Just got back from my Left Coast visit, and I have to say...

[Coexist]

I LOVE your state!

We hit Sequoia/King's Canyon first - it awes you. Crystal Cave was gorgeous.

Then to Yosemite - very crowded, but the place I will visit again. My 8yo had a cast from a broken foot, so we were limited - but the hiking was spectacular. There was a breathtaking water feature everywhere! I want to go back and camp for a week and hike, hike, hike.

San Francisco - my 17yo wants to live there; seriously. When she finishes college, she wants to move there to look for work. I loved it, too. Very cool. Loved the architecture, the character - everything. The Alcatraz tour was way better than I thought it would be. We had a partially guided tour - the guide was Native American and told the stories of the two takeovers.

Oh - my laptop was stolen near Chinatown - any ideas what pawn shops may have it (I checked ebay already - nothing - a friend suggested calling Pawn Shops with the serial number). I wouldn't' care so much - but all my vacation photos were stored on it. ALL OF THEM. That makes me sad, because it was such a killer trip.

Then L.A. It was hard to get past the graffiti that covered everything. And we're not big city people, so this was our 4th favorite, but we still liked it. We stayed in Manhattan Beach - it was just like a very, VERY upscale Florida beach town, so we liked it there a lot (even though I couldn't afford to shop). The kids took a surf lesson - which they loved!!

I just wanted to let you know how lucky you all were to be able to live there - the healthy food options on most menus made my day. I am a vegetarian (the only one in my family) so most restaurants I go to, I end up with pasta with red sauce. I had so many choices it was hard to make up my mind.

Love you guys (except the laptop thief!)
:hi:

[JuniperLea]

1. Thanks!

I was born and raised in the South Bay area of Los Angeles... basically the coast from Manhattan Beach to Long Beach. I count my blessings every day. I feel so lucky. My Dad's folks came from Canada, and my Mom's from Iowa... they converged here, and here I am... thankfully!

I work in Downtown Los Angeles... the graffiti gets me down... and the homeless. But you do what you can for these people, ya know?

Next time I highly recommend going to Mammoth Lakes...


and the old ghost town, Bodie.




Crystal Cave does indeed rule, though:) You chose some great things to see! Happy to see you had a good time.

Sorry about the laptop... jeez... there's always some loser wherever you go.

Come see us again:)

:hi:

[Greyskye]

2. Glad it was a (mostly) good trip!

You timed it well as far as weather I think - as far as I can remember most of the state has had pretty decent weather recently.

It's getting freaking hot now though - it's 102 today where I'm at. :(

:hi:

[Coexist]

3. we did!

we hit the Grand Canyon first (the ONLY thing we liked about Arizona, I must admit) and we needed JACKETS!

We needed sweatshirt and long pants through most of our visit (we are Floridians, after all!) until the very end, where it felt like someone left the heater on full blast. Those people who say "its a dry heat" and "its not the heat, its the humidity" are on to something. Those two types of heat are very different.

We lucked out all right!

[proud patriot]

6. Yep we made to 102 today as well

Hopefully the weather people are correct and The Bay area will
have a cooling trend next week .

[proud patriot]

4. As a Californian Native

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself .

Northern California Redwoods/Coast will have to be on the schedual
for the next visit .

I live in an East Bay Suberb in Contra Costa Co.

Hint about yosemite , There are lots of State Parks close by
both north and south w/o as many people that are still in the
Sierras and just as beautiful . In fact if you follow the John
Muir Trial/ Pacific Crest trail , you'll find the spots I speak
of . shhhh ... I forget the exact Stat, but it's like 5% of the
state parks get 90% of the visitors .. I like to find the ones
not so crowded.

I'm sorry that like everywhere we too have crime ..
I would look for your missing laptop on craigslist
it's very popular here in the Bay Area
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/

[Coexist]

5. thanks for the advice

I'll bookmark this in case I go back soon.

:)

[proud patriot]

7. You are welcome

feel free to pm before visits with questions .
I'll try to help :hi:

[yorkiemommie1]

8. Glad you enjoyed the trip!

I live near M. Beach. It's warm here now but still nice.

[Kajsa]

9. I'm glad you had a nice time,FLDem5,

with the exception of the stolen laptop- Damn it!
:(

California has so many different areas to visit.

You can be in Mammoth( highly recommended year round!) in the
early morning, travel through the desert and be at the ocean by late
afternoon.

Our ocean temps are a bit nippy though.
There's a north to south current running down the coast,
keeping it cool. ( I thought it was the Humboldt current- WRONG!)

One of LA's former news anchors, Jerry Dunphy had this signature
sign on phrase,
" From the mountain to the desert to the sea."

I hope you come to visit again, soon.

:) :hi:

[Coexist]

14. I would love to visit again if I can ever afford it

and coming from the Gulf, yes, your water temps are nippy!

But your waves are cool! The water is as flat at the landscape here (except during hurricanes). If you ever come to Florida - make it to the Gulf, not the Atlantic. The beaches are soft and dazzlingly white - and the sand is soft as powder and stays cool to the touch even in the hottest weather.

[MaryBear]

10. I did not know

that there are places where I could set my laptop down, walk away, and find it still where I left it. Wow.

Glad you enjoyed our state.

Do not move here. :hi:

mb

[Coexist]

13. why are you banning me?

:-(

My laptop was taken from our rental car in Chinatown. I'm over it- I just want my darn photos.

[puerco-bellies]

11. Glad you enjoyed your visit here.

Both CaliforniaPeggy and I live in Manhattan Beach.

[Coexist]

12. you lucky dogs!