The Star of India is the world’s oldest active sailing ship, having been launched in 1863 from the Isle of Man under the name of “Euterpe”, after the Greek muse of music and poetry. After six trips to India, she spent 25 years transporting emigrants to New Zealand, followed by hauling salmon from Alaska to California. She is presently part of the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
Links: Maritime Museum
Julian is a town of about 1,500 located an hour and a half or so east of San Diego at an elevation of 4,226 feet. The first European settlers arrived around 1850 but the town came alive in 1869-1870 when gold was discovered. During this gold rush era, apple trees were brought to Julian and thus began the tradition of baking delicious apple pies that still continues today. Julian Pie Company, Mom’s, and Apple Alley (delicious gluten-free pies) are but three of the many establishments offering several varieties of pie, so grab some friends and do a pie (not pub) crawl. For great craft brews, try Nickel Beer Co.
Although most famous as a federal prison (from 1934-1963), Alcatraz Island has also served as a Civil War fortress, an active bird sanctuary, the first lighthouse on the West Coast, and the birthplace of the Native American Red Power movement which occupied the island for 19 months beginning in November 1969. It is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Links: Golden Gate NRS
If you take a cruise that stops in San Francisco then you will most likely pass under the Golden Gate Bridge, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. The bridge opened for traffic in 1937 after four and a half years of construction. Its 4,200-foot long suspension span was the longest in the world when constructed and is still the 9th longest. The term Golden Gate refers to the Golden Gate Strait which is the entrance to San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean.
Links: Bridge Facts
Over 200 celebrities have had their handprints and footprints immortalized in the forecourt of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (also known as Mann’s Chinese Theatre and now officially TCL Chinese Theatre) which is on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This pic shows Steve McQueen’s imprints from March 21, 1967, which was three days before his 37th birthday.
Links: imprint archive
Pismo State Beach is the only place in Central and Southern California where you can legally drive on the beach. The main entrance is at the Oceano Beach Access on Pier Avenue in Oceano, but there is also another entrance at Grover Beach. Heading south on the beach takes you to Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) where you can camp on the beach and explore in your 4×4, dune buggy, ATV, dirt bike, etc.
Links: CA Parks List of driving beaches in CA
California is a fantastic place for birding as the state boasts 662 species in the latest CA Bird List, while San Diego County alone has 517 species on its checklist. The little guy in this pic is a burrowing owl which we encountered on a dirt road just south of the Salton Sea. Burrowing owls generally live underground in the abandoned burrows of mammals.
I love the Spanish Colonial-Revival architecture in Balboa Park in San Diego. This pic shows the San Diego Museum of Man, one of 17 museums in this beautiful 1200-acre park.
Links: Balboa Park Museum of Man
The 13-story Eastern Columbia Building in downtown Los Angeles is considered one of the best surviving examples of Art Deco architecture in LA. Designed by Claud Beelman and costing $1.25 million, it opened on September 12, 1930. Its award winning renovation in 2006 turned the building into 147 live/work lofts.
Pershing Square is in the heart of downtown Los Angeles and was originally named La Plaza Abaja when dedicated in 1866, but was renamed in 1918 in honor of the World War I general. This pic captures one of two large architectural balls and the waterfall fountain.
Links: LAParks
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