California Road Trips offered by Tourism Commission

   The newly released California
Road Trips 2009
, an annual guide, produced by the California
Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC) and Sunset Custom Media Solutions,
continues to provide detailed driving maps that take readers to some of the best
insider spots in California.  But consumers will find a difference this year
– an emphasis on getting out of the car to enjoy those unique locales.

   Readers are encouraged to stretch their legs
and wander Calico Ghost Town, a former silver-mining boomtown, where
authenticity mixes with a little kitsch in the Deserts Region.

   In the Inland
Empire Region, biking the scenic trails surrounding the pine-fringed Lake
Arrowhead is a must-do in the warmer months.

   In the San Diego County Region,
travelers can snorkel, getting up close and personal with harmless leopard
sharks in La Jolla, while in Santa Barbara, part of the Central Coast Region,
they can walk the gardens at Old Mission Santa Barbara, which offer peace and tranquility
during a busy vacation.

   The High Sierra Region encourages travelers to take a
watery tour by renting a kayak to discover the tufa towers bordering Mono Lake.

    In keeping with its new sustainable theme, California
Road Trips 2009
also recommends riding the green trains at Disneyland, which
now run on biodiesel, or cutting down on emissions by touring Huntington Beach
by foot-power (your cab driver’s) with Blue Water Pedicab in the Orange
County Region.

    Another new feature to the guide is the
“3 Free & Easy” box located in each of the 12 regional
California driving itineraries.

   In the Central Valley Region, travelers are
encouraged to check out the Fresno Art Museum – free admission every
Sunday. The Gold Country Region’s drive recommends Columbia State
Historic Park, where the town’s shopkeepers still dress like it’s
1849.

   Where’s the best spot to view the Pacific Ocean? In the North Coast
Region, it’s the northernmost Sea Ranch access, providing panoramic views
from the bluffs. And what better way to end the day than gazing from the Shasta
Cascade Region’s Sundial Bridge as the sun sets over Redding and the
Sacramento River?

         California Road Trips 2009 is
available in the June edition of Sunset magazine. You can also get a
copy by calling 1-877-TOP-DRIVES or download it for free via the CTTC Web site
at
www.visitcalifornia.com/visitorsguide.

Gumball 3000 set in Santa Monica on Saturday

Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau will kick off the Gumball 3000 on Saturday, May 2. The 3,000-mile cross-country
route will showcase more than 100 cutting-edge cars, including the ‘greenest’
hybrid to date, and electric vehicles of the future. The cars will stop in
other world-class American cities such as Las Vegas, New Orleans and Miami.

Free family-friendly events for
the community kick off on Friday, May 1, when the cars will be on display to
the public starting at 9:30 a.m. at the 1550 parking lot, just north of the
Santa Monica Pier. Gumball 3000 will be holding a free concert in the Arizona
block of Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade at 7 p.m., with live
performances by L.A.-based rap duo U-N-I, Cypress Hill’s DJ Muggs, and The
Cuban Brothers.  An exclusive
after-party will be held for Gumballers and VIP guests at Viceroy Santa Monica,
where the drivers will be staying during the kick-off festivities.

After an address from Santa
Monica Mayor Ken Genser, each car will be announced as they start their engines
at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 2. The drivers include a diverse cross-section of
celebrities, moguls and automotive enthusiasts, who will proudly show off their
rides as their journey begins down Ocean Avenue. Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk,
Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody, and David Hasselhoff are just some of the big
names set to take the wheel this year. The rally will be broadcast on
television and the Internet, exposing Santa Monica to an audience of over 60
million worldwide.

The Gumball 3000 Rally was
founded in 1998 by Maximillion Cooper with the aim of uniting people through
popular culture, which makes Santa Monica a fitting starting point for this
year’s coast-to-coast road trip. Santa Monica is the western end of the
legendary Route 66, and 2009 is a year to celebrate the city’s colorful
lifestyle and many of its popular icons. Road races in Santa Monica date back
to the early 20th century, and SMCVB will commemorate that history with limited
edition t-shirts that will be sold in each of the three Santa Monica Visitors
Center locations. Proceeds from the t-shirts will benefit the Santa Monica
Historical Society, which opens a new museum in Fall 2009.

Top 10 ideas for Mother’s Day in downtown Los Angeles

For this year’s Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 10), The
Downtown Center Business Improvement District has compiled the Top 10 ideas and deals that will please
any mom. For complete details and how to take advantage of these great
packages, please visit www.downtownla.com.

