Archive for the 'Last Minute' Category
Orionid meteor shower peaks tonight: Use Twitter hashtag #meteorshower to boast of spotting shooting stars
October 20, 2009 4:33pm
Do something different tonight: Leave the city and the suburbs for a late-night picnic beneath a meteor shower. The Orionids, the second annual meteor shower of the year, is expected to peak Oct. 21 around 3 a.m. PT. The best places in Southern California to view a meteor shower are, as you’d expect, in rural areas. Here’s a photo gallery of some prime viewing locations, such as Red Rock Canyon State Park and Joshua Tree National Park (pictured above and taken during the more well-known Perseid meteor shower that occurs between July and August).
“The best time to watch will be between 1 a.m. and dawn local time Wednesday morning, regardless of your location. That’s when the patch of Earth you are standing on is barreling headlong into space on Earth’s orbital track, and meteors get scooped up like bugs on a windshield,” said Robert Roy Britt on Space.com.
For those of you who want to Twitter your star-gazing experience tonight, use the hashtag #meteorshower. You can also find other reports of people talking about the Orionid meteor shower by searching for “Orionids” on Twitter Search.
Fall foliage: Aspen aglow near Big Bear
October 17, 2009 6:00am
The fall foliage around Big Bear is exploding, courtesy of heavy snows a year ago. Meanwhile, a grove of aspen 30 minutes from town is expected to peak this weekend.
Dan Mckernan of the Big Bear Lake Resort Assn. says the grove is the only one in Southern California and a favorite of local hikers. Note that the final leg of the drive from town takes you on a forest road that is not particularly friendly to low-slung sports cars or low-riders. Family sedans should by OK, if you take it slowly.
Once there, you’ll think you are in Colorado, rather than two hours from Los Angeles. Also on display in area day hikes are oak, cottonwood and ferns. Timing the color peak in the area is always tricky, Mckernan says. Peak colors usually last only a week or two. Don’t forget your forest day pass ($5) before leaving town.
Mammoth opening with Freebie Friday
October 14, 2009 5:43pm
Mammoth Mountain will open Friday with free skiing and snowboarding, after a powerful storm left up to 6 feet of snow in higher elevations of the Eastern Sierra resort. Areas lower on the mountain will offer 16-24 inches of machine groomed snow.
“We are so excited to start the season nearly four weeks ahead of schedule and to be able to reward our guests with a free day on the slopes,” said Howard Pickett, chief marketing officer of Mammoth Mountain.
This is the resort’s earliest opening in 15 years. In 1994, the resort opening Oct. 8.
Broadway Express will open at 8:30 a.m. Friday, servicing a base of up to 2 feet of machine groomed natural snow, with runs on Broadway, Forest Trail, Mambo, St. Moritz, and Main Park, and assorted rails and jibs. Mammoth officials said more runs will open as staffing and weather allow.
Contact: Mammoth Mountain, (800) MAMMOTH or (800) 626-6684
–Chris Erskine, Los Angeles Times deputy Travel editor
[Photo: Skiers and boarders on the slopes at Mammoth Mountain; Credit: Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times]
Last-minute: Squaw Valley, Kirkwood ski passes on sale for winter 2009-10
October 13, 2009 6:04pm
Last week we reported that Southern California ski resorts were gearing up for an early snow season. Well, the same goes for the ski resorts in Lake Tahoe. They got their second snowfall this week with more rain and snow expected tonight and possibly into Wednesday. A reminder crossed my desk today that skiers and boarders still have time to cash in on discounts for this winter’s ski passes. Squaw Valley’s 50/60 Squaw season pass deal is on sale through Thursday, Oct. 15, and has significant discounts to honor the 60th anniversary of their opening and the 50th anniversary of Squaw hosting the Winter Olympic Games.
Deal: There are four different season passes available at Squaw Valley starting with the “Bronze” pass that is $649 for adults, $499 for young adults and seniors ages 13-22 or 65-75, and $179 for children 12 and under. It is good for skiing seven days a week beginning Nov. 20 through the end of the season with the exception of select Saturdays and some listed blackout dates. After Thursday prices rise significantly. As an example, the adult Bronze pass will cost $999 per person. The $749 Silver pass jumps to $1,199, and the $1,299 Gold pass jumps to $1,799 after Oct. 15.
Note: If you enjoy skiing and boarding in South Lake Tahoe, you have a little bit more time to consider Kirkwood’s season pass, with prices starting at $559 for adults and on sale until Nov. 3. Heavenly’s season pass is priced at $369 and also great for skiers and boarders looking for a deal.
– Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel & Deal blogger
[Photo: Squaw Valley USA; Photo credit: Thomas Kranzel/Venture Media]
San Diego: Halloween family fun at Hyatt Regency Mission Bay
October 11, 2009 12:53pm
Is your neighborhood a dud when it comes to Halloween? If you’re thinking about taking a quick getaway over Halloween weekend this year and haunted hotels and haunted houses are a bit too scary or inappropriate for your kids, you might want to consider a quick jaunt down to San Diego. The Hyatt Regency Mission Bay near Sea World is ramping up the Halloween fun for guests from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, and the room rates won’t scare you one bit.
Halloween travel deal: Room rates starting at $135 per night come with lots of family-friendly Halloween activities, including:
> Three waterslides with haunted music, spooky sounds and lights that will have kids lined up until 10 p.m.
>A spooky family movie in the pool, Halloween s’mores and monster-themed hula-hoop contest.
>Trick-or-treating at several locations in the hotel.
> Halloween-themed pool cabanas for adults.
“We encourage kids to trick-or-treat in costume in our safe family environment and enjoy our many spooky activities ranging from haunted waterslides to Halloween family s’mores,” said Prescott Yee, director of guest services and recreation at the HR Mission Bay.
