Featured Articles

My Catalina Island adventure starts in a very different way. I was offered the experience to tour the famous Welk Resort in Escondido, Ca. and of course enticed to buy a timeshare. As a Travel journalist, I wanted to see the Resort and get detailed information on it through the process. After a very kind tour by my salesman, I received a gift, like most people when offered a Resort tour. My gift I chose was a trip to Catalina Island, offered by Assured Travel. They work with companies (not just time-share) who use their vouchers as incentives to increase sales, and employees gifts, and through a Referral and Customer Loyalty programs. I had no hassles with my dates that I picked from Assured Travel. They were honest, professional and quick to respond to my phone calls. I upgraded my Catalina Flyer trip and chose to leave from Dana Point Harbor instead of Long Beach. They do offer upgrade incentives that of course cost a little money but are worth it! Included in my gift package was the

Carson Valley, Nevada is one of the few places where the night skies are lit up by stars; not neon lights!! The Magic of Carson Valley! Make Carson Valley your next Rugged ∙ Relaxed ∙ Reachable retreat destination. With natural beauty, a laid back friendly atmosphere, historic exploration, authentic outdoor recreation, and a wide entertaining Nevada nightlife, Carson Valley will have you coming back for more. MILES OF OPEN SPACE Carson Valley rests at a crossroads of sorts. It sits at the transition between the Sierra Nevada range and the Great Basin, the West Coast and the Wild West, the high alpine and the high desert. The valley is guarded on the west by rugged 10,000-foot peaks, the same mountains that cradle Lake Tahoe. Northern Nevada’s most scenic valley is scattered with open space, golf courses, expansive farms and ranches, parks, shops and hotels. Your journey through the Carson Valley stretches from Genoa in the northwest through the towns of Gardnerville and Minden. The tri

One of my favorite road trips in central California is what I call my anytime of the year trip, “Santa Barbara to San Simeon” driving along the Pacific Coast Highway and 101, nice and slow, stopping at all the great places along the way. Pulling into Santa Barbara, the American Riviera, my first stop was the Santa Barbara Visitors Center located at 1 Garden St. at Cabrillo Boulevard.These helpful and kind people are a wealth of information to start your visit! There is free-WiFi at the center. Or you can “Visit Santa Barbara” and plan your trip, off of your computer or phone! A few recommendations for your DINING experience are; Lucky’s Restaurant Lucky’s occupies a building complex originally constructed as the Montecito Bungalows back in 1926 when Coast Village Road was part of Highway 1, the original Pacific Coast Highway. Lucky’s has been honoring the classic American steakhouse tradition since 2000. If you’re looking to impress your