Ten tips for visiting California on a budget

by Gadling Staff on

California is one of America’s most beautiful and popular states for tourism. From wintry ski resorts to dry desert landscapes you can have it all – but all that choice also means California can get expensive quick. Between airfare, big cities like San Francisco and admission to theme parks, a California traveler can spoil a budget in no time. Here are some money-saving tips to keep your California vacation budget in check.

Buy a National Parks pass

California is home to some of the most beautiful National Parks in the country, but each of these parks have admission fees. If you pick up a National Park pass, you can travel to and from any of these parks as many times as you like in a year, all while saving a few bucks in the process. Check out the national parks page for California and schedule your vacation around one of the United States’ most beautiful outdoor areas. Once you’ve purchased your pass, the possibilities are endless. Everything from hiking, boating, exploring and picnics is within reach, all for cheap.

Check out areas around the state’s big cities
It can be very expensive to stay in some of the major cities in California. Consider San Francisco, where the average hotel can set you back $200 or more. Check out nearby cities where you’ll easily find accommodations while still using the city’s public transit. San Francisco has one of the countries best public transit systems, so chances are you won’t even need a car. Great cities not far from San Francisco include Berkeley, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto and San Jose. There are great things to do in these cities as well, and they offer a convenient and cheaper alternative to a money-gouging big city hotel.

Discover California’s less touristy beach locations
California is well-known for beautiful beaches and coastline, but don’t forget to look for the beaches and parts of the coast that don’t see as much tourist activity. Spots like Pismo Beach offer beautiful sand with perfect scenery without the high prices. Located between Los Angeles and San Francisco, this beach town offers fantastic, affordable accommodations, great restaurants and plenty activities for the family. It also is a beautiful honeymoon spot or romantic getaway. From Pismo Beach, if you have a car you can travel to some of the nearby cities for a day trip. San Luis Obispo is a short trip from Pismo Beach, as well as the famous Hearst Castle.

Head to the desert during “shoulder season”
The desert starts heating up in March and April, but is still completely comfortable, beautiful…and affordable. The prices are driven down after February as the “sun birds” begin to skip town. For some great desert travel on the cheap, check out beautiful, sunny Palm Springs. Palm Springs is a short 2-hour drive from Los Angeles and you’ll find great deals there in the spring months.

While in Palm Springs there’s plenty to do, including hiking, golfing, shopping, and plenty of great eating. If you are lucky enough to be in Palm Springs on a Thursday night, you can go to the famous Palm Springs Village Fest, which offers plenty of entertainment, shopping and eating. You can do self-tours for free in Palm Springs of all of the famous 50’s retro modern architecture as well as the famous celebrity houses, like Bob Hope’s house and Frank Sinatra’s house. Also, not far from Palm Springs is the unique and gorgeous Joshua Tree National Park. Take a day trip out to the park and check out the famous Joshua Trees, where the band U2 got their inspiration for the album “Joshua Tree”.

Go to a ski town in the off-season
If you are not big into snow and skiing, finding a ski town in the off-season is the perfect way to spend a vacation, and get some great deals at the same time. Big Bear Lake happens to be one of the most beautiful places in California. And in the off-season, you can spend a fraction of the price on beautiful lodging. There is plenty to do when the snow isn’t falling: hiking, boating, swimming are plentiful and perfect in the spring and summer months. For a relaxing and affordable vacation, Big Bear Lake is a great money-saving choice.

Visit San Diego
Home to some of the country’s most beautiful beaches, San Diego is your one-stop California vacation place for sun, ocean, theme parks, shopping, and nightlife for less. First stop are the beaches at La Jolla and Coronado Beach, both rated as top beaches in the United States. Not satisfied with just the beach? Check out Mission Beach, boasting two miles of boardwalk along the beautiful coast. Then head down to the famous Belmont Park where you can ride the oldest roller coaster in California, catch a ride on the wooden carousel and play glow in the dark mini-golf all while watching surfers for free at the famous Wave House. Head to downtown San Diego for a walk around Little Italy, a walk through the modern Gaslamp Quarter. And be sure to check out San Diego’s Old Towne. This park is completely free, and free to park featuring great shops, entertainment.