 

1.       Sample Downtown’s Culinary Delights, Day and Night:  Celebrate Mother’s
Day with brunch at the beautiful, outdoor Blue Ribbon Garden at the Walt Disney
Concert Hall or at the Grand Caf at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel. You can also enjoy
a special pre fix dinner at Roy‘s
Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine. The Grand Caf and Roy’s have created special
deals exclusively for the DCBID.

 

2.       Delight in Afternoon Tea: Relax in the afternoon and enjoy
this wonderful tradition of aromatic tea, delicious pastries and desserts,
finger sandwiches, and delightful conversation with your mom with exclusive
DCBID packages at the Japanese
American National
Museum
and SipTea. Treat
her with Asian inspired delectable treats and oriental tea at the Museum or
healthy, organic dishes at SipTea.


And the Millennium Biltmore Hotel is transforming its Rendezvous Court into a live garden for
this special occasion and hosting tea for that special person in your family

 

3.       Wine Tastings in the City:  Test your knowledge of colors,
flavors and smells of various wines at the San Antonio Winery, the last of the
100+ producing wineries that once lined the L.A. River Basin.
The Winery is offering an exclusive DCBID package that includes free wine
tasting, a winery tour and a Mother’s Day Menu as well as complimentary
glass of sparkling wine. 

You can also treat mom with a delicious brunch, created exclusively for DCBID,
at the new Corkbar.  Check out its wide selection of wines afterward.

 

4.       Shop Til You Drop: Make mom feel like a VIP with exclusive
DCBID offers at Tiara Caf, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Store and the
L.A. Philharmonic Store. Known as the Fashion District’s Trendiest Spot,
Tiara is the place to be to savor fashionably gourmet and healthy courses. 
Also, receive a gift certificate for a personal shopping trip with Urban
Shopping Adventures. 

End your tour of the MOCA at its store and receive a free gift or receive a 10
percent discount at the LA Phil Store by mentioning the DCBID.

 

5.       Relax and Pamper:  If your mom needs a day of
relaxation, pamper her with spa services with the DCBID exclusive “Mother’s
Day Mix-and-Match Spa Treatments” at the Hilton Checkers Spa on its sunny
roof spa or indoors at its serene spa. Mix and match different 30-minute
treatments for your mom and for yourself. If you’re planning to stay the
night, just add a room for two at a fantastic price of $149 / night, plus tax.

Check out Neihule, a sophisticated urban oasis on Olive Street, and sign up for one of
three different Mother’s Day spa packages, all exclusive to the DCBID.
While being pampered, delight in an assortment of teas and sandwiches. 

 

6.       Absorb the Arts:  If your mom enjoys live theatre
and musical acts, then surprise her with tickets to a classical concert,
“Bronfman Plays Prokofiev,” at the Walt Disney Concert Hall or snap
your fingers and tap your toes to “Ain’t Misbehavin’: The
Fats Weller Musical Show” at the Ahmanson Theatre.

 

7.        Marvel at Rare, Museum Collections:  If
your mom likes to take in some history, modern or ancient, then she can peruse
the new GRAMMY Museum, which offers an exciting and
interactive celebration of the power of music. Mention DCBID on Mother’s
Day and moms get in for FREE when accompanied by their children.

Learn about Dan Graham, a central figure in the development of contemporary art
since the 1960s, with a free Mother’s Day tour of the “Dan Graham:
Beyond” exhibit at MOCA.  Or check out the Central Library and awe at the
outstanding sketches, figure drawings and building renderings by Richard
Neutra, one of modernism’s most important architects.

 

8.       Dabble in Downtown’s Diversity:  If Mom likes
exploring and being on-the-go, then hop on a fun, nighttime bus tour of neon
signs, movie marquees and permanent installations of contemporary neon art through
Downtown and Hollywood, offered by the Museum of Neon Arts

Also, explore the rich architecture and history of the magnificent Biltmore
Hotel, which was known in its early days as the “The Host of the
Coast.” Over the years, the Biltmore played non-stop host to high
society, international political figures, movie stars and royalty.

 

9.       Pack a Picnic:  If you’re looking for
something low-key, then laze around on a grassy knoll with good conversation
and a good book at the beautiful Elysian Park, a green haven right in the
backyard of Downtown L.A.  You can also try Downtown’s Vista Hermosa
Park
, which features
walking trails, streams and picnic grounds amid native Mediterranean
vegetation.  The best part – both are free!  You can purchase a basket of
goodies for a picnic at Ralphs Fresh Fare, Bottega Louie or any of the Famima
locations in Downtown.

