Author Archives: California Tours

       Lake Tahoe is one of the most sought after ski vacation destinations in the US, and once you’ve seen it with your own eyes, you need not wonder why. As the largest alpine lake in North America, there are 72 miles of shoreline spilling into California and Nevada. The cold lake waters are crystal clear mirrors to the endless azure sky, creating an awe-inspiring effect of immeasurable blue. As if that wasn’t enough, the lake is surrounded by the famous Sierra Nevada Mountains covered in sparkling snow and pines.

       The vastness of the area is separated into two main areas: the North and South Shores.  Both are equally as scenic, but different in their offerings. The North Shore has the majority of the ski resorts, but the South shore has the largest and most popular ones.  The South Shore is also bumping with a myriad of entertainment some within walking distance or just a short cab ride away.

I suggest planning your trip to the South Shore instead of the North, especially if it’s your first time, just to get a good feel of all that Lake Tahoe has to offer in a more condensed and navigable way. The following list is comprised of options for South Lake Tahoe you can take into consideration when planning your ski trip.

 1. Getting there:

• Driving – It is definitely the most straightforward way, but it doesn’t go without its hassles.  Weather alerts and tire chain requirements can add impediments and headaches and should be considered in advance.
• Flying – The closest commercial airport is the Reno-Tahoe International Airport (about 1 hr away from South Shore). Continental and United Airlines offer direct flights to Reno from San Francisco International Airport. South Tahoe Express offers 10 shuttles daily from the Reno airport to South Lake Tahoe resorts or you can rent a car.
• Train/Amtrak – The California Zephyr Amtrak combined bus/train service picks up in San Francisco Union Square (bus) and Emeryville, CA (train) and travels to the Truckee, CA station.
• Bus – There are bus services and rideshares from San Francisco Bay area with varying schedules and pick-up times. AlterNetRides is a website that coordinates rideshares, and you can also call your resort in advance to see what shuttles they offer from Sacramento, Truckee, and Reno.

2. Staying there:  You really have your pick when it comes to choosing accommodations in South Lake Tahoe. They range from cream of the crop luxury hotels to salt-of-the-Earth rustic cabins. There are campgrounds, RV parks, bed and breakfasts, hotels, resorts, and even vacation homes fully equipped with additional amenities such as kitchens and laundry. Visit the South Lake Tahoe Official Site for detailed lists of accommodations.

3. Skiing there: With 40ft falling per year, the snow in Tahoe is the main winter attraction.  There are three major ski resorts in the South Shore. Heavenly Ski Resort has the largest ski area and according to OnTheSnow.com it is the 2^nd most popular one in the US.  The other two resorts are Kirkwood and Sierra-at-Tahoe.  All three offer diverse slopes to fit skill levels of beginners, intermediate, advanced, and extreme terrain. If you are showing up sans equipment, no need to fret. You can rent skiing and snowboarding equipment on site (or offsite if more convenient) and even take instructional lessons if needed. For a complete listing of ski resorts, please visit Tahoe.com to see which resort is most appealing.

4. What else to do there:  South Lake Tahoe is a large community filled with food, nightlife, and entertainment. Gone are the days of hunt and gather, you can fill up at 4 star restaurants, buffets, chains, diners, and more. After replenishing over a meal, you could head to one of the many casinos on the Nevada side to test your luck. Once you’re rolling in the gambling winnings, you can move onto a ritzy nightclub for VIP treatment, a hipster dive bar for some low-key fun, or even a pub or dance club.

         South Lake Tahoe is a bustling destination that offers an amazing balance of natural beauty and endless entertainment for a full sensory experience. You will not be disappointed by all the variety in store for you when planning your next ski trip vacation.

For any additional information, please visit the Official Lake Tahoe Visitor Bureau Website.

April Reed calls San Francisco home but radiates out as far as a weekend can take her. She has a penchant for the great outdoors, preferring snow and sun in equal parts, but is always willing to bask in the pulchritude of the world.

