Most Fun We Had in 2011

Most of the time, we'd have to admit that writing about California travel is a fun job, but sometimes it soars into the realms of more fun than anyone ought to have while working. These are a few of the highlights of our adventures in 2011:

• New Star Tours ride at Disneyland: A full-on upgrade in its mechanics and a super-sharp 3-D film and story line that's seemingly never the same twice, one of our favorite Disneyland rides is even better.




• Savor the Central Coast: The enchanting Paso Glow dinner, held in the city park was the highlight of the event, which features wines and foods of the Paso Robles/San Luis Obispo area.




• Evergreen Lodge at Yosemite: After corresponding with this property's charming owner for a seeming eternity, trying to arrange a visit, it was well worth the wait - and it jumps into first place on our go-to list when planning a trip to Yosemite. The only downside? It's so nice you might not want to leave.




• Heibel Ranch Vineyards, Napa: What's not to like about a winery whose tasting room is a picnic table beside the lake and its tour vehicle a 1963 Willy's Navy jeep named "Sugar Magnolia"? Owner/winemaker Trent Ghiringhelli's passion for his property and his wines are the icing on this Napa Valley cake.




• Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Sonoma: At the opposite end of the spectrum from rustic Heibel, Coppola's winery redefines the experience, with a top restaurant, movie museum and an outdoor swimming pool where you can linger all afternoon. "Winery Park" is what they call it, an apt name for a new concept.