 

10.   Experience Downtown at Night:  For mom who wants to stay and
make a weekend of her trip to Downtown, several marquee hotels are offering
DCBID exclusives that will help you just do that, no matter what your budget. The
Wilshire Grand is offering the “Just for You Package” which
includes an Executive Jr. Suite, $50 food and beverage credit and other
amenities for just $229.  At the Millennium Biltmore, whisk your mom away for a
relaxing weekend in one of the Classic or Club Level rooms, from $239 – $289. 
If you’re treating your mom during this special holiday, then give her
and your dad quality time with each other with the “French Kiss Package
for Moms and Dads” at the Omni Hotel.  The Omni is sealing the special
getaway with champagne and French toast breakfast in bed.

Holland America adding 14-day Alaskan cruise

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Holland America
Line
is introducing a new 14-day Alaskan Adventurer
cruise itinerary in 2010 to its extensive selection of seven-day
itineraries. The Alaskan Adventurer joins the popular
Alaskan Explorer, Glacier Discovery and Glacier Bay Inside Passage itineraries.

 

Holland America’s schedule features eight ships offering 149 total departures from May 3 through
Sept. 24, 2010. The Alaskan Adventurer cruises will sail roundtrip from Seattle on flagship ms Amsterdam
and call at Anchorage,
Homer and Kodiak for the first time. Seven-day cruises will sail from Seattle,
Vancouver and Seward.

Holland America
is featuring a wide range of seven-day cruises, both roundtrip from Seattle and
Vancouver and one-way between Vancouver and Seward. As a longtime tour
operator, Holland America
continues to be awarded the most permit entries of any major cruise line to Glacier Bay, a 65-mile long fjord with spectacular
tidewater glaciers.

 

Many roundtrip Seattle cruises feature Alaska‘s
immense Hubbard Glacier in Yakutat Bay, the largest tidewater glacier in North America. Some cruises visit College Fjord with 10
large tidewater and valley glaciers named after Ivy League colleges. Others
sail by the twin Sawyer Glaciers in the narrow, 26-mile Tracy Arm fjord.

 Alaska Travel
Guides sail on board every Holland America ship in Alaska and share their knowledge of local
culture, history, art and flora and fauna with guests. In addition to the
Alaska Travel Guides, Native interpreters board the ships in Glacier
Bay
and by Hubbard Glacier to explain the origins of the Huna and
Yakutat people.

 14-day
Alaskan Adventurer Cruises

The 1,380-guest Amsterdam will homeport in Seattle to sail the 14-day
Alaskan Adventurer cruises departing roundtrip May 17 through September 6,
2010. The Amsterdam will be the first cruise
ship of a major cruise line to call in Anchorage,
providing guests with a full day and evening in Alaska‘s major city.

 The flagship will
also call at the new ports of Homer and Kodiak. Homer features a breathtaking
location at the tip of the Kenai Peninsula, the Alaska
Islands & Ocean Visitor Center
and the famous Homer Spit in Kachemak Bay. Kodiak, home of the famed
Kodiak bear, reflects both 7,500 years of native Alutiiq heritage and Russian
fur trading influence since 1792 as the first capital of Russian America.

 The Amsterdam‘s leisurely itinerary features the scenic Inside Passage, highlighted by cruising Tracy Arm fjord
with its twin Sawyer Glaciers. The ship also cruises by the Hubbard Glacier in Yakutat Bay. Ports of call include Ketchikan, Skagway, Sitka, Anchorage, Homer,
Kodiak, Juneau and Victoria, BC.

 Alaskan
Explorer Cruises

Four ships will be
home-ported in Seattle
in 2010, sailing a total of 63 seven-day Alaskan Explorer cruises roundtrip.
The Amsterdam
opens the season with two seven-day Alaskan Explorer cruises departing May 3 and 10 before shifting to the new
14-day itinerary.

 From May 9 through
September 24, the 1,432-guest ms Zaandam departs Fridays, 1,316-guest ms
Rotterdam departs Saturdays and the 1,918-guest, Vista-class ms Oosterdam
departs Sundays. The Zaandam and Rotterdam
highlight the Hubbard Glacier and
the Oosterdam showcases Glacier Bay. All
Alaskan Explorer cruises call at the historic ports of Juneau,
Sitka and Ketchikan,
plus Victoria, BC,
and feature scenic cruising of the Inside Passage and Vancouver
Island
.

