California Travel News

It's summer in California. Pull down the convertible top on your classic car and take to the highway. With news that Highway 1 opened in Big Sur after a winter of rains and rockslides, it's the perfect time to take a scenic coastal drive. ...

California's Premier 3 Day Travel/Tourism/Hospitality Conference of the Year will be held in Pasadena from June 20 to 22, 2011. The event, held at Pasadena Convention Center, is the annual conference for the travel and tourism trade in California. Once called the Governor's Conference, the event was renamed Conference on Tourism. Now in its 29th year it is still the same event but goes by a new name, California Travel Summit. Non-members can attend. caltia.org World Class Speakers are just part of the lineup! * Tim Leiweke - President & CEO, AEG * ...

Travel and Tourism Marketing Association invites tourism industry individuals to join in the fun at the roof terrace of Madame Tussauds Hollywood for an authentic Italian dinner, silent auction, awards presentation, and the opportunity to mingle with top tourism professionals. This event will be hosted by Emmy Award-winning actress Mariette Hartley. IMPORTANT: Tickets are required at $75 per person. Sign up with ttmasocal@aol.com now to hold and confirm your space--also taking silent auction donations and table reservations. Join us on the roof terrace of Madame Tussauds Hollywood for an authentic ...

In a victory for the lodging industry, Gov. Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 1260 that allows limited service properties to obtain permits to sell beer and wine on-site. This CH&LA sponsored bill, authored by Senator Leland Yee (D - San Francisco), was a top priority for our members this year and its successful passage creates another revenue stream for our members during these difficult economic times. We are very grateful to Senator Yee for his support of this bill and agreeing to carry the legislation, which passed both houses unanimously. ...

US Open of Surfing, the ultimate beach sports event on Orange County beaches this summer, is making its way to Huntington Beach, California. Held Saturday, July 31 to Sunday, Aug. 8, 2010, the entire event is free to watch and includes give-aways, games, Surfers Village with a drum circle, and an amazing line up of concerts. Among the bands performing free on the beach, enjoy Switchfoot with surfer Timmy Curran, Weezer and many more. Here's the score: Tuesday, August 3 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Cold War Kids preceded by The Soft Pack Wednesday ...

Ojai, Calif.--“Night at the Iguana” in Ojai sounds likes some exotic and enchanting escape, and it is! Named for the film adaptation of Tennessee William’s play starring Richard Burton, the “Night at the Iguana”, there's a special place in Southern California that holds romance near & dear to its heart. Iguana Inns of Ojai is offering deluxe accommodations for a two-night stay at either the Blue or Emerald Iguana Inn, complimentary continental breakfast, welcome chocolates and wine, one-hour body massages for two in-room, and a voucher valued at $50 ...

Los Angeles, Calif.--If you haven't visited Los Angeles beaches lately, you'll be in for a surprise. The lifeguard shacks are painted in vibrant hues and include 60's style themes such as flower power. From Malibu to San Pedro you'll discover over 50 miles of beaches splashed with hot pinks, lime, tangerine, bubblegum pink and other colors of paint that decorate the lifeguard towers during the summer of 2010. Sponsored by various companies who get their company names  included into the paint designs, there's one thing for certain. If ...

Avalon, CA--Catalina Island Paradise awaits and there's not a bad time to visit in our opinion. But to maximize your trip during the summer months, you may want to consider renting the private beach cabanas at the island's private beach--Descanso. Located just beyond the famed Avalon Ballroom, the beach property has seen some construction this year and expansion as the Catalina Zipline rides depart near Descanso. At this white sand beach you can get beverages, launch kayaks, sunbathe in semi-seclusion, and be waited on with water service and towels when you ...

Have you tried totally fried Hostess Twinkies? They're not complete till you drizzle them with sweet, calorie-laden berry syrup. Tons of food is served and consumed at most California fairs and festivals. It takes a lot of imagination to get the public to break out their wallets or purses and spend $5 on an ear of corn or $6 on a greasy dessert, so the clever concessionaires at the fairs have it down to a science. What's in will amaze you! The photo above was from the OC Fair in ...

The Orange County Fair, a month long affair in Costa Mesa, California, is themed "The Beat Goes On" in 2010. It is an annual tradition for families, kids and adults. With animals to watch, fattening foods to munch (there's even a concession that advertises its food as "heart attack",) sodas and snow cones to sip, concerts to watch, and the smells of food everywhere as roasted corn, hickory smoke BBQ, burnt sugar from caramel corn, and those monster turkey legs all tempt fair-goers to eat and stroll, it's ...