California For Dummies

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With two of the nation’s largest megalopolises — Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area—California has the largest, wealthiest, and most urbanized population of any state in the nation. Yet it’s also an agricultural wonderland, a nature-lovers paradise, a wine-lover’s dream, an outdoor enthusiast’s ideal playground, and more. In fact, there’s so much to see and do in California that you’ll probably have to choose.  With this guide, you can’t lose. It gives you the scoop...

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More About This Book

Overview

With two of the nation’s largest megalopolises — Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area—California has the largest, wealthiest, and most urbanized population of any state in the nation. Yet it’s also an agricultural wonderland, a nature-lovers paradise, a wine-lover’s dream, an outdoor enthusiast’s ideal playground, and more. In fact, there’s so much to see and do in California that you’ll probably have to choose.  With this guide, you can’t lose. It gives you the scoop on:

  • Northern California, including San Francisco, the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, Redwood Country, Yosemite National Park, and more
  • The central coast, including the Monterey Peninsula and the spectacular Big Sur Coast
  • The Southland cities, including L.A., San Juan Capistrano and Laguna Beach, ritzy Palm Springs, and San Diego
  • Major attractions like Hearst Castle, Disneyland, the San Diego Zoo, and Alcatraz
  • Activities like hiking in the Yosemite Valley, biking along the Monterey coastline, cruising Sunset Boulevard, taking in the scenery on the Pacific Coast Highway, and more
  • All kinds of dining options, ranging from foodie favorites like the French Laundry in Yountville and Campanile, Patina, and Providence in L. A. to good restaurants for picky eaters, and great places to enjoy a vegetarian meal or incredible Vietnamese, Italian, Mexican, or Thai specialties
  • Can’t miss family destinations in various parts of the state, including Humboldt Redwood State Park, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the California Science Center, in L.A., and more
  • All sorts of accommodations, from new Treebones Resort in Big Sur that houses you in a gorgeous yurt, L. A.’s Chateau Marmont, with its Art Deco and Beaux Arts castle-style main building and individual bungalows, the Grand View and Seven Gables inns in Monterey/Pacific Grove with their spectacular ocean views, Chateau du Sureau in Oakhurst for pure pampering and four-star dining, and more

Like every For Dummies travel guide, California For Dummies, 4th Edition includes:

  • Down-to-earth trip-planning advice
  • What you shouldn’t miss — and what you can skip
  • The best hotels and restaurants for every budget
  • Handy Post-it Flags to mark your favorite pages

Complete with all kinds of planning tips plus actual time-tested itineraries, this covers the must-see attractions, suggests things to see or do that are off the beaten path, and answers questions you might not even think to ask, like where to go to get down and wacky the way actual Californians do, where to find great inexpensive, gifts, and even where to find the graves of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. With this guide, you’ll soon be singing, "California, here I come."

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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780470068632
  • Publisher: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated
  • Publication date: 1/23/2007
  • Series: For Dummies Travel Series, #82
  • Edition description: Revised Edition
  • Edition number: 4
  • Pages: 572
  • Product dimensions: 5.50 (w) x 8.30 (h) x 1.50 (d)

Meet the Author

Mary Herczog is a second-generation California native and is married to Paula Tevis’s prom date. She writes for Frommer’s and Wiley whenever she can, which is quite a bit (Frommer’s New Orleans, Frommer’s Las Vegas, Las Vegas For Dummies, Los Angeles For Dummies, and more!) and she is so happy she can do it in the California sunshine. The rest of the time, Mary works for the film industry, which is a very California thing to do.

Paula Tevis, also a second-generation Californian, was born and raised in Santa Barbara, attended college in Los Angeles, and then moved to her favorite city, where she could cheer for the San Francisco Giants in peace. After an eclectic but blessedly brief career that included stints in the computer and nonprofit sectors, she and her California-bred husband produced a couple of lovely children, and Paula happily relinquished the 9-to-5 world for the 24/7 one that parenting brings. Upon regaining consciousness, she metamorphosed into a freelance writer, and over the years has contributed articles and essays to Parenting and Family Fun magazines, the San Francisco Chronicle, Citysearch.com, Frommer’s Las Vegas, and Frommer’s New Orleans. She is the author of San Francisco For Dummies, the Berlitz Vancouver Pocketguide, and Frommer’s San Francisco with Kids. Paula currently lives with her husband and their daughters in London, but reads the Chronicle online daily.

