Southern California vacation planning guides and itineraries. Best beaches in Orange County and Los Angeles, best things to do, and photos by Tom Bricker.
Well, Merry belated Christmas, that is. Yesterday, we headed to Crystal Cove State Park to see some of the vintage-inspired holiday decor and enjoy a “traditional” white (sand) Christmas. I think it’s going to take years to get used to trading in the snow and evergreens of the Midwest for the beaches and palms of Southern California, […]
This post offers a photo tour and review of Old Mission Santa Barbara Mission in California, north of Los Angeles. This was the tenth of twenty-one California Missions that was founded by the Spanish Franciscans on December 4, 1786. That’s right–this mission has been around for some 230 years. Pretty impressive stuff. Before we delve […]
Yesterday, Jenny and Adam Burke came down to visit us, and we took them around some of our favorite spots in Laguna Beach. We had a great rooftop meal at our favorite restaurant in Laguna Beach, Mozambique. We went to Pearl Street Beach to see Arch Rock. We checked out the scene at Crescent Bay, […]
In terms of mankind’s greatest achievements, the invention of burgers is easily in the top 10. This post takes a look at some of the glorious fast food and fast casual burgers in South California, specifically in Orange County, an area known for its fondness of this most noble achievement. While these aren’t necessarily the […]
Quick: say what first comes to mind when you think of Death Valley National Park. Although I can’t hear you through the computer screen (the technology for that isn’t quite there yet), I’m betting your answer had something to do with absurd heat, dunes, or miles of barren land. Maybe it skewed more comically towards […]
I’ve become a beach bum. If you know me, you might be surprised to read that statement, as I have been like the living embodiment of Cartman when it comes to the hippie lifestyle (don’t let them fool you: beach bums are a subset of the hippie movement). However, unlike your typical beach bum who […]
This post features some photos I took at Table Rock Beach in Laguna Beach, California, along with some tips for finding this beach, and my thoughts on it. Table Rock Beach is a pretty popular spot in Laguna Beach, especially among locals for cliff jumping. A lot of people love this beach, but I’ll admit […]
Continuing my series of the best beaches in California is Pearl Street Beach in Laguna Beach. This post contains photos of Pearl Street Beach, tips for finding it, and some info about the beach. Pearl Street Beach is a small spot with reefs comprising both the north and south rims of the beach. I previously […]
Disneyland’s fireworks show varies by season. The main show is the incomparable “Remember… Dreams Come True!,” which is a montage of memorable lines from Disneyland attractions. For people like me who are primarily Disney theme park fans, this show is great because it focuses on the parks as opposed to animation. There are also seasonal […]