Take a walking tour of San Francisco's best and famous chocolate eateries. Either do your own self-tour or take one by www.gourmetwalks.com. These tours are at 10:30am Wednesdays and Fridays and 2pm Saturdays.
For your own walking tour:
Like most fish stories, this one just gets better over time. In 1984, on the site of a cannery immortalized by John Steinbeck, a new attraction showcasing the splendors of the sea opened its doors. In large glass tanks designed for easy viewing, sleepy-eyed octopuses clung to coral outcrops. Slow-motion stingrays kicked up sand along the bottom while antic otters skittered across the surface, clacking shellfish like castanets.
For thousands of years Miwok Indians came to the island to catch salmon, the Spanish named the island Isla de los Angeles, the Russians hunted otters, the Mexicans brought cattle, and etween 1910 an 1940 Chinese immigrants were detained here.
This is a great place to hike, bike, picnic, camp, play volley ball, baseball, fish or take a tour to soak in the rich but storied history. There are 13 miles of hiking trails and 8 miles of bike trails.
The World War I Flying Ace first hounded the Red Baron in 1965 and he still rides high in Santa Rosa, CA, site of the popular Charles Schultz Museum, ice rink and gift shop. See www.flyingace.com.
There are a number of collections at the museum to explore:
From mid-March to mid-May, blossoms can carpet this 1,760-acre sliver of land on the Mojave Desert's west edge in Antelope Valley. In good years, poppies, lupines, owl's clover, goldfields, and creamcups spread color along seven miles of easy trails. The colors of nature will absolutely awe you! For more information, go to: parks.ca.gov/?page_id=627.
You don't always need to trek into the wild to lose yourself in nature. Just 12 miles north of San Francisco you'll find one of the most extraordinary natural spots on the planet: Muir Woods, which becase a national monument 100 years ago. Amid its 560 acres of ancient coast redwoods you might see coho salmon running up Redwood Creek, some 200 varieties of mushrooms emerging after the first rains, or ladybugs clustered on the fronds of a horsetail fern.
You bet it's kitschy. And what's wrong with that? The faux-Danish village of Solvang, California located 35 miles northwest of Santa Barbara, is a blast to visit, especially at Christmas. The town makes merry with pagents, parades, caroling, and the construction of an 8-by-11-foot gingerbread house - using 250 pounds of cookie dough, which is displayed at the Royal Scandinavian Inn. Don't leave town without breakfasting on aebleskiver, the spherical Nordic answer to pancakes.
The Academy’s recent rebuilding project provided a rare opportunity to rethink the entire museum-going experience. Rather than recreate the 12 separate structures that previously existed, the Academy chose to build a single entity that is physically and thematically intertwined.
Come to the Hollywood Walk of Fame but come prepared: The site of the Walk, Hollywood Boulevard, stretches longer than a mile and contains more than 2,000 stars. Our recommended stops include Lassie (6368 Hollywood Blvd.), Kermit the Frog (6801), Winnie the Pooh (6834), Snow White (6910), Mickey Mouse (6925), Godzilla (6925), Bill Cosby (6930), Tom Hanks (7000), Bugs Bunny (7007), Johnny Depp (7018), Walt Disney (7021), the Simpsons (7021), and Big Bird (7021).
Head to the Texas shore to attend san-sculpture school. At South Padre Island, sign up for a private workshop from local sand wizards Sons of the Beach. After you master their "modified drip" technique, your family can create its own masterpieces on any beach you visit. Check out www.sonsofabeach.com. In California, check out www.kirkrademaker.com. (Or, do a Google search on "sandcastle sculpture school")
