Destinations & Landmarks

Escondido may not be the first thing that strikes you as you consider vacation destinations, but don’t write off this Northern San Diego town too quickly. Just 30 miles northeast of downtown San Diego, 15 miles from the Ocean and 40 miles from the Mexican border, this town with population 150,000 offers more than meets the eye.  WHERE TO STAY Welk Resorts San Diego ‘welkomes you home’ to 450 acres of luxurious resort style living complete with 2 golf courses and lighted tennis courts. The 5 different recreation centers offer a host of activities for the whole family. You can plan to spend the entire day at either Mountain Springs or Boulder Springs pools, both of which have waterslides, snack shacks which serve sandwiches and mixed cocktails. Cabanas are available to rent for the day which provide a welcome respite from the blazing sun in the height of summer. The 1-3-bedroom villas (think little apartments, complete with full kitchen and living room depending on the size and location you pick) are tastefully scattered throughout the property and many offer golf course views. Barbeque grills are sprinkled around the premises, so if you’d rather cook than dine out, you’re covered. The…

The Getty Center and the Getty Villa museum and gardens will reopen to a limited number of visitors with free reservations on Tuesday, May 25, with specific one-way routes and other measures in place to ensure the safety of visitors and staff. Getty Center “We are delighted to welcome visitors back to the iconic Getty Center, one of Los Angeles’ most visited cultural destinations,” said Timothy Potts, Maria Hummer-Tuttle and Robert Tuttle Director of the J. Paul Getty Museum. “As well as all the familiar highlights of the Museum’s collections, gardens, architecture, and vistas, we will be featuring our newly acquired painting of Lucretia by Artemisia Gentileschi, and special exhibits of photography and other media. With both the Villa and Center opening, the staff are excited to welcome visitors back to their Getty.” In addition to Lucretia, by the most celebrated woman painter of 17th-century Italy, also on view are new exhibitions Photo Flux: Unshuttering L.A.; Power, Justice and Tyranny in the Middle Ages; Artist as Collectors; and Silk & Swan Feathers: A Luxurious 18th-Century Armchair.  “We are grateful for the support of the community, and glad that people have continued to engage with us online throughout this long year….

Big Bear is a beautiful and beloved vacation spot for SoCal residents looking to get away from it all. The Bear’s “keepers” want to keep it that way. Yogi, America’s favorite cartoon bear, is “smarter than the average bear.” He says so himself. So “hey, hey, hey,” it has to be true, right? Unfortunately, his human friends are not always so smart — at least when it comes to the “leave no trace” ethos that should be deeply engrained in every traveler’s mindset.  “We’ve Got a Bear Disturbance Here.” – Ranger Smith (Yogi’s pal) Lately, there’s been a disturbing trend at popular nature-centered vacation spots, including iconic Big Bear. It appears that “Leave No Trace” has been supplanted by “Trash This Place” —marking a new low in responsible environmentalism. Call it a fallout from COVID-19, where restless urbanites seeking relief from their cloistered, masked existence have been descending in even greater numbers upon Big Bear. And who can blame them? A 6-feet-apart-while-wearing-a-mask mandate, job and business losses, and a feeling of constant uncertainty is no way to live months on end. We all feel that urge. We need space. We need a place away from the cloud of COVID hanging…