Tag: california

Hipmunk Hotels: More California Adventures in Burlingame, Concord, Fresno, Roseville and Santa Ana

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah MichelleLeave a comment

More bucket list adventures in California are on the horizon. I have to admit, I’m not a big fan of California. The earth quakes scare the ‘bejesus’ out of me. These little towns have some interesting sights I need to see before California falls into the ocean.

Burlingame, California

Known as the City of Trees, Burlingame, California has an amazing coastline and outstanding views. It’s located near San Francisco and is the largest shoreline in the San Francisco Bay. San Francisco International airport is in Burlingame, which means millions of people pass through it every day, but if they were smart like me, they would grab a room at one of the local hotels and enjoy the local sites. Burlingame is a sweet city, too, literally. See’s candy and Pez have their headquarter in Burlingame.

Images provided by William Jones via Trover.com

Concord, California

Concord, California is another city by the Bay. The city center known as the Todos Santos Plaza is a gathering place for tourist and locals. With several hotels near the area, the Plaza features restaurants and a farmers market along with free concerts in the summer. Concord’s most famous resident is Tom Hanks, so if it’s good enough for Forrest Gump, it’s good enough for me.

Image provided by la Vang via Trover.com

Fresno, California

The fifth largest city in California and in San Joaquin Valley is Fresno, California. Fresno is probably one of the safest places in the world considering it houses divisions of every unit of the military. Fresno has many great hotels, but I might push myself and partake in camping in one of the most notorious camp ground in the world.  Okay, maybe my version of camping or glamping (glamorous camping) doesn’t count. Yosemite National Park is a stones throw away from Fresno and I can’t wait to me Yogi and Bobo.

Roseville, California

I admit, it took me a minute to figure out the capital of California was Sacramento, but once I did, I couldn’t wait to explore the city and suburbs surrounding it. Roseville is one of those cities. A former railroad town, Roseville, California, formally called Roseville Junction, retains some of its history glamor. Vernon Street is a historical district with great hotels and restaurants. When you walk through The Old Downtown area it’s like stepping back in time.

Santa Ana, California

In the southern region of the great state of California, I found Santa Ana, California. I couldn’t find much about Santa Ana except for it is the birthplace of several notable athletes (Danny Espinosa and Christian Ramierez) and celebrities (Michelle Pfeiffer and Michael B. Jordan). The amazing climate and the place makes it a great destination for tourist. Beautiful hotels and resorts in and around Santa Ana serve food from all over the world. Who knew you could get Cajun food in southern California.

Image provided by Lily A. via Trover.com

What kind of California adventures have you found yourself in? 

Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

Contributing writer to Hipmunk.com.

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Hipmunk Hotels: Strange sites in San Luis Obispo, Carlsbad, Marina Del Ray, Monterey and Costa Mesa

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle1 Comment

I stumbled upon some interesting, strange, and weird sites in my bucket list research, all in California. I haven’t ventured into California a lot, but with finding these crazy things, I have to move this state back to the top.

San Luis Obispo, California

San Luis Obispo, California is a small town, halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Spanish Missionaries founded the city in 1772, making it one of America’s oldest communities. I want to check out the eccentric Madonna Inn, a stop on Season 14’s The Bachelor. Bubble Gum Alley is another strange spot. Since 1960, people have stuck their used chewing gum to the walls of the alley. Locals have made several attempts to clean it up, but people continue to visit and contribute to the collection.

obispo

Image provided by Sean66 via Trover.com

Carlsbad, California

Situated between Los Angeles and San Diego, Carlsbad, California is a quaint, but active seaside town. It’s home to the world famous La Costa Golf Resort and is the headquarters for several golf club manufactures such as Calloway and TaylorMade. If golf isn’t your thing, maybe Lego is. For the Star Wars geek in me, I have to check out the Star Wars Miniland at Legoland California with replicas of ships, figures, and people from the famous science fiction franchise.

carlsbad

Image provided by Jesse I. via Trover.com

Marina Del Ray, California

Marina Del Ray, California is a unique attraction in itself. The unincorporated community houses the largest man-made marina in the world. It took from 1887 to 1965 to complete the construction of Marina Del Rey. A vision of real estate developer M.C. Wicks, he wanted the Marina to be a viable commercial harbor. With millions of visitors per year, many hotels, from budget to resorts, sprung up to support the thriving business.

Monterey, California

In Monterey, California, you’re just as likely to see a sea lion, harbor seal, and bat ray, as you’re to see people. I’m hoping to see one of the city’s famous residents, such as Clint Eastwood or Herman Edwards, a former NLF coach and player. It was also the home of John Steinbeck, who based his famous novel Cannery Row on the Cannery Row area in Monterey. I can’t wait to walk in his footsteps and absorb the city he loved. The many seaside hotels make it easy to enjoy the sites of Monterey.

Costa Mesa, California

Every year in the spring, Costa Mesa hosts the Orange County Fair, which started in 1890. Many hotels have cropped up in Costa Mesa to accommodate the millions of visitors each year. The fair has evolved over the years from a three-day festival with races and livestock exhibitions to a twenty-three day festival with big name performances, competitions, exhibits and rides. The bizarre culinary offerings are one of the most unique features of the fair. No where else could you get a Krispy Kreme Doughnut Sloppy Joe. I can’t wait to sample the offerings from the many food trucks that make Costa Mesa their home for the twenty-three day festival.

Costa Mesa

Image provided by Terry Fletcher via Trover.com