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Things To Do

Must Do highlights day trips, fun activities, and entertainment and recreation options every tourist and local of Southern California should check out. SoCal’s hidden gems, local secrets, unique finds and off-the beaten path venues will also be uncovered and explored.

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Get Away Without Going AwayFeatured

April 16, 2021

5 Family Staycation Ideas That Won’t Break Your Budget Family vacations are a great way to bond and take a step back from the hectic schedules that accompany everyday life, but sometimes time or money (or both) make planning an elaborate trip a non-starter. However, a staycation – a vacation you take right in your hometown (or nearby) – can be much less expensive and fit into nearly any amount of available time with the added bonus of skipping out on potentially stressful travel. Consider these staycation ideas to take advantage of your local area’s attractions and prove you don’t have to go far to spend quality time together. Visit local landmarks. Just because it’s not a traditional vacation doesn’t mean you can’t pretend to be tourists. Start by visiting the places you recommend to friends and family from out of town or pick up a city guidebook to uncover hidden spots you may not even know exist. Make a plan to seek out historic sites, visit local landmarks like museums or try an out-of-the-way restaurant (or two) you’ve never eaten at before. Camp out in the backyard. Camping doesn’t have to be done far from home. In fact, it…

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in Sports & Adventures, Things To Do

Spring-Time Group Bike ToursFeatured

April 12, 2021

By Dustin Clendenen Our weather is the envy of the world year-round, but even SoCal blooms in the spring. Now’s the time to venture out of your car and experience all the Golden State has to offer. Our roundup of group bike tours are the perfect excuse to explore the great outdoors and work up a sweat while you’re at it. Having such an eco-friendly hobby won’t hurt either! If you want to experience Los Angeles, you’re in for one of the most diverse urban landscapes in the entire world, from a bustling downtown metropolis, to sun-soaked beaches, to beautiful hiking trails and national forests, not to mention all the celebrities, world-class food and an art scene getting attention across the globe. LA Cycle Tours offers a number of group bike adventures in all these areas, every single day. Focusing mostly on the diversity of downtown, the company’s tours take riders on a sightseeing expedition of the areas brightest street art and murals, the city’s best taco stands or pastry shops and a 40-mile ride from the urban core to the beach. Tours start at $65 and up. Check out the event calendar for more details and specific pricing at…

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in Destinations & Landmarks, Things To Do, Uncategorized

The Los Angeles ColiseumFeatured

March 12, 2021

As the only venue to host two Summer Olympics (and soon a third in 2028), two Super Bowls, home to numerous professional teams, appearances by six U.S. Presidents — Franklin D Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan — and such dignitaries as Martin Luther King, Pope John Paul II, the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela and such performers as Bruce Springsteen and the Rolling Stones, the Los Angeles Coliseum has deservedly earned its title – The Greatest Stadium in the World. One hundred fourteen billion people have come through the stadium in 96 years. Originally commissioned in 1921 as a memorial to Los Angeles veterans of World War I (and rededicated to all U.S. veterans of WWI in 1968, it is the largest memorial outside of the one in Washington, D.C. The official ground breaking of the Coliseum took place in December, 1921. The construction of the then largest stadium in Los Angeles was completed on May 1,1923. Its capacity was 75,144, but in 1930, with the Olympics due in two years, the stadium seating capacity was expanded to 101,574 and the Olympic torch was added. The inaugural game at the Coliseum took…

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in Featured, Food & Drinks, Things To Do

2ND & PCHFeatured

March 5, 2021

2ND & PCH, Long Beach’s premier coastal retail, dining, and lifestyle center welcomes the community back safely to stay, shop, dine, and relax. The open-air center offers a diverse selection of retailers, dining, boutique fitness, lifestyle services and outdoor promenade experiences. “We are thrilled to invite the community back for outdoor dining and to enjoy our common area amenities responsibly,” said Samantha Lopez, General Manager of 2ND & PCH. “Our priority continues to be providing a safe and welcoming environment for the community, our businesses and all visitors to enjoy.”  Restaurants currently open for outdoor dining include: Hungry Angelina, Noble Bird Rotisserie, Ola Mexican Kitchen, Otosan Sushi, Shake Shack, The Italian Homemade Company, and Urban Plates. Ample Hills Creamery, Boba Guys, Caffe Luxxe, Tuesday’s Sweet Shoppe, and Whole Foods Market are also open and serving the community. Boutique fitness studios BeFit Modern Pilates and BoxHaus continue to host outdoor classes providing the community with safe open-air options to meet their active wellness goals. For a high-intensity workout at home, Barry’s Bootcamp is providing 45-minute virtual workout classes, Hawt Yoga is offering Zoom streaming classes and Peloton offers online classes for members.  Seaport Way remains closed to vehicular traffic to offer…

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in Featured, Pets & Wildlife, Sports & Adventures, Things To Do

Take To The Great Outdoors With Winter Whale Watching and Excursions To Channel Islands National ParkFeatured

February 10, 2021

Island Packers, the official boat concessionaire to Channel Islands National Park, with daily departures to the Channel Islands from Ventura Harbor Village, has now re-opened!  www.islandpackers.com.  A winter Whale Watch is a perfect way to gather with family and friends to view Pacific Gray whales migrating through the Santa Barbara Channel from their feeding grounds in Alaska to their breeding grounds in Baja. Pacific Gray Whales are normally sighted in the National Marine Sanctuary near Anacapa and Santa Cruz Island beginning in late December and extending through middle of April 14, 2021. This mammoth migration of over 20,000 whales and 6,000 miles twice a year remains a major attraction in Southern California.  Sightings of the southern migration began in December for Pacific Gray Whales. Island Packers has also witnessed humpback whales, fin whales, and occasionally orcas. Common dolphin that frolic with the boat and ride the bow can be enjoyed by passengers year-round. For our most recent sightings visit www.islandpackers.com or find us on Twitter. The half-day Winter Whale Watch Cruise provides stunning views of the Ventura coastline or the Channel Islands; depending on where the whales may be sighted.  Winter Whale Watch excursions are available now thru mid-April from Ventura and/ or Channel Islands Harbor departing at 9:30 a.m. and/or 1:30 p.m.  Rates for half-day trips are $40 for adults, $36 for…

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in Destinations & Landmarks, Things To Do

Inside Modernism WeekFeatured

February 1, 2021

Modernism Week is the largest celebration of mid-century and modern architecture, design and culture and is held annually in Palm Springs, California. What started as a modest series of programs held over a weekend has now grown into an internationally acclaimed annual event that spans 11 days in February. Increased demand for Modernism Week events prompted the creation of a shorter October version called “Modernism Week Fall Preview.” Both events include home tours, lectures, films, double-decker bus architectural tours, vintage themed parties and more. More than 10,000 attendees participated in Fall Preview in 2019 and the 2020 Modernism Week attendance was estimated at 162,000 with more than 375 events during the festival. In 2020, Modernism Week attendees came from all 50 States and the District of Columbia, with California accounting for the majority of attendees. In addition to many California visitors, the event was popular with attendees from Washington, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York. Attendees also came from all across the globe with 25 countries represented including Canada, Australia, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, France and many more. Community Impact The annual festival has a significant community impact. Last year, it generated an estimated economic impact of $65 million for area hotels,…

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