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Table of Contents


Introduction     1
About This Book     1
Conventions Used in This Book     2
Foolish Assumptions     3
How This Book Is Organized     3
Introducing California     3
Planning Your Trip to California     4
The Destinations     4
The Part of Tens     5
Appendix     5
     
Where to Go from Here     
Introducing California     7
Discovering the Best of California     9
The Best California Travel Experiences     10
California's Best Hotels     11
Best all-around family hotels     11
Best hotels for a romantic weekend     11
Best hotel pools     13
California's Best Restaurants     13
Best to impress     13
Best for families with picky eaters     14
Best for a lovely, but reasonably priced dinner     14
Best dining with views     15
Best local traditions     15
Best inexpensive meals     16
The Best Family Excursions     16
The Best Scenic Drives     17
The Best Museums     18
The Best GuidedTours     19
Digging Deeper into California     20
History 101     20
A Bite of California's Culinary Past and Present     23
California on the Page and the Screen     25
Reading up on California     25
Going to the California picture show     26
Deciding Where and When to Go     28
Going Everywhere You Want to Be     28
The San Francisco Bay Area     29
The North Coast     29
The Sierra Nevadas     29
The Central Coast     30
The Southern California cities     31
The Desert     32
Scheduling Your Time     32
Understanding California's Climate     33
Revealing the Secret of the Seasons     34
Perusing a California Calendar of Events     35
Following an Itinerary: Five Great Trips     39
Seeing Northern California's Highlights in Ten Days     39=970 14$lItinerary #1     40=970 14$lItinerary #2     40
Seeing Southern California's Highlights in Ten Days     41=970 14$lItinerary #1     41=970 14$lItinerary #2     42
Discovering California with Kids     42=970 14$lItinerary #1     43=970 14$lItinerary #2     43
California in Two Weeks for Romance-Seeking Couples     44=970 14$lItinerary #1     44=970 14$lItinerary #2     45
California in Two Weeks for Nature Lovers     45=970 14$lItinerary #1     45=970 14$lItinerary #2     46
Planning Your Trip to California     7
Managing Your Money     49
Planning Your Budget     49
Totaling transportation costs     49
Paying for lodging     51
Dining with dollars     52
Saving on sightseeing and activities     53
Allotting funds for shopping and entertainment     54
Keeping a Lid on Expenses     54
Getting the best airfare     54
Booking accommodations - and avoiding the rack-rate scam     54
Taking the AAA advantage     55
Cutting costs, but not the fun     55
Handling Money     57
Using ATMs and carrying cash     57
Charging ahead with credit cards     57
Toting traveler's checks     57
Dealing with a Lost or Stolen Wallet     58
Getting to California     59
Who Flies Where      59
Tips for getting the best airfare     60
Booking your flight online     61
Driving to California     61
Joining an Escorted Tour     63
Choosing a Package Tour     64
Getting Around California     66
Getting Around by Car     66
Getting the best deal on a rental car     67
Following the rules of the road     68
Winging Your Way around California     70
Going the Amtrak Way     71
Booking Your Accommodations     72
Getting to Know Your Options     72
Finding the Best Room at the Best Rate     73
Finding the best rate     74
Surfing the Web for hotel deals     74
Reserving the best room     75
Catering to Special Travel Needs or Interests     76
Traveling with the Brood: Advice for Families     76
Making Age Work for You: Tips for Seniors     78
Accessing California: Advice for Travelers with a Disability     79
Following the Rainbow: Advice for Gay or Lesbian Travelers     80
Taking Care of the Remaining Details     82
Playing It Safe with Travel and Medical Insurance     82
Staying Healthy When You Travel      83
Staying Connected by Cellphone     84
Accessing the Internet away from Home     84
Checking in publicly     85
Getting online with your home provider     85
Going the wireless route     86
