Summer Vacation Hotspots: California

 Summer Vacation Hotspots: California

Planning a summer vacation and considering California as a potential destination? Going to California this summer but not sure what is there to see or do? Here is a mini-guide to some of the activities you can do there along with a few dining and shopping options.

Shopping:

Ye Olde Kings Head Shoppe is located in Santa Monica, California. It is a great place to check out if you love British culture. Some merchandise you may find in here includes teacups, teapots, coffee mugs, shirts, books, hats, teddy bears, bobbleheads, flags and postcards.

Santa Monica Place is also located in Santa Monica, California. There are many great shops located here. Some shops you will see here include Bath & Body Works, Louis Vuitton, Coach, Free People, Forever 21, Nike, Nordstrom, Tory Burch and Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle.

Rodeo Drive is located in Beverly Hills, California. It is a great place to shop if you are looking for luxury items. There are many designer stores there to shop at including Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta, Carolina Herrera, Cartier, Burberry, Fendi, Gucci, Mikimoto, Jimmy Choo, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo, Rolex, Versace, Valentino and Stuart Weitzman.

The Japanese Village Plaza is located in Los Angeles, California. It is a great place to check out if you love Japanese culture. Some shops you will discover here include Sanrio, Japangeles, Monkey Pants, Blooming Art and Make Asobi.

The Grove is also located in Los Angeles, California. You can find lots of stores here to shop at. Some shops located here include Barnes & Noble, Aritzia, Banana Republic, Gap, Michael Kors, Vans, Ray-Ban, Charlotte Tilbury, Sephora and Vince.

Westfield Fashion Square may look a bit familiar if you have ever seen the film, Clueless as it was a filming location for the popular 90’s film starring Alicia Silverstone. Westfield Fashion Square is located in Sherman Oaks, California. Some stores you will find here include Bloomingdale’s, Windsor, Victoria’s Secret, Aerie, Claire’s, Clarks, Express, Foot Locker, Macy’s, Old Navy, Maidenform, Skechers and Steve Madden.

Food & Dining:

Cowgirls Café is located in Santa Ana, California. This is a great restaurant to grab breakfast or lunch at. Some of their menu choices include Eggs Benedict, French Toast, Huevos Rancheros, Chicken Alfredo Pasta, Spaghetti With Meatballs, Fried Mozzarella Sticks and Country Fried Steak.

Hello Kitty Café is located in Irvine, California. This is a great place for Hello Kitty fans to grab a sweet treat. Some of their menu choices include Hot Chocolate, Lemonade, Strawberry Cake, Mixed Berry Pocket Pie, Rainbow Mini Donuts, Cinnamon Sugar Mini Donuts, a Sugar Cookie and a Strawberry Dream Smoothie.

Parlor Doughnuts is located in Oceanside, California. This is a great place to try out if you’re craving some delicious doughnuts. Some of their doughnut selections include Dreamsicle, Strawberry Shortcake, Peanut Butter Cup, French Toast and Blueberry Hill.

Leucadia Pizzeria is located in Scripps Ranch, California. If you are craving some great pizza or pasta, this restaurant is an excellent choice. Some of their menu items include Lobster Mac & Cheese, Cheese Ravioli, Cheesy Lasagna, Fettucine Alfredo With Chicken, Fettucine Alfredo With Shrimp, Tomato Basil Pasta, Tiramisu and White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake.

Hodad’s is a popular restaurant located in Ocean Beach, California. This is a great place to grab some food before or after a trip to the beach. Some of their menu selections include a Double Bacon Cheeseburger, Double Bacon Hamburger, Veggie Burger, Chicken Tenders, Chocolate Malt, Neapolitan Shake, Strawberry Malt and Vanilla Malt.

Taco Libre is located in Pasadena, California. If you are craving burritos or tacos, this is a wonderful choice. Some of their menu selections include a Bean & Cheese Burrito, Shrimp Burrito, Shrimp Taco, Quesadilla and Churros.

In-N-Out Burger is a popular restaurant chain located throughout California. Some locations include Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Pasadena, Oceanside, Fresno, Anaheim, Buena Park, Glendale, Burbank, Irvine, Santa Ana, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Torrance, Compton, Orange, Sherman Oaks and Hollywood. Some of their menu selections include Animal Style Fries and Animal Style Burgers.

