The overlooked July 3rd, a prelude to the 4th of July, features its own brand of entertainment. If you happen to be down in Orange County (the Southern California region of California), and can swing by Huntington Beach, there’s a night club with top comedy acts each week, Martini Blues. On July 3rd the shows and entertainment are hot, with never a dull moment in which you can stop laughing. The club is tucked away in the corner of a small shopping mall with a Von’s store, Radio Shack, Helen Grace chocolates, etc. Action begins at 9 p.m.
What will the airlines think of next? Going out of business, perhaps? With the recent announcement that several airlines would begin charging for bags checked, nothing is sacrosanct. Crippling of the US economy and job elimination are several of the issues of concern in a recent study prepared by the Business Travel Coalition (BTC). Aviation fuel’s skyrocketing prices will devastate airlines and passengers, according to the BTC study. The $2 soda fee and $25/bag check-in fee are the tip of the iceberg in an industry on the verge of collapse, some believe. Affordable transportation is no longer a given. And in the travel industry, the lifeblood of this economy is affordable travel by air, boat or car. Currently RV travelers are paying close to $1 per mile driven as the price of gasoline inches toward the $5/gallon price. So a trip across the U.S. in your favorite traveling home may cost you several thousand dollars one way! Think of that. A cross country round-trip from New York to California now costs around $5000 for a vehicle getting 5 miles to the gallon.
“Beyond the Airlines’ $2 Can of Coke: Catastrophic Impact on the US Economy from Oil-price Trauma in the Airline Industry,” is equally concerned with the future of travel for airlines. Massive job losses, declining business activity, shrinking tax revenues, weakened American competitiveness, devastated communities, and reduced tourism are predicted to occur as early as the second half of 2008 as a direct result of unsustainable fuel prices.
How are Californians coping with this? Less trips abroad and less trips in the U.S. The beaches have never been busier, thanks to fuel costs and a June record-breaking heat wave. California beaches offer an affordable answer to vacations, but the room rates aren’t helping travelers much. We will post some affordable hotels we’ve found for you to enjoy. One of our treasures is in Pacifica at the Best Western Lighthouse Inn. While summer rates have increased a good $50/night, you can still stay right on the beach for around $160, midweek, during many weeks in July & August.
If you’re looking for a hang ten experience this summer, California beaches are cool, breezy, and so inviting! And the best news is that there 1000 miles of surfing beaches along the California coastline.
Stay in surf-themed hotels such as Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa, which offers even a surfing brunch at Pete’s Sunset Grille. Pete’s decor celebrates the legends of surfing (mythical) and sport with boards suspended everywhere, and signposts naming the world’s great surfing spots. For some great eats with surfing themes, other restaurants include Wahoo Fish Tacos on Main Street where you can watch surf movies while you eat; Sugar Shack, home to the famed surfing family, the Turners; Longboard Restaurant and Pub with surfboards all around; Dukes on the Pier, which commemorates the Father of Surfing, Duke Kahanamoku, with photos, surfboards and surfing views; and there’s even a surfboard with a pig riding a wave at Smokin Mo’s BBQ on Main.
For an upscale dinner, you can dine at The California at the Hyatt, or visit the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort’s Shades restaurant just a walk next door. Large shades suspended from lights throw warm colors on the day or night, offering an exotic appeal.
Executive Chef Jeff Littlefield, an award-winning staple around the luxury hotel, likes to buy fresh field greens, fish, meats and produce, and keep it simple.
One of HB’s most popular events is the bonfire experience. At the beach across the street from the Hyatt or Hilton, you can roast hot dogs and toast marshmallows. From downtown, you can stroll on the strand, or take a Pedicab ride.
But the best ride of all is the ocean–and surfing. Be sure to stop by and visit Zack’s Beach Concessions for surf lessons and board rentals. Are you ready for a trip? Next installation is Newport Beach with The Wedge.
The Olympic Games will be held in Beijing this summer 2008, and while the preparations have been years in the works, California offers its very own gold. A huge land rush came about, thanks to the discovery of gold in the Sierra foothills in the mid-1800’s. Some still pan or mine gold there, in fact. But a new breed of entrepreneurs from the Bay Area and other locales have flocked to the region in Central California, and many have settled, declaring that “there’s gold in them thar’ hills.” We’re exploring the folks and their efforts with glimpses into this new Goldtown era and a Gold Rush that is making an impact.
Birds do it. Bees do it. Even Reba MacEntire does it (or at least her look alike does). Let’s do it. Let’s fall in love and get hitched in California’s premier gay, lesbian and alternate lifestyle destination. My husband just left me and although I’ve not switched over yet, after 28 years of marriage and getting dumped like yesterday’s trash, it would be real easy to give up men forever. But for now, I am just going to check out the fun in Palm Springs. Read MORE about this unique wedding destination that will be breaking the mold after a recent ruling about same sex marriages.
Let’s say your are one of the millions of people who live near a beach. When the gasoline prices hit $4.15, you probably reacted like the rest of us. It suddenly cost $50 - 65 to fill up your tank, and that leisurely Sunday drive up or down the California coast began costing about that much. Apparently many have reacted to the high prices in a similar fashion, by staying in a closer radius to our homes for our weekend escapes. What’s happened in Orange County is probably typical of the rest of the state. The streets are half as full and the beaches twice as crowded. People are going for cheap entertainment outdoors in the sun, and spending less time cruising distances to get to their destinations.