Do
spring break ‘So Cal’ style
By Rod Speer
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
It’s that time of year again, when Cal State Long Beach students finally
get a break from studying, classes and midterms, and get to take a week-long
vacation from it all. Many of you will simply work or relax in Long Beach during
spring break, but for those in the mood for travel and adventure around Southern
California, there are a variety of places to go and things to see—all within
two hours from here.
One of the greatest spring break destinations for students is San Diego. It’s
a city jam-packed with things to do. There are many tourist hotspots such as
the world famous San Diego Zoo and adjoining Balboa Park, SeaWorld or Scripps
Aquarium.
San Diego has many diverse options when it comes to things to do. In La Jolla,
for instance, there are hidden treasures such as the Marine Room Restaurant,
which has tables in front of windows ocean waves crash against.
For beach destinations, there are choices such as the Pacific Beaches, but you
can hike down a cliff to the lesser-visited Blacks Beach, where some patrons
sunbathe in the nude. Just don’t forget your sunscreen if you go in your
birthday suit.
Later, you can head to Del Mar to the fairgrounds and spend an afternoon watching
the races, or for the really daring, take a hot air balloon ride. Other things
to do include kayaking in Mission Bay or scuba diving in La Jolla Shores. If
you want to check out downtown, the Gaslamp District and Little Italy are both
must-sees.
Both areas are filled with numerous restaurants and hotspots for nightlife.
Other low-key things to do in San Diego include visiting the flower fields in
Carlsbad Ranch. It’s a 50-acre field of flowers in bloom from March through
May—and it’s like the poppy scene in the “Wizard of Oz.” You
could also go to check out the famous Hotel Del Coronado on Coronado Island.
It’s the largest wooden structure in the world.
Whether you hit the hotspots, or some of the lesser known places, San Diego is
definitely worth the trip.
If San Diego isn’t your style, you can always head east to the Palm Springs
area deserts and mountains. You can take the Aerial tramway, which is the world’s
largest rotating tramcar, starting from the desert floor at 2,600 ft. and rising
all the way into the mountains at 8,500 ft. The temperature will drop drastically
and there is usually still snow at the top, even while temperatures at the base
can approach 90 degrees this time of year.
Nearby, in Desert Hot Springs, there are out-of-the-way destinations such as “The
Spring,” a day spa featuring hot naturally occurring mineral springs. The
canyons and mountains around Palm Springs have hundreds of hiking trails, and
for the really adventurous, there are Jeep or Hummer Tours that take you to remote
locations in places like Joshua Tree National Park or parts of the San Andreas
Fault and Salton Sea. Some thrill-seekers may even want to travel to nearby Perris
Valley, where you can do a tandem skydive after paying about $100 and watching
a training video. You could go up to Big Bear and snowboard or skydive if you
want to avoid the heat.
If you want to stay a little closer to the area, there are all sorts of things
to do in Los Angeles. Spend a day of shopping on Melrose Avenue or check out
the shops at the upscale Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Possibly check out the
beautiful Getty Museum or head to Hollywood and check out the Walk of Fame or
other historic Tinsel Town hot spots.
L.A. is full of hot night nightlife, catering to all scenes ranging from the
West-side yuppie gathering places, to alternative-style Hollywood bars to beach
pubs or the ever-popular Sunset Strip.
A great place to stop in for dinner or a drink is the Abbey in West Hollywood,
featuring one of the most diverse crowds in the city.
If you decide against a night out in the city, there isn’t much of a polar
opposite experience as taking a ferry to Catalina Island for the day. For around
$50 you can take a one-hour trip to the island. This place is especially nice
for romantic types, as there are multiple inns and hotels available for overnight
stay.
You can board a ferry for Catalina in either Long Beach, Dana Point or San Pedro.
Once you arrive there, you can do all sorts of things, such as taking a glass
bottom boat ride around the island, hiking the numerous hillsides, or even take
a helicopter tour.
There are tourist attractions that should definitely be seen, such as the Casino
or Wrigley Memorial, both of which are Catalina landmarks. Locals recommend grabbing
a burger at Luau Larry’s if you make it to the island.
Regardless what you choose to do over spring break, try to savor the moments,
because classes will be back in session before you know it.
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