Keeping Up with Airline Security     86
Northern California: Redwoods, Wine, and Wonder     89
San Francisco     91
Timing Your Visit     92
Getting There     92
Making your way downtown from SFO     92
Making your way to San Francisco from Oakland International     93
Driving to the Bay Area     93
Traveling by train to...Emeryville?     94
Orienting Yourself and Finding Transportation     94
San Francisco's neighborhoods     94
Getting around     100
Where to Stay     103
Where to Dine     111
Exploring San Francisco     120
The top attractions     120
Golden Gate Park and its attractions     127
Pursuing the arts and other cool stuff to see and do     129
Seeing San Francisco by Guided Tour     132
Puttin' on that old soft shoe(s)     132
Bay cruises     132
Shopping 'til You Drop     133
Union Square     133
Chinatown     134
Haight Street     134
Hayes Street     134
North Beach     134
Union Street     135
Enjoying the Nightlife     135
Play it loud: Live music     136
Come here often? Bars and lounges     137
Experiencing the finer side of the arts     138
Fast Facts     139
Gathering More Information     140
Napa and Sonoma Valleys: California's Premier Wine Country     141
Timing Your Visit     142
Getting There     143
Driving yourself     143
Along for the ride: Guided tours     143
Orienting Yourself     144
Where to Stay in the Wine Country     146
In Napa Valley     146
In Sonoma Valley     150
Where to Dine in the Wine Country     152
In Napa Valley     152
In Sonoma Valley     155
Touring the Wine Country     156
How to tell a cab from a zin     157
The best Napa Valley wineries for first-time visitors     158
Wineries in Sonoma Valley     161
More Cool Stuff to See and Do     163
Picnicking the valleys     163
Getting pampered in Calistoga     164
Hot-air ballooning     164
Heeding the call of the wild and the outdoors     165
Immersing yourself in food and wine     165
Gathering More Information     166
Mendocino     167
Timing Your Visit     167
Getting There and Getting Around     168
Where to Stay     170
Where to Dine     172
Exploring around Mendocino     174
Sampling the arts (and shops)     174
Exploring the headlands     175
Visiting Russian Gulch     175
Riding the Skunk Train     175
Speaking of Fort Bragg     176
Gathering More Information     176
Redwood Country     177
Timing Your Visit     178
Day-tripping from Mendocino     178
Finding options for overnighters     178
Getting There     179
Driving the Avenue of the Giants     179
Where to Stay along the Route     181
Where to Dine along the Route     182
Gathering More Information     183
Lake Tahoe      184
Timing Your Visit     185
Choosing between Two Shores     185
Getting There     186
Getting Your Bearings     188
Where to Stay     189
On the south shore     189
On the north shore     191
Where to Dine     193
On the south shore     193
On the north shore     194
Enjoying Lake Tahoe     196
Boating for do-it-yourselfers     196
Sportfishing     197
Driving along the spectacular west shore     197
Golfing     199
Taking a heavenly ride     199
River rafting     199
Playing at Squaw Valley High Camp     199
Hitting the slopes in ski season     200
Cross-country skiing and snowmobiling     201
Trying your luck at the casinos     202
Side-Tripping to the Gold Country     202
Getting there     203
Marshall's gold and Sutter's mill     203
Old Town Auburn     204
Where to stay in the Gold Country     204
Prospecting for History in Sacramento     205
Getting there     205
Where to stay and dine      205
Exploring California's capital city     206
Gathering More Information     207
Lake Tahoe     207
The Gold Country     208
Sacramento     208
Yosemite National Park     209
Timing Your Visit     210
Accessing the Park     211
Getting there by car     211
Winging it     214
Arriving by train     214
Entering and navigating the park     215
Preparing for Your Visit     215
Where to Stay and Dine inside the Park     216
Where to Stay and Dine outside the Park     219
Exploring Yosemite     221
Yosemite Valley highlights     221
Glacier Point     222
Wawona/South Yosemite     223
