Hundreds of miles of coastline, sparkling lakes, picturesque wineries and snow-capped mountains. California has more hiking, biking, sailing, fishing, and multi-sport competitions than you can fit into a single vacation or a suitcase.
Vintage Days is an annual festival in Fresno. For the first time this year, it includes the Golden State World's Strongest Man Competition, which is one of three national qualifying events in the U. S. for the world title. The festival is April 19-22.
Tour San Francisco's Angel Island State Park by Segway. Daily tours travel five miles around the island on the paved Perimeter Trail, which offers picture postcard views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the seaside village of Tiburon. and several Army forts and installations. Tours are with a uniformed guide knowledgeable about the area's history and ecology.
The tours are $65 and must be reserved online at www.segwayangelisland.com. The park is reached by ferry from Fisherman's Wharf.
In San Diego, hop aboard an authentic 30-foot Navy S. E. A. L. boat for a rip-roaring ride on Mission Bay, San Diego Bay or to Mexico's Los Coronato Islands. The boat is called a RIB, for rigid inflatable boat. Adventure Rib Rides also offers naval heritage tours and wildlife trips to view dolphins, sea lions and turtles. Dress to get wet.
The upscale community of Santa Barbara has launched a program featuring "green" hotels, nature preserves and sustainable agriculture, including self-guided tours to learn more about protecting the environment we love to visit. And if you participate in the Car Free Experience, you'll receive savings of up to 50 percent at 20 hotels, six restaurants and more.
This is a double good deal -- save the environment and save money at the same time. Check out www.greensantabarbara.com and www.santabarbaracarfree.org for more information.
Take a tour of the wineries of Sonoma County with a local, to meet small wineries and vintners. Guests are picked up and returned to their lodging, and lunch is included. Contact California Rivers Tours at www.calrivers.com.
Or, plot your own route with the latest edition of the Sonoma County Farm Trails Map and Guide. A lot of the information is on their website, www.farmtrails.org.
Make like Snoopy the Red Baron and soar over Lake County in a restored WWII Stearman Bi-Plane. You know the one -- open cockpit, goggles or shades to protect your eyes, hair either snapping in the breeze or a vintage leather helmet. There are only 100 of these vintage gems left in the US, so this is a special, memorable in-flight adventure.
You'll fly over rolling vineyards, Clear Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake in California, and Mt. Konocti, a five million year old dormant volcano. Contact www.707ucanfly.com.