 Inside Passage and Glacier Discovery Cruises

Four ships will be
home-ported in Vancouver, two of them sailing seven-day Glacier Bay Inside
Passage cruises roundtrip. The 1,432-guest Volendam (Wednesday departures) and
1,916-guest Zuiderdam (Saturday departures) sail 39 voyages from May 8 through
September 18. They visit Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, Glacier Bay National Park and Tracy Arm fjord.

 The 1,270-guest ms
Ryndam and the 1,258-guest ms Statendam will offer two more sailings of the Inside Passage–with port and glacier
variations–September 12 and 19 to conclude the season.

 The Ryndam and
Statendam also sail 36 seven-day Glacier Discovery cruises between Vancouver
and Seward and reverse with Sunday departures May 9 through September 12. From Vancouver, the northbound itinerary features Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay
National Park and College Fjord in Prince William Sound. The southbound route from Seward
calls at Haines in place of Skagway.

 The Glacier
Discovery and Glacier Bay Inside Passage cruises are often combined with a land
tour to create a comprehensive CruiseTour.  A diverse selection of 31
CruiseTours from 11 to 20 days may include visits to Denali
National Park, Fairbanks,
the Kenai Peninsula, the Arctic and the Yukon
Territory
. Many CruiseTours offer two-days at
Denali–“Double Denali”–to maximize wildlife and Mt. McKinley
viewing.

 2010 Alaska Cruises & CruiseTours Brochure
Now Available
  

Cruise-only fares start at US $849, per person,
double occupancy for a seven-day cruise and $2,099 for a 14-day sailing. 
For a copy of the 2010 Alaska Cruises & CruiseTours brochure,
contact a professional travel agent, call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (1-877-724-5425) or
visit
www.hollandamerica.com.

Railtown opens restoration shop to tours

By popular
demand, the restoration shop tours at Railtown 1897 State Historic
Park
have been extended. On
three upcoming Wednesdays — April 15, May 13, and June 10 — Railtown
1897 State Historic Park will offer special, behind-the-scenes viewing
opportunities for visitors to see the restoration progress of Sierra No. 3,
known as the “Movie Star” steam locomotive for its many appearances
in motion pictures and television shows.

As part of the
special viewings, Railtown staff will present a 90-minute program which will also
include a shop tour for visitors. Cost for the tours is $5, and reservations
may be made by calling 209-984-3953.

Tours
will consist of
an overview of the project to date followed by a tour of the Tri Dam shop where
much of the work is currently taking place.  Restoration staff, utilizing
a combination of historic and modern methods, is restoring this historic
locomotive.

Built by the Rogers Locomotive Works in New
Jersey
in 1891, the Sierra No. 3 spent the early years of its life
in Arizona, and was brought to Jamestown in 1897, where
it saw over a century of use on the short line, hauling ore, lumber, marble and
other goods out of the foothills. 

With the advent of diesels in the
middle of the 20th century, many steam locomotives were destroyed
for scrap, but Sierra No. 3 found a new career in the movie industry, appearing
in more than 100 films and television shows over the years. 

Last December, the Sierra No. 3’s boiler was sent to Washington State to be used as a pattern for a new
boiler fabricated by Chelatchtie Boiler Works, a major step in the restoration
process.  This work is being funded by a California Cultural and
Historical Endowment grant, the Sonora Area Foundation, the Irving J. Symons
Foundation, the California State Railroad Museum Foundation and others.

The popular Sierra No. 3 locomotive is expected to return
to operation at Railtown1897 SHP in 2010.


Fly to Monterey beginning May 3

May 3 marks the inaugural flights of Allegiant Air, LLC,
to Monterey Peninsula Airport from Los Angeles
international airport. This new service is the first offered between these two markets; with Allegiant offering introductory one-way fares as low as $39.

Allegiant Air will
operate three flights weekly, departing Los Angeles on
Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Total flight time is approximately one
hour and 15 minutes. For reservations, call  702.505.8888;
or see their web site at
www.allegiantair.com

The May 3 launch coincides with Monterey Convention and Visitors Bureau’s new “Smile Recovery” packages, available through May 31.
More than 150 deals are available, including great rates at seaside inns, up to 30 percent off lodging at world
class resorts, golf bargains and savings at local
restaurants. Check out www.SeeMonterey.com/deals.

San Francisco offers an ‘Escape to the City’

The San Francisco Convention
& Visitors Bureau is developing a new program to encourage visitors to “Escape to the City.” 
A micro site on San Francisco’s official Web site, http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/escape/,
provides visitors with suggested itineraries and value-added incentives to plan
their own perfect “escape.”