The High Country     223
Walking the walk: Hiking and nature trails     223
Talking the talk: Ranger-led programs     224
Gathering More Information     225
Yosemite National Park     225
The Central Coast     227
Beach Blanket Babylon: Santa Cruz     229
Timing Your Visit     230
Getting There     230
Orienting Yourself and Getting Around     230
Where to Stay in Santa Cruz     231
Where to Dine in Santa Cruz     233
Hitting the Boardwalk     236
Surfing and Other Cool Stuff to See and Do     237
Kayaking the bay     237
Browsing Pacific Avenue     237
Marveling at the Mystery Spot     238
Taking a ride through the redwoods     238
Adding some drama to the proceedings     238
Gathering More Information     239
The Monterey Peninsula     240
Timing Your Visit     241
Getting There     242
Monterey and Pacific Grove     242
Orienting yourself and getting around     243
Where to stay     246
Where to dine     249
Monterey's top attractions     252
More cool stuff to see and do     255
Pebble Beach: Nirvana for Golfers     259
Where to stay and play at the resorts     260
Cruising the 17-Mile Drive     261
Hitting the links     263
Carmel-by-the-Sea and Carmel Valley     264
Orienting yourself and getting around     265
Where to stay     265
Where to dine      268
Exploring Carmel-by-the-Sea     270
Gathering More Information     271
In Monterey     271
In Carmel     271
The Spectacular Big Sur Coast     272
Timing Your Visit     273
Getting There     274
Where to Stay in Big Sur     274
Where to Dine in Big Sur     277
Exploring the Big Sur Coast     278
Gathering More Information     282
Hearst Castle and Cambria     283
Timing Your Visit     284
Getting There     284
Orienting Yourself     285
Where to Stay near the Castle     285
Where to Dine     290
Visiting the Castle     292
Getting on the bus     292
Specialty tours worth considering     293
Selecting the tour that's right for you     294
Getting tour tickets     294
Keeping busy between trips to the top     294
Hitting the Central Coast Beaches     295
Exploring Cambria     295
Gathering More Information     296
Central Coast Wine Country     297
Timing Your Visit     298
Getting There      298
Paso Robles     300
Orienting yourself     301
Where to stay     301
Where to dine     301
Exploring Paso Robles     302
San Luis Obispo     302
Orienting yourself     303
Where to stay     303
Where to dine     304
North Santa Barbara County     304
Orienting yourself     304
Where to stay     305
Where to dine     306
Exploring Solvang and the valley environs     308
The mission and museums     311
Adventures with (really cute) animals     311
Gathering More Information     312
Santa Barbara and the Ojai Valley     314
The Jewel of the Coast: Santa Barbara     314
Timing your visit     315
Getting there     315
Orienting yourself and getting around     318
Where to stay     319
Where to dine     324
Exploring Santa Barbara     328
Serene Shangri-La: The Ojai Valley     332
Timing your visit     333
Getting there     334
Orienting yourself and getting around     334
Where to stay      334
Where to dine     336
Exploring the Ojai Valley     339
Gathering More Information     340
The Southland Cities and the Desert     341
Los Angeles     343
Timing Your Visit     344
Getting There     345
Getting to your hotel from Lax     346
Getting to your hotel from Burbank     346
Getting to your hotel from Long Beach     347
Arriving by car     347
Arriving by train     348
Orienting Yourself and Getting Around     348
L.A.'s neighborhoods     349
Drive, she said: Getting around     354
If you must: By bus and metro     355
By taxi     355
Where to Stay in Los Angeles     356
Where to Dine in Los Angeles     372
Exploring L.A.'s Top Attractions     385
Universal Studios Hollywood     385
Hooray for Hollywood!     387
Museum Row     389
More terrific museums     391
Hitting the beaches     395
Playing in Griffith Park     399
Hiking the trails     400
Studio tours and TV tapings     400
Seeing L.A. by Guided Tour     402
Shopping 'til You Drop     402
Santa Monica     402
Beverly Hills's Golden Triangle     403
West Third Street     403
