PE Content - INLAND TRAVELER: Carolyn Burns Bass

Mexico City Surprise

2008-07-03T06:03:17Z

Could this grand old city be the Mexican version of Seattle? After my first genuine red eye from California to Mexico, I woke up to find my plane descending into clouds. These weren't fluffy cotton candy clouds, but thick marshmallow clouds that looked like they were held over the campfire too long.

I never saw outside the airport until my driver pulled out of the parking garage and headed onto the highway choked with morning traffic. A light drizzle fell over Mexico City, laying a slick shine that filmmakers like when they shoot roads.

Checking into the lovely Hotel Nikko, I headed up to my 18th floor room and swept open the curtains to survey the view. The city was enshrouded with mist, clouds hovered over the hills in the distance, while huge skyscrapers jutted up from above the cloud's horizon. A zig-zag of lightning zipped across the sky at eye-level. A moment later thunder roared across the sky and rattled the plate glass window in front of me.

I spoke with a friend who lives here and she assured me this is typical weather for July and the city is known for its stormy weather. This was not the Mexico City I was expecting and I'm looking forward to seeing more of Mexico's capital city.

Coastal getaways for girlfriends

2008-06-28T16:14:38Z

They're called "Girlfriend Getaways," but don't let the promo title fool you into thinking these are available only to the Carrie Bradshaw sect. These sensory-rich packages are designed around visual, aural and tactile stimulation. You don't have to be a girl to enjoy that.

Pacifica Hotels is offering some very attractive "Girlfriend Getaway" packages at several of their coastal properties. Here's a quick peek at what they're offering. For more specific details and to make reservations, be sure to click the links to each property.

La Jolla: The Empress Hotel in heart of La Jolla's village is offering two girlfriends packages. The Toast to Friendship package features wine and hors d'oeuvres at two nearby restaurants, while the Spa Makeover package includes massages and facials. Both two-night packages include continental breakfast.

Pismo Beach: The Cottage Inn is a quaint, seaside hotel overlooking the ocean. Click the Packages & Specials tab and you'll find the "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" package. This includes one night in a deluxe room and one-hour massage for two, along with wine and cheese in the spa center. The Cottage Inn offers complimentary continental breakfast to all guests.

Cambria: The Fireside Inn sits on the bluffs overlooking Cambria's Moonstone Beach. Check out the "Coastal Calm" package for a $40 voucher for dinner for two at Moonstone Beach Bar and Grill, a half-hour massage for two and a bottle of wine. Continental breakfast is standard at the Fireside Inn.

I've yet to see a promo for a best-bud getaway. The masculine counterpart to girlfriend getaways, shall we call them "Best Bud Breakaways," tend to be paired with golf, fishing, or physical activities.

Would you go to Rosarito?

2008-06-23T20:57:13Z

Cabo San Lucas at the tip of the Baja peninsula is the newest Mexican playground for Americans. It's new, it's hip, it's got lots of sunshine and nightlife. It's easy to fly in and fly out and never have to see any of the more distressed parts of Baja. I call this insular tourism.

What about the rest of Baja? Would you drive down to Ensenada to enjoy the harvest and wine festivals that run the first two weeks of August?

Would you ride your bike from Rosarito to Ensenada in the region's annual 50-mile bicycle ride that attracts more than 7,500 riders?

How about Tijuana? Thought of spending a weekend at one of its upscale hotels, shopping on Avenida Revolucion and dining around the town's amazing restaurants?

When I tell people that I love Mexico they nod and say, "Oh yeah, Cancun is great," or "Cabo rocks." Of course, I love those places too, but Cancun, like Cabo, is insular. You rarely leave the region, you never see the real Mexico outside the tourism zones.

I love Mexico. I love the people, the food, the weather, the diverse geography, the history, the architecture, the Mexico outside the tourist zones.

Am I afraid of being stopped at one of the check-points the Mexican government has set up to halt drug and arms trafficking? I'm careful and concerned, but I'm not afraid.

Am I afraid of being gunned down by a Tijuana drug lord? I don't hang out in the neighborhoods where this occasionally happens, just like I don't hang out in the gang-infested neighborhoods in my own slice of Southern California. So, no, I'm not afraid; I'm wise in my travels.

