A Vegetation Vacation

Scene:  the coastline of Dana Point in Laguna Niguel, where everywhere you look there’s something beautiful.  A family of four rambles down a path through a dense growth of indigenous vegetation that looks dead.  In fact, however, it is only mostly dead, and with a nice rain will come back to life and bloom once again.

Mostly Dead Bush

(For photos of the area in spring, please see Tracey Clark’s photo walk of this area, which, with its artful capture of natural beauty,  is what inspired me to accept the invitation to visit the Ritz.)  We are guided by an energetic young naturalist who knows the name and life cycle of every living and mostly dead plant we see.  He tells us that this clifftop is the habitat of the California pocket mouse, and we look very carefully to spot one.  The 5-year-old is disappointed when the tour is over, and we haven’t had a sighting of the thumb-sized rodent.

It's NOT This Big

We are guests of the hotel and the Ambassadors of the Environment program, a project of Jean-Michel Cousteau, that aims to “create opportunities for each participant to learn about Southern California’s unique ecosystems, while demonstrating their connection to the larger global systems.”  I worry that my little one was too young to understand the complexities of these ideas, but I don’t have to.  There’s something for everyone here. Read More »

Victoria Ferry Coming into Port

The first thing of note about Victoria, British Columbia is that when making plans to travel there it’s likely that you’ll be traveling there by a ferry or cruise. Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is the capital of British Columbia. The beautiful metropolis is a tourist hotspot in British Columbia, offering a rich history, beautiful architecture, much greenspace and a wide-variety of attractions. Although you can fly into the Vancouver International Airport and take a bus or car into Victoria, traveling by ferry is the primary mode of transportation to and from Victoria. Located just above Washington state, it’s a great day trip for travelers staying in the Seattle area.

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San Diego Skyline from Coronado

Living in San Diego, a true coastal town, makes it an ideal place to explore marine life and all its glory. But just like those who live near the Rocky Mountains or those who live in the majestic redwood forests of Northern California, I imagine the amazing becomes a bit ordinary. We forget all that there is to offer. Sometimes it takes something a little unusual to jolt you back to reality. Like a wayward whale spending some time checking out San Diego Bay when he should be heading north with all the other whales. And while we are used to seeing whales at Sea World, whales hanging out in the bay is quite another thing altogether.  This time of year is usually the time when Gray whales are heading north from their warm Mexican vacations to back to chillier waters of Alaska and whales are not uncommon in the coastal waters. December and January are actually the best times to whale watch because you have some whales still making their way south and some whales returning north so you get double whale action to check out.

There are many boat companies that offer excursions out to see whales and dolphins. One of the most popular is Hornblower Cruises who offer whale watching tours (and excellent dinner cruises, but that’s another post). A three and a half hour tour (great, now I’ll be singing the Gilligan’s Island theme song all night) will run you $30 and is narrated by an experienced captain.

Whale in San Diego

Of course, if you happen to be here when a whale is exploring the bay then just plop down along Coronado island, looking back towards the San Diego skyline and keep an eye out for a big fin. But chances are, you’ll need to book a tour if you really expect to see anything so cool as a whale up close.

Photo Credits: Whale Tail: Tomcio77 and San Diego Skyline: Grady’s Kitchen.

Back in the BK (before kids) days, my husband and I roadtripped to Baja California every winter.  That was also back in the days before rampant rumors of activity by dangerous drug cartels at the Mexican-American border, but mostly it’s the kids that keep us from continuing the tradition.  One of our favorite things to do was scout for gray whales.  Every winter these beautiful animals migrate along the Pacific Coast en route to the salty lagoons of Baja California where they give birth to their calves.  If you ever have the occasion to visit Guerrero Negro in Mexico, it is the number one thing you must do before you leave – hop on a panga, or small boat, and go out into the waters where some days the waters are so thick with whales that you can actually touch them.

Gray whale in Mexico, courtesy of Wikimedia.

For the toddler-laden landlubber, however, there are other opportunities to view the gray whales on their past Southern California.  The most popular way to do it is to take a whale watching cruise and there are several companies that operate out of the various SoCal harbors.  Don’t be fooled by our lovely sunny weather:  out on the water it can get chilly and wet so bring the proper gear.  And if you’ve never been out on a boat, remember your sea legs.  If you or your children feel seasick, there is no shame in it.  You are out there to have a good time.  If watercraft are not for you, there are places to see the whales from shore, like at Point Dume beach in Malibu.  You have to scan the horizon and look for the telltale signs: spouting water or glistening black skin.  If you see those things you have most likely happened upon a pod.  They will probably be swimming south.

If you are okay with being out on the water, here are some places to go:

Newport Beach Harbor:  Newport Landing Sportfishing runs excursions Monday through Friday and they also have trips to Catalina.

Rainbow Harbor in Long Beach:  a 2.5 hour cruise on a double decker boat, hosted by Cruise Long Beach Harbor.  Tickets are $25 for adults, $18 for children under 12, and free for children under 2.

Marina del Rey Sportfishing runs a grittier tour on a smaller boat, that much better to get closer to the whales without being obnoxious?

Whale Watching in Los Angeles is a great site that aggregates and reviews many of the whale watching tours available in the area.  Now is a great time to look into this kind of activity if you are visiting the area with your family.  A whale sighting feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience if you are lucky enough to spot one up close.

Whether you see a whale or several or none, you can also see other ocean life, like the dolphins and sea lions below who joined us on a sailing trip from Marina del Rey to Redondo Beach one day.  (Photos by Tim Clark.)

Dolphins say hello!

What are you looking at?