The surrounding cities and Santa Monica are a necessity when visiting Southern California. With so much to do, they do not disappoint. There’s great fun all rolled into one, including an awesome whale watching adventure and gorgeous scenery. It’s fun for the entire family while getting out in the sun.
A favorite destination is possibly the Farmer’s Market. Delicious food, many shops, and the casual venue is perfect for the wonderful Farmers Market. You’ll find almost any food you could desire. Flowers, exotic spices, and fresh bread add to the great aroma.
Famous for its beaches California doesn’t have those you see exactly as on television. It really doesn’t have as much sunshine as the Beach Boys would have you expect. Your first visit will prove that it’s usually pretty overcast. You’ll want to use liberal amounts of sunscreen, even when it’s overcast, because UV light goes right through clouds.
The state-of-the-art San Diego Zoo is continually evolving, offering attractions including Panda Canyon, Elephant Odyssey and Polar Rim. If you look closely, you’ll see that the zoo also serves as a botanical garden, with more than 6, 500 plant species. Special garden programs could be found close to the zoo entrance by those who love plants. The zoo has many interesting special programs, which change seasonally.
The Hollywood Bowl is a great outdoor music venue. It offers plenty of different musical acts. Located on a hillside, the Bowl is a great place for picnicking, throughout the grounds and inside the venue. You are welcome to enjoy a family picnic both before and during performances.
California, especially Santa Monica, is host to whale watching year round. It’s 2 1/2 hours of whale watching as well as dolphin watching every day. They are safe and stable boats that are designed for visitors to see and experience.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is featured on Hollywood Boulevard and other famous landmarks. The Kodak Theater, various shops, and eateries are all located on the Hollywood and Highland Entertainment Complex. A lot of people will visit just hoping they’ll run into a celebrity. It’ll be crowded and filled with many tourists.
The coolest spot in Southern California to start your summer is Big Bear. Water sports and boating is some of the wondrous outdoor activities to do. Big Bear is definitely an affordable and fun family destination and offers a variety of activities during the spring and summer seasons. Big Bear is less than 2 hours away from the city of Santa Monica.
Davey’s Locker whale watching tour takes you near dolphins, whales, and other sea creatures. Tour boats are perfect for deck viewing on these tours. Each tour will leave daily near Santa Monica.
Concerning piers in California, the Santa Monica Pier is one of the oldest. Seeing some amazing views of Santa Monica Bay is a great vantage point. On a clear day you could see the whole coast, from Palos Verdes Peninsula to Malibu, and even to Catalina Island. It is free to enter the pier.
The up close and personal experience is excellent when going out to watch the whales and dolphins. The whale watching tour is both exciting and educational. Your family is sure to remember the whale watching tour for many years to come. Whale watching is a must-see during your visit to California.
Right off the coast, in Southern California, there is some of the largest dolphin pods in the entire world. See them in the thousands for hours at a time. You can get right up near these dolphins when on these tours. When you visit Santa Monica, take your family to see the tour.
Tourists flock to Catalina Island all year because it has a Mediterranean climate. Most tourists are seen during the warm summers. When it is cold, few visitors are seen, especially if rain and heavy winds are expected, however, you can take advantage of cheap prices during this period. Most of the island’s businesses, including eateries, shops and hotels, stay open year-round.
Sea World located in San Diego, California is a medium-sized theme park, that is not hard to walk across, with rides, animal exhibits and shows. Sea World San Diego has appeal to a lot of people but more so to families. However, it isn’t the best place to find thrill rides. There aren’t so many thrills, and the animal acts aren’t that unpredictable, but all in all- it’s fun.
Whale watching is a fun thing to do near Santa Monica and its visitors enjoy not just whales but dolphins and the inspiring scenery that Los Angeles Whale Watching Cruise and Whale Watch Long Beach in Newport Beach sightings takes place on board our cruises.
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