Monty’s Good Burger is another popular burger restaurant in California that is 100% plant-based. Some locations include Riverside, Los Angeles and Culver City. Some of their menu items include Chicken Tenders, Charlie’s Chicken Sandwich, The Impossible Davey Dog, The Deluxe Grilled Cheese, Dog Pile Tater Tots, Shoestring Fries, Rico’s Sugar Cookie, Max’s Chocolate Chip Cookie and Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade.

Another well-known restaurant is Original Tommy’s. Some of their California locations include City Of Industry, Burbank, Long Beach, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Ventura, Valencia, Riverside and Van Nuys. Some of their menu choices include their Double Chili Cheeseburger, Triple Chili Cheeseburger, California Classic, Caliente Chili Burger, Chili Tamale, Chili Cheese Dog, Breakfast Burrito, Chili Cheese Fries and Quarter-Pound Chili Cheeseburger.

The Farmer’s Market is located in Los Angeles, California nearby The Grove. It has been historically known to have seen many celebrity sightings including Shirley Temple, Ava Gardner, Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe. Many restaurants are located here including Bob’s Coffee And Doughnuts, Bennett’s Ice Cream, Du-par’s Pie Shop, Bryan’s Pit Barbecue, The French Crepes, The Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf, China Depot, Pasta Corner, Phil’s Deli & Grill, Hoki Sushi and Nonna’s Empanadas.

Ye Olde Kings Head also has a restaurant right next to their shoppe in Santa Monica, California. It is a wonderful place to enjoy British cuisine and you can even have Afternoon Tea here. Some of their menu choices include their Mini Brit Burgers, Potato Samosas, Warm Scotch Egg, Chicken Quesadillas, Cheese Quesadillas, Sausage Rolls, Sweet Potato Fries, Queen Size English Breakfast, Beans On Toast, Vegetarian Breakfast, Eggs On Toast, British Omelette, British Burrito, King Size English Breakfast, Sauteed Mushrooms, Grilled Tomatoes, Fish & Chips, Steak & Chips, Bangers & Mash, Cornish Pastie, Shepherd’s Pie, Buffalo Chicken Wrap, Rhubarb Crumble and Sticky Toffee Pudding.

DK’S Doughnuts & Bakery is located in Santa Monica, California. It is a family-owned bakery and is open 24/7. Some of their menu items include their Apple Fritter, Apple Bear Claw, Blueberry Cake, Chocolate Cinnamon Roll, Chocolate French Cruller, Cinnamon Churro, Chocolate Twist Bar, Cinnamon Crumb Cake, Cinnamon Sugar Twist, Glazed Donut Holes, Maple French Cruller, Maple Cake, Peanut Butter Puff, Nutella Churro, Pink Sprinkle Cake, Princess Donut, Red Velvet Chocolate Donut, Toasted Coconut Cake, Original Ube Cake, Unicorn Donut, Vanilla Sprinkle Cake, Vanilla French Cruller, Banana Nut Muffin, Blueberry Muffin, Raisin Roll and Almond Bear Claw.

Soda Jerks is an ice cream shop located in Santa Monica, California. This is a great place to enjoy a frosty treat if you are spending a day at the beach. Some of their menu choices include their Chocolate Egg Creams, Route 66 Banana Split, Will Rogers Hot Fudge Brownie, Vanderbilt Cup S’mores Sundae, Charles Looff Banana Royale and White Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is located in Santa Monica, California. There is also a location at Universal Studios in Universal City, California. If you are a fan of the film, Forrest Gump, you will see many references to the film at this restaurant. Some selections on their menu include Shrimp Shack Mac & Cheese, Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail, Jambalaya, Dixie Style Baby Back Ribs, Alabama Chicken Linguine, Texas Chicken Sandwich, Crab & Shrimp Rolls, All-American Cheeseburger, Key Lime Pie, Strawberry Shortcake, Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae, Shrimp Po Boy, Grilled Shrimp Skewer and Seafood Hush Pups.