Am I afraid of being pulled over by a corrupt Federale or Mexican cop, paying an extortion fee or being hauled to jail? One of my American contacts in Mexico recently told me that in his 30 years of frequent travel in Mexico, he's never been pulled over. Not once. While this does happen on some of the roads where the new governmental crackdowns haven't yet been fulfilled, it still doesn't scare me away from visiting Baja.

In yesterday's Destination West feature in the Press-Enterprise I covered Rosarito Beach. My husband and I took our son and five of his college friends from Kansas to Rosarito. We drove straight through Tijuana and down into Rosarito without incident. (Unless you call my missing the turn to the scenic tollroad bypass an incident.)

No one person got hammered by the cops, or by drugs and alcohol for that matter. They played, we played. We ate at the lobster village, shopped the mercado, toured Baja Studios and soaked in the Jacuzzi at the legendary Rosarito Beach Hotel (alas, the Pacific was too cold that weekend).

In coming months, I'll be covering Ensenada's wine and harvest festivals, a tour of the Guadalupe Valley wine country, and a getaway at Rancho Los Chabacanos, one of the most magical nature lodges on earth.

So back to my original question: What about the rest of Baja; would you go to Rosarito?

Airline cooperation: A new trend?

2008-06-20T22:14:45Z

With more and more airlines announcing cutbacks in destinations, flights and service, some airlines are trying to stay afloat with cooperation, rather than competition. United and Continental have announced a new partnership between the two airlines.

Here is what United announced in yesterday's email to its frequent flyer members:

"...we wanted you to be among the first to hear that Continental and United today [June 19, 2008] announced plans to cooperate globally, linking our networks and services worldwide to deliver new benefits to you. In addition, Continental plans to join United in the Star Alliance®, the most comprehensive airline alliance in the world....

"First and foremost, this partnership will include new frequent flier reciprocity that will enable you to earn miles when flying on either airline and redeem awards on both carriers. Travel on either carrier will count toward earning elite status. Similarly, members of either airline's airport lounge program will have access to both Continental's Presidents Club network and United's Red Carpet Club® lounges.

"Second, together with Continental, we will be able to offer you a more comprehensive domestic route network and together with our Star Alliance partners, greater choice of service throughout the entire world."

Pending regulatory approval, this new cooperative will be a win-win-win for all parties involved. Both of the airlines win with strengthened passenger loyalty and individual brand recognition, the passengers win with more options for flights and the ability to accrue frequent flyer points on both airlines. Incidentally, US Airways is also a member of the Star Alliance® network.

Airlines tend to flock together. When one airline makes a change in service or fees, other airlines fly in behind the lead bird and create a trend.

In today's tenuous air travel economy, would this be a good trend, or would it stir up more air turbulence?

Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club Specials

2008-06-18T17:31:33Z

Redondo Beach's Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club is offering a host of fantastic specials for overnighters or extended stays at this exclusive beside resort, including a $100 gas credit for a three-night package. Check out the special packages here.

Portofino's award-winning restaurant, Baleen, is also offering some terrific specials, including a Sunday night 50 percent off bottled wine or bring your own (corkage fee is waved) and wine flights on Monday nights for $15.

Save big on Hawaiian vacations

2008-06-13T17:51:40Z

I just heard from the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) that many of its partners are offering dozens of discounts and special packages for travelers heading to the islands this summer.

Travelers can save at least $200 per person on their trip to the Hawaiian Islands when they book through HVCB's website. The packages include air and accommodations through American Airlines Vacations, American Express Vacations, Classic Vacations, Expedia, NWA WorldVacations, Orbitz, Pleasant Holidays, Travelocity, and United Vacations. The packages include deeply discounted airfare, free hotel room nights, free meals, free rental cars, and free food and beverage dining credits.

You can view and book directly from the HVCB website here: www.GoHawaii.com/summerfun.

Download the Hawaii Official Visitor's Guide here.

Out and About on San Diego's Waterfront

2008-06-11T18:30:57Z

I'm working on a feature for the Press-Enterprise about San Diego's fabulous waterfront. There is so much to see and do here and everything's within walking distance. Here's what you can look forward to hearing more about when the story goes to press:

The Manchester Grand Hyatt, the hotel that led the renaissance of the waterfront. With its terrific views, suberb dining and an elegant spa it's no wonder this Hyatt is the top of the class. The central location of the Manchester Grand makes it an excellent starting point for walking tours through the Gaslamp District, browsing through Seaport Village and strolling along the embarcadero.

