Frommer's^® California from $70 a Day, 4th Edition

by David Andrusia; Matthew Richard Poole

• ISBN13: 9780764524356
• ISBN10: 0764524356
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-04-01
• Publisher: Frommers

Summary

The only guide that shows how to plan a first-class trip to the Golden State-without breaking the bank- Shows how to plan a great budget vacation to California-the #1 destination state in the U.S., with nearly 300 million visitors in 2001 and an increase in summer 2002 travel estimated at 7 percent- Written by two California authors who explain how locals cut costs, from restaurant bargains and hotel values to free attractions and reduced-cost admissions- Helps visitors make the most of Los Angeles (45.4 million visitors in 2000), San Francisco (perennially cited as the 'Best City' in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler), the state's ten National Parks (30 million visitors a year), and other top California destinations- Includes a giant fold-out color map

Author Biography

Sexy, sassy scribe David Andrusia (chapters 1, 2, 12, 15, and 16) is the co-author of Frommer’s Gay & Lesbian Europe. David is also the author of Brand Yourself! and The Perfect Pitch, is a career consultant, and can be reached at [e-mail]. Matthew Richard Poole (chapters 1, 3–11, 13, and 14), a native Northern Californian, has authored and contributed to more than two dozen travel guides to California, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Hawaii, and destinations abroad. Before becoming a full-time travel writer and photographer, Matthew worked as an English tutor in Prague, a ski instructor in the Swiss Alps, and a scuba instructor in Maui. Addicted to a life of freedom, he spends most of his time on the road doing research and avoiding commitments.

