Southern California

We were lucky that the weather was really nice in early March--in the upper 80's with low humidity--during most of our stay, allowing us to go to the beach many days. The most beautiful beaches are in Laguna Beach, just a quick trip up the coastal highway from Capistrano. The other enjoyable things to do are to tour the LA/Hollywood areas, which you can do in a day, if you wish. Several travel books have suggested itineraries for Hollywood, and we followed the drive suggested for old Route 66, from the outer edge of LA, through Hollywood, past the Chinese Theater, Beverly Hills (you can detour down Rodeo Drive), Bel Air, past UCLA and ending at the Pacific Ocean near Venice Beach. We also spent a half day in Irvine at the Spectrum center, which has several interesting restaurants and stores. Our kids loved Dave & Buster's (huge arcade with pool tables, bars and food) during the late afternoon, and the magic shop (magicians entertaining a crowd with fantastic tricks), and shops for our teenage daughter.

Quick Tips:

If you aren't familiar with the area, buy a good guidebook or two, and study up before you go. This can help you pinpoint what you want to focus on while there, because there is so much to see and do. We never did drive to San Diego to the zoo, because we ran out of time. The "beach bums" in us also wanted to take advantage of the great weather while we could, (back in Pennsylvania where we're from, it was still snowing!), and so we didn't do as much sightseeing. The ocean temp is too cold at this time of year to swim, though, but we swam every day in the resort pool and hot tub.

Best Way To Get Around:

Hey, you're in Southern California, so you MUST rent a car! Everyone whizzes by on I-4, the main drag between LA and San Diego, at about 85 mph. It is fun just checking out all the expensive cars and wondering what celebrities might be inside! The guidebooks said that LA's public transportation is lacking, so take note.

Best Things Nearby:
Beaches, shopping, boating, scenic drives, sightseeing.

Best Things About the Resort:
It is right across the coastal highway from the beach with a covered walkway. They have free beach chairs, umbrellas, and sand toys. The views from the rooms of the ocean are spectacular, which you can enjoy from your balcony. They also have two well-maintained pools and hot tubs, never crowded while we were there in early March.

Resort Experience:
Very clean and nicely landscaped. People are friendly. The rooms are mid-sized, with a galley-type limited kitchen as part of the living/dining area. There are two bathrooms. The rooms open onto an outside hallway, but it faces the cliffs directly behind the resort, so it is not noisy. There is some road noise, but not enough to keep you up at night. The balcony open from the living room and is nice to sit on with a great view of the ocean and for people-watching!

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good

Beautiful beaches, with clean white sand. There is a walkway that crossed the coastal highway in front of the Riviera Beach and Spa Resort that makes it convenient for those staying there.