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Hearst Castle is one of the few buildings in America that bears the name “Castle”. We just don’t have castles here like they have in Europe. Castles are a thing of the past and especially in California we don’t have old buildings except for the few old missions that are scattered along the coast. I know I am exaggerating a little but not too much. So, just the name Hearst Castle becomes interesting almost immediately to the tourist.
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Posted in California, SoCal Day Trips, Travel Guide Tags: Hearst Castle, San Luis Obispo County, San Simeon
We took advantage of the 2Fer ticket for Southern California residents when we visited 
Disneyland is called the “happiest place on earth”…at least that’s how the Disney company calls it. A place of magic and wonder where Mickey Mouse is the king. I usually visit Disneyland only when relatives or friends out of town come and visit California. Disneyland is a must see attraction for Southern California, so we’ve got to take our friends when they come to visit. This time however, was very special because I took my wife and my daughter to visit and it was their first time visiting Disneyland. I think it’s pretty cool to take people to Disneyland especially if they’ve never been there before. I wouldn’t say that this place was very happy…especially because of the crowds…but it was very nice and entertaining for sure.
Solvang is a quiet little town, with an European reputation even though it is located in the heart of California. There are many small towns scattered all over California, but Solvang is much different than all other small towns. Danish and Dutch early settlers in California were determined to maintain their heritage in everything they did and most of all in everything they built. From shops and restaurants to office building have all been built in Danish style.
Santa Barbara, California is the setting for many movies and soap operas. Beautiful beaches, rich people, movie stars and lots and lots of shopping. No wonder, Santa Barbara has become a real tourist attraction especially during the weekends. It is very rare for American cities to cater to the weekend traveler and the tourist, but Santa Barbara has made tourism a priority.
I call this the “Pajama Parade” because parade participants come dressed in their everyday clothes even their pajamas sometimes. Even though it has improved over the years, this is not the “Rose Parade” with fancy floats and carefully selected marching bands. The Camarillo Christmas Parade is a parade for the community; it’s a great feeling to see people you know walking in the parade.
If you’re visiting California you must’ve heard of Malibu…stars, expensive homes, beaches…just beautiful. But what is there to visit besides beaches? Are there any other tourist spots? I found two…actually two in one. The Malibu Lagoon Park…beautiful beach, surfers, lots of wildlife and the beautiful Adamson House…talk about attraction concentration!
A dry season in California creates new beaches on Big Bear Lake. This picture from September 2004 shows lots of white sand on the shores of this beautiful lake. You can also notice the dry vegetation. If you know Big Bear, you will notice that this green is very dry compared with the normal bright green that you normally see in Big Bear throughout the year.
