same eyes that look "Italy in miniature", or by assisting the various free shows (one of the beautiful dancing fountains at Bellagio), or, as we have done, doing all the roller coasters and attractions. We went on very high and exciting roller coasters around the "skyscrapers of New York" on the attractions of the park covered moon of Circus Circus, and especially games highest thrill of the United States and perhaps the World, who are seen on top the tower of the Stratosphere. Try sitting in a kind of a crane arm that protrudes into the void at over 300 meters and turn around opening standard "calcinculo" .... How do you feel? The game is called INSANITY already and this makes the idea. Three days in Las Vegas for many is too many but we have also used to relax in the pool, shopping in mega stores in the balance, to visit the downtown LV Freemont street and with his performances of light and then ... what else is in Las Vegas? Or do you marry or you go to a wedding. We cross during our stay in LV of our friends who made our trip but in the opposite direction and decided to renew their marriage, in one of the thousands who are chapels along the strip to downtown. E 'stato veramente carino ... un po' kitch and some 'moving at the same time ... The celebrant, dress rental, photographer, music, the different types to choose from the chapel, it seemed to be in a movie ...

13th August - Joshua Tree National Park

Departure to San Diego through the Mojave desert with a stop for the night in a motel in Twentynine Palms, where we visited Joshua Tree National Park. At the entrance of the car park which was to serve as a ticket office was closed, with the warning that we could meet inside the park rangers that we were asked to pay the ticket. So we withdrew from the pockets a map of the park and we have entered, but nobody, not even at the opposite side is also closed, has made us pay.
The park, not particularly large, is really desert, with rocks popular with climbers, taking many different aspects, such as the skull rock, shaped like a skull. Everywhere there are these yucca trees that look somewhat bizarre and contorted. Council visit at sunset to the wonder of the colors of the sky, from pink to red to purple fire, truly beautiful.

14th -17th August - San Diego

The arrival in San Diego next weekend we already presage the holiday atmosphere, sea and fun. The climate is perfect for warm days and cool evenings, perfect for the beach, parks and events around the Gaslamp Quarter. The day of August dedicated to the Seaworld and around 5 pm we head to Mission Beach to relax on the beach playing football, while some Americans were playing football! The dinner we moved into clubs on a beach with a swimming pool with artificial waves for surfers to train and thereby show.
The next morning we waited on the island of Coronado, the old Hotel del Coronado in all wood, his huge white beach and the water green and not too cold for us to the bathroom.
In the afternoon we passed the San Diego Zoo, which is worth a visit for the ad hoc habitat for animals (jungles, tropical, rain forest) with many types of plants, but especially for the presence of panda ... they are wonderful! We must prepare for a pretty long line for us but we have seen the little panda in business (and not while sleeping) is really worth the pain.
Evenings in San Diego go past the Gaslamp Quarter, the old neighborhood at the foot of downtown, full of restaurants, clubs, shops, nightclubs and so on, populated by many young people ready to have fun. Here we left groped by an Italian restaurant that was not bad at all, the owner was Tuscan and has given us a taste delicious Californian wine. Needless to say, was the restaurant where we spent more throughout the holiday!

17th - 19th August - Along the 1st Highway

17 On the morning of departure to the North along the coast on the scenic road HWY 1
We left from San Diego with the intention is to sleep in Santa Barbara and along the way we stopped for lunch and to stretch my legs my legs, in Long Beach. We chose to take a trip on the pier with a view of the Queen Mary, now anchored and turned into hotels and at Shoreline Village, a typical harbor naturally colored houses with all shops and restaurants.
Upon arrival in Santa Barbara we have struggled to find a free motel then we finally landed at the Fiesta Inn, at the top of State Street which is the central street of the city. Evening on the famous pier and dinner at a restaurant. The next morning we visited the Santa Barbara Mission founded by the Franciscans, one of the 10 oldest in California and then of course around the city inside and out of stores, through the streets of this beautiful city, young and rich in culture ! Towards evening we put back into gear to bring a little 'more to the HWY 1 that we had to travel the next day. The choice fell on a village at the ocean, really nice and quiet: Morro Bay. The country was so little accustomed as we were, we left the motel by car to go downtown but the area of shops and restaurants ... is only 300 meters! It was almost 8 pm and the shops were closing, we did a tour on the ocean pier admiring the rock in front of prehistoric times and the sea lions placed just below us that with their verses informing us of their presence. It was so cold that we have enjoyed a very good full Clam Chowder (soup with clams and potatoes served in a loaf of bread) and there we went to sleep under a cloth and blanket!
The day of 19 / 8 has been challenging because we have climbed Morro bay the coast to San Jose to reach the house of my cousin that we have hosted.
I read that often take the hwy1 is not that exciting. For us it was anything but well! The first stop we made Pedras Blanca where it has stabilized a colony of sea elephants. Particularly at a beach below the road, indicated by a large parking area and fenced to protect animals, we could see the sea elephants is small that adults who were enjoying the sun, sleeping on the beach or enjoyed playing in the water, simulating fighting. You could stay there for hours .... But the time is tyrant, so we shared stop occasionally placed in car parks to see the landscapes and the coast overlooking the sea with spectacular bays, rivers which flow into the sea by cutting the beach, unique arched bridges like the Brixia Bridge. At about half-way point arrived in the area of Big Sur we stopped at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, we left the car lunched in the woods and walking path that leads a trail at the sight of the most photographed waterfalls in the area, why are the details only that plunge directly into the sea. Then resumed the car, after other stops we went to Monterey and after only one lap in the car, we landed at night in San Jose.

