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WELCOME TO
The Getaway Page
GET OUT OF LA!
Here is where you can find great destinations within a day's drive of Los Angeles.
Click on pictures for full-size view.
Down in the southern end of the state is the wide-open spaces of Campo. This little known area located halfway between San Diego and El Centro is the wild west come alive.
As desolate as it is, it is very beautiful country and can be had very cheaply. Click on the heading above for our recent, illustrated trip report.
KERNVILLE
Click on the link above for more information on the activities described below.
Southern California's whitewater mecca. 150 miles from L.A. via Bakersfield or Palmdale. Located on the banks of the Kern River just north of Lake Isabella, Kernville makes a great base camp to explore the surrounding area.
Many outfitters are located here that can provide a rapid-running adventure in the river. Tours start at $15 and go up from there.
Other activities in the area include seeing giant sequoia trees, hiking, rock climbing, golf, and fishing. Nearby Lake Isabella offers boating and water-skiing as well. Snow skiing is only 10 miles away in the winter at Shirley Meadows, the southern most ski area of the Sierras. Gost towns abound in the area and offer explorers a great chance to examine these historical towns and try their luck at gold panning.
Accomodations here regularly book solid during the summer season from Memorial Day to Labor day with many innkeepers instituting a 2 day minimum. Four inns we've found are very nice, reasonable and do not have a minimum stay:
The tiny Western Motel, with only 3 rooms, sits across the road from the river and Ewings restaurant. Immaculately cared for with sparkling rooms and a small, quiet garden, this motel is a great get-away-from-it-all spot. The only problem here is that there is no wheelchair access (there is 6 steps up to the room level) which is odd considering the owner is in a wheelchair. Rates start at $50 during the summer.
The large Kernville Inn, ideally situated downtown with great access to the river and a swimming pool. Rates start at $59.
The Sierra Vista Motel in neighboring Wofford Heights offers comfortable cabin-style rooms with easy access to Shirley Meadows ski area. Rates start at $50.
Kern River Inn Bed & Breakfast offers outstanding rooms across from the river and in downtown Kernville. Rates start at $89 and include breakfast.
Take I-5 north to highway 99. Continue north to highway 178 and head east to Lake Isabella and the Kernville exit. Alternate route is to take highway 14 north from Palmdale/Lancaster to highway 178 and head west to Lake Isabella.
LAUGHLIN, NEVADA/COLORADO RIVER
5 hours east of Los Angeles is the alternative to Vegas...Laughlin, Nevada. This mini casino strip offers all of the gaming excitement of Vegas combined with all the recreation opportunities of the Colorado River.
There are many places to rent watercraft & boats along the river. Our best experiences have been with Park Moabi Marina in Needles where you can rent a ski boat, fishing boat or a pontoon patio boat (our favorite for floating parties). Head south on the river & cruise through the beautiful Topock Gorge wilderness area to Lake Havasu and the London Bridge. Rates for boat rentals range from $100 to $200 per day depending on the craft. Half day rates are also available. Call Vaughn at the Park Moabi Marina at (619)326-4777.
Accomodations are plentiful, good, & cheap in Laughlin but book ahead for weekends as they sell out regularly. Our top 3 hotels in Laughlin are Harrah's Del Rio(800-447-8700) for the nice rooms & private beach; the Ramada Express (800-272-6232) for the best buffet in Laughlin, the free train rides, and the great pool, and the Avi (800-184-2946m, 11 miles south of Laughlin) for the great beach & friendly service.
PALM SPRINGS & DESERT HOT SPRINGS
Take Interstate 10 east about 120 miles. Here you will find Southern California's desert hideaway. There are many restaurants, night clubs, tennis courts, golf courses, pools, and of course, hot spring spas.
Many resorts not only have overnight accomodations but also day use rates for their facilities like this place.
Also worth a visit while you're in the area is the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.
Click on the link above to find out everything you wanted to know about our neighbors to the south.
Check out our new Death Tour made up especially for our neighbors to the south.
8 hours by car but only an hour by air is "Baghdad by the Bay". Virtually the opposite of L.A., SF is small, crowded, compact....and great! More like an East Coast city, SF has an attitude of tolerance you won't find many other places.
The city is filled with characters and is much loved by all residents. It is made up of many distinctly different neighborhoods. It gets cold, rainy sometimes, and can get on your nerves occasionally but a trip here is about as close as you'll find to a guaranteed good time. Click on the heading above for our recent, illustrated trip report.
Not too many people know about this gem. About 20 miles east of Palo Alto and worlds away from the rest of California, this small town is really out in the middle of nowhere yet close enough to easily get to (just head north on Highway 1 from Santa Cruz 40 miles or south from San Francisco). Quiet, peaceful, and tranquil, this is a place to pick wild blackberries on the side of the road or to wander through redwood forests or relax on an empty beach.
The best place to stay here is the Rancho San Gregorio Bed & Breakfast and the best place to eat is Duarte's in nearby Pescadero. Be sure to try their delicious asparagus soup.
One of the nation's premiere national parks. The glacially carved Yosemite offers one of the most breathtaking views you will ever see. Summer crowds can really get big, though. Try and come during spring or fall when the crowds are down.
There are many accomodations in the area from budget on up. There are dozens of reasonably priced bed & breakfasts in the area that can combine a comfortable room with a filling breakfast, saving you even more on food. Check out our trip report for loads of information on the area.
Easy to get to (180 miles north of L.A. on highway 101) and easy to like, SLO offers a slower pace to recharge your batteries. Relax around the creek downtown, soak in a hot spring, visit a 200 year old mission, enjoy a cold beer at the SLO Brewing Company, and visit nearby Hearst Castle.
There are many great accomodations in SLO from Motel 6 on up. We recommend the Quality Suites at 1631 Monterey or the Garden Street Inn Bed & Brakfast. Both offer outstanding rooms, afternoon wine, and full breakfasts.
Temecula offers a great day trip or overnighter from the L.A. area. Located halfway to San Diego on the inland Interstate 15, Temecula offers a restored, western old town; many fine restaurants; great shopping; and above all, Southern California's premiere wine producing region...check out the wineries on our Wineries page.
Temecula is also a city of many events. There's the fall harvest festival, the west coast's biggest hot air balloon festival, old west days, and more.
Lodging ranges from the economy of Motel 6 to the luxury of Murrieta Hot Springs Spa. Here are some local lodgings to consider while staying in the area:
- Motel 6 (800) 4-MOTEL-6 $
- Loma Vista Bed & Breakfast (909) 676-7047 $$$
- Temecula Creek Inn (909) 694-1000 $$$$
- Embassy Suites (909) 676-5656 $$$
- Best Western Country Inn (909) 676-7378 $$
- Comfort Inn (909) 699-5888 $
- Butterfield Inn (909) 676-4833 $$