This is the second of 4 articles that originally appeared on Dave's Travel Corner about select locations in Mexico. The first one was about Oaxaca City, and the 3rd and 4th articles include Colima City and Guadalajara. A 5th article about Xcalak on the Yucatan Peninsula is also available. The beautiful town of Manzanillo is located in the state of Colima, Mexico. For reference, Manzanilla is located about 4.5 hours south of Puerto Vallarta. … [Read more...]
Manzanillo, Mexico – Las Hadas
Words cannot begin to describe the beauty of Las Hadas Resort. It is listed as one of the top 400 resorts in the world. Almost every amenity that that one can think of can be found on site. It attracts a wealthy set of of well-heeled travelers from all over the world. Besides the main hotel the resort features numerous white washed Arabian looking buildings nestled into the sides of a steep hill. Las Hadas is located on the Santiago Peninsula … [Read more...]
Manzanillo, Mexico – Cuyutlan & Paraiso
Cuyutlan & Paraiso are located 30 miles southeast of Manzanillo. Not built up, a number of smaller fishing villages are located in the region along with several fine seafood restaurants. I like this area compared to the city of Manzanillo because this is rural Mexico and is well-removed from the beaten path of many tourists. It is a popular spot for vacationing Mexican families, many of whom are from Guadalajara. Cuyutlan like several of the … [Read more...]
Monterey, CA
Monterey (population approximately 29,000) is located roughly 2 hours south of San Francisco. This beautiful historic town takes full advantage of its location on the edge of the Pacific Ocean with attractions such as Fisherman's Wharf, Cannery Row, and the ever popular Monterey Bay Aquarium. However, there are more attractions in the entire Monterey Bay area then just those in the town of Monterey. Additional highlights include the scenic 17 … [Read more...]
Monterey, CA – Attractions
The sites and attractions listed below are not only located within the city of Monterey but also on the Monterey peninsula and vicinity. Cannery Row is a historic waterfront region in the town of Monterey that today has been converted to shops, restaurants and hotels. This used to be home to a number of sardine factories and warehouses serving the fishing area until this industry collapsed in the 1950's. The last cannery in operation was the … [Read more...]
Monterey, CA – Nearby Towns
Note that despite a fairly small population in Monterey and surrounding communities - during rush hour traffic can be quite bad in and around Monterey - in the Cannery Row area and Highway 1 in and around Sand City. Allow extra time if traveling during these early morning and late afternoon weekday times. Castroville is a small town about 20 minutes north of Monterey - located just off of Highway 1. The self anointed artichoke center of the … [Read more...]
Mt. Lassen, CA – Attractions
Bumpass Hell is a region of many hot mud pots, an area of geothermal activity. A trail leads from a parking lot in-between Sulfur Works and the Lassen Summit Trailhead. The trail to the sulfur works is about 2 miles one way. For the out and back hike - allow at least several hours. The trail is a good one. It begins fairly level and slowly climbs to a crest and then becomes somewhat steeper and drops down into a little valley where you will see … [Read more...]
Mt. Whitney, CA – Whitney Hike
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 – Big Pine
Big Pine is a fairly small town located directly on Highway 395 (population approximately 1,750). Does not feature much in the way of lodging or food (the one exception to this and worth a stop unless you are vegetarian or vegan, is Copper Top BBQ). Big Pine however is a good launching spot for several attractions within the area including the Bristlecone Pine Forest. The closest tree to the namesake of the town is the tall Sequoia planted … [Read more...]
Mt. Whitney, CA – Independance Hotels
Note: The prices listed below range from single person/one bed to double occupancy/2 beds. Prices are subject to change without notice. All phone numbers are in the 760 area code unless otherwise noted. Aberdeen Resort is located about 15 miles north of Independence (about one mile north of the 395 Highway rest area). As you get close to the resort, you might spot donkeys roaming about. During one visit they came right up to us 'begging' … [Read more...]