Archive for the 'California' Category
Two California luxury hotels added to AAA’s 2010 Five Diamond Award list
November 6, 2009 2:45pm
Open less than a year, the Resort at Pelican Hill in Orange County like all hotels, has struggled against the tides of a beleaguered economy. But that doesn’t mean it can’t take a great compliment. The luxury coastal property is one of two California resorts that have danced into the exclusive ranks of AAA’s just-released Five Diamond Award list for 2010. [Corrected at 5:45 p.m. Nov. 6: An earlier version of this post said the Resort at Pelican Hill is south of Laguna Beach. It is north of Laguna Beach.]
California, with 20 five-diamond hotels, also added the opulent Grand del Mar in San Diego to its coffers.
The new Golden State additions join the company of some real longtimers, like the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, which has populated the list for 24 consecutive years, and the Peninsula Beverly Hills, with 17 consecutive years under its belt.
The Michael Jackson theme park that never was, but still could be
November 5, 2009 12:29pm
Michael Jackson dreamed of a theme park based on the J.M. Barrie story of “Peter Pan,” complete with looping roller coasters, 3-D flight simulators, water rides, stunt shows, dinner theater, nighttime spectaculars and hotels.
The Disney and More blog has the full story of how the dream nearly became reality, including blueprints and concept art from the envisioned project.
In the late 1990s, the King of Pop partnered with Burbank-based Landmark Entertainment Group — the creators of the Spider-Man ride at Islands of Adventure and the Jurassic Park water ride at Universal Studios Orlando — to draft a plan for Peter Pan’s Neverland theme park.
The concept looks remarkably similar to Disneyland past and present, with all the Peter Pan parts of the park (pirate ship, dark ride, skull rock) amplified and embellished with plenty of pixie dust.
Peter Pan’s Neverland envisioned a grand entrance into Victorian London with replicas of Kensington Gardens, Big Ben, Tower Bridge and the Houses of Parliament.
On Neverland Island, reached by boat, there were six themed lands:
Read the rest of this entry »
First look: ‘Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee’ opens at Disneyland for a limited run
November 5, 2009 7:28am
I got a sneak peek at “Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee” last night, and I have to say I really enjoyed the latest Disneyland show.
The limited-engagement show, tied to the upcoming “Princess and the Frog” animated movie from Disney, begins its daily run at the Anaheim theme park starting Friday (Nov. 6). The 20-minute production — presented four times a day — continues through Jan. 3.
About three dozen performers dressed in 1920s-era Mardi Gras costumes dance through the crowds in second-line fashion near New Orleans Square before boarding the Mark Twain Riverboat for a floating musical revue.
The hybrid parade-show combines two of my favorite experiences at Disneyland: Read the rest of this entry »
Enjoy a free day at national parks, forests on Veterans Day, Nov. 11
November 4, 2009 8:52am
Next week, national parks and forests will waive entrance fees for one day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, to honor servicemen and women. Unlike past years, when only U.S. veterans, active members of the U.S. armed forces and their families got a free pass, this year’s Veterans Day observance will allow everyone in for free, according to a news release Tuesday, Nov. 3, from the U.S. Department of the Interior.
If the deal otherwise works like it did in past years, you’ll still owe fees for camping, permits and other activities. But you can save a lot anyway because some popular parks, including California’s Yosemite National Park, normally charge entrance fees of $20 or so per car.
The Interior Department earlier this year expanded the number of free days on federal lands, offering three fee-free weekends over the summer. At that time, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar noted that parks provide affordable family vacations “during these tough economic times.”
A nifty hotel deal for 50-and-over crowd in Central California
November 4, 2009 5:57am
OK, so you’re still 12 years away from drawing Social Security and 15 years from getting Medicare. Aren’t there any perks for turning 50? Well yes, and we’re not talking about getting an invite in the mail to join AARP or receiving snarky birthday cards with over-the-hill jokes. The over-50 set can score reduced room rates and more this winter at five inns in San Luis Obispo County in Central California.
Deal: If you or someone in your party is 50 or older, you’re eligible for the “Nifty Fifty” special at five inns run by Boutique Hotel Collection: Apple Farm Inn in San Luis Obispo, the Cliffs Resort in Pismo Beach, Inn at Morro Bay in Morro Bay, Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort in Avila Beach and SeaVenture Resort in Pismo Beach.
The details of the deal differ from inn to inn. But generally, you’ll get discounts on your room, food and items from the gift shop. Room rates vary by location, and not all rooms may be included in the deal, which is subject to availability and other restrictions.
