There has probably never ever been a time in the modern era when wine has been more popular than it is today. People everywhere are searching out great wine. This is because wine is such a great addition to almost any event, either formal or informal in nature. And, above all else, wine is a delicious partner to great food as well.

California red wines are spearheading this new, unstoppable wine “addiction.” California produces many of the world’s best red wines. One of the most famous viticulture regions of California is located in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County. It is famous for many reasons, but the least of these reasons is the 2004 movie Sideways, where it plays perhaps as important a role as its Oscar-nominated actors.

In Santa Ynez Valley, you can find a winery with some of the very best red wines of California – and one of the best Chardonnay wines as well. The name of the winery is Sobriquet Winery, and its owner, Chris Stanton, is an exceptional craftsman, breathing life into each of his creations so that we may delight in the magic of truly great wine.

Sobriquet Winery boasts many award winning wines such as a 2008 Syrah, a 2008 Grenache, a 2009 Pinot Noir, and a 2009 Chardonnay. All of them have either won awards or received great praise (90 plus ratings) from wine press publications such as Wine Enthusiast.

So if you really want a great wine for your next dinner party or special event, look no further than the Sobriquet Winery. Just go to the winery’s website by clicking on one of the links. The website offers Wine Club members a significant discount on these great wines as well as occasional sales that will not only make your wine palate happy but your wallet as well.

Here’s a good idea: use your RV to create a home base for an inexpensive, unique and wonderful Napa RV vacation. This posh vacation destination doesn’t advertise itself as friendly to RVs, but it has some relatively unknown gems you should know about.

Most guide books, like those at the California Tourism Guide, extol all the wonderfully quaint inns, the world-class spas, the golf resorts and the hotels affiliated with wineries and vineyards. But they won’t really tell you about a RV park which is an easy walk, over a bridge, to downtown Napa. As you might expect, in this place dedicated to the good life, this RV park has concrete pads, nice grass buffers between sites and all the amenities you’d want, including a nice class of other visitors.

At the north end of the Valley, there’s a RV park and campground near Calistoga, also within easy walking distance from downtown. Especially for the vacationer who wants to enjoy fine dining, a bit of wine, and the wide vistas available to those on foot, being able to avoid a drive for dinner and night out is wonderful. There’s a great value to having restaurants and other amenities within walking distance of your accommodation, and if your accommodation happens to be your very own RV, why then you’ve truly maximized the value potential!

Many of the wineries you’d want to visit are set up to accommodate the van-type, mini-busses used on the popular “Limo Tours” of wineries. Accordingly, the parking lots are set up for easy ingress and exits for oversized vehicles like the RV. Another option, of course, would be to utilize a guided tour company for your winery visits — which, of course, comes with the benefit of a designated driver.

If you use the Napa RV park, you can walk to the Wine Train terminal, the Oxbow market and historic downtown Napa, just 10 blocks from the RV Park, reachable by foot or a city shuttle bus.

Last, remember that Napa Valley is just 50 miles north of San Francisco, so you won’t need to drive hours and hours from Napa to other interesting tourist destinations.

Santa Monica is a great place for your inexpensive summer vacation in California. Here are some vacation rentals you might enjoy. Click on any of the pictures or links for more information, more pictures and more vacation rentals.

Don’t miss your Dream Vacation in Santa Monica California- it could be yours. Wake up to stunning ocean views and the refreshing sound and smell of the surf and enjoy…

1br – SANTA MONICA THE BEST OCEAN VIEWS AND LOCATION

Our freshly decorated very private condo- like unit with luxury linens and fully equipped kitchen compares with the best suite hotels. From floor to ceiling picture windows gaze on ocean and mountain views, yet it’s a very short walk to acclaimed food…

1br – ROMANTIC HIDEAWAY WALK TO BEACH, STARBUCKS, DINING

Santa Monica Beach is a great destination for your California summer vacation not only is it a great seaside resort but a bustling busy city with great shops and lots of things to do. Santa Monica is also very close to Los Angeles so makes a great base to explore Southern California.

Santa Monica has great beach facilities which make it one of the best resorts in California. The 3.5 miles of clean and tidy beaches cater for all beach activities including Swimming, Surfing, Fishing, Volleyball and Cycling these activities are available all year round and with over 340 days of sun-shine per year, what more could you ask for. Safety is paramount and all the lifeguard stations are fully manned during daylight hours and the lifeguard headquarters also provides 24/7 assistance to anyone who needs it.

photo credit: sashapo

At over 100 years of age the Santa Monica Pier is a must see attraction. One the pier is an amusement park called Pacific Park which caters for the whole family with rides such as the West Coaster roller coaster and a nine storey Ferris wheel plus the only over the water miniature golf coarse. There is a Trapeze school which offers anyone of any age or experience a chance to learn to Trapeze, two hour lessons are available to thrill seekers. Under the pier is the Santa Monica Aquarium which offers hands on presentations and lots of interactive displays.

