California has it all. Review on California

When trying to find a highlight of my visit to California I was overwhelmed with options. The whole State is full of the most diverse landscapes, wilderness and huge cities.

I will try to summarize my visit in this review…(this will be a long one)

Los Angeles

Landing at LAX was the big time for me, this was my first time in the USA and everything was exciting and new. Feeling extremely out of my depth and jet lagged, my husband and I made our way outside and waited for the shuttle bus for DOLLAR CAR RENTALS. Having made reservations over the Internet from home it was just a matter of signing on the dotted line. Getting the car we inched our way onto the road, driving on the right hand side took a bit of getting used to but we made our way to the motel we had booked. After a few hours sleep we were ready to take in the sights.

What we saw

Santa Monica Beach:

This was a great way to get over the jet lag that afternoon. We went to the Santa Monica Pier then walked along the bike path all the way down to Venice Beach. The whole scene was straight out of BAYWATCH with lifeguard towers, palm trees in the sand, people on roller skates. Down at Venice Beach there were heaps of small kiosks selling t-shirts and souvenirs, you could get a tattoo or your palm read. It was reasonably quiet there that day as it was a Monday afternoon, mid May.

Hollywood:

This wasn’t quite what I expected. No movie stars and glamour here, just more souvenir shops selling t-shirts and postcards. We went to The Chinese Mann’s Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard, checked out the Walk of Fame, bought some t-shirts and left. The overall impression of this area was ‘rundown and past it’s Heyday’

Griffith Observatory:

If you are after a great view of LA, this is the place to come. This city goes for miles but the air is quite thick and hazy and the city eventually disappears into the haze. You can see the HOLLYWOOD sign in the distance from here as well. It must be spectacular at night and I wish I had seen it but we weren’t brave enough to drive LA at night.

Six Flags:

This was my husband’s idea. I could quite easily have forgone this amusement park but he had a ball. There are Roller Coasters of all description here. I reluctantly went on one ride and that was it for me. All the rides are covered in the entrance fee so if Roller Coasters are your thing, you can stay all day and ride to your hearts content.

LA to San Francisco

If you are driving between these cities and have a couple of days up your sleeve you should go via Highway 1. This route follows the ocean all the way with the spectacular Big Sur segment being the crème de la crème. Pack some binoculars and see if you can spot some Sea Otters in the kelp beds just off shore.

San Francisco

This must rate as one of the most beautiful cities of the world.

What we saw

The Golden Gate Bridge:

This bridge really is something special to see, I don’t know if it’s the colour or the setting but it is a special sight. We drove over, walked over and sailed under this bridge while we were here and we still couldn’t get enough of it.

Cable Cars:

You can’t visit San Francisco without at least one ride on the cable cars. Even squeezed on like sardines is fun, just do it. Get an All Day Pass as it works out cheaper in the long run.

Fishermans Wharf:

Another fun place to visit, lots of souvenir shops and clothes shops, check out the sea lions down at the pier, you will smell them before you see them! This area was great on the Saturday we visited, all the street markets, street entertainers and crowds were out in force.

Harbour Cruise:

There are a couple of companies doing cruises, we did the Red &White cruise which was about an hour long, fully narrated (chose your preferred language on your set of headphones) and took us out to the Golden Gate Bridge and a slow pass of Alcatraz.

Yosemite

Try to visit this National Park while you are in California, even if you have to change your plans to do so as it is one of the greatest sights on the planet. We did a fleeting day trip but it is something I will always treasure. We were there long enough to do a 3 mile round hike, we walked the MIRROR LAKE trail, conditions were perfect and we were rewarded with the fantastic visual of the surrounding scenery reflected in the water of the lake. It was breath taking. We didn’t see any bears (a blessing in disguise no doubt) but we did see a coyote, lots of squirrels and bird life.

Mojave DesertIn complete contrast to Yosemite, the Mojave has a beauty of it’s own. Never will I forget the colour of the sky with the big white puffy clouds, the vastness and emptiness of the desert stretching out into the shimmering heat haze. I would do this drive again at the drop of a hat!

San Diego

A lovely city right down on the border with Mexico, this was a great place to spend our last weekend in the USA. We couldn’t fit everything in but we gave it a good try.

San Diego Zoo:

We spent hours here walking around this zoo and I think we covered every square inch. There are a huge variety of animals here and some of the exhibits are outstanding. The Gorilla’s live in a family group on a grassy covered hillside with trees and a small creek. They can get close to the humans with a glass viewing area. The Polar Bear Plunge was a real treat with an underground viewing tank. It was great to watch two Polar Bears play fighting up close, you could even see their teeth they were that close. I still found some of the cages a bit depressing, hopefully they are working on making all the exhibits as good as the Gorillas and Polar Bears.

San Diego Seaworld:

This was my favourite, there were tons to do and see and everything was enjoyable. The highlight had to be Shamu the killer whale. The whale and his handler do some amazing stunts that will amaze you and afterwards you can view the whales up close at the underwater viewing tanks. The whales are quite interactive with the people and seem as interested in us as we are in them. The Pirate Show is another ‘must see’ for all ages. What ever you do, don’t leave without seeing it!

Tijuana

We did a quick trip over the border to Tijuana. We caught the shuttle from the Border Station carpark. For $2 return to the shopping centre its definitely worth it. The depot is right downtown amidst all the hustle and bustle that is Tijuana. I think it took us longer to get back over the border on the way back then we actually spent shopping.If you do take this shuttle and you see people get off as you near the border. Join them and walk back over to the US side, this will save you hours if the traffic is heavy!

From San Diego it was onto the LA freeway all the way to LAX and home. I would love to go back and explore California some more as there is so much I missed this time around.