Hornblower's sunset dinner cruise through San Diego Bay. This 3-hour dinner cruise through San Diego Bay is perfect for anniversary celebrations and dream dates.

Dennis Conner's America's Cup Experience offers an afternoon sail through San Diego Bay on Stars & Stripes, one of the famous yachts sailed by Dennis Connor, the four-time winner of the America's Cup.

The USS Midway Museum is open seven days a week and offers tours of this venerable aircraft carrier that serviced for 47 years. On July 4th visitors to the Midway can view an original copy of the Declaration of Independence, along with an evening fireworks spectacular over the harbor.

Flying Fish Arrive at Catalina

2008-05-31T15:52:35Z

Avalon's famed flying fish are back at Catalina Island. Every summer the flying fish migrate to the kelp-rich waters surrounding the island, where they spawn and play through the season. Catalina opened the season this year with its First Annual Flying Fish Festival.

Friday night my daughter and I took the Catalina Express out of Long Beach for the one hour cruise to Avalon. We gathered on the Green Pier along with dozens of other festivators to watch Ada Blanche Wrigley Schreiner, the granddaughter of William Wrigley, Jr., rechristen the flying fish tour boat named in her honor.

The Blanche W was put to sea by her grandfather when Blanche was three years old. The 98-passenger, open-air boat has been used for flying fish tours around Avalon since 1924. Blanche, or Blanny as she is affectionately known, was on hand to slap the champagne against the hull to rechristen the vessel after a complete refurbishing and certification by the US Coast Guard.

All set to launch, we boarded and motored north out of Avalon Harbor. A spotter uses WWI-era search lights to scan the water, luring the fish into the high beams. We'd just gotten past the harbor when we saw the first amazing flight. These streamlined, turquoise blue beauties really fly. They leap out of the water, their side fins fluttering like butterfly wings as they shoot across the surface of the water. Some fly for upwards of 100 yards.

Alas, those darn flying fish are hard to photograph in the dark, despite the bright search lights. I didn't get a single good shot. Here is a terrific shot taken by a NOAA reseacher in 2005.

Catalina Island is an easy and affordable getaway for Southern Californians. Be sure to check the Catalina Chamber website for specials that include Catalina Express and hotel packages.

Photo above: Blanche Wrigley Schreiner with Avalon's mascot, Gil the Flying Fish.

Cool Getaways for Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-16T18:10:19Z

Some people actually go away for Memorial Day weekend. Traditionally, my family has stayed home to attend picnics and the annual Memorial Day commemorative service held at Bellevue Cemetary in Ontario. Several of my family members are buried at that lovely old cemetary and my stepfather plays in the Chaffey Community Show Band during the services.

But if you're aching for a getaway on the first three-day-weekend of the warm season, why not consider San Diego? The Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego is offering a fabulous Memorial Day week special: book two nights and get the third free, or stay longer and receive every third night free. This offer is good for a stay between May 23-May 29 and get this: No extra charge for pets (usually $30 per day).

The Manchester Grand Hyatt is on the Gaslamp Quarter's waterfront, right next to Seaport Village. It offers family activities such as ping-pong, foosball, tennis, basketball, and a huge waterfront pool desk. (The VIPs from the Red Bull Air races watched last week's race through San Diego Bay from the Manchester Grand pool deck.)

Another perfect Memorial Day getaway is Catalina Island. You can go from port to port on the Catalina Express in just about an hour. Check out the Catalina Island visitor's website for specials on passage and accommodation packages.

The weekend after Memorial Day I'll be attending Catalina's Catalina Flying Fish Festival. This is a first time event, celebrating the legendary flying fish that migrate to the waters around Catalina through the summer months. These long, slender fish put on shows for viewers--particularly at night when a light is flashed on the water.

The festival opens on Thursday night with A Taste of Avalon and continues with all kinds of fun and family friendly activities throughout the weekend. You can go for just a day on the speedy Catalina Express or stay for the weekend. Check out the website for a complete schedule of activities and accommodation options.

