TRAVEL: California in Winter-Sun, Beaches, and Plenty of Fun

California in Winter - Sun, Beaches, And Plenty of Fun.

By Jorge Jefferds January 21, 2015

Traffic accidents due to blizzards, storms bringing 12 inch snow. All this weather inclemency is no fun. Come to California. These days, the state is enjoying warm days with temperature almost up to 75 degrees. Suffice it to say that the beaches are the stars of the season. Seriously, Laguna Beach, Coronado, El Matador Beach, Venice Beach, Newport Beach, and Hermosa Beach are waiting for you to come, relax, and avoid the below zero temperatures all through this winter.

Laguna Beach is a seaside resort city located in southern Orange County, California, approximately 19 miles (31 km) southeast of the county seat of Santa Ana. Getting to and around Laguna Beach is easy.  The city is located midway between Los Angeles and San Diego, just 15 miles from John Wayne Airport Orange County (SNA). 

The City of Laguna Beach has more than 80 unique works of public art. These pieces were designed and created specifically for Laguna Beach and contribute to the life of the city. Explore the many murals, statues, benches and other pieces as you stroll through town. Maps can be picked up at the Visitors Center, located at 381 Forest Avenue.  Established in 1998, the Art Walk is a festive, cultural evening on the first Thursday of every month. The event is free and runs from 6:00pm-9:00pm. Free trolley service runs throughout the evening, linking member gallery locations. More than 40 galleries participate, offering artist receptions, demonstrations, refreshments and live music.

Coronado, also known as Coronado Island, is an affluent resort city located in San Diego County, California, across (and helping to form) San Diego Bay from downtown San Diego. From the 5 freeway just south of downtown San Diego, take the Coronado Bridge (now toll-free) over the bay to Coronado Island. The bridge lets out onto to 3rd Street. You turn left on Orange Avenue, and follow it down past the Hotel Del Coronado to Coronado Bay Road and look for signs to parking.

The city of Coronado offers three important beaches: Coronado Central Beach, Glorietta Bay Beach, and Silver Strand State Beach. Coronado Central Beach runs along Ocean Boulevard with a back drop of fine homes and mansions. Restrooms and shower facilities. Lifeguards on duty. Tide pools, fishing in front of the Hotel del Coronado. Fire rings, dog run at north end. Free parking on Ocean Boulevard. Beach accessible wheelchairs are available to the public, free of charge, at the Central Beach Lifeguard Tower.

Glorietta Bay Beach is located South of the Hotel del Coronado and City Hall. The Glorietta Bay Beach offers a unique view of the Glorietta Bay and the San Diego- Coronado Bridge. With a large grass-filled park, restrooms, playground equipment, and a small beach area, the Glorietta Bay Beach can provide hours of fun, and a relaxing time for all individuals.

Silver Strand State Beach is located 4.5 miles south of Coronado Village along the Silver Strand. Fire rings, lifeguards, restrooms, showers. An underpass allows access to bayside beach and picnic area and Loews Coronado Bay Resort. Hours: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Contact (619) 435-5184 for reservations and fee information. 

Located between Leo Carrillo and Point Dume State Beaches, Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach is made up of a number of cove or cliff-foot strands known as "pocket beaches" along the west end of the city of Malibu. There are signs on Pacific Coast Highway with the names of the beaches: El Pescador, La Piedra and El Matador. Each of these three small beaches is a jewel unto themselves. These beaches can be crowded during the summer. During the off season, however, they offer a perfect opportunity to experience solitude at its finest. Limited parking is available at the bluff top with paths leading down to the beach.

Venice is a residential, commercial, and recreational beachfront neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles in the Westside region of Los Angeles County. Getting to Venice Beach is quite simple. Take the 405 Freeway from either direction to Venice Boulevard. Exit West and drive until you reach sand. Parking is available at the end of Venice Boulevard right on the beach. Daily rates range from $3 to $10 depending upon the time of year. There is parking available between North and South Venice Boulevard West of Lincoln Boulevard. These lots are within walking distance, and free shuttle service is available.

There is so much to do in Venice daily. Here are a few activities for you to try:

Visit Muscle Beach Gym, the facility where our current Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger once worked out. A gym day pass is $10. The paddle tennis, handball courts, volleyball courts, boxing, and gymnastic areas, as well as the basketball courts (made famous by movies such as White Man Can’t Jump and American History X) are available free to the public. If that isn’t enough to get the blood pumping, try biking or skating the bike path. If you go north on the path you will head into Santa Monica and into Pacific Palisades. Go south, and you can ride all the way from Marina Del Rey to the Palos Verdes peninsula (Tip: Once in Marina Del Rey there is a slight inland detour. Otherwise, the path runs 17 miles directly by the sand). Bike and Skate rental shops are available up and down the boardwalk. You must visit the world famous Venice Skate Park. Are you a roller-skating enthusiast? Did you ever go to a disco at a roller-skating or ice skating rink? Well visit Venice’s own roller-skating park on a weekend day. There is a DJ spinning records and people skating to choreographed dances. Don’t worry. You don’t have to bring your own skates because there are Bike and Skate rental shops available up and down the boardwalk.

