Frommer's California from $70 a Day

by Poole, Matthew Richard; Moore, Mary Anne; Yates, Stephanie Avnet; Lenkert, Erika

• ISBN13: 9780764562594
• ISBN10: 0764562592
• Edition: Map
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-03-01
• Publisher: Frommer

Summary

Frommer2s is the name you can trust for great travel bargains. Our acclaimed $-a-Day series is not for backpackers who want to rough it, but for travelers with taste, who2ve outgrown their student lifestyle and demand comfortable accommodations and good, authentic meals at a reasonable price. Each guide is loaded with detailed listings for mom-and-pop motels, B&Bs, comfortable guesthouses, good-value bistros, and ethnic restaurants. You2ll find a bargain-hunter2s shopping guide, affordable fun after dark, and complete sightseeing coverage, including the best things to do for free (or almost). Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go--they2ve done the legwork for you, and they2re not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. Every Frommer2s $-a-Day Guide is up-to-date, with dozens of color maps and exact prices for every single expense, so you can accurately plan each day2s budget. Frommer2s knows that affordable travel doesn2t have to mean making sacrifices. It2s about having fun and getting a great deal! Engaging, personal, and highly opinionated, Frommer2s California from $60 a Day has everything you need for an affordable but unforgettable trip to the Golden State. You2ll find hundreds of candid reviews of inviting places to stay, from cozy Napa Valley B&Bs to family-friendly motels at the beach, for as little as $25 per person a night! We2ll help you find great dining at unbelievably low prices, from cutting-edge California cuisine to authentic Chinese and Mexican specialties. You2ll get a complete budget sightseeing guide, from Gold Country towns to Disneyland and the San Diego Zoo--plus spectacular coastal drives, cable car rides, wine tastings, Hollywood TV tapings, and more. We2ve got all the details on California2s fabulous beaches, natural wonders, and national parks, plus the best budget golf, skiing, and whale watching. And we2ve even thrown in a free color fold-out map! You2ll find more in-depth coverage of great bargains in the City by the Bay in Frommer2s San Francisco from $60 a Day. If you2d like more upscale coverage, check out Frommer2s California, Frommer2s San Francisco, Frommer2s Los Angeles, Frommer2s San Diego, and Frommer2s Portable California Wine Country. Frommer2s Yosemite & Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks is a detailed guide to the best trails and camping in these magnificent preserves -- and it2s small enough to fit into your backpack!

