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Time is passing so quickly and it is already time to get ready for March Festivities. The famous Irish celebration – St Patrick’s Day – is celebrated all over the United States the weekend before and /or after the 17th of March. So what are your plans this year? To help you figure out how to participate in the St Patrick’s Day fun, here is a list of fun St Patrick’s Day Parades for 2010.

St Patrick’s Day Parades in Las Vegas

Of course this great city so often visited for the party scene also has many parties to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. Las Vegas organizes a great parade downtown on Water Street each year. This parade is free to access. The whole town is painted green for the occasion and many parties take place everywhere.
If you are looking for something a bit more specific, and higher standards, the Mandalay Bay Casino plans each year an important event to celebrate the St Patrick’s Day festival. There are live performances, beer gardens, Irish music and a concert. This event is not a public event, so you need to buy tickets to attend.

St Patrick’s Day Parades in Los Angeles

One of the most important St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Los Angeles is the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Hermosa Beach. The festivities start at 11 am and include a large entertaining parade with lots pf dancers, music and floats! Of course every year, downtown Los Angeles organizes a St Patrick’s Day Parade with marching bands, Celtic music and a lot of people! For more info and dates about the St. Patrick’s Day events, please check out this link!

St Patrick’s Day Parades in Orange County

The Annual St Patrick’s Day Festival of Costa Mesa starts at 9am and will go all day until 4pm with Irish dances, music and great entertainment. Come celebrate at Market Place.

St Patrick’s Day Parades in Phoenix

Whether this occasion is to support your Irish heritage, or simply another reason to party, you can find in Phoenix a fantastic day of celebration . It starts with the St Patrick’s Day Parade at 10 am and is followed by the St Patrick’s Day fair. So put your nice green, orange and black shirt, and wear your shamrocks the way you like it and come join the festivities March 13th! It is a fun day for everyone.

St Patrick’s Day Parades in Salt Lake City

Just like most other cities, Salt Lake City offers on March 13th, a St Patrick’s Day Parade, which covers 7 blocks! Floats, marching bands, Irish music, green beer, silly hats and beads will also be part of the typical celebration. Make sure to get your green hat on!

St Patrick’s Day Parades in San Diego

This year in San Diego the great St Patrick’s Day Parade and Irish Festival will take place on the 13th of March. It starts at 11am, in downtown San Diego. The parade is a fun event where besides drinking green beer, you can watch clowns, marching bands and such celebrating the Saint Patron of Ireland. But that’s not it, you can also follow the celebration in Balboa Park from 10 am to 5pm. This parade has 2 stages with dancing, music, food, and beer garden to celebrate the Irish culture. This event might be a bit more appropriate for kids.

St Patrick’s Day Parades in San Francisco

The St Patrick’s Day celebration in San Francisco is a 2 days event! The St Patrick’s Day Parade is on Saturday, March 13th at 11:30 am, but the fair and festival in honor of the Irish Culture lasts until Sunday with booths of arts and crafts, music, food and of course the famous beer gardens. So find the Civic Center and you will find the party!

St Patrick’s Day Parades in Seattle

You don’t have to be of Irish descend to claim St Patrick’s Day party day! Downtown Seattle is expecting you for its annual green celebration. The St Patrick’s Day Parade starts at 12:30. The festival will follow until 6pm, with booths, music, and a lot of people!

So wherever you are this year, whether or not you are Irish, there is a St Patrick’s Day Parade and festival waiting for you to come celebrate this great culture! So join everyone else and have fun!

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Sometime you want to plan a fun trip, or a nice weekend getaway somewhere new, but since you don’t know the city well, it can be hard to plan… And as we all know the sooner you plan and make your reservation, the more money you can save on your vacation. So to help you plan a wonderful weekend getaway in Orange County, Fox car rental gives you some ideas of what you should do.

Weekend Getaway in Orange County: Attractions

For the best weekend getaway possible in Orange County you want to do as much as possible, take advantage of the popular attractions available to you in the OC.
- Disneyland is one of the number one reasons for planning a weekend getaway in Orange County. This can fill a whole day, and assures you a lot of fun. We recommend, if your budget allows it, to get the 2 park pass, so you can also enjoy California Adventure. The Parade at the end of the day is always fun, and if you want to do most of the parks attractions in one day, this will be a late night.