The remarkable, opening scene of verdant mountains and undulating valleys from the legendary flick, “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” was captured in none other than lush Kauai. And it’s no secret that the velvety greens and sapphire blues of the landscape and ocean have enticed producers worldwide to select Kauai as the backdrop for nearly one hundred films. Elvis Presley’s famous “Blue Hawaii” was shot on location. And Jurassic Park, King Kong, and even the iconic TV show Gilligan’s Island locked in celluloid dreamscapes on this island gem.

At its very heart, Kauai remains true to its nickname, the Garden Isle. Unlike bustling Oahu, and larger-than-life Hawaii Island, small Kauai takes life easy in the slow lane.  As the fourth largest island in Hawaii, with only 552 square miles, the island is segmented into five main districts: Lihue (in the south east), East Side, North Shore, South shore and West Side.

Outdoor lovers will revel in its unparalleled and haunting beauty, and it is no wonder that visitors return year after year. When you go, be sure to spend time in these five beloved locales:

1. Waimea Canyon – Plan on spending an entire day here in what is known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Bring a picnic lunch and explore this breathtaking canyon  measured at one mile wide, ten miles in length and over 3,500-feet in depth. Popular are helicopter flights that take tourists above and into the canyon itself. The Kalalau Lookout, in particular, yields unspoiled views of the valley, descending 4,000 feet to the ocean.

2. Na Pali Coast – This pristine 17-mile of coastline on the North Shore is world-renowned. Be sure to jump on a chartered boat excursion to see the variety of caves, jagged mountains and cliffs which are nothing less than jaw-dropping.  It can only be accessed via sea tour, air, or foot.

3. Poipu Beach Park – On the South Shore, this lovely stretch of beach was once named American’s best beach. Why? It is ringed with palm trees, soft white sand, and provides great opportunities for snorkeling to see tropical fish up close.  The park offers restrooms, showers, picnic tables and lifeguards to keep everyone safe.  From December to May, you can see humpback whales in their glory.

4. Wailua, Hanalei, and Huleia rivers – Rent a kayak and paddle on these navigable rivers for majestic scenery you have only seen in the  movies. Sacred waterfalls, unfathomable mountains – it’s the stuff dreams are made of.  The river waters are relatively calm, and you can also take a guided tour intended for all skill levels. Also available are zipline safaris for access into private ranches and rare waterfalls near the Huleia River.  The Wailua River, however, remains one of the most popular.

5. Fern Grotto – Take a Wailua river boat ride and get an eyeful of this natural amphitheater that is so spectacular it plays hosts to weddings throughout the year. Opulent ferns create a canopy on lava rock, and a typical cruise up the river to the grotto takes about 40 minutes. A short paved walk extends from the dock to the famous grotto while Hawaiian musicians serenade in the background.

This list is a sampling of the dynamic outdoor diversions of Kauai. Whether it’s your first or fiftieth time on the Garden Isle, the charms of Kauai never grow old. For travel info, visit www.kauaidiscovery.com or call the Kauai Visitors Bureau at +1 (800) 262-1400. Check out California Tours’ Hawaii Packages and book your flight and hotel today! Aloha!

Kathy Chin Leong must get her Hawaii fix every two years or she will definitely suffer withdrawal symptoms. This author has written about Hawaii for Sunset Magazine, Coastal Living Magazine, Islands Magazine, TravelAge West, and www.BayAreaFamilyTravel.com. 

California cities have a lot to offer, but for the true California beach experience, hop in a car, roll down the windows – or better yet, roll back the top – and cruise along California’s beautiful coastline. A drive can take three days or three weeks depending on how much time you have to take in the views, try out the seafood, and go for a swim.

Santa Cruz, just South of San Francisco, claims to be “the Original Surf City,” and boasts a variety of surf shops and seafood restaurants to prove it. The main attraction is the boardwalk with a tall, wooden roller coaster, a ferris wheel, and a 1911 carousel among other rides. For a slower pace, but a lovely view, walk along the pier that stretches into the ocean. You can stroll to the end, popping in for a surf sweatshirt or fried calamari.  But a detour down the stairs toward the barking leads to sea lions lying on the pilings and flopping up on the platform. They want to be left alone, but don’t mind being watched as they laze around and lap up the waves.