Barney’s Beanery is a well-known restaurant located in Santa Monica, California. Many celebrities have dined at this restaurant throughout history including Janis Joplin, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Clara Bow, Errol Flynn, Clark Gable and Rita Hayworth. Some items on their menu include Mac & Cheese Wedges, Classic Chili, Barney’s Sliders, Mozzarella Sticks, Fireman’s Chili, 3 Bean Chili, Turkey Chili, Pretzel Sticks, Irish Nachos, Chili Cheese Fries, Bacon Avocado Burger, Route 66 Pizza, Cali Burger, L.A. Style Hot Dog and Pepperoni Calzone.

Activities:

Chinatown is located in San Francisco, California. It is home to many dim sum restaurants, bakeries, karaoke bars and souvenir shops. There is even a fortune cookie factory located here known as the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory which famous chefs, Gordon Ramsay and Martin Yan have both visited. Other notable figures who have visited the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory include NBA Basketball Players, Klay Thompson, MarJon Beauchamp and Luka Garza. Chinatown is a great place to get in some exercise through walking and is a wonderful area to sightsee. The beautiful Dragon Gate located at the entrance to Chinatown is also a great place for a photo-op.

Another fun activity you can enjoy in San Francisco, California is Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum. This is a fun place for photo-ops. Some of the wax figures that have been showcased here throughout the years include Selena Gomez, Groot, E.T., Robin Williams, Johnny Depp, Taylor Swift, Marilyn Monroe, Steve McQueen, George Clooney, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Harvey Milk, Carlos Santana, Barack Obama, Al Capone, Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Bill Gates, Stephen Curry, Jennifer Aniston, Nicolas Cage, Morgan Freeman, Babe Ruth, Serena Williams, Tiger Woods, Joe Montana, Muhammad Ali, Rihanna, Madonna, Elvis Presley, Alfred Hitchcock, Bob Marley and Whoopi Goldberg.

Another enjoyable activity you can do in San Francisco, California is the Walt Disney Family Museum. Here you can see all kinds of original sketches from Walt Disney of his beloved cartoon character, Mickey Mouse along with sketches of Grumpy, Snow White and Doc from Disney’s first full-length animated feature film, Snow White And The Seven Dwarves. You can also see some of Walt Disney’s original furnishings from his Disneyland apartment there.

The Santa Ana Zoo is located in Santa Ana, California. This is a great and educational activity for families to enjoy together. Some of the Santa Ana Zoo’s animals include a miniature donkey, boa constrictor, crested porcupine, giant anteater, bald eagle, ring-tailed lemur, blue crowned pigeon, mallard duck, spectacled owl, crested capuchin, dromedary camel, sun parakeet and two-toed sloth. The zoo also has a ferris wheel, playground and carousel.

The California Surf Museum is located in Oceanside, California. Here you can see a historic display of boogie boards and surfboards including ones used by professional surfers. There is also an exhibit about professional surfer, Bethany Hamilton.

The Historic Site Of The Original McDonald’s is located in San Bernardino, California. This museum displays all sorts of McDonald’s memorabilia including old Happy Meal toys. There is even a Ronald McDonald statue where you can take a photo-op.

Ever wanted to learn more about how Hollywood films and television shows are produced? Maybe you have always wanted to know what it’s like to be on a studio lot where movies, commercials, music videos and television shows are filmed? There are several studios in California where you are able to do this and you may even catch a celebrity sighting.

Paramount Studios is located in Los Angeles, California and offers studio tours. Some shows produced on the Paramount Studios lot include Grace And Frankie, Girlfriends, Moesha, Charmed, Laverne & Shirley, Taxi, Cheers, Becker, The Brady Bunch, This Is Us, Dr. Phil, Frasier and The Rookie. Some movies that were produced on the Paramount Studios lot include Sunset Boulevard, Rear Window, The Country Girl, White Christmas, Breakfast At Tiffany’s and The Ten Commandments.

Sony Pictures Studios, formerly MGM Studios, is located in Culver City, California and also offers studio tours. Some films produced at this studio include The Wizard Of Oz, Oz The Great And Powerful, Iron Man 2 and Spider-Man 3. Some shows produced at this studio include Jeopardy and Wheel Of Fortune.

