California Holiday

Pier 39

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Pier 39 is another place you’ll find fun and attractions such as the Riptide Arcade and the Turbo ride making it an especially good place to visit if you’ve got kids in your party. For a little less “excitement” but no less awesome, visit the Aquarium of the Bay and look at the beautiful sea life that surrounds you as you walk through the glass-roofed cave. Finish off your visit to Pier 39 with a ride on the beautiful two-tiered San Francisco carousel.

No visit to Fisherman’s Wharf on a California Holiday would be complete without taking an ocean trip out into the bay, and so Pier 41 must be on your itinerary as this is the departure point for most of the boat trips in and around the bay – including those to Alcatraz.

San Francisco is full of amazing things to see and visit and Fisherman’s Wharf is just one of them! Be sure to make some kind of itinerary before you leave home or you’re sure to miss something out that you really wanted to see.

Check Out Ghirardelli’s

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For a taste of a different kind of history, check out Ghirardelli’s original premises that are also located in the Wharf area. Although the world class chocolate is no longer made here, you can see where the Ghirardelli story began and even purchase some chocolate there.

Some of the major attractions in Fisherman’s Wharf are to be found on the piers. In particular vibrant Pier 45 where amongst other things you can buy some freshly cooked seafood right on the pier, visit Ripley’s Believe it or Not museum, and if you’re up early enough, catch the fishermen taking their boats out into the ocean. Pier 49 may be a great place for the tourists, but it’s still a working pier for the local fishermen.

Catalina Island Museum

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Two of the most popular places to visit on Catalina Island are the Catalina Island Museum which charts the history of the island through it’s various stages from the more recent history through the Hollywood era (the island was one of the first main Hollywood film sets) right back to the Native Americans. Just about 2 miles out of Avalon you’ll find the Wrigley Botanical Gardens which will delight anyone who has an interest in flora and fauna. William Wrigley (as in the chewing gum empire) once owned the island and you could even stay in his mansion which is now converted into a bed and breakfast establishment.

Catalina Island may not sound very exciting when compared with the attractions of Los Angeles and San Francisco, but for anyone needing to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, it’s a perfect beach oasis for your California Holiday.

Catalina Island

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Despite being such a small island, there are things to do here on the days when you feel like doing something a little more energetic than watching the sun move around, and when you first arrive on Catalina Island you should visit the local Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau which will give you all the information you need about what’s on, where to find it, and of course ideas of where to stay and eat if you haven’t already made reservations for your California Holiday. In the peak months however, you should always at least reserve your room before venturing across to the island. Although you may be lucky to arrive and find a room free, it’s not likely during high season because of the limited amount of accommodation available.

Discover Fisherman’s Wharf

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Discover Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, California

Fisherman’s Wharf is one of the major tourist areas of San Francisco, California and it’s one of the major “must sees” in the city not only because of its links to maritime history but also because of the amount of things to do there on a California Holiday.

One of the most easily recognized buildings in Fisherman’s Wharf is the Maritime Museum, known almost as much for its ship-shape building as it is for the exhibits that document San Francisco’s maritime past. Anyone who is even a little bit interested in ships or their history will enjoy a wander around this museum.

California Holiday

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A Peaceful California Holiday Retreat on Catalina Island, California

When life’s stresses and strains get too much for you, head over to Catalina Island and you’ll find a peaceful retreat that’s bound to have you relaxed in no time. The island, is only approximately 22 physical miles from the mainland, but in terms of lifestyle and sheer population, it’s a lifetime away. With only 2 ports on the island, one into the main town of Avalon, and the other into the more secluded side of the island at Two Harbors, and only two ways onto the island, via the water or helicopter, there’s very little noise from vehicles. Relatively few cars exist on the island and most visitors either get around on foot or bicycle.