What makes California so special
I was recently invited by Visit California on a virtual road trip to find out. Well, it’s California so of course it is going to be different to the usual form of travel trade presentations.
As we speed past, on huge immersive screens, the Golden Gate and out of San Francisco towards Silicon Valley, I began to wonder if it was about innovation, with Google and Apple headquartered there.
And then onto perhaps the most well recognised boardwalk in the world, that of Santa Cruz, built in 1907, and the sense of freedom that the birthplace of mainland surfing offers. It also has 14 state parks perfect for a hike and bike vacation.
Maybe it’s the natural beauty of Monterrey County and its commitment to sustainability that’s going to appeal to you.
We then head down to bathe in sunshine and good vibes in Santa Monica, and onto LA.
Sunset Strip and West Hollywood, the Buffalo Springfield and Elton John opening at the Troubador, the Doors at the Whisky A Go Go. Trendsetting wellness and the Design scene, it’s all go here, so let’s shoot off to the sports scene at Anaheim
Time to relax a little with the endless summer of Huntington Beach and its one mile walkable footprint, and then on to find your San Diego smile, the favourite city of outdoor enthusiasts, and its Cali-Baja cuisine.
Round to the 9 cities of Palm Springs, skirting past Joshua Tree National Park.
Giant Sequoias, and mountains, old steam trains and relics from the Gold Rush. Follow me to Toulumne County and Lake Tahoe.
Then we will finish up in the Napa Valley. Well, after that mad dash, we probably need a glass or two of wine.
And by the end of the trip, I had come to realise what makes California so special. It’s not the miles of beaches and the mountains and the cool cities and things to do.
It’s the sense of optimism that infuses this county, perhaps summed up by Thomas Crowley, who in 1892, with his last $80 bought a boat, a newspaper and a bottle of whisky to transport people from the tall ships arriving in San Francisco to the shore and built up todays Red and White Line.
And Warren Simmonds who, in 1973, refused to be put off by the difficulties in renovating Pier 39 and opening a restaurant, difficulties so great that the mayor Dianne Feinstein promised to wear a bikini to his official opening because she knew he couldn’t pull it off. He did. And she kept her promise.
Smiles and vibes, wellness and wine, natural beauty and innovative design, but it is all underpinned by optimism and a sense of “can do.”
2023 promises to be a tough year. If you are feeling a little overwhelmed, it’s time for me to book you into the Fog Harbour Fish House with its views of San Francisco.
The world will look a whole lot better as you tuck into that Dungeness Crab and the Fish Chowder.
Visit California…Can you think of a better New Year’s Resolution?