Visit California’s top-notch farmers’ markets for inexpensive meals
California is already famous for its bountiful harvests of fruits and vegetables. Why not take advantage of all that deliciousness and save some money while you’re at it? All throughout California you’ll find some of the country’s best farmers’ markets. Chances are whatever city you decide to visit you can find a farmers market on almost any day of the week. These markets offer fresh fruits and vegetables, and most offer inexpensive food stands with delicious local treats.

Find a vacation rental
You can save a lot of money on a California vacation by renting a vacation home rather than staying in a hotel. Check out AOL’s travel page of vacation rental listings, or head to one of the many web-based rental sites like VRBO. Staying in a vacation rental is great for everyone from families to individuals and couples. You can save a lot by not eating out, and most are below what hotels charge, and offer every thing you need for your vacation.

Enjoy a free/cheap California festival
There are numerous festivals around California throughout the year. Most are free to get into, or have a very low admission. How about the Patterson, California’s famous Apricot Fiesta? Or maybe Big Hat Day in Old Towne Clovis, CA . There are festivals each month of the year, and offer a unique view of each city and daily life. There are tons of deals to be had, and a lot of free activities. For more information check out the California Fairs and Festivals page.

Theme parks
California is home to some of the best (and most expensive) theme parks in the country. Disneyland, Sea World, Legoland, Knots Berry Farms are some of the best, though a visit can add up quick. Save some money by staying outside the parks. Cities like Anaheim, CA have plenty of accommodations and will save you a few dollars over staying in the park itself.

An Anti-Sex and the City Hotel Deal in NYC

by Amy Chen on

I’ll admit that I’m looking forward to the mind-numbing experience of watching Sex and the City 2, which opens Thursday. That said, I’m also amused to see a few anti-SATC hotel deals pop up among all the Cosmopolitan-fueled packages.

New York City’s Pod Hotel, a budget-minded property on East 51st Street, has put together one of these anti-SATC packages.

Starting at $139 per night, the “Don’t Get Carried Away” package includes one night in a bunk-bed room at the Pod, two cupcakes from Buttercup Bake Shop, a Brooklyn cocktail at East Side Social Club, and a knock-off designer handbag from Canal Street.

This package is a refreshing alternative to other SATC-themed packages, which typically have heftier price tags (can you say luxurious suites, Magnolia Bakery cupcakes, Cosmopolitan cocktails, and designer brands?)

If this package inspires you to build your own anti-SATC package, might I also suggest cupcakes from Sugar Sweet Sunshine? This Lower East Side bakery on Rivington Street whips up tasty confections for $1.50 each — my favorites are the pistachio and the Sexy Red Velvet cupcakes, which I find less sickeningly sweet than Magnolia’s $3.25 version.

Details: The “Don’t Get Carried Away” package is valid for stays at the Pod Hotel (www.thepodhotel.com) from May 27-June 11.

Portland’s Hotel Modera reviewed

by Laurel Miller on

Portland, Oregon, knows it’s pretty damn cool, which is why the city has garnered a rep for having a bit of a ‘tude. Let’s just say you should study up on your coffee order before getting in line.

Blissfully free of hipster snark, however, lies downtown’s funky Hotel Modera, a two-year-old addition to the area’s eclectic mix of venerable and boutique properties. Another selling point: Modera has ($27/day in summer)) valet service, removing the pain from downtown Portland’s notoriously scarce parking. Check-in was prompt, and every staff member I encountered during my brief stay was genuinely friendly and helpful. The twenty-four hour concierge service and business center are useful for night owls, businesspeople, and insomniacs. Asthmatics like me and healthy types will appreciate that it’s a 100% non-smoking property.

A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, a group of which I am fond,
Modera’s butt-ugly, nondescript, colorless exterior is deceptive. Built in 1962, it was originally a Days Inn, and then the Portland Inn City Center. But ah, inside lies a colorful, groovy oasis full of local art, Italian marble, and polished walnut floors. Fusion jazz emanates from hidden speakers.

Modera’s decor may not be to everyone’s taste. Done up in textural and tonal variations of white, orange, chocolate, and red, it looks kind of like the love child of Ikea and the Brady Bunch house. I’m not a Danish Modern person, but for some reason, I found this hotel fun, without trying to be. It just suits the utter weirdness and iconoclastic nature of Portland.My premium suite room, while small by some standards, had a nice, open layout, filled with light and glam trappings, and sensor-controlled heat, AC, and entry lights. The front room contained a dining table, LCD 32-inch flat screen TV, and a nice little desk/office area, with an iPod docking station and free Wifi. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any electrical outlets in which to plug my laptop.