- Newport Whale Watching Tour : take a cruise along the California Coast to observe the whales, and other species for a 2 and half hour tour. You will also get a great view of the beautiful California coast. While you are there, you might want to take advantage of visiting Catalina Island, and plan a lunch there.
- Some of you might be interested in a shopping break. It is always fun to go shopping somewhere different, find stores, trend, and styles you don’t have at home. Orange County is home of one of the greatest malls of California, Fashion Island. It is a total new experience. The mall is quite elegant, ocean views, great outdoor settings, and more than 200 stores… now that’s shopping in Southern California!

Of course, there are also great Golf Courses and spas to help you relax over the weekend

Orange County has plenty of great restaurants, but for a special getaway weekend you might be looking for something special.
- Medieval Times should be included in your weekend getaway in Orange County! This is a really fun evening and dinner plan. While you enjoy a 4-course meal, a play takes you back to the 11th century where knights fight and love wins. Make your reservations ahead of time.
- Downtown Disney: if you do decide to dedicate a full day to Disneyland, downtown Disney offers a lot of diverse dinning solutions, allowing you to take a break from the park and get back to it for some more magical adventures.
- However, if you want this weekend gateway in Orange County to be a successful romantic weekend, The Winery is the best restaurant in the OC. The experience will say more than words can, but expect to be swept of your feet by the whole experience!

A Weekend Getaway in Orange County of course includes a hotel, and depending on your interest and budget, there is quite a large selection of hotels… so read the Best Hotels in Orange County to select the one for you! So what are you waiting for? Come enjoy sunny California for a few days and leave the daily life stress at home!

Win a Rental Car for Valentine’s Day!

Leave a comment on this post and win one of 3 rental cars for 3 days each on Valentine’s Weekend from Fox Rent A Car!

Fox Rent A Car wants to spread the love and celebrate Valentine’s Day with you! We give away 3 rental cars free of charge for the Valentine’s Day Weekend at any of our 11 locations. Just leave a comment on this blog post with a short description (up to 50 words), how you would use one of our rental cars to make this Valentine’s Day weekend the best experience for you and your partner. What could be more romantic than a road trip with your significant other? Driving on winding roads, stopping at romantic destinations and enjoying some quality time with your loved one. What do you have in mind? Share your ideas with us!

Requirements of participation:

1. Participants cannot be employed by Fox Rent A Car

2. Leave a comment on this blog with a short description (30-50 words), how you would use a rental car to surprise someone for Valentine’s Day

3. Promotion ends on February 5, 2010 at 12.00 PM PST

4. Participants will be notified by email on February 8, 2010 and have to respond within 24 h with their complete contact information. If we do not receive a response within this given period, we will select another winner.

5. Winners will be selected for originality and creativity by the Fox Rent A Car Marketing Department and therefore may be subjective.

6. Available Cars: Economy through Fullsize, Compact, Intermediate and Standard SUVs

7. Fox Rent A Car will give out 3 rental cars to selected winners for a rental period of 3 days. (Fees, taxes, and optional insurance are not covered by the promotion and have to be paid by winner)

8. Pick up date must be anytime from February 11-14, 2010 at any of our Fox Rent A Car locations.

9. Fox Rent A Car Policies apply.

What are you waiting for?

Share your idea and win a free rental car for Valentine’s Day Weekend from Fox Rent A Car!

What are your plans for the Super Bowl? Are you meeting up with friends at home or do you want finish this great season with other fans in a sports bar?  If you don’t have a Super Bowl party to attend or if you don’t want to throw a party at home, sports bars are always a fun way to go watch the Super Bowl. So here is the list of the best sports bars to watch the Super Bowl this year, in all the Fox Rent A Car locations.

Best Sports Bars For the Super Bowl in Burbank

Barney’s Beanery is one of the best sports bars for the Super Bowl in Burbank. There are a large screens all over the bar, with comfortable booth tables, couches and a great atmosphere. You can also find a pretty decent menu for a sport bar.

Best Sports Bars For the Super Bowl in Las Vegas

There is quite a large selection of Sports Bars in Las Vegas. Certain bars are dedicated to one NFL team only. However, the best place to watch the Super Bowl in Vegas is not a sports bar. Lagasse’s Stadium at the Palazzo  is THE place to be. The seating in front of the screens makes you feel like you are at the game, with top-notch sound and picture. Don’t worry about missing any of the game, food and drinks are served to you!

Best Sports Bars For the Super Bowl in Los Angeles

Leo’s All Star is the best sports bar in Los Angeles to watch the game. You can watch the game on a 104” projection screen and HD TVs all over the bar. More than great food and a chill atmosphere, it has a great ambiance and video games to keep you entertained.

