Twice a day from November through January Main Street transforms into A Christmas Fantasy parade route. It is evidence of the genius of Disneyland, the performance happens twice a day, once from It’s a Small World to Main Street and a second time from Main Street to It’s a Small World (to store the floats, …
We are so lucky to live in Southern California, not just for the weather but for our proximity to iconic entertainment. We didn’t have a lot of money growing up, but there was always Disneyland money. We went on average three times a year. (Of course, the cost was a little different. Our whole family …
The Disneyland Monorail opened in 1959, it was the first daily operating monorail in the Western Hemisphere. The new monorail transportation system was so remarkable that Vice President Nixon (along with Walt Disney) gave a speech at the ribbon cutting ceremony. The ride started off at a single station in Tomorrowland, then later expanded to …
It seems hard to believe, but this year marks the 20th anniversary of Downtown Disney in Anaheim. Downtown Disney was completed the same year as California Adventure, and so has a similar style of architecture in order to promote Disney’s then new theme park. Just like Disney theme parks, Downtown Disney decks the halls. And …
While the rest of the US is experiencing fall weather, some places more extreme than others, in Oceanside we are in denial. We openly refuse to acknowledge any season but summer.
History runs deep in the town of Yuma (known as Arizona City until 1873). For us, it is the half way point between Oceanside, CA and Cave Creek, AZ, and a favorite place to stretch our legs and get a meal. For Spanish soldiers and explorers, it was a stopping point after heading up the …
Just about an hour north of Phoenix, near the turnoff for Prescott, exists an “urban laboratory”, Arcosanti. Arcosanti was dreamed up by Paolo Soleri, one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s many interns. Italian-born Soleri became quite well known for making bells, and the bell production continues to this day (long after his death), at multiple facilities. …
Just north of Phoenix, right along N Cave Creek Rd. at the Desert Hills Trailhead, there is a parking area for the Phoenix Sonoran Preserve, and access to 9,600 acres of underdeveloped land. This portion of property is one of the newest additions to the Sonoran Preserve. The city of Phoenix has a master plan, …
Yuma Territorial Prison State Park opened its steel bar doors in 1876, before the prison was completed. It was the inmates responsibility to construct the cells, as well as make their own boots and iconic striped clothing. The museum, in the center of the state park, is full of relics and fascinating accounts of guards, …
After enjoying the beautiful views from yellow post site 7 in the morning hours, we walked about a quarter mile north on Forest Road 6S13 to, what is typically, the ending point of the Ramona Trail. Basically what this means is we started the hike at over 6,500 feet elevation and didn’t have to work …
Thomas Mountain is located between Anza and Idyllwild, in Riverside County. It is part of the San Bernardino National Forest and so it is within the yellow post site network that we recently started exploring. There is nothing better than camping in the great outdoors, sans light and sound pollution, for free. BYOT (bring your …