Part I: Introducing California in VS .NET

Painting Data Matrix 2d barcode in VS .NET Part I: Introducing California

second-largest city park in the country, after the Big Apple s Central Park) and the metro area s youngest theme-park addition, LEGOLAND, which opened in 1999

Unlike the other destinations in this book which are generally most popular in summer and largely pleasant to visit year-round California s desert is most fun to visit in any season except summer, when the scorching heat can be a bit much to bear Still, some people enjoy summer in the desert, when prices are low and crowds are minimal (just pack your sunscreen SPF 30 or higher, preferably) The Palm Springs area (see 26) is the place to go for desert cool This is the manicured side of the desert, where streets bear names such as Frank Sinatra Drive, and golf greens, swimming pools, spa treatments, and martinis rule the day What s more, easy access to unspoiled nature makes Palm Springs appealing even to those who couldn t care less about the prefabricated glamour or retro-groovy stuff

You gain no particular advantage by starting at one end of the state over the other, so don t worry about it Just head north or south based on what s most convenient, appealing, and/or cost-efficient for you Following are some tips to help you map out your travel strategy For suggested itineraries that we ve mapped out for you, see 4 Embrace the hugeness of California You ll drive a lot moving from one destination to another, so factor that in when plotting your strategy If you re the road-trip type, planning an ambitious itinerary is fine But if getting to really know a place is important to you, you ll want to make plans to settle in for a few days Or if spending too much time in the car with the kids is more like a chore than a vacation, plan accordingly for that, too If you have only one week, limit yourself to no more than three destinations If you don t limit yourself, you ll suffer from the If it s Tuesday, it must be Big Sur syndrome If, for example, you re touring Southern California, start with two days in San Diego, then two days in Disneyland, and wrap it up with three days in LA Consider flying in to one airport and leaving from another The time saved by flying into LA and leaving from San Francisco, say, or flying into San Jose and departing from Palm Springs, may be worth the extra airline charges and/or rental-car drop-off charges What s more, depending on your points of arrival and departure, you may not even incur extra fees Consider a couple of options and price them out with the airlines and car companies (or put your travel agent to work) before you decide

Consider your drive part of the adventure You can either drive straight through without stopping or take a leisurely meander off the beaten path it depends on how adventurous you are and how much unassigned time you have California is a gorgeous state, with lots to admire along just about any route you take Be sure to make time for unplanned stops and serendipitous side trips Don t try to cram too many activities into a day when you ll be making a long drive Driving long distances can really sap your energy Estimated drive times in this book don t include rest stops, unforeseen traffic, or detours; unfortunately, traffic is only getting worse, especially in LA, one of the most congested cities in the country If you have time and energy to do more than drive and check into your new hotel on big drive days, consider it a gimme; use the time to relax (After all, this is a vacation, remember ) Avoid ending up at a super-popular weekend destination on the weekends Restful destinations such as Napa Valley, Mendocino, Carmel, Hearst Castle, Solvang, and Santa Barbara become human zoos when urban dwellers escape the city for the weekend Many also require two-night minimums over the weekend, which can throw a monkey wrench in your plans Try, instead, to schedule your city visits over the weekends and your retreat destinations during the week