 

“Now more than ever, it’s important that people make and take the time to
get away.  And with so much to
explore in San Francisco, both visitors and locals will find something new every
time,”
said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

 

The “Escape to the City”
micro site lists “American Express Exclusive Offers – Only in San Francisco”
from San Francisco retailers, hotels, restaurants and attractions valid through
Dec. 31, 2009.  In addition, the
“Get 3 Nights for 2” lodging promotion, which runs through June 30, 2009, offers
three hotel nights for the price of two when reserved with any American Express
Card and booked on www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/offers. American Express is
the Official Card Partner of the SFCVB.

 

The “Escape to the City” site also
includes:

 

  • San Francisco hotel
    packages and online reservations;
  • Suggested itineraries
    from local personalities and other San Francisco
    “celebrities;”
  • “Blog & Win” for
    visitors to share their favorite ways to “Escape to the City” and be eligible
    to win “Only in San Francisco” prizes;
  • A list of “Only in San
    Francisco” exhibitions and attractions, including “Wicked,” King Tut, Georgia
    O’Keefe, Ansel Adams, and others;
  • “San Francisco After
    Dark” – providing night owls with an excuse to book an overnight hotel
    stay;
  • Information on featured
    special events and a link to the SFCVB’s comprehensive Calendar of
    Events;
  • “Free & Easy” – a
    list of museum special admission days and free activities throughout San
    Francisco;
  • “Getting There &
    Getting Around” – transportation information to and around San
    Francisco;
  • “Diverse City
    Destinations” – tour itineraries celebrating San Francisco’s diverse
    communities;
  • In-depth information on
    the city’s 15 main neighborhoods, including what to see and
    do;
  • Audio walking tours
    created by students at San Francisco’s Galileo High
    School;
  • “Today in San Francisco”
    – a compendium of traditions, history, facts and
    ideas

Dream Machines at Half Moon Bay

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There’s
nothing like the Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show — Half
Moon Bay’s massive celebration of mechanical ingenuity, power and
style. It’s a whimsical, fascinating, amusing, curious and
absolutely unique show and tell spectacle featuring 2,000 magnificent
driving, flying and working machines from the 20th and 21st centuries.

 The world’s coolest cars of every era and style, model-T fire engines,
vintage buses, custom motorcycles, tricked out trucks, sleek
streamliners, one-of-a-kind antique engines and tractors and historic
military aircraft will be among the mesmerizing displays.

 The 19th
annual show takes place on Sunday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. at Half Moon Bay Airport, located in the picturesque
seaside town of Half Moon Bay about 20 miles south of San
Francisco. The show benefits the Coastside Adult Day Health
Center.


Headline attractions include one-of-a-lifetime rides on the world’s
largest Zeppelin Airship “Eureka”, a super-gnarly Monster Truck
freestyle exhibition with Tony Canedo’s “Play’n For Keeps”
crushing cars, doing jumps, catching massive air and making big noise

A special “Green Machines” display of advanced
technology/alternative fuel vehicles; the Blastolene Brothers extreme,
mega-modified machines; ace aerobatics pilot Eddie Andreini doing
fly-overs in his YAK-9 Russian fighter jet; “World Record
Wonderland” featuring current and former land speed record holders
including the lightning fast, super sleek BuddFab motorcycle
streamliner and the legendary Jack Costella’s series of Nebulous
Theorem Bonneville streamliners; and a special display celebrating the
50th Anniversary of the former Half Moon Bay Drag Strip featuring a
replica of the late Jim McLennan’s Champion Speed Shop world record
slingshot dragster and rare photos with appearances by his son, Bob
McLennan, and Andy “The Rodfather” Brizio, the original starter at
the Drag Strip which started 50 years ago, in 1959, at Half Moon Bay
Airport.

Proud owners show up in cars that come in all shapes, colors and
sizes. Spectators will get a rare up-close look at antique horseless
carriages and Ford Model T’s, fanciful touring and luxury cars,
powerful sports cars, custom cars and street rods, muscle cars,
vintage and modern era high-performance race cars, quirky art and
pedal cars, modified street machines with cutting edge styles, exotic
high-performance cars, stylish European cars, ultra cool low-riders,
sporty compacts, modified imports with flashy graphics, fashionable
hip-hop urban show cars, homebuilt kit cars, super-charged turbo cars
and trucks, “green” technology/alternative fuel vehicles,
streamliners, dragsters, funny cars, gassers, and jet
cars. 