Maybe you want to head up to the mountains? Summer season kicks off in North Lake Tahoe Memorial Day Weekend with the 2nd Annual Opening Day at the Lake. This four-day special event begins Friday, May 23 and is comprised of festivities along the West Shore. Travelers attending Opening Day at the Lake can get an event passport stamped to qualify for numerous prizes and gift certificates. A complete list of Opening Day activities is here, while lodging and travel tips can be found on the North Lake Tahoe visitor's site.

Do you have ideas or traditions for celebrating Memorial Day? Share them with us in the comment section below.

Sanctuary in the Arizona Desert

2008-05-14T03:16:09Z

I am at a magical place. A place called Sanctuary.

After a week of deadlines I decided to take a few days away from home to work on my book and spend some time with my husby who was taking refresher training in Mesa, Ariz. I've heard about the Sanctuary in Paradise Valley, a small suburb of Phoenix, so I decided to visit while BassMan was doing his training on the other side of the valley.

The Sanctuary on Cameback Mountain could not be more appropriately named. Set at northside base of Camelback Mountain, the resort blends into the hillsiden so completely, you can't even see it from the base. Guarding over the Sanctuary is the rock formation called The Praying Monk. This is one of the most beautifully situated, spiritually named and soulfully inspiring places I've ever been.

I'll be writing more about The Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain in an upcoming edition of the Press-Enterprise travel section. Watch for it. Until then, you may view more photos of The Sanctuary in my Facebook album. You don't need to join Facebook to view them, simply click here.

Where is the most inspiring place you've ever stayed? What made it so special to you? Click the COMMENTS button below and share it.

Read this week's feature about Bakersfield here.

Inland Traveler in Mexico

2008-04-25T14:15:25Z

Greetings from Mexico. This is my first trip to the Caribbean side of Mexico. Blue skies and azure waters meet on a horizon of bliss here on the Yucatan Penninsula. Photos capture only a quarter of the incredible beauty of this seacoast.

My trip began with two days in Riviera Maya at Barcelo Maya, an all-inclusive resort that pampers guests from the minute they check in. Imagine a cruise ship on land. Restaurants, beach activities, 24-hour room service, shows and clubs are included in the rate.

Riviera Maya is the southern coast of the penninsula, which faces the Caribbean. Its clear, blue water changes from sunrise to sunset, a deep blue at the horizon, blending to a brilliant turquoise at the shore.

The white sand of Cancun was next on my itinerary. Spoiled by the all-inclusive simplicity of Barcelo Maya Palace, I moved on to another all-inclusive resort in Cancun. Beach Palace is in the center of the hotel zone on the slender finger of land that juts out from the city and extends south. Sipping a drink from the rooftop Skybar of the Beach Palace and watching the sunset is better than a Calgon bath.

Speaking of Calgon baths. My room at Beach Palace has a two-person jacuzzi tub and they give you a generous bottle of bubbly stuff to make it happen. This is honeymoon heaven.

Both of the resorts in which I stayed are perfect for those special getaways, family vacations, destination weddings, or off-site meetings. Check out these websites for more information.

Barcelo Maya
For weddings or other groups, contact Michael Karr

Palace Resorts
For weddings or other groups, contact Kevin Edmunds

What's your dream trip?

2008-04-16T20:06:55Z

I was talking with friends last week about dream vacations; where they would go, what they would do and why.

One friend said a schooner cruise through the South Pacific, spending days in private lagoons, dining on catch-of-the-day and sipping tropical drinks that don't need a blender.

Another friend said they'd always wanted to explore the Australian Outback with a Crocodile Dundee-type guide.

My dream trip, I told them, would be a wining and dining trip through Italy, stopping to view the artwork of the masters in all of the cities from Milan to Rome. My trip would include a private viewing of my all-time marble-carved crush, The David (Michelangelo).

Where would you go if you could win your dream trip? Tick the COMMENTS button and tell us here.

Places to go in an hour (or so)

2008-04-07T14:42:43Z

I grew up hearing the late California anchorman Jerry Dunphy begin his daily newscast with the slogan, "From the desert to the sea, to all of California, a good evening." My adventures on the freeways and backroads of California gave me great respect for the diversity of geography and culture of California. I learned how much California had to offer from attending public schools in the pre-proposition-13 years. Field trips were plentiful and took us to such places as Olveras Street in L.A. for Cinco de Mayo, viewing priceless antiquities at the original J. Paul Getty Museum in Malibu. We heard the LA Philharmonic at The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and explored marine life in the tidepools of Laguna's Crescent Cove.

