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Destination :: Southern California
Southern California: Most of you probably know by now that SoCal is the colloquial term for Southern California. SoCal refers to all cities approximately 70 miles north of L.A down to the Mexican Border and encompasses the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura, and Imperial. Typically people associate SoCal with the beach life and this is one good reason that J1ers flock to this area. Southern California is the entertainment capital of the world and home to Hollywood, the motion picture industry center, and boasts a huge surf and skateboard culture. ALL cities in the area are unique and will definitely meet expectations you have about the SoCal beach life.
The other term everyone has heard of is The O.C. The O.C refers to Orange County which is south of Los Angeles County and runs along the coast to San Diego County. Below is a list of a few places to stay but is in no way the ‘only’ places to stay in SoCal as ALL places have something unique to offer.
To do:
Try your hand at surfing. There is usually a surf rental shop right at the boardwalk or you can buy one right when you get there. Be aware that there many good surfers there and they get annoyed if you stand in the waves too long. Keep moving is your best bet and f you get tired get out (of their way) by heading to the hot sandy beach to rest up for more.
Huntington Beach:
Huntington Beach is know as "Surf City" and much of surfing culture started and continues to evolve there, from surfing styles to surfing apparel companies that began started there. It has some of the largest stretches of open-sand beaches in all of California, as well the Huntington Beach Pier (one of the longest concrete piers in the world), site of world-class surfing and volleyball events yearly. During the peak season (May to early September), the beaches on any given summer day may have as many as 500,000 visitors when it is particularly hot inland.
For more general info on Huntington beach visit:
Don’t Miss:
An absolute MUST see if you are anywhere near Huntington Beach this summer is the 2007: X Games 13. This year it takes place in Staples Center, Los Angeles, California (August 2-5, 2007) with surf competions at Huntington Beach.
To Eat:
A good, cheap place to eat in Surf City is Chronic Tacos, which is just a few blocks from downtown and offers a full menu of extremely tasty tacos, burritos, and other Mexican cuisine served from behind a counter. Prices for a giant burrito are only $5.50 (includes guacamole, cheese, meat, and a choice of other fillings).
 Santa Barbara:
Santa Barbara is located about 85 miles west-northwest of Los Angeles, along the Pacific coast and is a year-round tourist destination renowned for its warm weather, downtown beaches, and Spanish architecture. With its wide, perfect beaches, highly rated wineries, and a large variety of shopping and dining choices, Santa Barbara feels light years away from the noise and congestion of busy L.A.
For more general info on Santa Barbara visit:
o www.newspress.com
o www.santabarbarafree.com
o www.santabarbaraca.gov
o www.officialsantabarbara.com
Don’t Miss:
The annual Fiesta (originally called "Old Spanish Days"), celebrated every year in August. Fiesta, in Santa Barbara, is synonymous with food, music, and riotous parties, ranging from the annual Covarrubias Adobe Pre-Fiesta Tea, to the Fiesta Pequeña on the steps of the Mission.
To Do:
Santa Barbara's most popular beach, East Beach, is a pristine stretch of blindingly white sand framed by postcard quality palm trees, surrounding hills and nearby harbor. For less crowded beachcombing, try nearby Leadbetter Beach, or further up the road, isolated Arroyo Burro (known to locals as Hendry's Beach), which is also home to a nudist beach, where one can often see a frolicking nude man pass by!
Even more isolated is Butterfly Beach, tucked away in a cove beneath the high-toned Biltmore Hotel in Montecito.Unfortunately there is no surfing in SB during the summer due to islands blocking surf from reaching the beach area.
Getting Around Santa Barbara: - trafficsolutions.info
To Eat:
La Super Rica Taqueria. Once tabbed "Best Mexican Food in the Country" by the New York Times. You won't come here for the atmosphere. There is no sign on the building, and seating is first come-first served, but you'll be happy you stood in the long line forming outside the door once you taste what's served up here. Meal costs from $5-$15.
To Stay:
- Haley Cottages - A good, cheap, place to stay that is only two blocks from all the action.
- Santa Barbara Tourist Hostel – An inexpensive backpacker hostel only two blocks from the beach and one block from the State Street buzz.
Santa Monica:
Santa Monica is a coastal city completely surrounded by the City of Los Angeles and right near all the action. There are plenty of hotels, restaurants and entertainment options to work at or enjoy, and is readibly accessibile to major sights like Venice Beach (aka ‘Dogtown’), Malibu and Beverly Hills. Santa Monica has a mixture of very affluent, single-family neighborhoods, renters drawn by the high quality of life, lifelong surfers, young professionals and students making it ideal for a J1 summer.
For more general info on Santa Monica visit:
Don’t Miss:
The annual Fiesta (originally called "Old Spanish Days"), celebrated every year in August. Fiesta, in Santa Barbara, is synonymous with food, music, and riotous parties, ranging from the annual Covarrubias Adobe Pre-Fiesta Tea, to the Fiesta Pequeña on the steps of the Mission.
To Do:
Life’s a beach. Spend you summer at one of the best people watching places in the world. Hire (or buy) a beach cruiser and cruise along the world famous *strand* that links all of the Westside beach cities.
Montana Avenue is a local street with lots of small stores and restaurants. This is where the local rich folks hang out, so you'll see lots of rich folks shopping and going to Yoga. If you want to get an idea of what beach life is like for the rich folks check it out.
While most folks go to the Third Street Promenade when they come to Santa Monica, the locals hang out on Main Street which is a little cheaper than the ritzy Montana Avenue.
A great place hang out is on the Third Street Promenade, an urban mall project. The street is vibrant and full of restaurants, street performers and musicians, movie theaters, shopping, bookstores, and bars. Only three blocks from the beach, the Promenade is one of L.A.'s most popular places to "hang out" for people of all ages.
To Eat:
Fathers Office, a tiny, popular pub, has the best burgers in Santa Monica. You’ll have to fight for a table and you can't change any of the items on the burger but it's their way or the highway.
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