First Trip to SoCal - what should we see?

C

Capt Harpoon

New member
In a week we fly to LA. We have about a week to play before a conference in Anaheim. What should we see?
We want to drive the coast highway, do some beachcombing (sea glass?), and relax. We made a reservation with Island Packers to get out to the islands.
Will rent a car or van. Thinking of dashing north and then wandering back south. Not particularly interested in "indoor" things.
Suggestions?
Thanks in advance for your help,
CH

PS - we are real C-Brats now, bought a 22' Cruiser last week but have not had time to post about it yet
 
many years ago when I had my schooner I did some chartering through Island Packers it was good times. They or used to put on a good trip many times the passengers come back with good stories hope you are one. We used to setup our trips to come off of Anacapa on the return leg it was usually a broad reach at zero Degrees magnetic to Venture Harbor. Most days we could fly all 1500 sq. ft. of sail with the rail almost in the water. As with most sail chartering it was hard to break even so that career did not last long. I don't know if Island Packers are still sail chartering.
Have fun there is so much to do and see. I could spend a lot of time just wandering around harbors.

Guy
 
Good ideas from a previous thread:

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?p= ... 0d0a709407

I'll also add:

If you're going with Island Packers be sure to have dinner in downtown Ventura -- some great restaurants. May be worth the drive to Carpinteria (15 minutes north) and Santa Barbara (30 minutes north).

Down South: If you really like ferries -- make the run to Avalon. You can easily do a great day from Long Beach to Avalon and back. It'll give you a chance to plan your next visit on your new 22! And, in Long Beach there are great restaurants, the aquarium (also great). I assume you'll hit Disneyland -- I think its worth a visit -- especially midweek. South of Anaheim -- great beach communities along the Orange County coast. If you don't mind the drive -- La Jolla is the jewel of the coastline. San Diego is well worth a day.

In LA: If you are going to be in LA, Venice Beach is interesting -- but places you might not think of include:

The Museum of Tolerance (www.museumoftolerance.com)
The Griffith Observatory (with great views of the Hollywood sign and the LA basin -- www.griffithobservatory.org)
The Getty Center (world class art museum with fabulous gardens and views no one thought possible -- www.getty.edu)
Peterson Automotive Museum (yea... a car museum, really cool -- www.petersen.org)
Will Rogers museum and park (above Sunset near PCH -- http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=626)

And, absolutely, drive Pacific Coast HWY from Santa Monica Pier north (http://www.santamonicapier.org/) at least to Pt. Mugu Naval Air station -- or on to Ventura and points north). Stop in Malibu (don't miss Malibu Pier - http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24409), Leo Carrillo State Beach (tidepools, etc., http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=616), Neptune's Net (for a quick bite at 'county line' http://www.neptunesnet.com/), Sycamore Canyon (fabulous beach and mountain canyon hiking - http://venturacountytrails.org/TrailMap ... Trails.htm), Pt. Mugu Sand Bank (large sand dune that you can ski down... visible from Anacapa Island -- and the islands are visible from here - http://www.sandboard.com/locations/usa/ ... /index.htm), and finally Pt. Mugu N.A.S. -- the largest employer in the county (http://www.cnic.navy.mil/ventura/index.htm).

Have fun!

Matt
 
You might visit Point Loma Narional Park in San Diego. It's a bueatiful view over the ocean and San Diego Bay. Also, in Los Angeles, there's Point Ferman, overlooking San Pedro Bay. You can drive to both.

If you have time, BEFORE you go, read Two Years Berfore the Mast, by Richard Dana. It describes the California caost in 1830's and if you visit the above 2 points, you can get a sense whaqt it looked like when Richard Dana visited Calif.

Boris
 
To continue Boris's post:
"The Pilgrim is a full size replica of the hide brig immortalized by Richard Henry Dana, Jr. in his American seafaring classic novel Two Years Before the Mast. Dana said of the Pilgrim , "The vessel I am going on is small, but strong and a remarkably fast sailer having been built for the smuggling trade."

The original Pilgrim was built in 1825 at a cost of $50,000. Her length was a mere 90 feet compared to the average 110 feet for other vessels of the same class. The purpose of its 1834 voyage that is the basis for the Ocean Institute's Two Years Before the Mast program was to participate in the California cattle hide trade for her Boston owners, Bryant and Sturgis. The Pilgrim set sail from Boston loaded with New England's manufactured goods such as shoes, foodstuffs and ironware. When she arrived along the Alta California coast, the Pilgrim sold or traded her New England wares, then procured hides from the missions and rancheros to be transported back to Boston. The Pilgrim anchored several times at San Juan Bay (Dana Point). It is not known in what other trades the Pilgrim engaged after her voyage to Alta California, Mexico. However, it is recorded that she was lost in a fire at sea in 1856. By this time the hide trade had also suffered its demise.

Today's Pilgrim started her life in 1945 as a three-masted schooner plying the Baltic coastal trade out of Denmark.

In 1975, she was sailed to Lisbon, Portugal by Captain Ray Wallace, the noted marine architect, where she was converted to her present rig.

The Pilgrim entered Dana Point Harbor in September 1981, amidst tremendous community support, destined to become the Ocean Institute's largest classroom."

The Pilgrim is moored at Dana Point--and that is close to Anaheim--some nice walks along the cliffs--watch the tide. But beach combing--not like some remote areas.

I would also suggest the Queen Mary and Aquarium in Long Beach. Strolling along the Main street area in Laguna Beach can be pleasant.

Don't put too much into the day trips. Traffic can be difficult on the freeways. Getting from Anaheim to Ventura can take several hours, depending on the time of day.
 
Great ideas, thank you!
We are following up your ideas today and putting together a plan.
I must say that the last sentence of Bob's post sure gave me pause! (about traffic)
Here in northern NY, I left home early last Sunday morning (4:30 AM) to go pick up our C-Dory and in the first 30 miles only saw three other cars on the road.
But our CA trip is mostly vacation, and we will not be in a hurry. Good thing!
 
Not sure what or where your Island Packers trip will be, but there is an excellent book about life on Santa Cruz Island 100 plus years ago:
"Diary of a Sea Captains wife" Well worth the read if you are visiting any of the Northern Channel Islands. I believe that it is out of print, but downloadable in PDF form for a book reader or computer.
 
LA traffic is probably the worst in the country -- and Anaheim to Ventura is a grind. Best bet is to avoid the freeways during the day as much as possible. If you need to travel from one part of So Cal to another leave before 6:00 am or after 7:00 pm. When I launch in San Pedro, I try to either leave Ventura before traffic, or go the night before and sleep in the Harbor.

Another option, PCH is actually not too bad traffic-wise. So, if you are traveling to Ventura take PCH. It'll add some miles, but it's a nice drive.

If it were me -- I'd plan out the regions (Ventura/ Channel Islands; LA; South Coast) and plan to be in a region by 7:00 am. And, I'd stay there until after dinner. Or, if you are hoteling it anyway, go the night before.

Whatever you do, do not try to drive from Anaheim to Ventura to catch a 9:00 am boat (unless you leave by 5:30 am). Come out the night before. If you want some hotel suggestions PM me.

Have a great trip!
 
Wow! That is some bad traffic!
We will probably fly in to LA, rent a car, and try to get out fairly quickly.
We won't spend the whole week in Anaheim, but explore to the north, and just come back down before the conference starts.
Thanks again for all the helpful hints and suggestions!
CH
 
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