South of the pier are the Volleyball courts and nearby the Famous Muscle Beach which was popularized in the 1950’s and has been seen in lots of films based around the beaches. It has been made famous by lots of body builders and has been refurbished and includes a Gym, a jungle gym for kids, parallel bars, chinning bars and rings.

The ocean front walk is full of shops and restaurants which invites you in to sample great food and fashion. The children will love the concrete Viking ship and the Dragon looming out of the grass. The Chess park is also situated here which includes permanent chess boards and a human sized chess board, you can either play or just watch. The farmers market has a great range of fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, cheeses and much more including great music and food sampling which makes this a must visit attraction.

photo credit: nikijulian

One of the best things about Santa Monica Beach is there’s lots of free things to do as well. Such as  bike trails, twilight dance series at the pier, Santa Monica drive-in,  Camera Obscura,  Santa Monica civic auditorium and the city hall. All these places have shows and activities free of charge. All of this makes Santa Monica a great place for inexpensive summer vacations in California and with all the activities available you will not be bored.

San Diego is a modern city on the Southern California seacoast known for its ideal climate, miles of beaches, and location on the Mexican border, right across from Tijuana. It has a rich heritage built around sailing and is home to the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy. It is also well known for its part in the wildlife conservation movement, being home to a SeaWorld theme park and the “world-famous” San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park. San Diego is an excellent place to escape from the hustle and bustle of nearby Los Angeles.

The San Diego area can be an incredible place to visit almost any time of the year. With coastal temperatures around 75 degrees (24°C) most of the time, the weather is ideal.

San Diego features some of the top tourist attractions for families in the United States.

Millions of families visit this sunny city each year, and it’s really no wonder. Whether the plan is to visit San Diego for a few days or a few weeks, there’s plenty to do and see for kids of all ages.

San Diego Vacation Rentals
(Click on the Pictures to See More!)

3br – Newly Remodeled Home- Fantastic View of San Diego

Valemont Vista Vacation Rental: comfortable furnished 3 bedroom 2 bath family home on Point Loma hill with incredible views of Shelter Island, San Diego harbor and downtown lights.

New carpets installed, entire interior repainted;

Includes fireplace/washer/dryer/stove/dishwasher/refrig/microwave, fenced backyard with patio, some shade and a lemon tree. Additional patio on balcony with the view of San Diego.

Smoke- free house.

Wheelchair accessible: (two short steps up front porch; no stairs except to backyard.

Charming retro kitchen counters, stove, cabinets and tiled bathrooms.

Linens, basic bathroom products and kitchen items provided.

Washer, dryer and outside clothes drying lines provided.

Electric ceiling heat provided in each room if needed.

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2br – San Diego Oceanfront Vacation Rental Private Beach

Endless Ocean Views and a Private Beach!
Welcome to sunny San Diego! We’re located in Point Loma, on Sunset Cliffs directly over the Pacific Ocean, next to Ocean Beach. To your left you’ll find Sunset Cliffs Nature Park – a great place to spend the day exploring cliffs, caves and tide pools!

Directly in front of you lies a spacious patio area as well as our private beach and, of course, miles and miles of deep blue ocean where we often see migrating whales, playful pods of dolphins and adventurous surfers.

To your right is the casual seaside town of Ocean Beach, with plenty to do, including dining, shopping, antiquing, surfing, swimming, biking, blading, walking, jogging and fishing!

In the evening, enjoy cocktails while listening to the surf, or take a romantic stroll on the famous Ocean Beach pier, and enjoy the lights of San Diego from the over- water restaurant.
And be sure to catch the fireworks display from Sea.

San Diego Sunset

California is absolutely the perfect destination for a memorable summer getaway. With its inviting climate and engaging outdoor activities, there is no doubt that this wonderful state can provide you with the best summer experience. This article will discuss some of the popular places that you should never miss while in California.

California Has Beautiful Beaches

Recognized as one of the best California summer vacations, make sure to drop by the Yosemite National Park. It offers visitors with a unique wildlife experience and numerous recreational activities.

After an indulging day at the park, have a stroll along the sandy coastlines of California beaches. With approximately 118 beaches scattered all over the state, you will never have a hard time finding a great one. Remember that spending a day at the beach is still the best way to enjoy the summer.

For total fun and entertainment, check out the Six Flags Magic Mountain. It is well-renowned amusement park featuring thrilling rides, great restaurants, souvenir shops, terrific shows and exciting games.

Yosemite National Park

When you are vacation planning and you are travelling with your kids, then you should definitely plan to visit Lego Land.  Situated at Carlsbad, your children will definitely enjoy exploring this 128 acres theme park.  It offers spectacular rides, live shows, great performers and mini-lands created from Lego blocks.

Also, come by the newly opened Sea Aquarium.  This 36,000 square-foot aquarium houses over 200 species of sea creatures.  There interactive quizzes and fish facts will help children to understand the importance of preserving these water life forms.

After knowing the best California summer vacations, it will now be much easier for you to create wonderful memories while at the same time making the most out of your trip. No matter who you are with you will certainly enjoy every minute of your stay in this amazing state.