Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures

SMALL BUT MIGHTY La JOLLA AQUARIUM CHARMS WITH ITS FINE COLLECTION, EXCELLENT DISPLAY, WITH USER-FRIENDLY CONSERVATIONISM SHOWING OFF LOCAL SEA WONDERS

SeaWorld's popular Orca show will no longer be part of the offerings at the internationally famous nature and amusement park. In its...

Discover why the Welk Theater in Escondido delivers one of the most charming and intimate live performance experiences in Southern California, blending nostalgia, talent, and comfort.

Nestled beneath the towering granite walls of Yosemite National Park, the legendary The Ahwahnee—now known as the Majestic Yosemite Hotel—has welcomed presidents, royalty, and Hollywood icons for nearly a century. Opened in 1927, this grand mountain lodge blends Native American, Art Deco, and Arts and Crafts design with breathtaking views of the valley’s soaring cliffs and waterfalls. From elegant dining to fireside storytelling, a stay or visit here offers a glimpse into the

Still packing concert halls and receiving standing ovations, Tony Bennett gives a gracious nod to his music director and accompanist,...

San Diego Repertory Theater's "Disgraced" tackles contemporary issues of race, religion and class in the modern world. The actors are...

Christene "Cookie" Meyers and Bruce Keller take to San Diego Bay and a Flagship dinner cruise, with spectacular views. TAKE YOUR PICK OF...

WE WERE delighted to discover that remains of the prehistoric culture can still be found, with artifacts and fossils in the ranch house named after those lovely "little cliffs" on the hills. A plaque denotes Rancho Santa Maria de los Penasquitos, with parts of the original walls. The ruins of stalwart structures of adobe are fascinating, and the splendid canyon and walking trails wind through 4,000 acres of the Penasquitos and Lopez canyons. It's one of the largest urban

Witness one of California’s most unforgettable wildlife spectacles along the rugged shores of Central Coast, where massive northern elephant seals gather in astonishing numbers. At places like Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery, these remarkable marine mammals transform the coastline into a living stage of raw nature—complete with dramatic battles, tender moments, and the rhythms of life by the sea.

The Point Arena Lighthouse has history dating back to 1870 when the original lighthouse was erected. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COASTAL TOWN OFFERS HISTORIC LIGHTHOUSE, FUN FOOD, ZEBRAS AND WELCOMING COTTAGES STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Point Arena Lighthouse includes lodging and a nice gift shop with handmade aquatic-life magnets. The views are stunning. PEOPLE COME from cross-country and overseas to visit the historic Point Arena Lighthouse in California's p

Good-bye Marlee: We will miss your sweet smile, music and precocious wit. SATURDAY MEMORIAL CELEBRATES BRIEF, LOVING LIFE OF MARLEE CLUFF...

Thrilled guests watched a pair of whales blow -- thanks to Hornblower staff who make announcements on sightings, explaining various whale...

William Wrigley Jr. put his heart and his pocketbook into his beloved Catalina Island, where his widow erected a loving memorial in the...

Catalina Island Bison

Catalina casino

I love watching the marine life that lives beneath the surface of the waters. The Aquarium of the Bay at San Francisco's Pier 39 is a wondrous, compact way to get up close and personal with the ambassadors of the waters

THE SAN FRANCISCO Zoo is not pretentious, and that is one of its charms and strong suits. It wants people to learn something while enjoying the animals. There are guided tours and lectures throughout the day and feeding times with commentary.

The "Painted Ladies" near Alamo Square, San Francisco, California, represent an architecture used for Victorian and Edwardian houses and buildings painted in distinctive pastel hues. The term is over a century old. HEAD TO THE CITY BY THE BAY FOR VARIETY, FUN, WITH A FEAST FOR THE EYES AT EVERY TURN STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "One day if I go to heaven ... I'll look around and say, 'It ain't bad, but it ain't San Francisco.'" Herb Caen, noted San Fr

Signature coconut shrimp, hibachi steak with mushrooms and yummy soup made moments ago are part of a delightful "Taste of Catalina" food...

Paradise Point Resort is less than seven miles from downtown San Diego, and offers a tropical world of pleasure. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER AT PARADISE Point Resort, time truly stops. The beauty of the sea, the peacefulness of the waves, the suspension of time, all create a beautiful, insulating serenity that calls one back again and again. So it was with a summer sailing from the Point with our friends, Dawn and Phyllis. We four began a calming day