Best Sports Bars For the Super Bowl in Orange County

For a fun and chill spot to watch the game, check out Throwback Sports Bar in Anaheim. Beers are pretty cheap, and there are enough screens to enjoy the game. You can also play pool and other bar games if you are not into the half time show. They also serve breakfast on Sundays during the Football season.

Best Sports Bars For the Super Bowl in Phoenix

When you go to a sports bar to watch the Super Bowl, you want to make sure you get to see the game. So you want to find a place with many screens and even maybe a really large one so you don’t miss any of it. Santisi Brothers is then the place to be. On top of being the best location because of the screens all over the bar, you can also enjoy a delicious pizza with your beer.

Best Sports Bars For the Super Bowl in Salt Lake City

Lumpys Downtown Salt Lake City has been nominated the best sports bar in town for the past couple years. More than large screens to watch the game, there are also boothes with their own screens, allowing you to really get into the game. They offer a large selection of drinks and a nice menu as well.

Best Sports Bars For the Super Bowl in San Diego

The Super Bowl can be a little long and not everyone might want to sit in the bar the whole time. Seau’s on top of being the best sport bars in San Diego also has a great location! Just steps from the mall, you can take a break and go walk around! You can follow the Super Bowl at the bar, but also in their restaurant section, where you can chose from sushi to burgers. The food is delicious, the menu extensive, the atmosphere perfect for a great game.

Best Sports Bars For the Super Bowl in San Francisco

Watching Super Bowl in a sports bar should involve lots of screens, good finger food and appetizers and a great beer selection! If you are in San Francisco, don’t look any further; the place you’re looking for is Kezar Pub and restaurant, in Cole Valley.

Best Sports Bars For the Super Bowl in Seattle

Just because you are going in a sports bar doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be nice and comfortable! Fox Sport Grill is an upscale sports bar. There is not better place to watch the Super Bowl on large plasma TVs while sitting on comfortable seats. The food is restaurant food, with effort from a real cook, and not defrosted bar food. So if you want to take your significant other for a nice meal without missing out on the game, you both will be pleased!

Don’t miss the Super Bowl, and come watch it with all the other fans around you in a sports bar for a fun and entertaining experience.

New Year’s Eve in Southern California

Celebrating the beginning of a new year in a different city is fun and exciting. A lot of people like to travel over New Year’s Eve. So Fox Rent A Car, to help you celebrate this great year to end, and an even better one to start, we want to share with you all the best events taking place in Southern California – Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego – on New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Eve in Los Angeles

Sunset Boulevard is the best place to go. The street is full of bars and clubs all organizing different New Year’s Eve parties to celebrate 2010. Tickets and party packages are available now. Make sure to make your reservations as soon as possible as tickets are limited.

A great way to celebrate well New Year’s Eve is to plan ahead and plan safe. So why not find special package deals where you get your New Year’s dinner, your New Year’s night of celebration and then a room to stay? You can celebrate and have fun and not have to worry about driving as you will be able to do it all in one place! The Bazaar, by Jose Andres is one of the places offering this great opportunity. So make your reservation for this fancy dinning place with delicious cocktails and a great venue that makes you dance all night!

If you are looking for something a bit different this year, why not party on a ship? The Queen Mary in Long Beach offers a great New Year’s Eve celebration. Fireworks, live music, food and hotel accommodations are available. Reservations are necessary.

Of course, you can also enjoy a free New Year’s Eve celebration. Universal City Walk organizes the countdown bash. From 9 pm to 12:30 live music takes over the street and fireworks mark the beginning of the New Year.

New Year’s Eve in Orange County

Of course, in Orange County, there is the New Year’s Eve celebration in Disneyland. This can be a great family fun option to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Orange County. Live music will put you in the mood for a celebration. The fireworks announce midnight. You can enjoy snow in Orange County and all the fun of the special Christmas holidays attractions, and most of all, you get a lot more time to celebrate and enjoy this magic world as the park close at 2 am on this special occasion!

If you want a New Year’s Eve a little more “grown up” the place to be is the Hilton Hotel in Costa Mesa . To celebrate New Year’s Eve, this Orange County Hotel organizes live music, with different stages with different music styles, for all tastes, as well as a fashion show. And if you want to stay the night, rooms are available as well. However, plan your dinner before joining the party, food isn’t served there.