Inland Valley residents often boast of our impressive radius of adventure within an hour (or so, we say, depending on traffic). We have beaches for sunbathing, surfing, dog-walking. We keep our snow in the mountains (where it belongs), easily reachable for skiing, snowboarding, and other snowplay. When it's raining here in the valley, a short trip across the Cabazon Pass into the Cochella Valley provides blue skies and sunshine for golf and tennis.

World class performances at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Orange County Performing Arts Center, or the legendary Hollywood Bowl are a short jog on the freeway. We can have courtside seats at Staples Center or sit behind home base at two different baseball stadiums only an hour (or so) away. We may not have a professional American football team within our radius, but we have British footballer David Beckham playing soccer with the L.A. Galaxy.

The beaches of Orange County, the culture of Los Angeles, and the wildlife of the mountains and desert were pieces of a mosaic that pictured a certain California lifestyle connected by freeways. The only place I remember going as a child that didn't require a freeway hop was the long trek to San Diego. For those Inland Valley residents who remember the days before I-15 brought San Diego within an hour (or so), San Diego was accessible from the Inland Valley only through old state route 395. It could take two or even three hours from Riverside to San Diego on Old Highway 395, a two-lane route that climbed and crawled through the hills and valleys.

Back then San Diego was a naval port city with a famous zoo. There was no Sea World, no convention center, no Seaport Village or Harbor Island. You saw naval ships moored in the harbor, not cruise ships. The Gaslamp District was just another downtown grid of businesses and there was no Petco Park overlooking the harbor.

The transformation of San Diego is as spectacular as the freeway connection of north and south. From the October opening of its newest luxury resort, The Grand Del Mar in North County, to the legendary Hotel Del Coronado in the south, to camping on the sand in tents or RVs, San Diego is freeway close, San Diego has retained that "getaway" mentality for Inland Valley residents.

I love a getaway. In next Sunday's Press-Enterprise you'll read about one of my favorite weekender locations about an hour (or so) south on the 15--San Diego.

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Be sure to check out this week's travel feature from the Sunday Press-Enterprise: Road to Baja.

Welcome to Inland Traveler

2008-03-31T21:37:15Z

As a child growing up in the Inland Valley, we could get just about anywhere by freeway in an hour (or so). My stepfather kept our old cars running in tip-top shape for weekending away from the everyday sidewalks of suburbia. When you don't have the money for tickets to Disneyland or even nosebleed seats at Angel Stadium, you get creative. Back then, gas was cheap.

We took rides in the car just to see what was out there. Sometimes we'd jump into our old International Scout, hop onto I-10, chug over Kellogg Hill and wind up at The Hat, the original sandwich stand in Alhambra where they made the best pastrami dips. My sisters and I would share a Pastrami Dip sandwich and dare each other to eat the hot yellow peppers. Another time my little sister asked my stepfather if freeways went on forever. His response was to load us into the car and head onto the 91 toward the Beach Cities, merging south on the 55 and following it to the freeway's end at the beginning of Newport Boulevard in Costa Mesa. The lesson on that trip was that freeways don't go on forever, but good memories do.

From hair-raising rides up the switchbacks on Mt. Baldy, to picnicking at San Jacinto's Hurkey Creek, to four-wheeling in the old Scout through Tahquitz Canyon and afoot up the creek to the falls, our weekends were full of adventure. Adventures like these laid the foundation for my love of travel.

I've been serenaded beachside in Puerto Vallarta, pushed a baby carriage across Kintai Bridge in Japan, shopped for bargains in Seoul, Korea, wandered the misty moors of Wuthering Heights Yorkshire, watched bald eagles soaring over Chesapeake Bay, and have seen places the little girl in me only dreamed about those many freeway trips past. I've touched ancient castle walls and I've slept in brand new hotel room beds. I am a lover of history and still a proponent of sustainable growth. Freeways are more than a means of travel to me, they're a metaphor of my life.

So anyway. Welcome to Inland Traveler. Stop in and share with me the beautiful places, friendly faces, and all of the traces that make life interesting.

Do you have a favorite freeway story? I'd love to hear it, please share it here by clicking the COMMENT button below. Feel free to contact me at CarolynBurnsBass (@) gmail.com or visit my website at www.CarolynBurnsBass.com.