Table of Contents

List of Maps	ix
The Best of California from $70 a Day	1	(22)
The Best of Natural California	1	(2)
The Best Beaches	3	(1)
The Best Walks	4	(1)
The Best Budget Golf Courses	5	(1)
The Best Offbeat Experiences that Won't Cost a Fortune	6	(1)
The Best Places to Get Away from It All	7	(1)
The Best Things to Do for Free	8	(1)
The Best Destinations for the Whole Family	9	(1)
The Best of Small-Town California	10	(1)
The Best California-Style Americana	11	(1)
The Best Architectural Landmarks	12	(2)
The Best Museums	14	(1)
The Best Views	15	(1)
The Best Moderately Priced Hotels	16	(1)
The Best Places to Stay on a Shoestring	17	(1)
The Best Culinary Experiences	18	(1)
The Best Dining Bargains	19	(2)
The Best Deals for Serious Shoppers	21	(2)
Planning an Affordable Trip to California	23	(20)
Visitor Information	23	(1)
40 Money-Saving Tips	24	(5)
When to Go	29	(8)
California Calendar of Events	30	(7)
Getting There	37	(3)
Getting Around	40	(3)
Fast Facts: California	41	(2)
For Foreign Visitors	43	(9)
Preparing for York Trip	43	(3)
Getting to the U.S.	46	(1)
Getting Around the U.S.	47	(5)
Fast Facts: For the Foreign Traveler	47	(5)
San Francisco	52	(86)
Orientation	52	(8)
The Neighborhoods in Brief	55	(5)
Getting Around	60	(5)
Fast Facts: San Francisco	64	(1)
Accommodations You Can Afford	65	(17)
Affordable Family-Friendly Hotels	76	(6)
Great Deals on Dining	82	(19)
Affordable Family-Friendly Restaurants	86	(3)
Hog Heaven Happy Hours	89	(12)
The Top Attractions	101	(11)
Cheap Thrills: What to See and Do for Free (or Almost) in San Francisco	105	(7)
Exploring the City	112	(5)
Organized Tours	117	(2)
Golden Gate National Recreation Area & the Presidio	119	(3)
Staying Active	122	(3)
Pac Bell Park: San Francisco's Field of Dreams	123	(2)
The Shopping Scene	125	(5)
San Francisco After Dark	130	(8)
Side Trips from San Francisco	138	(17)
Berkeley	138	(6)
People's Park/People's Power	142	(2)
Oakland	144	(2)
Sausalito	146	(2)
Angel Island & Tiburon	148	(2)
Muir Woods & Mt. Tamalpais	150	(2)
San Jose	152	(3)
The Wine Country	155	(30)
Exploring Napa Valley	156	(12)
House of the Spirits	159	(7)
Calistoga Mud Baths	166	(2)
Accommodations & Dining in Napa Valley	168	(7)
Gourmet Picnics, Napa-Style	173	(2)
Exploring Sonoma Valley	175	(6)
Accommodations & Dining in Sonoma Valley	181	(4)
The Northern Coast	185	(34)
Point Reyes National Seashore	185	(7)
Along the Sonoma Coast	192	(5)
Mendocino	197	(5)
Fort Bragg	202	(3)
The Avenue of the Giants and Ferndale	205	(2)
Eureka and Environs	207	(5)
Crescent City: Gateway to the Redwood Parks	212	(2)
Redwood National and State Parks	214	(5)
The Far North: The Cascades and Lake Tahoe	219	(36)
Lava Beds National Monument	219	(1)
Mt. Shasta & the Cascades	220	(10)
Lassen Volcanic National Park	230	(5)
Lake Tahoe	235	(20)
Cheap Thrills: What to See and Do for Free (or Almost) in Tahoe	244	(11)
The High Sierra: Yosemite, Mammoth Lakes and Sequoia/Kings Canyon	255	(31)
Yosemite's Gateways	255	(5)
Yosemite National Park	260	(10)
Mammoth Lakes	270	(8)
Winter Driving in the Sierra	273	(5)
Devils Postpile National Monument	278	(1)
En Route to Sequoia and Kings Canyon	279	(1)
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks	280	(6)
Sacramento, the Gold Country and the Central Valley	286	(27)
Sacramento	287	(5)
Sacramento's Best Budget Dining	292	(1)
The Gold Country	292	(17)
Poor but Proud	298	(9)
How to Pan for Gold	307	(2)
The Central Valley and Sierra National Forest	309	(4)
The Monterey Peninsula and the Big Sur Coast	313	(37)
Santa Cruz	313	(7)
Santa Cruz on the Cheap	316	(4)
Monetary and Pacific Grove	320	(15)
The 17-Mile Drive	334	(1)
Carmel	335	(6)
The Big Sur Coast	341	(7)
Pinnacles National Monument	348	(2)
The Central Coast	350	(49)
San Simeon: Hearst Castle	350	(9)
Weekends at the Ranch: William Randolph Hearst and the Legacy of Hearst Castle	352	(7)
Morro Bay	359	(2)
San Luis Obispo	361	(6)
Pismo Beach	367	(3)
The Central Coast Wine Country: Paso Robles and the Santa Ynez Valley	370	(9)
Santa Barbara	379	(10)
The Ojai Valley	389	(4)
En Route to Los Angeles: Ventura	393	(2)
Channel Islands National Park	395	(4)
Los Angeles	399	(97)
Orientation	399	(9)
The Neighborhoods in Brief	405	(3)
Getting Around	408	(2)
Fast Facts: Los Angeles	409	(1)
Accommodations You Can Afford	410	(20)
Suite Deals and Other Bargains	414	(7)
Affordable Family-Friendly Hotels	421	(9)
Great Deals on Dining	430	(20)
Affordable Family-Friendly Restaurants	437	(3)
Sea Breezes and Sunsets: Ocean-View Dining in Malibu	440	(10)
The Top Attractions	450	(8)
Cheap Thrills: What to See and Do for Free (or Almost) in L.A.	456	(2)
TV Tapings	458	(3)
Seeing Stars: The Cemetery Set	460	(1)
Exploring the City	461	(11)
Studio Tours and Other Organized Sightseeing	472	(2)
L.A.'s Best Beaches	474	(1)
Staying Active	475	(2)
The Shopping Scene	477	(8)
Dressing the Part---for Less	482	(3)
Los Angeles After Dark	485	(11)
Late-Night Bites	491	(5)
Side Trips from Los Angeles	496	(36)
Long Beach and the Queen Mary	496	(3)
Santa Catalina Island	499	(5)
Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead	504	(9)
Disneyland and Other Anaheim-Area Attractions	513	(11)
California Adventure: Disney's Latest Addition	516	(8)
The Orange Coast	524	(8)
The Southern California Desert	532	(35)
En Route to Palm Springs	532	(2)
Get Your Kicks---on Historic Route 66	534	(5)
The Palm Springs Desert Resorts	539	(15)
Hitting the Links Without Breaking the Bank	542	(4)
Sweet Treat of the Desert: The Coachella Valley Date Gardens	546	(4)
The Art of the Package Deal	550	(4)
Joshua Tree National Park	554	(4)
Mojave National Preserve	558	(4)
Death Valley National Park	562	(5)
San Diego and Environs	567	(65)
Orientation	567	(4)
The Neighborhoods in Brief	570	(1)
Getting Around	571	(3)
Fast Facts: San Diego	574	(1)
Accommodations You Can Afford	574	(14)
Great Deals on Dining	588	(13)
The Main Attractions: The Zoo, the Wild Animal Park and Sea World	601	(6)
Cheap Thrills: What to See and Do for Free (or Almost) in San Diego	604	(3)
San Diego's Best Beaches	607	(2)
Balboa Park	609	(3)
More Attractions in and Around San Diego	612	(3)
Staying Active	615	(2)
The Shopping Scene	617	(2)
San Diego After Dark	619	(3)
North County Beach Towns	622	(4)
Julian: Apples, Pies and a Slice of Small-Town California	626	(3)
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park	629	(3)
Appendix: Useful Toll-Free Numbers and Web Sites	632	(3)
Index	635	(1)
General Index	635	(19)
Accommodations Index	654