Yosemite National Park travel: $99 fall cabin deal at Evergreen Lodge
October 8, 2009 5:54am
Does the PBS Ken Burns series “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” have you itching for a hike in Yosemite? Do you want to see the valley at sunset or sit by the fireplace at the Ahwahnee before it closes for a big remodel? If you answered yes, or were already researching a trip to Yosemite, check out this fall deal from Evergreen Lodge brought to you by Hotwire’s Travel-Ticker.
The lodge has a history dating back to 1921, but the property was renovated and expanded in 2005. This summer they added 24 more cedar cabins spread out among towering old growth trees. Valued for its serene location about a mile outside the park’s northwestern side, near the Hetch Hetchy entrance, it offers numerous outdoor activities. Or you can just relax with the family during a night of s’mores at the Plaza fireplace.
DineLA Restaurant Week Oct. 4-9 and 11-16
October 4, 2009 12:47pm
DineLA is offering a second helping of Restaurant Week that starts today (Oct. 4-9 and 11-16). As if it weren’t hard enough to decide which of the 175 participating restaurants to try during the last event, in January, there are 125 more restaurants in this event. That’s a grand total of 250 restaurants to choose from. Some of the new celebs jumping on board to have some Restaurant Week fun include Josiah Citrin with Caché, John Sedlar with Rivera, Michael McCarty with Michael’s and Josie Le Balch with Josie.
If you haven’t dined out during Restaurant Week before, it’s a great opportunity to try new eateries around town. Participating restaurants offer a three-course meal for lunch and dinner at special prices that range from $16 per person to $44 per person. Note: Prices do not include tax, beverages or gratuity. It’s also best to make a reservation.
As you know, there’s been a big food-truck fad happening in LA. Five of L.A.’s top chefs took to the road to promote this season’s Restaurant Week, including Anisette’s Alain Giraud, above.
Tip: Did you know that lots of new restaurants have been opening up downtown? Check out the buzz to see whose tables you might’ve missed.
When: Oct. 4-9 and 11-16
More info: DineLA Restaurant Week
– Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel & Deal blogger
[Photo: Anisette's Alain Giraud will be one of five chefs offering free tastes. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times]
Napa Valley wine travel: Use Twitter and Facebook to nab a deal during ‘Crush’ season
October 1, 2009 5:56am
TripAdvisor recently named Napa Valley the “undisputed American capital of wine” in its list of Top 10 North American Wine Destinations. Second place went to Sonoma and third place went to the Willamette Valley in Oregon. To celebrate, Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa put up a sale on rooms through Twitter and Facebook for their fans during the 2009 “Crush” grape harvest season. It’s a 72-hour sale that started Sept. 30, so book your rooms by Friday if you want to take advantage of a good deal during this annual event.
Deal: Rooms start at $99 (Sunday through Thursday) and $199 (Friday and Saturday) for stays through Nov. 14. That’s a significant markdown, considering that rates typically range from $209 to $259 weekdays and start at $279 on weekends. The lowest weekday rate I found (on sale) at Hotels.com was $159 per night. This deal is only good on Twitter and Facebook. It’s also worth following the Marriott on Twitter (@napamarriott) because it sometimes gives out free tasting passes to its local winery partners to tweeps who visit. Note that the offer is only good through .
‘National Parks’: Screenings, events and travel deals related to the Ken Burns documentary
September 25, 2009 2:26pm
On Sunday, the new Ken Burns documentary “National Parks: America’s Best Idea” will begin its 12-hour trek (in two-hour segments) through the wilds of American living rooms, coloring TV screens everywhere with the sights and ’scapes of our public lands.
The documentary may have — even before you’ve set eyes upon it — gotten you itching to visit a national park. And that’s likely just fine with Burns. As Times writer Mary McNamara put it in her review of the “gorgeous and exhaustive” film: “The main goal of Burns and his co-creator Dayton Duncan appears to be launching people off their backsides and into the wilderness.”
At the more popular parks, you may want to prepare for lots of company on the trail. But thankfully, since the U.S. is home to 391 national parks, there should be enough love to go around. Below are details to plan a viewing — or better yet, an inspired trip, so you can see for yourself what all the fuss is about.
Where & when to see it
The documentary will start airing on PBS on Sunday at 8 p.m.
And there are plenty of opportunities to see portions of it out and about. Read the rest of this entry »
National Public Lands Day Sept. 26: Volunteer projects in Greater Los Angeles area
September 24, 2009 4:12pm
Sept. 26 is National Public Lands Day. Many people are celebrating by paying tribute to our National Parks and public spaces at a local volunteer event or by visiting one of our many parks (Entrance to all 391 national parks is free). When the National Public Lands Day event first started in 1994, there were 700 volunteers. Last year, 120,000 volunteers removed trash, built trails and bridges and planted more than 1.6 million trees at over 1,800 locations across the country. This year, they are expecting an even bigger turnout.
There are four signature sites across the country for the event, including one at Angeles National Forest. It’s not too late to get involved. Look for a volunteer location in your state by entering your Zip Code. There are 18 Public Lands Day sites within 50 miles of Los Angeles 90058. For more info, and to see which sites need preregistration, consult the “Get Involved” page of the website.
Los Angeles and the Greater L.A. area
Location: Angeles National Forest, Big Tujunga Canyon Road | Tujunga 91042
Work Projects: Trash pickup along Big Tujunga Canyon riparian habitat area. Area of work: National Forest System Land from Forest Boundary to Stonyvale Picnic Area, approx. 3 miles.
Contact: Howard S. Okamoto, (818) 899-1900 or Martin Dumpis, (626) 574-5276