The sunny bedroom featured a comfy King, with quality linens and loads of pillows; another flat screen, and a great view of downtown. The faux lynx bed throw and gigantic polka dotted carpet were a bit over the top, but the spacious, spotless, marbled-tiled bathroom made up for it. The open shower had two heads- one a European-style, and I loved the yummy, blood-orange-scented Tarroco bar of soap, shampoo, conditioner, and bath gel, which somehow found their way into my duffel bag.

Room rates vary seasonally and according to local events, but nightly averages per person for summer are $179/Premiere City King room, $189/Premiere Garden King, $199/Premiere Double Queen, and $289/Premiere King Suite.

What’s nice about Modera’s location is that it’s centrally located (but safe), yet a few blocks off of the retail corridor of Pioneer Square, and about 20 blocks from the boutiques, galleries, restaurants, and bars of the vibrant Pearl District (the free Portland StreetCar is one block from the hotel if you want a lift). Parts of lower downtown and Pioneer Square are like running a gauntlet of panhandlers and obnoxious, punky street kids. Ignore them, and focus your attention on the collective of glorious, multi-ethnic food carts clustered nearby, as well as other locations downtown.

The 174-room hotel is a peaceful oasis from all the bustle, made more so by an attractive courtyard that provides outdoor seating for the hotel’s Mediterranean-influenced restaurant, Nel Centro (helmed by acclaimed local chef David Machado). The eye candy, however, is Portland’s first “living wall,” a verdant, sustainable backdrop covered with ferns, moss, and other native plants. At night, fire pits light the courtyard, which is packed with guests and locals, who come for Nel Centro’s screaming deal of a Happy Hour. From four to six, cocktails and wine are five dollars a glass, microbrews are four, and three to seven bucks will get you pomme frites with harissa ketchup, a lamb burger with peppers and feta, or a seasonal pizza. If it’s chilly outside, seat yourself at the lively square bar, where you still have a courtyard view.

Modera is walking distance to the many arts and cultural events held within the downtown area, such as the Portland International Beer Festival, as well as the Portland Art Museum and Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. The city has a great public transit system, MAX, and is very bike-friendly, so get out to explore the Hawthorne District and Mt. Tabor, the Alberta Arts District, and the spectacular Forest Park. Even if you never make it past downtown, there’s plenty to see and do (and Modera offers complimentary passes to the adjacent 24 Hour Fitness if you want to get some exercise in). All just groovy to me.

The world’s most dangerous destinations (according to the Los Angeles Times)

by Kraig Becker on

The Los Angeles Times recently compiled a list of their picks for the world’s most dangerous places, with some popular tourist destinations earning amongst their ranks. Unlike other lists of this kind however, they automatically omitted places like Baghdad or Afghanistan, which are not travel friendly to begin with. Instead, this list points out the the very real dangers that a tourist might face while visiting one of these places.

For example, Gansbaai, South Africa earns a spot amongst the world’s most dangerous destinations because of the shark infested waters that surround the city. The region has an abundance of seals and penguins, which attract hordes of great white sharks, making it a popular place for visitors who want to see those predators up close. Thrill seekers can take a dip in those dangerous waters inside a shark cage, while most will look on from the safety of their boat.

Other dangerous destinations include Mt. Everest in Nepal for the extreme conditions and high altitude. The entire country of Australia gets the nod thanks to all the dangerous snakes and spiders that live there, and Memphis, Tennessee is a surprise entry for its proclivity for earthquakes. The city sits on a major fault line that could make it a major disaster waiting to happen.

There are a number of other popular destinations on the list, each with a unique threat to those that visit there. The list is a good reminder that we don’t have to visit a war torn nation to face real dangers on our next trip.

JetBlue pilot removed from Boston plane after gun threat incident

by Scott Carmichael on

A JetBlue co-pilot has been removed from his Boston crew lounge when he sent an email to his ex-girlfriend mentioning his plans to harm himself.

The pilot is a member of the TSA Federal Flight Deck Officer program, which allows pilots to carry guns on their plane – the program was developed after the attacks on 9/11. Upon being confronted by authorities, the pilot handed over the gun and was taken to a local hospital for mental evaluation.

Local authorities were quick to point out that the man never threatened passengers and was only considered a threat to himself.