West Hollywood     404
Hollywood     405
Universal City     406
Living It Up after Dark     406
The major and the minor: Theater     406
A little night music at the Hollywood Bowl     407
The symphony in Los Angeles     408
Opera in Los Angeles     409
Play it big and play it loud     409
For those about to rock     409
Snazzy bars     412
Drinks with a view     413
Gay faves     414
Fast Facts     415
Gathering More Information     416
The Happiest Place on Earth: The Disneyland Resort!     417
Choosing When to Visit     418
Deciding How Long to Stay     419
Getting the Lowdown on Admission     420
Opening the starting gate     420
Discovering the art of the (package) deal     421
Getting to the Disneyland Resort     421
Deciding Where to Stay     422
Staying in official Disney digs      422
Bunking beyond the resort     424
Dining Out     427
Dining at the resort     427
Dining outside the parks     430
Exploring the Resort     432
Tips from the pros     434
Disneyland     435
California Adventure     437
Gathering More Information     439
San Juan Capistrano and Laguna Beach     440
San Juan Capistrano     440
Getting there by car     440
What to see and do     441
Laguna Beach     442
When to go     442
Getting there by car     442
Getting around     443
Where to stay     443
Where to dine     445
Laguna events     448
Vistas, views, and adventure     449
Theater     450
Gathering More Information     450
Ring-a-Ding-Ding: Palm Springs     451
Timing Your Visit     452
Getting There     453
Orienting Yourself     454
Where to Stay in Palm Springs     454
Where to Dine in Palm Springs     462
Gay Palm Springs     466
Where to stay      466
Finding the nightlife     468
Exploring Palm Springs and the Resorts     468
Touring the top attractions     468
Casino hopping, Palm Springs-style     471
Hitting the links     472
Ahhhh - the spa     474
Desert excursions     474
Shopping     476
Living It Up after Dark     476
Joshua Tree and Death Valley: A Trip to the Dry, Hot Desert Parks     477
Joshua Tree National Park     477
Death Valley National Park     478
Gathering More Information     479
San Diego     481
Deciding When to Visit - and How Long to Stay     482
Getting There     482
By plane     482
By car     483
By train     483
Orienting Yourself     484
Downtown     484
Hillcrest     485
Old Town     485
Coronado     485
Mission Bay     489
Pacific Beach     489
La Jolla     489
Getting Around     490
Tips for driving and parking     493
By bus and by trolley     493
By taxi     494
Ferry on over to Coronado     494
Where to Stay in San Diego     494
Where to Dine in San Diego     503
Exploring San Diego     512
The "Big Four" - the animal and theme parks     512
Balboa Park     515
Old Town State Historic Park     520
Hitting the beaches     521
Taking a Guided Tour by Trolley (And Other Means)     523
The old soft shoe(s)     523
Bay cruises     523
Shopping at the Top     524
Hillcrest     524
Old Town     525
La Jolla     525
Nightlife     525
The play's the thing     526
Play it loud: Live music     527
Come here often? Bars and lounges     528
Jbar     528
Fast Facts     530
Gathering More Information     530
The Part of Tens     533
The Ten Wackiest Annual Events     535
Peg Leg Smith's Liars Contest     535
Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee     536
Ferndale Cross-Country Kinetic Sculpture Race     536
International Worm Races     536
Gilroy Garlic Festival     537
Pageant of the Masters     537
U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition     537
Underwater Pumpkin-Carving Contest     538
Weed Show     538
Doo Dah Parade     538
Top Ten Gifts for Cheapskates     540
Playing Bridge     540
Riding High     540
Smelling Salts     541
Bringing Good Fortune     541
Lighting the Way     541
Writing Clearly     541
Spilling the Beans     542
Ringing Your Bell     542
Nibbling Bliss     542
Spreading the Love     542
Quick Concierge     544
Fast Facts     544
Useful Toll-Free Numbers & Web Sites     546
Where to Get More Information     549
Index     551
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