For a very special New Year’s Eve Celebration, the Ambassador Yacht Party takes you for a four-hour cruise. A buffet starts the evening, and then music, dancing and champagne help you close 2009 with elegance and style.

New Year’s Eve in San Diego

As a popular party scene, the Gaslamp quarter in San Diego offers lots of diverse options. All bars and clubs downtown have venues to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Every neighborhoods has its own way of celebrating the New Years and lot of bars around town offer fun and entertaining venues.

If you really want to make this New Year’s Eve extraordinary, there is nothing more special than celebrating on the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier. The view of San Diego and the fireworks itself make the night special. But it even gets better thanks to the amazing buffet, and live music waiting for you!

Of course, hotels such as the Sheraton, the Mariott in Del Mar, or the W Downtown also offer amazing events to help you celebrate with great menus, music and accommodations. Hotels are often the best way to go to assure a safe night of fun.

So where ever you are planning to welcome 2010 in Southern California, a full list of various events is waiting for you. Make your reservations soon so you don’t have to miss out on the best places and scenes to be celebrating New Year’s Eve this year! Have a happy New Year!

Are you planning a trip to Orange County, Southern California ? Great! It is a fun and exciting place to visit. A lot to see and do,  and so many choices to restaurants, attractions … and hotels! But which one to choose? Well may be this post can help you. Here is a guide to the best hotels in Orange County.

The Best Hotels in Orange County – Category Budget

La Quinta Inn & Suites is the best hotel in Orange County for a lower budget. If you want a comfortable room without spending your vacation budget, this is for you. Located in San Ana, you get free breakfast with your room, as well as free WIFI and a large selection of television channels… but who really needs TV when visiting California?!

The Best Hotels in Orange County – Category Family

The Candy Cane Inn, just steps away from Disneyland, is a wonderful hotel in Anaheim. The price value of the rooms makes it one of the best hotels you can find in Orange County. It is a great hotel to stay in with kids if you plan to go to Disneyland as it is a short walking distance from the park. The Candy Cane Inn, just like the name already indicates, has a family friendly environment. Come enjoy this French style hotel and its charming garden.

The Best Hotels in Orange County – Category Business and Family

Crowne Plaza Resort Anaheim, located in Garden Grove, is one of the best hotels if you are on a business trip or want to visit the Theme Parks in Orange County with your family. It has very easy access to Freeways and you can reach the Orange County Convention Center and Disneyland easily as well. It is a modern hotel, very clean. The Crown Plaza offers a great value for the service and quality of the rooms. However, make sure to ask about the overnight parking fee.

The Best Hotels in Orange County – Category Deluxe

If you are looking for the best view, gorgeous rooms and excellent attentive service… just a simply perfect vacation hotel, The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point is the best of the best hotels in Orange County. It is simply beautiful and the service is outstanding. The rooms are fully equipped with everything you need and beyond. You will love everything about this hotel, from the bar to the restaurant, from the service to the comfort, in short, every aspect of the hotel. Check online for special deals. If you are lucky, you can find the second night for 50% off.

Note:
- If you plan a trip to Disneyland, there are a lot of cheap and comfortable hotels around the park. It might be worth spending less on the hotel, and enjoy more of the park!
- When reserving your car at Fox Rent A Car, don’t forget to check the Hotel Discounts offered for various locations. You can find great deals thanks to your car rental!

Orange County is a wonderful vacation destination, make sure to stop in Orange while discovering everything the OC has to offer.

Restaurants in Orange County

It is always great to find information about attractions in cities you plan to visit and know what not to miss. But visiting, walking around builds up hunger! Enjoying a delicious meal and trying the local cuisine is for many people, not just Foodies a big part of a great vacation. So here is some insider tips about great restaurants in Orange County to help you plan your visit to OC and not waste time searching for a place to eat and wonder if you really should eat there!

Breakfast in Orange County

It is often said breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So since Orange County is a great place to visit and offers a lot to do, you should make sure to start the day with a full stomach!
$ – Costa Mesa Omelet Parlor
Don’t let the building and old style décor fool you! Costa Mesa Omelet Parlor is the place to go for a large omelet breakfast and freshly squeezed orange juice. They have an endless choice of omelets. If omelets are not your thing, don’t worry, the menu is huge!
$$ – Bonjour Café
French, buttery, tasty food… that’s a good way to describe Bonjour Café’s breakfast food. Come enjoy great coffee and great service on their charming patio. Sunny California mornings are best started with a great breakfast sitting outside in the OC!
$$- Plum’s Café
If you like to discover new tastes and tropical flavors, you will love Plum’s Café. It is one of the most popular restaurants in Orange County, so be ready to wait for a while to be seated. Breakfast and brunch menu are full of original and tasty dishes.

