Planning: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California’s largest, is putting on a dazzling display of wildly colorful plants and flowers in various stages of bloom. It’s all due to seven plus inches of rain this winter. The last show like this was in 1999, so it’s time for a visit. If you go on a weekend,[…]
There is nothing easier than cruising roundtrip from your hometown; no TSA lines or airline delays and, once onboard, you immediately begin your vacation. That’s what it was like sailing from San Diego on Holland America Line (HAL for short). The Mexican Riviera was our destination for a seven day cruise on the MS Westerdam.[…]
Before I became a full-time travel writer, I was in the hotel business. At that time, in the early 1970s in San Diego, revenue management wasn’t even a phrase, much less a concept or coveted position in an organizational chart. In its primitive state, it was a loose practice. In summer how we loved the[…]
Restaurant Week returns to San Diego, September 25th through October 2nd, for its 12th annual farm-to-table epicurean celebration. Over 180 area restaurants offer three course, prix-fixe dinners in categories ranging from $20 to $50 per person. The lunch format, a two-course prix-fixe meal, is $10, $15 or $20 per person. Taxes and gratuities are not[…]
As if there’s not enough to do in August in San Diego, here are two to add to your “must do” list. The ¡Latin Food Fest! is one of my favorite events in San Diego. This fourth annual spectacular culinary celebration will be at the Embarcadero Marina Park North in San Diego, August 12 –[…]
There are times when a travel story meshes perfectly with a favorite pastime. So it was on a recent trip to Reno, Nevada, the “Biggest Little City in the World.”The visit included stays at the Atlantis, Peppermill, Eldorado and Grand Sierra Resorts; all four star, full-service properties. Best of all, I played in each poker[…]
My wife and I decided on a quick getaway to Temecula, California, to try out a spot getting good buzz, Pechanga Resort & Casino. After a speedy check-in, we headed to Kelsey’s, one of 11 restaurants. It’s a sleek American pub specializing in hand-cut, barbecued meats and craft beer. It was our first of three[…]
Our grandson, Sam, was turning ten. My wife and I decided that a good way to entice him away from home was to tell him we were going to take him to Circus, Circus in Reno. It worked! We picked him up in Chico, CA and headed north for a scenic three hour drive going[…]
It was that time of the year for a family reunion. Given my background as a travel writer, my duties have always been in the “Where should we go, what can we do and where can we eat?” categories. For this trip, I passed on the food assignment. Why? It’s become a nightmare. I yearn[…]
It’s a scenic flight from San Diego to Reno, with ocean views to the western horizon on the port side. Once north of LA, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe and the southern tip of the Sierras glide by 30,000 feet below. […]