Next along the coast is the tourist town of Monterey. It used to be the gritty home of the characters in John Steinbeck’s novel Cannery Row, in which he described the town as “a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.” But now the town is less grit and more shopping – a tourist hotspot where you can have a plate of oysters and watch sea otters play in the water. It is also home to Monterey Bay Aquarium, which has an astounding collection of sea life swimming on display, including penguins, a kelp forest, and an open sea exhibit that includes jelly fish, sharks, and turtles in one enormous tank. And if you aren’t familiar with sea otters, they are possibly the most adorable creature ever. A tall tank at the aquarium allows visitors to watch them swim underwater, and then go above water where they surface and play.

Farther south is the Cyprus-dotted 17-mile drive past and through the Pebble Beach golf course, which offers dramatic views of the ocean, as well as sea lions and, if you are lucky, harbor seals. A map hints at places along the way to stop to see the plants, wildlife, and ocean views. The Lone Cyprus is a tree that is celebrated for its tenacity as its roots cling to the rock it lives on. At Bird Rock, you can smell and hear the animals before you can see them. Peek through the viewing glasses out toward the huge rock to watch the sea lions and harbor seals sleeping, hopping over each other, and diving in the water. And at Point Joe, you can pause to watch the waves crash violently against the turbulent cliffs.

A short drive down the coast is Carmel-by-the-Sea, a romantic city with bed and breakfasts, art galleries, and charming architecture where house eaves curve around and little doors and gardens hint at elves or gnomes around every corner. Clint Eastwood was once mayor of the town. The beach is just a short walk off the main street.

The next stretch of Highway 1, generally known as Big Sur, has some of the most spectacular views available of the Pacific Ocean. The road winds along the edge of the coast, rarely leaving sight of the water. The wandering road requires full attention, but thankfully for the driver, there are vista points to pull off and take in the dramatic views – of the cliffs, horizon, and waves. If you are lucky, as we were, you can just catch a picture of the sun sinking from a sky of colors into the water.

At the end of the drive is San Simeon where you can tour the grand Hearst Castle or picnic along the coast. Nearby is Pasa Robles and over 180 wineries, specializing mainly in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, Chardonnay, Petite Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc. It is easy to spend a day popping from vineyard to vineyard for a tasting, or it is a relaxing break in the drive to duck into a tasting room and try a local bottle.

The central beach towns are Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, and San Luis Obispo.  Any of them is a nice place to rent bikes or buy a kite and head to the coast, but each has its own distinct features. Morro Bay has an enormous rock, formed from plugs of extinct volcanoes, that is a preserve for peregrine falcons. Pismo Beach has sand dunes to climb on and a 1,200 foot pier. San Luis Obispo is a good place for ballooning, biking, hiking, and, of course, surfing. Whether or not you actually hit the waves, there are plenty of well-known surf shops to pick up a sweatshirt, including Pancho’s, Moondoggies, and Wavelengths.

One note on California cuisine – it’s fresh and good and worth stopping at along the way. Almost anything grows in California, and the roadside in certain areas has plenty of fruit and vegetable stands for a just-off-the-vine-or-tree flavor that is better than anything you can ever get at a supermarket. There are also the prices – such as 10 avacados for $1 – that are enough to make you drool. For barbeque, stop at any tri-tip stand in Santa Maria. Tri-tip is a delicious cut of meat not well-known outside of California, but adored in the state. You can eat it in a sandwich or just chow down on hunks of it. And if you want some fish and chips, clam strips, fried calamari, or delicious fish tacos, a stop at Neptune’s Net at the end of Malibu is a must. It’s also a favorite stop for local surfers who park all along the road to dive into the waves just across the street.

