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California

13 ways to experience the Santa Cruz Surf Culture

The California Surf Culture goes way back to the late 1800s when three Hawaiian princes brought the sport to Santa Cruz! And in the 1950s Jack O’Neil famously invented the wetsuit. Now the California coast, especially the Santa Cruz area where it started, is a surf mecca spawning a culture …

North Lake Tahoe: Spring skiing and lazing by the lake

    The Modern Family on North Lake Tahoe Skiing One of the best things about visiting Northern California is having North Lake Tahoe a short reach away. Just a 4-hour drive from San Francisco, this snow sport mecca has the highest concentration of ski areas in the world (12 …

22 things to do in Capitola with the family

  Looking for things to do in Capitola in California? I’ve visited this quaint beach village in Santa Cruz County for years. I was originally attracted to it because the gentle waves at the beach were good for the girls to play in when they were young. As they got …

Insider’s guide to walking over the Golden Gate Bridge

  Can you walk the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito/Marin County? The answer is a resounding YES! If you are going to San Francisco you MUST set aside a few hours to walk over the iconic Golden Gate Bridge (which is painted red btw, not gold). It’s a wonderful way to experience the …

Home Exchange: California Craftsman beach house

  I’ve become quite a Home Exchange fan over the past couple of years: We’ve been to Paris, which led us to a Riad in Marrakech, and this summer we stayed at a beach house in Santa Cruz, California. HomeExchange is a community of like-minded travellers, which helps them to travel …

Sonoma wine country: 21 things to do with the family

Planning a visit to California with the family? Then you’ll want to fit in one of my favourite places: Sonoma County. But wait. Sonoma is wine country. Isn’t that just for adults? Won’t the kids be bored? Absolutely not. Just 45 minutes north of San Francisco, Sonoma County has lots to …

Going on Safari … in Sonoma! #safariwest

  I close my eyes and I hear it again. “Ca-caw!” “Ca-caw!” I know exactly what it is – that big colourful bird with the really long wings! Our guide this afternoon had warned us he might be active tonight. The flamingos are in full force, chattering away in the …

Sonoma date night: The girl and the fig

  When you have kids, one of the best things ever is the invention of the “date night”. It’s precious time away with your significant other to just chat and enjoy life, without someone asking you what time is it or if they can order something from Amazon. When we …