Table of Contents

List of Maps	ix
What's New in California	1	(6)
The Best of California from $70 a Day	7	(14)
The Best of Natural California	7	(2)
The Best Beaches	9	(1)
The Best Walks	10	(2)
The Best Budget Golf Courses	12	(1)
The Best Destinations for the Whole Family	12	(2)
The Best of Small-Town California	14	(1)
The Best Architectural Landmarks	15	(1)
The Best Museums	16	(2)
The Best Moderately Priced Hotels	18	(1)
The Best Dining Bargains	19	(2)
Planning an Affordable Trip to California	21	(24)
Visitor Information	21	(1)
40 Money-Saving Tips	22	(5)
When to Go	27	(8)
California Calendar of Events	28	(2)
Whale-Watching	30	(5)
Tips for Travelers with Special Needs	35	(3)
Getting There Without Going Broke	38	(2)
Planning Your Trip Online	40	(2)
Getting Around	42	(3)
Fast Facts: California	43	(2)
For International Visitors	45	(12)
Preparing for Your Trip	45	(5)
Getting to the U.S.	50	(1)
Getting Around the U.S.	51	(6)
Fast Facts: For the International Traveler	52	(5)
San Francisco	57	(89)
Orientation	57	(8)
The Neighborhoods in Brief	60	(5)
Getting Around	65	(5)
Fast Facts: San Francisco	67	(3)
Accommodations You Can Afford	70	(15)
Sleeping Seaside	78	(2)
Affordable Family-Friendly Hotels	80	(5)
Great Deals on Dining	85	(19)
Affordable Family-Friendly Restaurants	90	(14)
The Top Attractions	104	(12)
Cheap Thrills: What to See & Do for Free (or Almost) in San Francisco	108	(4)
Funky Favorites at Fisherman's Wharf	112	(3)
Free Culture	115	(1)
Exploring the City	116	(5)
Amazing Grazing	119	(2)
Golden Gate Park	121	(4)
Organized Tours	125	(1)
Golden Gate National Recreation Area & the Presidio	126	(4)
Staying Active	130	(3)
The Shopping Scene	133	(4)
San Francisco After Dark	137	(9)
The San Francisco Bay Area	146	(15)
Berkeley	146	(5)
Oakland	151	(4)
The USS Potomac: FDR's Floating White House	155	(1)
Sausalito	155	(3)
Angel Island & Tiburon	158	(1)
Muir Woods & Mount Tamalpais	159	(2)
The Wine Country	161	(34)
Exploring Napa Valley	162	(14)
House of the Spirits	166	(3)
Money-Saving Tips	169	(7)
Accommodations & Dining in Napa Valley	176	(7)
Gourmet Picnics, Napa-Style	181	(2)
Exploring Sonoma Valley	183	(7)
Just for Kids	187	(3)
Accommodations & Dining in Sonoma Valley	190	(5)
The Northern Coast	195	(35)
Point Reyes National Seashore	195	(7)
Johnson's Oyster Farm	198	(4)
Along the Sonoma Coast	202	(5)
Mendocino	207	(4)
Fort Bragg	211	(4)
A Feast in the Forest	213	(2)
The Avenue of the Giants	215	(1)
Ferndale, Eureka, Arcata & More	216	(7)
Crescent City: Gateway to the Redwood Parks	223	(2)
Redwood National & State Parks	225	(5)
The Far North: Lake Tahoe, the Shasta Cascades & Lassen Volcanic National Park	230	(34)
Lake Tahoe	230	(19)
A Tale of Two Shores	232	(9)
Cheap Thrills: What to See & Do for Free (or Almost) in Tahoe	241	(8)
Mount Shasta & the Cascades	249	(9)
A Historic Stop En Route	250	(8)
Lassen Volcanic National Park	258	(6)
The High Sierra: Yosemite, Mammoth Lakes & Sequoia/Kings Canyon	264	(33)
Yosemite's Gateways	264	(5)
Yosemite National Park	269	(11)
Mammoth Lakes	280	(7)
Devils Postpile National Monument	287	(1)
En Route to Sequoia & Kings Canyon	288	(1)
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks	289	(8)
National Parks vs. National Forests: What You Don't Know Can Cost You	293	(4)
Sacramento, the Gold Country & the Central Valley	297	(29)
Sacramento's Best Budget Dining	303	(1)
The Gold Country	304	(17)
Poor but Proud	311	(2)
A Modern Gold Mine Tour	313	(2)
A Visit to Volcano	315	(5)
How to Pan for Gold	320	(1)
The Central Valley & Sierra National Forest	321	(5)
The Monterey Peninsula & the Big Sur Coast	326	(39)
Santa Cruz	326	(10)
Santa Cruz on the Cheap	330	(6)
Monterey	336	(8)
Pacific Grove	344	(5)
The 17-Mile Drive	348	(1)
Carmel	349	(7)
The Big Sur Coast	356	(7)
Camping in Big Sur	360	(3)
Pinnacles National Monument	363	(2)
The Central Coast	365	(49)
San Simeon: Hearst Castle	365	(8)
Weekends at the Ranch: William Randolph Hearst & the Legacy of Hearst Castle	368	(5)
Morro Bay	373	(3)
San Luis Obispo	376	(6)
Pismo Beach	382	(2)
The Central Coast Wine Country: Paso Robles & the Santa Ynez Valley	384	(10)
Santa Barbara	394	(10)
The Ojai Valley	404	(3)
En Route to Los Angeles: Ventura	407	(4)
Channel Islands National Park	411	(3)
Los Angeles	414	(90)
Orientation	414	(16)
The Neighborhoods in Brief	419	(11)
Getting Around	430	(3)
Fast Facts: Los Angeles	432	(1)
Accommodations You Can Afford	433	(10)
Affordable Family-Friendly Hotels	436	(7)
Great Deals on Dining	443	(14)
Affordable Family-Friendly Restaurants	449	(8)
L.A.'s Top Attractions	457	(8)
Cheap Thrills: What to See & Do for Free (or Almost) in L.A.	462	(3)
TV Tapings	465	(1)
Exploring the City	466	(13)
Confessions of a Game Show Contestant	468	(4)
Stargazing in L.A.: The Less-Than-Lively Set	472	(7)
Studio Tours & Other Organized Sightseeing	479	(2)
L.A.'s Best Beaches	481	(1)
Staying Active	482	(3)
The Shopping Scene	485	(8)
Los Angeles After Dark	493	(11)
Side Trips from Los Angeles	504	(35)
Long Beach & the Queen Mary	504	(3)
Santa Catalina Island	507	(6)
Catalina's Grand Casino	510	(3)
Big Bear Lake & Lake Arrowhead	513	(8)
Disneyland	521	(9)
The Art of the (Package) Deal	522	(8)
Knott's Berry Farm	530	(2)
The Orange Coast	532	(7)
The Southern California Desert	539	(37)
En Route to Palm Springs	539	(1)
Get Your Kicks---on Historic Route 66	540	(6)
The Palm Springs Desert Resorts	546	(17)
Hitting the Links Without Breaking the Bank	550	(4)
Sweet Treat of the Desert: The Coachella Valley Date Gardens	554	(3)
The Art of the Package Deal	557	(6)
Joshua Tree National Park	563	(4)
Mojave National Preserve	567	(4)
Death Valley National Park	571	(5)
San Diego & Environs	576	(65)
Orientation	576	(4)
Information on the Web	579	(1)
The Neighborhoods in Brief	579	(1)
Getting Around	580	(7)
Fast Facts: San Diego	586	(1)
Accommodations You Can Afford	587	(10)
Great Deals on Dining	597	(13)
A French Twist	598	(12)
The Main Attractions: The Zoo, the Wild Animal Park & SeaWorld	610	(5)
San Diego's Best Beaches	615	(3)
Cheap Thrills: What to See & Do for Free (or Almost) in San Diego	616	(2)
Balboa Park	618	(2)
More Attractions in & Around San Diego	620	(4)
Staying Active	624	(2)
The Shopping Scene	626	(2)
San Diego After Dark	628	(3)
North County Beach Towns	631	(4)
Julian: Apples, Pies & a Slice of Small-Town California	635	(3)
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park	638	(3)
Index	641