As an end to the roadtrip, it’s hard to pass up Santa Monica. It has the oldest pier in California, which includes an amusement park, arcade, aquarium, and even a trapeze school. Nearby at Venice Beach, known for its artistic flavor, you can rent some rollerblades and cruise along Muscle Beach, where outdoor equipment, including parallel bars, rings, and jungle gyms are available for use. It’s also good for people-watching to catch some of the more eclectic styles of California dress and hairstyles.

Drake Lucas is a former journalist based in Brooklyn, now working in communications for a non-profit organization. She loves a good travel adventure wherever it comes, whether it’s a spontaneous safari in India or stumbling onto a movie set during a hike in Yosemite. Follow her on Twitter: @drake_lucas.

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Years before I lived in New York City and worked at the Empire State Building, I was a new tourist, navigating the overwhelming streets for the first time, my head continuously tilted back to take in the towering view above me.

My first stop in the city was the top of the Empire State Building. My mom and I got up early to be at the front of the line for the ear-popping ride up 86 floors. Immortalized in movies from King Kong to Sleepless in Seattle, the classic art deco icon stands so tall, you can walk past it on the street level without noticing. But from far away, it is a beacon, marking midtown and standing as a reminder of New York’s grand past when tall buildings, such as the Chrysler Building and 30 Rockefeller Center, were shaping New York’s skyline. In New England towns, it’s the church steeples that stick up above the rooftops and connect a town to its past – in New York, it’s the radio spire of the Empire State Building.

Now I work in the 34^th floor of the Empire State Building, and the platform at the top is one of my favorite corners of the city where I frequently take visiting friends and relatives. It is on this level that you can go outside into the New York breeze above pigeon level and water towers and skyscrapers. The entire city is stretched out to the horizon and up into the sky. The old-fashioned view finders stand at the corners, witnesses to how many people must have gazed out over the city, trying to spot the distant figure of the Statue of Liberty.

The Empire State Building lights up for Christmas

Yellow dots of taxis fill the narrow streets below. You can pick out the bridges to Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and New Jersey, and point out rooftop swimming pools and restaurants. Central Park is a patch of green against the city gray; the curve of Madison Square Garden peeks around 34^th St.; 30 Rockefeller Center stretches high; the top of the Chrysler building gleams. And through the buildings, just a flicker of Times Square lights flash. You can see how the skyline dips lower between the skyscrapers of Midtown and the tall buildings of downtown. At night, the lights spread for miles. In the winter, tiny moving figures glide across the skating rinks in Bryant Park and Central Park.

Tourists from around the world gather to pick out their favorite sites in Manhattan, or to see the sites for the first time – from over 86 stories up.

This is not quite the top, though. Another small, old-fashioned elevator goes into the needle. An elevator operator pulls the gate shut and takes visitors up 16 stories, answering questions if there are any. One kind operator even held my friend’s hand as she braved her way to the top, although she was terrified of heights.

The needle is smaller, enclosed, and quieter. I find it to be the most peaceful place in the city. You duck around steel beams to get a 360 degree view out the windows of the city spread below. The taxis are even smaller, the harbor even further. It is truly the highest spot you can go in the city – and the swirl of the streets is that much farther away.

The Empire State Building by day

I found a postcard of the Empire State Building from my grandfather to his father in 1936, describing in his yellowed cursive being above the clouds after the fog rolled in and covered the “wonderful view.” I imagine the view from the Empire State Building has changed dramatically since he was there – buildings have risen and some have fallen. But the Empire State Building itself seems to never change.

I often leave work late, through the quiet, polished lobby where men are buffing the floors and shining the classic adornments. They are prepping the building for another day, keeping it fresh for the next batch of new faces to pass through the halls.

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Drake Lucas is a former journalist based in Brooklyn, now working in communications for a non-profit organization. She loves a good travel adventure wherever it comes, whether it’s a spontaneous safari in India or stumbling onto a movie set during a hike in Yosemite. Follow her on Twitter: @drake_lucas.

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California Tours offers customizable vacation packages to New York. For more information, please visit New York Vacation Packages by California Tours.