Introduction When you first drive out of Lone Pine you will see several mountains that look very tall. In fact Lone Pine Peak to the far left of Whitney looks much taller then Whitney itself. This is an illusion stemming from the fact that Lone Pine Peak is much closer in the foreground. Lone Pine Peak in actuality is about 13,000 feet. Mt. Whitney is the spire situated on the right side of all the other sharp jagged spires. It is 14,494 feet … [Read more...]
Mt. Whitney, CA – Manzanar
Manzanar is located directly West of the 395, about 10 miles north of Lone Pine. Manzanar was the first of ten remote camps that in total held almost 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War II. During its peak period over 10,000 people lived there. Over 600 barracks were built (organized into 36 blocks) along with recreation halls, a judo hall, a hospital, an orphanage, 3 schools, and a music hall. Now you can drive down … [Read more...]
Mt. Whitney, CA – Independance
Like Big Pine, Independence is a good starting point for various attractions in the surrounding area. This is the quintessential Eastern Sierra Nevada town - small, laid back and full of history. Oh and surrounded by the gorgeous Eastern Sierra Nevadas. Town features quiet residential neighborhoods with homes that date back decades. And some very historical buildings. It is also the county seat for Inyo. And was the home to noted author Mary … [Read more...]
Mt. Whitney, CA – Lone Pine
Lone Pine is a small town of about 2000 people with one stoplight in the entire town. Its most well known for three things; gateway to the Alabama Hills, a popular location for filming movies, television shows and commercials and home of the Whitney Portal Road leading to the Mt. Whitney trail head (this road starts in town). Incidentally Mt. Whitney was first climbed by three residents of Lone Pine on August 18, 1873. The town also offers … [Read more...]
Spokane, WA – Spokane City
Spokane is located 18 miles from the Idaho border and 110 miles from the Canadian border. Spokane is located in a unique area because within a short drive of the city travelers can be in the pines and beauty of Coeur d' Alene, desert terrain, snow skiing in the winter or traveling among a sea of farms. The city is protected by the Cascade mountains from the wetter weather experienced to the west in Seattle and along the coast of Washington. As a … [Read more...]
Santa Rosa, CA – Wineries
Sonoma County, while not the first destination in the state for growing commercial grapes (that being in Los Angeles County), is certainly one of the state's most historical viticultural regions and posseses a heritage that the county does not necessarily promote as much as they should. While not the first wineries founded in the state, two of the oldest ones still in existence are both in Sonoma Valley - Buena Vista (dating from 1857) and the … [Read more...]
Santa Rosa, CA – Restaurants
The Santa Rosa restaurants listed below are just a fraction of the many restaurants in Santa Rosa and Sonoma County. We have eaten at nearly all the restaurants listed below. All are in Santa Rosa unless otherwise specified. Prices are subject to change without notice. Have a suggestion for a Santa Rosa restaurant not yet listed here? Are you a Santa Rosa Restaurant owner who has been in business at least 5 years and would like your … [Read more...]
Lake Tahoe, CA – Ski Resorts
Alpine Meadows is located on the North Shore, on Alpine Meadows Road just off of Highway 89. This is one of the top 6 ski resorts in the Tahoe area. This resort is located 6 miles northwest of Tahoe City. Alpine Meadows is known for its long season and its diverse terrain. They have over 100 runs and 12 lifts. Their summit elevation is 8,637 feet with a vertical drop of 1,800 feet. Up until recently they had banned snow boarding but now snow … [Read more...]
Santa Barbara, CA – Attractions
Besides extensive shopping areas, wineries, the UCSB campus, beaches, Santa Barbara Mission, historical buildings, various museums, Stearns Wharf and the wonderful climate, numerous other attractions still need to be mentioned. These are a few that we have visited in Santa Barbara - all are listed in alphabetical order: Breakwater Flag Project. Numerous flag poles are located down on the break wall near the Santa Barbara Marina. On … [Read more...]
San Luis Obispo, CA – Carrizo Plains & Soda Lake
Carizzo Plain is located a little over an hour driving from San Luis Obispo - the drive to reach the plains and a visit here reveals the diversity of San Luis Obispo County both in topography, flora and population. Unlike coastal San Luis Obispo which is fairly well populated - the Carrizo Plains are in a part of the county that is almost completely uninhabited by people. It almost reminds one of the rolling prairies of the Midwest other than the … [Read more...]