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| Amusement is for kids---annnnnnnd adults. So many places to play, and so little time. Do stop the busy bustle of work and katch the day at one of these places that makes you feel like a kid again. |
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SANTA BARBARA
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Santa Barbara is called the American Riviera because of the weather and the proximity of the mountains to the sea. You can play at the beach, hike in the local mountains, see the Queen of the Missions, gaze at a spectacular 360 degree view of the city from atop the Courthouse, visit a zoo with over 600 animals, stroll the downtown area with shopping galore or just relax at any one of the sidewalk cafes and watch the world go by.
Leave your car and travel by train on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner. The train station is 2 blocks from the beach and many hotels, a few steps from State Street and central to the local shuttle service. Know 2 streets – State (running north) and Cabrillo (parallel to the beach) and you’ll be good to go.
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What to do in the winter – what not to do? How about renting a Segway and touring downtown Santa Barbara? At www.segwayofsb.com you have your choice – their tour or travel on your own. You can visit the Courthouse and Presidio and many others sights the easy way!
The sea life ranges from whale watching (February-April) to touch tanks at the Ty Warner Sea Center on Stearns Wharf to enjoying fresh seafood at the working harbor. Speaking of restaurants – Santa Barbara has restaurants galore. Hint – the locals tend to venture just a bit off State or Cabrillo…you’ll see why!
Like wine? Many companies have tours to the Santa Ynez Valley – featured in the movie “Sideways” and a great destination in its own right. Most offer package deals that include lunch or dinner. In the beach area, there are also wine and/or beer tasting rooms.
(by Nancy Gomez)
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| KATCH THE SANTA (CLAUSE) BARBARA DAY AND LEAVE THE BUSINESS-KEEPING TO US! |
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OC STATE PARK/BEACHES
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Orange County is a wealth of peace and beauty in the winter. It has has seven state-run parks and beaches from which to enjoy. From the southern end of OC, there is San Clemente State Beach. This beach has reserved campsites year around. Then you go north a little to Doheny Beach which has great waves and fishing.
Crystal Cove is a hidden paradise in Laguna Beach. It was once the home of some rickety trailers, but the state has taken it back and restored the cottages you can rent year around. There is a delightful little restaurant steps from the sand. Parking is cumbersome, but well worth the hassle.
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Next up the coast is Corona Del Mar. A quant state beach ideal for swimmers. Driving northbound on PCH, you hit the diamond of OC beaches, Huntington. The City of Huntington Beach and the State have gone to great lengths to keep the sand clear. You will see only one residential building from start to finish of this state and city beaches. A little farther up the road is the pearl, Bolsa Chica State Beach. There is mile after mile of surfing water with Long Beach in the backdrop, and on the other side of PCH—the Bolsa Chica Wetlands. There is some overnight camping available, too!
The last state-run park/beach in OC is in Chino Hills. Camping is first come, first served. There is horseback riding, bicycle paths, and sixty miles of trails.
OC beaches and parks are the perfect place to spend your winter days, while the tourists are away. Purchase a state annual pass and save on parking (some parks are exceptions).
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| KATCH OC STATE PARK/BEACHES AND LEAVE THE BUSINESS-KEEPERING TO US! |
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San Diego Zoo
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The butterflies are back at San Diego’s Wild Animal Park from March 15th through April 6th. This annual tradition is something you can Katch (pun Kompletely intended) every year and still marvel at the wonder of these delicate creatures.
This enchanting experience is captured in the Hidden Jungle, an aviary with a tropical like setting. If you stand long enough in one place you are almost guaranteed a butterfly will land on you. Then, depending on how still and patience you are, the little creature will rest on you for quite some time. Last year, we saw a woman sitting on a bench, who had three butterflies on her. One on her head, back, and leg. She was quite still and content to let her children swarm around her in amazement.
As if a wonderland of butterflies wasn’t enough, the Park offers hundreds of exotic orchids to view in full bloom in the Nairobi Village.
Speaking of the Wild Animal Park, now is a good time to register your kids for the camps the Park has to offer in the summer.
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From first grade up through 9th, there are tailor made camps depending on your child’s age and interest.
We recommend becoming a member of the San Diego Zoo. It includes access to the Zoo and Wild Animal Park, plus a monthly magazine and discounts.
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| KATCH THE BUTTERFLIES (figuratively of course), and LEAVE THE BUSINESS-KEEPING TO US! |
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PALM SPRINGS
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If you can’t wait for the summer’s heat, Katch the Day in Palm Springs. It starts to get really hot in July, so you can still catch the high-90s weather without completely melting; unless of course you really crave hot weather, in which case Palm Springs awaits you.
PS, as it is affectionately known, is actually just one of many desert towns in the area. They have really stepped up the shopping and restaurants for your enjoyment. We found El Paseo to be just as high class and charming as Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
An unintentionally well kept secret is the Living Desert, a zoo
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tucked away in Palm Desert/Indian Wells territory. There are acres of animals from Giraffes to Reeves Turtles. It’s also a botanical desert wonderland.
Of course, the PS area is nationally known for great golf courses. After all it wasn’t home to Bob Hope for nothing. Lastly, you can jump onto the PS Tramway and zip up the mountain to cooler weather and enjoy a spectacular view.
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| Katch the Desert Sun and leave the business-keeping to us! |
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AQUARIUM
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Ring in the new year katching the day with a shark! And you can even pet one, too! Recently we spent the day at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach and what an experience it was. We saddled right up to the outdoor pond and got to pet a shark, sting rays, and some crawly things (big vocabulary here). They were all baby animals and quite tolerant of strange fingers petting them. The Aquarium has an amazing array (no pun intended) of fish and other sea creatures. |
We saw a show with sea lions barking for our enjoyment, and sea otters who had been rescued by the Aquarium even before it opened in 1998. Interesting fact: Sea otters are the hairiest animals in the world. They have more hair in one cubic inch than any other animal. They have no blubber, so their hair is what keeps them warm in ice cold water; it serves as an air insulator.
The Aquarium is on Shoreline Drive near the new Pike shopping area, so you really could spend all day and night in this entertainment hub.
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| Katch the Aquarium and leave the business-keeping to us! |
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