More suggestions? Head to the beach. Surf, swim, boogie board and splash around in the Pacific Ocean. Go for a deep sand run or power walk in ankle deep water. Keep an eye out for dolphins and seals. Surf instruction as well as surf and boogie board rentals are also available from local vendors.

Check out the Public Art Walls. Visit the walls often as they change weekly. As soon as one artist finishes his/her masterpiece another comes and clears the canvas to start on his/her own. Visit the Venice Boardwalk Area Murals. Another thing you might want to do is to visit the Venice Canals. Directions: Starting at Muscle Beach Gym, head south on the boardwalk, take a left on South Venice, past the street lights, which will be Pacific Ave and travel one more block past Strongs Ave. Keep your eyes over your right shoulder and bamn you will witness one of Venice’s beautiful getaways. Tip: Bring bread to feed the ducks. They are expecting for your kindness.

Check out the Children’s Park. For your canine children, visit the Westminster Dog Park and meet the local dogs. Tip: Dogs prohibited on Ocean Front Walk 11 AM to 8pm Sat., Sun. & holidays memorial day through Labor Day.

If you are in Venice on a weekend day, stick around even after the sun goes down, because at the end of Brooks Ave. on the beach, hundreds of people gather at the Venice drum circle with their drums, shakers, congas, percussions and their dancing feet. If you can’t find Brooks Ave, just listen and you will hear their beats. This gathering of different types of people from different parts of the world drumming, dancing, getting into the zone and feeding off other people’s energies is a must thing to do while in Venice. Visit the Drum Circle!

Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is an affluent city in Orange County, California, 10 miles (16 km) south of downtown Santa Ana.  From Los Angeles (50 miles) – Take the 5 or 405 freeways south to the 55 freeway south towards Newport Beach. Take the 55 freeway all the way down until the freeway ends. Keep going straight ahead on Balboa Blvd. and you’ll reach Balboa Peninsula. Or watch for the signs that lead to Pacific Coast Highway and that will take you to the neighborhoods of Corona Del Mar, Balboa Island and Newport Coast.

From San Diego (85 miles) – Take the 5 freeway north to the 405 freeway north. Take the 55 freeway south towards Newport Beach until the freeway ends. Keep ahead straight on Balboa Blvd. and you’ll reach Balboa Peninsula. Or watch for the signs that lead to Pacific Coast Highway and that will take you to the neighborhoods of Corona Del Mar, Balboa Island and Newport Coast.

Newport Beach’s most anticipated food event returns for two full weeks in January as Dine Newport Beach Restaurant Week January 19 – February 1, 2015. Whether you’re craving international cuisine, locally sourced seafood or a perfectly sizzled steak, Newport Beach has a diverse culinary roster that will please your palate. Newport Beach restaurants will be serving up special prix-fixe menus during this citywide culinary celebration. Lunches are available for just $10, $15, $20 or $25 and Dinners for $20, $30, $40 or $50.

Newport Beach Jazz Party February 12-15, 2015! Four Big Nights and Three Jazz will pack days of the best jazz party on the planet. The format is jazz party style, taking place outdoors during the day and indoors in a plush hotel ballroom with world class sound and lighting each evening.

Hermosa Beach is an affluent beachfront city in Los Angeles County, California. The city is located in the South Bay region of the greater Los Angeles area and is one of the three Beach Cities. Hermosa Beach is bordered by the other two, Manhattan Beach to the north and Redondo Beach to the south and east.

There are several bike rental places in Hermosa Beach. One of the favorites is situated behind Good Stuff just north of the pier. The Strand is a combined bike path/foot path in Hermosa Beach, but splits into separate paths as they go north to Manhattan Beach. To the south, they go past the Redondo Beach pier all the way to Torrance Beach on the south end of Santa Monica Bay. If you go all the way to the oil refinery at the border with El Segundo, you'll see some really good surfing spots.

You can drive down to Long Beach and decide to reach the Pacific Coast Highway and just take it easy. Manage to get a nice car parking space and just sat on the beach and rest. A nice way to enjoy a few hours. The beach actually has some of the Hermosa crabs washing up regularly.

Come to Hermosa for each Fiesta Hermosa during the Labor Day weekend. It's free, fun, and full of great eats and shopping. The feeling is lovely in this wonderful place. Expect a traffic nightmare, especially by car. Therefore, you’d better come early. Anyway, live music during the holiday celebration is usually rock and blues-inspired. On the other hand, volleyball tournaments, and lots of beer drinking goes on.