Hundreds of aviation wonders are expected
to be on display — stylish homebuilts, classics from the 40’s and
50’s, exceptional vintage warbirds, and sport and ultralight aircraft.
See a spectacular display of meticulously restored military marvels
including the Southern California Commemorative Air Force’s Japanese
A6M Zero fighter and Grumman F6-F Hellcat along with an impressive
array of  P-51 Mustangs, Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk, Hawker Seafury
British Fighter, T-33, T-6 and T-28 military trainers, and YAK-9
Russian fighters. Many will be doing spine-tingling fly-overs during
the show.

Thrilling rides will be offered in everything from
helicopters and vintage bi-planes to the Zeppelin Airship and a T-6
military training jet — rides range from $40-$300.


The most curious and fascinating displays are the large and small
engines collected and refurbished by members of the Early Days Gas
Engine & Tractor Association. Their amazing array of flywheel
engines are enough to power antique washing machines, lawn mowers, and
an entire a Lilliputian factory.

On the larger side are several pieces
from Roots of Motive Power’s collection of restored logging equipment
like spool donkeys and Buffalo Springfield steamrollers.

Rounding out the activities will be radical
Unicycle Dirt Drag Racing, amusements for kids, food, and live music
headlined by the “King of Dieselbilly” Bill Kirchen.

Spectator
admission is $20 for adults, $10 for age 11-17 and 65+, and free for
kids age 10 and under. Tickets are available at the gate only. Half
Moon Bay Airport (9850 N. Cabrillo Highway) is located on Highway 1,
about 20 miles south of San Francisco and 5 miles north of Highway
92.

 For information, call 650-726-2328 or check out
http://www.miramarevents.com/

Emerald Bay replacing pier

California State Parks
announced today that the Boat-in Campground within Emerald Bay
State Park
will have its
pier replaced this summer.  The work is scheduled to begin in May and is
expected to extend through mid summer. The campground will be closed during
construction for public safety purposes.

“The new
pier will be a very positive change for boaters,” said Pam Armas, Sierra
District Superintendent.  “They will be rewarded with a modern structure that
meets standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.” 

The new structure
is designed to accommodate more boats at one time for quicker offloading of
camping equipment. The pier will also berth the Ranger Patrol Boat, allowing
for more rapid response to critical incidents in the Emerald Bay
area.

Once the pier
construction is complete, the campground will re-open on a first-come-first-served
basis for the duration of the summer and will be back on the reservation system
next year. 

“We know the
campground closure is disappointing, but this work can only be done during
moderate weather. We believe the upgrade will be worth the wait” Armas
said.

Farmers Market an event in San Luis Obispo

Since 1983 downtown San Luis Obispo comes alive on Thursday night with their weekly Farmers Market.  But it is more than a farmer’s market.  It is an event.  It is a happening.  It
is a gathering spot for residents, college students and visitors alike.

Open from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Thursday, except for Thanksgiving, San Luis Obispo‘s
year round Farmers Market features farmers selling fresh, locally grown
produce, food vendors, arts and crafts, informational booths, and
entertainment. 

The market occupies six blocks on Higuera Street, between Osos and Nipomo Streets, with many of the shops, pubs and restaurants on both sides of the street open too. 

The
mouth-watering array of food offerings are a Food Network producer’s
dream – barbecue ribs, chicken and sausages, pizza, vegan food, slow
roasted corn-on-the-cob, crepes, tamales, churros, strawberry desserts,
and hummus. 

Entertainment ranges from local dance groups, live bands, solo artists, climbing wall, and bounce house.
The
Farmers Market is also a popular venue for special annual events such
as Fire Prevention Night, Law Enforcement Night, Mother’s Day Flower
Give-a-Way, Downtown Brown’s Birthday, Halloween Events, and The Great
Pumpkin contest. 

Held quarterly, the Main Stage
Entertainment showcases a live band with a concert-style stage,
professional sound and lighting system, with the next concert scheduled
April 2.  Also, mark your calendar for the 24th Annual Rib Cook-Off on April 23.  This
year’s event is a tribute to the late Larry Kowalski of Mo’s Smokehouse
BBQ, one of the original barbecue vendors at the Farmers Market.

For more information about San Luis Obispo‘s Thursday Night Farmers Market, visit www.downtownslo.com.  To help plan a getaway to San Luis Obispo County, California‘s Natural Escape, call the San Luis Obispo County Visitors & Conference Bureau at 1-800-634-1414 or visit www.SanLuisObispoCounty.com.