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Spring is beautiful, but for many, summer is the season we wait all year long for!

Summer is merely days away and summer in San Rafael means taking advantage of all the outdoor fun! Our San Rafael reps have a few suggestions to help you get inspired to get out and enjoy great weather. Here's a small slice of the movie experience available in or close to San Rafael. If you haven't tried them all, this summer might be the time to do it!

A great summer tradition is outdoor movies. This is a personal favorite with my family. Film Night in the Park has been providing family, friends and neighbors the opportunity to gather in beautiful outdoor settings, enjoy quality movies, and build a strong sense of community since 2001. This year’s season will run from June 12th through September 11th and will take place at San Anselmo’s Creek Park and Fairfax’s Contrati Ball Field. Find the current Film Night schedule here. 

A Very HAPPY Goodbye to Winter!

With spring finally here, San Francisco is peeling off some layers of clothing and heading out doors. Our San Francisco reps have a few suggestions to help you get inspired to get out and smell the roses.

First off, if you've never heard of the GO card, you're missing out. Many cities offer them and it's a discounted pass to visit multiple tourist attractions. Next vacation, make sure to check out the city you are going to and search "GO and city of your choice'. Back to San Francisco, the GO San Francisco card offers you access to over 30 attractions. 1 day passes start at $65 and 5 day passes are $155. Visit as many places and as often as you like. Attractions include California Academy of Sciences, Historical Society Cartoon Art Museum Children’s Creativity Museum, De Young Museum, Exploratorium, Angel Island Roundtrip Ferry, AT&T Ballpark Tour, Golden Gate Bay Cruise, Aquarium of the Bay and more! The best thing is that it's often cheaper than paying for 1 day at the more expensive attractions!

If this is more than you might do in a week, then tuck it into your brain for the next time family comes to visit. Spring is the perfect time to visit these parks due to the smaller lines and less crowded parks!

After all that hecticness, take a trip north and relax on the Russian River. Just a short jaunt up the freeway and you feel hours away from the city. Healdsburg offers tons of activities and events all year long, but spring is the perfect time to beat the summer crowds and find a relaxing day floating. Your tour operator will set up your canoe and show you the basics of paddling before getting you into the water and sending you on your way! Settle into your canoe and journey from Memorial Beach to Crow Bar. Take your time as you float lazily along this easy, calm 4-mile (6.5-km) stretch of the Russian River, enjoying views along the way. If you choose the full day trip enjoy the 9-mile (14.5-km) journey along the calm, easy-to-navigate waters to Wohler Bridge. You can even opt for them to provide lunch. 

And finally, don't forget to plan some kind of over-night Spring-Fling get away with your BFF or significant other. The top get away, according to our San Francisco clients is the 2-day Monterey / Carmel get away. If you’re looking for a Pebble Beach tour from San Francisco, maximize your time on this 2-day excursion that includes an overnight stay in Monterey. Both with a guide. During free time, you’ll experience a variety of attractions in this coastal resort area, from Cannery Row to Carmel. Learn about Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, see one of the most prestigious golf resorts in the world, travel along the 17-Mile Drive, and pass through Half Moon Bay on Highway 1.

You can visit Monterey Bay Aquarium independently, if you wish. Explore Cannery Row, Fisherman’s Wharf and Downtown Monterey at your own pace. See downtown Carmel and Pebble Beach Golf Links and travel along jaw-dropping 17-Mile Drive. Overnight accommodation and round-trip hotel transport included. If you've always wanted to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium, this overnight tour is ideal, as you'll have plenty of time to enjoy the attraction without sacrificing your sightseeing time.

A Very HAPPY Goodbye to Winter!

With spring finally here, Los Angeles is waking back up with the beautiful weather. Our Los Angeles reps have a few suggestions to help you get inspired to get out and smell the roses.

First off, if you've never heard of the GO card, you're missing out. Many cities offer them and it's a discounted pass to visit multiple tourist attractions. Next vacation, make sure to check out the city you are going to and search "GO and city of your choice'. Back to Los Angeles, the GO Los Angeles card offers you access to attractions for one price. So instead of paying to get into Universal Studios ($105), Magic Mountain ($77), Knotts Berry Farm ($72) and Lego Land ($93) separately, pay $190 for a 3 day pass or $250 for a 5 day pass and have unlimited access to all 4 and 23 other attractions. One and two day passes are also available. If this is more than you might do in a week, then tuck it into your brain for the next time family comes to visit. Spring is the perfect time to visit these parks due to the smaller lines and less crowded parks!

After all that hecticness, take a hike. Los Angeles has some of the best and most scenic hiking trails that exist. Check out this article for the 10 best trails in the area. Eaton Canyon's my personal favorite. Most of the hikes listed here are easy to moderate, so it’s not necessary to be an experienced hiker to enjoy them. However, it’s always wise to keep a few things in mind when you’re planning an excursion. Wear sturdy hiking shoes, carry plenty of drinking water, use sunscreen and wear sunglasses. Take along a camera, make sure you stay on the trails and have fun.

And finally, now that the weather is nice enough visit one of Los Angeles' beaches. Santa Monica is a favorite because of all there is to do. There’s so many places to dine and shop, you’ll never run out of ideas. Take the kids to the charming Pacific Park or the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. Rent a bike and enjoy the leisurely pace of life by the beach or, just get in some sunbathing – and if your're brave, the water feels great to some who like the chili spring water!

GOODBYE WINTER!

With spring finally here, San Diego is waking back up to the beautiful weather it's known for. Our San Diego reps have a few suggestions to help you get inspired to get out and smell the roses.

Speaking of roses, spring is blooming away in the San Diego area. If you love world class floral ensembles, check out these great area exhibits:

• Through April, visit the 600,000-acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in San Diego’s East County as colorful wildflowers bejewel the sun-scorched desert landscape.  Call the Park’s 24-hour “Wildflower Hotline” at 760-767-4684 before planning a tour of the desert flora. 
• Now through May - At the Flower Fields of Carlsbad, California, a vibrant sea of giant ranunculus flowers transforms 50 acres of hills into rows of brilliant color.  
• Balboa Park's Offshoot Tours provides free, one-hour tours that highlight the park’s lush botanical offerings; the tours begin at 10 a.m. on Saturdays in front of the Balboa Park Visitors Center. 
• On April 21–22, the City of Coronado presents the 87th Annual Coronado Flower Show in Spreckels Park.  Guests will enjoy flower sales, live entertainment, food and an awards ceremony.  
• April 12–15, the San Diego Museum of Art blossoms during Art Alive 2012, an enchanting spring exhibition.  

If flowers don't pack enough action for you, spring is also an excellent time to go whale watching. "We’ve been quite surprised over the last few weeks to have multiple Blue Whale sightings, 4 so far!.  This is unusual as Blue Whales call Southern California home in summer months, with the earliest sightings typically in May.  Is this a result of El Nino?  Water temperatures are averaging about 8 degrees warmer than normal.…"  WOW! it's an exciting time to go whale watching. See a record of what's been sighted recently and schedule a trip of your own at San Diego whale watching.com

And our final spring tip (just in case some of us didn't already know,) is to act like a tourist! Spring is the time to visit San Diego Zoo Safari Park  or Legoland or Sea World. It's even a great time to plan a romantic weekend in a nice hotel, maybe the Historic Coronado Hotel. Apart from spring break, kids are still in school which means less people at amusement parks. Many tourists also wait for the perfect weather of summer to visit San Diego, which, as we all know, creates massive crowds and the hotel prices sky rocket! So get out there and act like a tourist. The just slightly less than perfection weather is a very fair exchange for room to hear yourself think and deep discounts.