Travel App, Central Coast’s Santa Cruz

When you’re traveling through California’s Central Coast, you’ll want easy-to-access information on everything the coast has to offer. Many cities and counties in the four central coast regions offer up-to-the-minute information accessible to visitors via mobile applications. And now Santa Cruz has one too!

Want to have Santa Cruz in the palm of your hand? Plan your trip anytime and anywhere using their Visit Santa Cruz Travel app available on iTunes and at the Android Marketplace. The Visit Santa Cruz app is also available via the mobile CVC website, and by scanning a Microsoft tag in the 2012 Official Santa Cruz County Traveler’s Guide.

Santa Barbara Celebrates Its Earth-friendly Side with Ecotopia in March and April

Year-round climate perfect for producing savor fruits and veggies? Check. The ocean on one side and beckoning mountain trails on the other? Check. A community that’s long been committed to sustainability and is the proud founder of the first Earth Day celebration? Check!  It’s no secret that Santa Barbara’s South Coast is an Earth-lovers paradise. As a local with a bent for sustainability and all things eco, I’m looking forward to celebrating Santa Barbara’s green scene in March and April during Ecotopia—two months of recognizing the area’s unique sustainable aspects—because, when you live in a place as beautifully bountiful as SB, celebrating the Earth takes more than a day.

Follow Ecotopia on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and FourSquare for weekly updates or use my quick guide to making the most of Santa Barbara’s inviting Earth-friendly activities while lowering your carbon footprint at the same time.

1. As a seafood lover, an occasional trip to the weekly Santa Barbara Fish Market (Saturdays in the Harbor from 7:00am – 11:00am) is a must. Fishermen are encouraged to harvest sustainably and the local catch means less oil and gas to transport. If you’d rather dine out, look for Ty Warner Sea Center’s Sustainable Food Program Member stickers on storefront windows.

California’s Central Coast Visitors Guide & Map for 2012, Just Released

The 2012 Central Coast Visitors Guide & Map for the Central Coast Tourism Council (CCTC) has just been published by Striker Media Group. This beautiful 84-page guide covers four spectacular regions of California’s central coast: Channel Islands Region; Santa Barbara Region; San Luis Obispo Region, and Monterey Bay Region.

You can view and download this guide and map from the CCTC’s website. They are also available at California Welcome Centers throughout the state and eight international California Tourism offices. And, if you take a road trip along the coast (one of the most beautiful in the world), you will come across the guide and map at area Visitor Centers, Chambers of Commerce and local attractions.

Monterey Bay Aquarium’s New Exhibit

Monterey Bay Aquarium

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is getting some press about their new jellyfish exhibit opening March 31, 2012.

Whether you’re a sea creature fanatic or just appreciative of California wildlife, this exhibit is sure to please. Everyone will look forward to “The Jellies Experience” after reading a bit more from the article ’What’s New on the Central Coast‘ by Christine Delsol, sfgat.com.

CBS Los Angeles Reports on the Spectacular Ventura Wine Country Trail

(credit: Desiree Eaglin)

Next time you are headed up or down Highway 101 and you see the off-ramp for Ventura, add some time to your trip to explore this fantastic destination!
http://cbsloc.al/tGxs97

Humpbacks Give Kayaker a Close-Up Encounter Off Santa Cruz

Local Santa Cruz photographer Paul Schraub, on assignment for the Santa Cruz County Convention and Visitors Council, captured this photo of spy hopping whales in the Monterey Bay on Tuesday. (Paul Schraub/Santa Cruz County CVC)

While working on a new marketing campaign Tuesday, a photographer for the Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council captured this amazing image.

Paul Schraub was off the Seabright State Beach shoreline when he shot the photo of two humpback whales breaching next to a kayaker.

Christina Glynn explained, “The photo shoot was commissioned to bring attention to Santa Cruz as a unique location for meetings, retreats and the conference market.” Whale watching is just one of the unique opportunities available when booking your next event within such a biodiverse ecosystem as the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary. Schraub was aboard a small boat operated by Pacific Yachting and Sailing out of the Santa Cruz harbor.

Whales have been observed being particularly active in the past week feeding on an abundance of anchovies off the coast.

“Man versus Food” Comes to the Central Coast

San Luis Obispo, CA – A local restaurant put the Central Coast in the national spotlight last night. The Rib Line on Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo was featured in an episode of “Man Vs. Food Nation” on the Travel Channel. Adam Richman, the host, coached high school teacher Naader Reda, of Ventura, in attempting to defeat the “Brahma Bull Challenge.” The challenge means eating three pounds of tri-tip, sandwiched between a sliced sourdough loaf topped with barbecue sauce or salsa. Reda tried to beat the current record of 42 minutes. Reda beat the record by two minutes. He will now get free lunch every Friday at the Rib Line. The Rib Line also has a location in Grover Beach. If you missed the airing, visit travelchannel.com for their updated schedule.

Great White Shark Now on Exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium!

Check out the new Great White Shark now on exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

“The young shark, a four-foot, seven-inch male weighing 43  pounds, was collected by their husbandry staff on August 18 near Marina del Rey, California. Since then, the shark has  been in an ocean holding pen while they confirmed that he  was feeding consistently and swimming comfortably in the  enclosure. On August 31 they brought him to the Aquarium  and placed him in the million-gallon Open Sea exhibit. They hope he’ll remain on exhibit for several months helping to change public attitudes and promote protection for this  magnificent and much-maligned ocean predator.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is in their 10th season of white shark field research and are learning things that will help protect these remarkable animals for future generations.”

Check the Monterey Bay Aquarium site for more information on the White Shark Project.

Ventura’s Fall Festivities Keep Summer Alive!

While most of the country gears up for chilly weather in the fall, Californians can enjoy the outdoors for months after Labor Day.  From beachside festivals to wine galas under the stars, Ventura coaxes visitors and residents into taking an extended summer vacation.  Here are some fantastic upcoming events to enjoy the Central Coast of California:

Paint Ventura invites people of all artistic abilities to tap into their creativity and support the arts.  Highlights include exhibits by local artists and workshops focusing on a variety of media, open to adults and youth for free or for a small fee.  The event itself is free and takes place on September 9-11; times and venues vary daily.  More information is available at http://www.paintventura.com.

Don’t Miss this Blogger’s Central Coast Tale

Checkout one family blogger’s experience on the Central Coast:

Just arrived in Buellton, Santa Barbara county after an excellent drive down the” PCH” from Carmel, taking in the amazing Coastal scenery of the Big Sur - dramatic cliffs, huge pacific surf and hair-pin bendy roads (another RV navigational challenge)! Had a great lunch-time stop at a restaurant called Nepenthe in the heart of the Big Sur.

Monterey and Carmel were superb – the whale watching was the undoubted highlight with us being extremely lucky in seeing a couple of killer whales and also spending a great few hours in the impressive Aquarium in Monterey.

Tomorrow we are taking in some winery visits in the Santa Ynez wine area and then an afternoon on the beach near Santa Barbara.

Probably time to return the RV as I have started to assess the various merits of the different RV ‘s around the campgrounds – may need some serious help from friends and family to talk me out of entering the dark world of caravanning when we return to the UK. Thanks in advance!

Read more of the Resfamily blog here…
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