Six Flags Magic Mountain to add family coaster for 2010
November 3, 2009 6:26pm
Six Flags Magic Mountain will add its 17th roller coaster in 2010, bringing the Valencia amusement park into a tie for the most coasters in the world, officials said.
Scheduled to open in early summer 2010, the family coaster will be located in the northwest corner of the park between the looping Déjà Vu coaster and the Johnny Rockets Shakes and Fries food stand.
The steel coaster moves Magic Mountain into a statistical tie with Ohio’s Cedar Point for the coveted title of “roller coaster capital of the world,” according to Roller Coaster Database.
Thanksgiving travel: Cheapest dates and destinations
November 1, 2009 1:44pm
Those who have ever stepped foot in an airport the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving know that flights departing during that very popular time don’t usually come cheap. In fact, by being a little flexible with your dates for Thanksgiving-week travel, you can save as much as $180 in airfare, according to Travelocity folk who researched flight bookings from Nov. 22 to Dec. 1.
It’s no surprise that the most expensive flight itineraries include departures on Sunday, Nov. 22, or on Wednesday, Nov. 25. The priciest return dates, because of holiday surcharges enacted by airlines, are Sunday, Nov. 29, and Monday, Nov. 30, according to Travelocity’s report.
The cheapest days to depart are Nov. 23 and 26. The least expensive day to return, if you can swing it, is Tuesday, Dec. 1. See the Travelocity chart for a comparison of average fares.
What about hotels? The same report cites a decrease in accommodations costs this year, with hotel rates 16% lower than they were last year. Read the rest of this entry »
For a sane holiday, consider Hotels.com’s Thanksgiving sale
October 31, 2009 6:51pm
If bunking up with Cousin Lenny sounds like the worst way to spend your Thanksgiving holiday away, why not treat yourself to your own peaceful quarters this year? Booking a room close to (but not with) the family doesn’t have to break the bank, thanks in part to promotions like Hotels.com’s Thanksgiving sale. Through it, you can find a range of properties for up to 30% off in 100 cities.
One of those is Denver, where 30%-off rooms at the Burnsley All-Suite Hotel are attainable. In Orlando, Fla. — where, it must be said, accommodations bargains are never rare — you can get a room for $41 per night, pretax, at the Seralago Hotel, a few miles from Disney World. Up in New York, stay for 20% off at the Time Hotel, close to Broadway shows; rates here around Thanksgiving start at $183 per night (the usual average is $229).
But there are lots of options closer to home too, for instance:
Palm Springs
I stopped into Riviera Resort & Spa’s reservation system for a stay Wednesday through Friday of that week, and got a total of about $600, after taxes and fees, for the two nights. The total price I found via Hotels.com was $478. Read the rest of this entry »
Dodgers cruise to the Mexican Riviera with Steve Garvey, Mariano Duncan and 2009 teammates
October 30, 2009 3:14pm
Dampen your post-season Dodger blues with a seven-day cruise on the Mexican Riviera out of Long Beach. It will feature former first-baseman Steve Garvey, first-base coach and former infielder Mariano Duncan and broadcaster Steve Lyons.
Interior staterooms start at $855 per person, but book soon: The cruise embarks Nov. 15. The trip, aboard Carnival Cruise lines, includes stops in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas. Also included are photo sessions, cocktail parties and Q&A sessions with the former ballplayers.
The ship returns to Long Beach on Nov. 22.
–Chris Erskine, Los Angeles Times deputy Travel editor
[The home runs may be over, but Dodger fans can celebrate aboard a special cruise; photo by Christina House/For The Times]
San Francisco: Savings for the unfussy with Inn at the Opera’s ‘Think Green’ deal
October 30, 2009 5:54am
The Inn at the Opera doesn’t sit on the most glamorous strip of San Francisco, but when I stayed here last year, I appreciated its proximity to Hayes Valley restaurants and its central location amid a mecca of transportation options. It’s a stone’s throw from the Civic Center and a few short blocks to Market Street, one of city’s main arteries.
The hotel usually has reasonable rates, and now, aided by a truly unusual promotion, you can save even more on a stay.
Deal: If you don’t need a spic-and-span room and don’t mind picking up after yourself, the “Think Green” promotion, valid for stays of two or more nights, may work for you. With this offer, during your stay, your room will get “limited housekeeping,” which includes only trash removal and an optional towel service. In exchange, you get $20 off per night.
So you’ll save a little cash, but what’s the eco-incentive alluded to in the promo’s title? Read the rest of this entry »
