Flying Fish Festival set in Catalina this weekend

Catalina Island’s famous flying fish are coming back, and in celebration, Catalina is holding the 5th Annual Flying Fish Festival, May 31 – June 3 a four day festival of family fun.  Visitors will find it easy to get to the Island aboard Catalina Express (800-429-4601) on any of its regularly scheduled boats, and for overnight accommodations, Hotel Villa Portofino – Hotel Villa Portofino (888) 510-0555 – is close to all of the Flying Fish Festival events.

 

From
May to September, Catalina Island welcomes the famed flying fish. This
spectacular fish soars out of the water at heights of up to 30 feet and
glides for distances as long as 14 mile. The flying fish visits the
Island for only a few months a year and is in its best form at night
when lured with lights. It is only fitting that Catalina celebrates
their arrival by honoring them as special guests with a four-day weekend
of festivities.

 

The
Flying Fish Festival kicks off Thursday, May 31st, with the Avalon
Taste Around. It’s a chance to explore some of Avalon’s finest eateries
and taste their most delectable menu items – all in one night!
Activities are plentiful throughout the rest of the weekend as the
events and entertainment roll out to celebrate the fantastic flying
fish. 

 

Flying Fish Festival highlights include evening Flying Fish Boat Tours aboard the Blanche W,
a 98-passenger solid wood vessel built in 1924, originally made for the
flying fish tours. Other weekend events include a professional sand
sculpture creation, free musical and theatrical entertainment, a boat
building competition on the beach, live touch tanks, kids Fishing Derby,
various flying fish and ocean craft activities for kids, nature talks, a
beer garden, Gil, the Flying Fish and Much More!   For a schedule of activities, please go to 
www.flyingfishfestival.com.

Win a trip to Sweden in Volvo contest

VisitSweden has launched the www.CarPlusVacation.com campaign website and
sweepstakes offering two lucky people the chance to win the road trip
of a lifetime and the opportunity to drive a Volvo through West Sweden
and South Sweden (Skane).

It offers visitors a chance to win a one week trip for two to West Sweden and Skane,
complete with flights provided by SAS Scandinavian Airlines,
accommodation, restaurant meals, activities and a car to use during the
trip, courtesy of Volvo.

To enter, visit www.CarPlusVacation.com and create your own vacation itinerary to West Sweden and Skane. Choose from a selection of adventures, attractions, restaurants and hotels, then add your selections to the interactive trip planner, share your itinerary with your friends, and submit to be entered in the sweepstakes.

To enter, visit www.CarPlusVacation.com through August 15, 2012.

Ski, bike and golf at Mammoth Mountain for $99 this Memorial Day

Mammoth Mountain will be one of the only resorts open for skiing
and riding in the country this Memorial Day Weekend, but that’s not
new.  They’re opening all of our
summer activities– mountain biking, golfing, climbing wall
and kids zipline– on the same weekend!

 

SKI + BIKE TICKET  $79

Test your skills as a true alpine aficionado with as much
skiing, snowboarding, and mountain biking as you can fit into one
day!

SKI + GOLF TICKET  $79

For a true transition from skiing spring slush into summer, play
9 holes on the verdant green fairways of Sierra Star after your
turns.

SKI + BIKE + GOLF TICKET  $99

The ultimate challenge for the outdoor enthusiast this Memorial
Day, get a taste of it all– 9 holes at Sierra Star, and
unlimited skiing, snowboarding, and mountain biking.

 

BONUS! BOOK ANY OF THESE TICKETS THROUGH 800.MAMMOTH
AND GET 25% OFF YOUR STAY AT JUNIPER SPRINGS RESORT, THE VILLAGE
LODGE AND MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN INN.

 

Memorial Day Operations

Skiing + Riding

      Get your final turns of the
season in! Mammoth will offer lift access out of Main Lodge from
7:30am-2pm through Monday, May 28.

Mammoth Mountain Bike Park

      The Bike Park will open the
lower-mountain trails on Saturday, May 26. These trails will be
serviced by the Bike Park’s uphill shuttle from The Village to Main
Lodge. The shuttle will run from 9am-5:30pm and value season
tickets for adults will be $35. Tickets, rentals, and repairs can
all be found at the Main Lodge Adventure Center.

Adventure Center

     Take a scenic gondola ride to the Top
of California! Scenic rides will run from 7:30am-5pm during the
Memorial Day Weekend.

     The Adventure Center is also home to
our Climbing Wall and Kids Zipline, which opens on May 26.

Sierra Star Golf Course

     Sierra Star opens for golf on May 18.
The tee boxes, fairways, and greens are all in great shape and the
championship course is just begging you to get in some early-season
rounds!

 

Mammoth is also hosting our annual Memorial Day Madness on the
Main Lodge Sundeck and at the all-new Yodler BierGarten, check out
the events page for the full itinerary, including
the Luau Pig Roast and beer tastings!

Online reservations systems opens for USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii

Planning a trip to the USS Arizona Memorial
on Oahu is now easier with the introduction of a new advance online
reservations system. For $1.50 each, tickets can be purchased up to
three months in advance for as many as 65 people in a group via Recreation.gov
or by calling 1-877-444-6777.

Complimentary tickets are still available
for same day walk-in guests at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. Another
new ticket option is the Passport to Pearl Harbor, a
one stop deal for visitors looking to get the entire Pearl Harbor
experience for one low price.

The ‘Passport’ provides access to all
primary Pearl Harbor historic sites for $55 per adult and $30 per child.
For just $10 more, the Passport holders can upgrade to a Two Day Pass that allows them to return to Pearl Harbor within seven days of their initial visit. For more information, visit NPS.gov.

Moms and mimosas offered in downtown L.A. restaurants

This
Mother’s Day, give mom an experience she will never forget. Celebrate her with
an amazing brunch at one of the hottest restaurants in Downtown L.A.

With so
many top restaurants in Downtown, finding the right one can be overwhelming.
Luckily, the
Downtown Center Business
Improvement District

(team behind DowntownLA.com) has made it easy by curating a list of select
restaurants with exclusive deals, such as complimentary “Momosas.”

Downtown is
considered as the hotspot for the best restaurants in the region, and “Moms and
Mimosas” lets you choose from the best, featuring Border Grill, Chaya Downtown
and Grand Cafe. Let Mom enjoy her day as she sits back, relaxes, sips on
mimosas and samples the best food Los Angeles has to offer.

 For more details and to take
advantage of these delicious deals, please visit
DowntownLA.com/MothersDay.