The Warner Bros. Studio is located in Burbank, California and also offers studio tours. Some films produced at this studio include A Little Princess, Batman Forever, Casablanca, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, The Goonies, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Wild Wild West and Miss Congeniality 2: Armed And Dangerous. Some shows produced at this studio include Hart Of Dixie, The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, Friends, The Waltons, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Gilmore Girls, Two And A Half Men, Everybody Loves Raymond, The West Wing and Pretty Little Liars.

Universal Studios Hollywood is a theme park located in Universal City, California. Here you can meet a variety of characters including Megatron, Optimus Prime, Betty Boop, Hello Kitty, Homer Simpson, Beetlejuice, Princess Peach, Princess Fiona, Shrek and Bart Simpson. You can also enjoy themed rides from The Simpsons, Harry Potter, Super Mario Bros. and Transformers.

You can also go on a guided tour of the Universal Studios Frontlot and Backlot. Some films that were produced there include Snow White And The Huntsman, The Muppets, Norbit, Raising Helen, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Bruce Almighty, 2 Fast 2 Furious, The Scorpion King, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, The Fast And The Furious, Man On The Moon, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, Jingle All The Way, Casper, The Flintstones, My Girl 2, Sweet Charity and Frankenstein. Some shows that were produced there include Lopez vs. Lopez, Bel Air, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Superstore, Desperate Housewives, So Little Time, Hollywood Squares, The Steve Harvey Show, Martin and The Munsters.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is located in San Diego, California. This is another great and educational family-friendly activity. Some of the San Diego Zoo’s animals include Antelope, African Rhinos, Camels, Crowned Cranes, Cheetahs, Flamingos, Egyptian Vultures, Elephants, Gorillas, Giraffes, Lions, Kangaroos, Pelicans, Pink Pigeons, Platypus, Pheasants and Red River Hogs.

The Comic-Con Museum is located in San Diego, California. This can be a fun activity for anyone who enjoys comic books and pop culture. This museum has even had exhibits showcasing Spider-Man and Betty Boop throughout its history.

The Hollywood Museum is located in Los Angeles, California. This can be a fun activity for anyone who is a fan of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Throughout its history, this museum has showcased exhibits about Marilyn Monroe, Jean Harlow, Bob Hope, Annette Funicello, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson, Loretta Young and Marlene Dietrich.

Ocean Beach is located in San Diego, California. It is a great beach to surf at or swim at. Additionally, you can also come here and read a good book while sunbathing. There is also a dog beach located here if you want to have fun in the sun with your pet dog.

Venice Beach is another beautiful California beach that you can spend the day at.  Located in Los Angeles, California, this beach may look familiar if you have seen the movie, Barbie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as this beach was a filming location for the movie. In addition to there being many street performers, fortune tellers, small shops and food vendors, there is also a skate park located here if you wish to skateboard.

Santa Monica Beach is located in Santa Monica, California. This beach, which includes a pier, has many various attractions including amusement rides, street performers and small shops. Additionally, this is a wonderful beach to swim and surf at.

Medieval Times Dinner And Tournament is located in Buena Park, California. This family-friendly experience set in Medieval Spain involves dinner and a jousting show in which several knights battle each other to determine who will be the sole victor to protect the Queen’s throne. You can even take part in a knighting ceremony prior to the show if you wish to do so.

Disneyland is located in Anaheim, California. This amusement park features many Disney characters that you can meet including Lady Tremaine, The Evil Queen, Peter Pan, Snow White, Rapunzel, Gaston, Belle, Princess Tiana, Tinker Bell, The Mad Hatter, Flynn Rider, Maleficent, Goofy, Aurora, Ariel and Cinderella. You can also find Star Wars characters such as Kylo Ren, Chewbacca and Stormtroopers at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Additionally, there are lots of fun parades, rides and attractions throughout Disneyland including Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Alice In Wonderland, Peter Pan’s Flight, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Dumbo The Flying Elephant, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Jungle Cruise, Mad Tea Party, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Mark Twain Riverboat, Pirates Of The Caribbean, Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, Space Mountain and Snow White’s Enchanted Wish.

Finally, the California Wolf Center is located in Julian, California. This family-friendly experience explains the importance of wild wolf conservation. All tours are one hour in length and provide educational information about the natural behavior of wolves. You will get to see in person the beautiful resident wolves at the California Wolf Center which include Mexican Gray Wolves and Northwestern Gray Wolves.