Nov 2023
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Palm Springs, California

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the world's largest rotating tram car. The tram travels from valley station some 2.5 mile along the cliffs of Chino Canyon to the mountain station at an elevation of 8,516 feet above sea level. Normally the temperature is 40 degrees cooler than the valley. The mountain station is one of the entrances to The Mt. San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness Area with over 50 miles of hiking trails. The Mt. San Jacinto peak towers over the mountain station at 10,834 feet and is the second highest peak in southern California. The mountain station has several viewpoints, a natural history museum, two documentary films, and two overpriced restaurants. The 3.7 mile Tramway Road is a private road and requires a $15 fee to park at the tram's valley station. The round trip tram fee to the peak is $30.95. This is a very unique experience and the views are stunning so to me, this was well worth the cost. Pets are not allowed on the tram and they will fine you if you leave your pet in the car so keep that in mind.

Nov 2023
A Day In LA
Los Angeles, California

I planned a 300 mile round trip day trip to the Los Angeles area to see some very specific things that have always been interesting to me including The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, live music venues on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, The Santa Monica Pier, and SoFi Stadium and The Forum, both in Inglewood. There are three iconic live music venues on The Sunset Strip; The Whisky A Go Go, The Rainbow Bar & Grill, and The Roxy Theater, all located with-in the same couple of blocks on the strip. The Whisky opened in 1964 and spawned the careers of many bands of my favorite era including Van Halen, Dokken, Ratt, and Motley Crue to name a few. The Rainbow and The Roxy played a similar role with these bands and many others for decades. Visiting SoFi Stadium and The Forum was made more difficult due to the I-10 fire two days earlier and added 2 additional hours to my day due to the massive traffic jams. There is So Much more to see obviously but this was a 12 hour day and really all I could squeeze in. Next Time.

Nov 2023
The Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, California

The Santa Monica Pier first opened its gates to the public in 1909 and is the "end of the trail" for the iconic Route 66 which begins in Chicago IL. The pier is pet friendly but the beach below is not. Parking 3 blocks away cost $10 for 1 hour, $25 for 3 hours, and $30 for all day. Once you reach the pier, the food options are plentiful from classic American fare to seafood to dessert foods such as funnel cakes and giant pretzels. There are sit down indoor restaurants including Bubba Gump Shrimp Co and Maria Sol and many other outdoor food vendors including Whac-A-Mole Tacos and Beach Burger. There is a verity of carnival rides like the Pacific Wheel which is the world's only solar-powered Ferris wheel. There is a roller coaster that offers panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, a carousel, bumper cars, and an assortment of arcade and carnival games. The gift shops, street vendors, and street performers rival any tourist trap you've ever visited. The pier is free to visit but be prepared to pay for parking. If you're in the area it's well worth a visit to The Santa Monica Pier.

Nov 2023
Thousand Trails Palm Springs 2
Palm Desert, California

I booked 14 nights at Thousand Trails Palm Springs RV Resort for the second time, site 21 this year. This is a beautiful campus, in a super prime location, and in Desperate Need of Updating and Routine Maintenance. It's mostly sand throughout with patches of grass that is a half foot tall in many spots. Although the documentation tells you to park vehicles on the asphalt at your site, there wasn't much visible asphalt other than the roads themselves. I didn't notices any updates since last year and the campground seems to be in even worse shape this year. The sewer connection at my site and my neighbor's site was just awful. On a positive note, the pool deck and Pickle Ball Courts are still very nice. The Laundry rooms are well equipped with newish machines using the fantastic Wash Connect App. Since this campground closes 4 months during the heat of the summer, maybe they will overhaul a few things next summer. I sure hope so. I cover The Coachella Valley in Blog 14.

 Palm Springs RV Resort Site Map