What Should We Do First?
We always seem to have more ideas than we have time to implement. So tell us:
Which of these things do you want us to do the most?
What Do You Need to Know About Lodging?
We've created lists of recommended lodging, tips for getting the best place to stay for the least money and reviewed a lot of hotels in the past few years.
What kind of lodging information do you want the most?
What Do You Want to Know More About?
It's time to start planning for next year here at California for Visitors, and this is one of the few places to get travel information where you have a chance to say what you want most.
What do you want to know more about?
New Hotel Find: Hotel Solamar, San Diego
Among comparable hotels in the same area, Hotel Solamar offers gives good value for money. We especially like their pool and bar area.
They're also extremely pet friendly, accepting pets of any kind and size, with no extra fees. They also have rooms that are pet-free, if you prefer.
Read our review of Hotel Solamar.
More: Places to Stay in Downtown San Diego | San Diego Gaslamp District
New Hotel Find: Hotel Parisi, La Jolla
We always love a stay in La Jolla, and now we have even more reasons to want to go back after staying at the lovely Hotel Parisi. The unique style and attention to detail at Hotel Parisi are impressive, even to this travel writer who's spent a lot of time in hotel rooms in the last decade. They offer an unique spa service, too.
And besides all that, it location is unbeatable. You could easily check in here and not need your automobile again until you're ready to go home. That is, unless you want to go to a performance at the Tony Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse.
Great Place to Stay: Sunset Cove Villas
Sunset Cove Villas are the closest many of us will ever come to knowing what it's like to live in a luxurious, oceanfront Laguna Beach home. Bring enough people and they're a good value for money, too, especially this time of year. Situated just a block off Coast Highway in Laguna Beach and right above a beach with private access, Sunset Cove Villas couldn't be much better - or more convenient - for a relaxing stay. It's so close you can walk to town, to dinner, to the Pageant of the Masters and the beach. That is, if you can drag yourself away from the million-dollar views.
Read our review to find out more.
Where Does a Pardoned Turkey Go?
Well, if you're the National Thanksgiving Turkey who just received a pardon from the President, you want to get out of Washington before someone changes their mind. For the past few years, the recently-pardoned bird and his backup have hopped onto United Airlines Flight Turkey-1 to Los Angeles, California, and then on to Disneyland, where they take up residence at Santa's Reindeer Ranch.
Forget the Turkey, Go to the Theme Park
If you'd rather do something else with your Thanksgiving Day than tank up on turkey and watch football games, Universal Studios will be open on Thanksgiving Day again this year (Christmas too).
Disneyland will also be open, with hours until midnight all week. Years ago, Thanksgiving was a good day to go, with lighter crowds, but nowadays the place is packed. Even the pardoned turkey from the White House ends up there. If you're going, we suggest buying your tickets online and taking a look at 7 Ways to Stay Out of Line at Disneyland.
Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, Legoland, Knotts Berry Farm, Magic Mountain are all open Thanksgiving, too. Knotts and Magic Mountain closed on Christmas Day, but the rest are open.
Great Ideas for Thanksgiving Weekend
If you need a break during the holiday weekend, we've got some great ideas for you: run off the calories, skate them away, get in the Christmas spirit or just relax with the family.
New iPhone App for Disneyland
I'm a self-confessed gadget geek and that snazzy new iPhone I bought quickly turned from an indulgence into a necessity, keeping track of things and getting me back on track when I get lost.
Just when I thought I'd found a place where I didn't need it so much, my friend Annie told me about Wait Watchers. Here's the deal: the app presents a list of rides in the theme park. Individual users post the current wait times as they go around the park and everyone benefits. Safeguards are built in to report and prevent anyone from entering bad data.
I tried it out last month, posting wait times every time I passed a ride or attraction. It's easy to use and doesn't require any advance planning. However, it's still new and not getting enough posts to make it as useful as it could be. The thing that will make it really work is you and me and for now, it's free so you don't have an excuse not to use it.
Wait Watch comes in versions for Disneyland, California Adventure and Universal Studios, as well as most of the Florida theme parks. Sorry, Blackberry users - they don't have this one for your gadget.