20th - 21st August - San Josè - San Francisco

San Jose is a beautiful city of about one million inhabitants with an area of "nightlife", and local shops, called Santana Row. E 'la città della Silicon Valley, there are the companies of the people of the internet: there is EBay, Google, is the headquarters of Apple, in short .... They are not virtual! In San Jose we were able to live their daily life: going to the supermarket and cook at home a good plate of spaghetti, going to take the kids from school and join them to see live as they are equipped (the first day of school was on 21 August ), go to the park to play after school, be taken up by condominiums for our chaos (the reason was that we were Italians ... .!!!). From here onwards you reach 40 minutes in San Francisco and so on 21/08 was the day of San Francisco and Alcatraz. At our arrival we scorazzato up and down the streets with the car feeling the thrill of seeing what's beyond the hill, then we reached the Golden Gate, which unfortunately was partly covered by fog and we have come a piece, then we got to Lombard Street and we traveled course at walking pace, reaching then the Fisherman Warf. After an outdoor dinner and a ride to the pier 39 shops and sea lions, we took the ferry to Alcatraz and tour with audio guide (I had the tickets bought by them). A visit to Alcatraz with the audio, in addition to recounting the events through the testimonies of former prisoners Secondin or has the ability to recreate the atmosphere of the prison through the noise in the background, making you completely immerse themselves in the situation. Unfortunately, and this is my great regret, we are no longer able to return to San Francisco to continue our visit ... .. Will that be the reason for return!

Weekend 22nd -23rd -24th August San Josè - Yosemite - Mono Lake - Bodie - San Josè

Oakhurst I booked a 20 km. from south of Yosemite because planning to arrive in the afternoon, we spent the first part of the visit from 17 to 19:30 or so, the area of South Park, Mariposa Grove, where the giant sequoias. We did the trail to get to Grizzli giant, a giant sequioia of about 2700 years on the way encountering many other sequoias, then animals, including dozens of squirrels, in addition to a peaceful deer that fell among us without fear.
The next day we returned to the park from the south along the 41 first visiting the village of the pioneers, and then stop, on the most beautiful panoramic views across the valley protected by the Yosemite Half Dome and El Captain (the most high granite monolith in the world) and crossed the Merced River. Arrived at the center of the valley, the Yosemite village, after a stop at the information center of the park with the adjacent village Miwok Indian population, we can's up. For the lazy, there is a bus that makes a series of stops at points worthy of a visit to neighboring areas or camping or hotels. For those who want to walk you can reach the waterfalls in August but are completely dry, or along one of the many trails or take a picnic and swimming along the river. Us after a few walks, we direct your car to the Tioga Pass Road stop at some points worthy of note as the Olmsted Point with an almost lunar landscape, and Toulumne Meadows, fields in a plateau at 2600 meters where you can have time , also make short trips and walk reported by visitors center which is located opposite the main lawn. Finally we came up to 3030 meters above sea level but when expressed in "foot-feet" 9945, is even more effective!
Left the park we came into the sunset near a place that has an unreal and the Mono Lake. An old lake with spectacular geological formations called tufa towers that come out from stalagmites in a cave, formed by the union of football with freshwater carbonate water of the lake, making the scenery spectacular and unique.
The night in a motel in Bridgeport refresh us after this eventful day and preparations for the next day. A 15 km from Bridgeport is the ghost town of Bodie, a true city and not film, now a museum. Everything is stationary at the time it was dropped to the closure of a gold mine. Saloon, hotel, store, church, houses, schools ... all in a suspended indefinitely, in what was called "a land without God."
The weekend ends with the return to San Jose.

25th - 26th August - San Josè - Santa Cruz

25 / 8 the day we spend in this beautiful city outside the tourist routes, running through the streets of Los Gatos area, to downtown San Jose and going to the Winchester House ... yes the home of Mr. Winchester that of guns, or rather house of the widow of Mr. Winchester, which is like a maze of thousands of rooms, doors, windows built against every rule of living; stairs that go against a wall, windows that do not open, doors that look out on nothing and all this to confuse the spirits of those who were killed by guns sold by her husband, who otherwise would have vindicated the lady, passionate and the hereafter séances.
26/08 Today last day in the States, the last full days of vacation ... .. si va al mare!
Where better than Santa Cruz, you can go to relax on the beach and stroll on the Boardwalk where there is a giant amusement park with the oldest roller coaster in California still all in wood? This is what we did, returning all a little 'children, while in the afternoon in downtown, we returned a little' to the 70s. Santa Cruz was the cradle of Hippy today and has maintained that aspect a little 'vintage informal say, becoming the city of those who have chosen to live by the day, with sleeping bag, and bare feet, maybe playing an instrument for raccimolare enough to live, but without ever sacrificing their dignity.

27th August - Departure

Last day, spent in the family and finish what we started ... SHOPPING .... Led us right to the airport and towards the end of this wonderful and unforgettable vacation.