Lunch in Orange County

Even though you might have eaten a large breakfast, walking around and discovering Orange County helps you build up a new appetite. Here are some great lunch restaurants in Orange County:
$ – Baja Fish Tacos
You can’t really be in Southern California and not eat Mexican food. Baja Fish Tacos is one of those restaurants in Orange County that introduce you to the Mexican cuisine flavors with fresh guacamole and a large fresh salsa bar. It is always packed, so you know it’s good! Come hungry, portions are large.
$$- Thai Nakorn
Ready to spice things up a little! Well then try Thai Nakorn. This OC restaurant always offers great lunch specials and serves authentic Thai cuisine. The cheerful staff make sure you are satisfied, food is served quickly and your experience amazing.
$$$- Bluefin
Sushi has become very popular in the past couple years, because it’s light and healthy. Bluefin is the best sushi restaurant in Orange County. You can’t go wrong with it. Not only do they have a large choice of various rolls, everything is fresh, tasty and the dessert section hard to resist.

Dinner in Orange County

$ – California Fish Grill
You like grilled fish and like to eat out but keep it casual, California Fish Grill is a great place to try. The service and food is consistently great. The fish is always fresh and exquisite, and you can keep it low cost.
$$- Habana
If you eat out, why not try something different? Habana is a great Cuban restaurant in Orange County. The Habana offers a hip vibe, exotic flavors and if you’re thirsty, a long list of cocktails! It is a great mix of authentic Cuban cuisine and healthy cuisine.
$$$- Morton’s The Steakhouse
Morton’s The Steakhouse is one of the few chains that offer a fine dinning experience. You can find one of their locations in Orange County, Anaheim to be exact. This is the kind of place where you need a reservation. Yes, Morton’s is pricey, but delicious food and fine cuisine has its price… and the presentation show of the food is just special. A waiter comes to your table and shows you all the different cuts, side dishes and deserts, so you know what to expect before you order. You’re away from home, why not treat yourself to something special for the occasion! Their steaks are amazing, and the sommelier great to help you pick the best wines to accompany your meal!

Now you are set for a fun and delicious visit in Orange County! Enjoy your time in Southern California.

Have you ever dreamed to switch your surfboard into a snowboard over night? Well you can! When you are in Southern California, the great advantage of the diverse landscape is that you can be at the beach in San Diego, Los Angeles or Orange County one day, and in the desert or in the mountains the next day. Big Bear is only a 3 hours drive from San Diego, and a great change of décor in just a few hours.

Discover Big Bear – Attractions:

The drive up the mountain is preparing you for a different background. The palm trees are far behind, the colors changing and the houses are quite different. Big bear offers some exciting activities and attractions.
- Bear Mountain and Snow Summit Mountain are the two ski resorts in Big Bear California. All year long the two ski resorts here in Big Bear are great places to spend a couple days. During the summer, it is always nice to leave the warm beaches for a while and go enjoy the fresh air of the mountains. Ski lifts are open to bring you up the mountain and take you to nice hiking trails. In the winter you can enjoy the beautiful winter atmosphere in the white snow. The Snow Summit resort caters more to skiers, and Big Bear Mountain is a resort for snowboarders. You can enjoy the snow park and a few nice slopes. They both are small resorts, but still very impressive so close to the coast!
- The Solar Observatory is another great attraction in Big Bear. Who would have thought to find the largest solar telescope of the world in a ski resort in California? Well yes, it is in Big Bear! And it is in the Lake… wonder why? Because water prevents heat waves that could affect the telescope.
- Moonridge Zoo is not the typical Zoo. It is more of an animal rescue park. Injured animals, “rejected” from zoos are sent there and taken care of, even sometime taught how to be on their own and release into the wild. The goal of this park is to preserve the alpine wildlife. So you can observe all sorts of animals and birds in their wild environment. A great description of the park can be found here with more details.

Discover Big Bear – Lodging:

When visiting Big Bear California you have quite a few lodging options. There are a lot of hotels available, as well as cabins and townhouses for rent.
- Cabins are the most typical experience. They are a nice change and will give you the feeling you are in the middle of the Swiss Alps. That’s a way to enjoy your vacation! When you are traveling in a group, renting a cabin can be an  advantage, because you can share one accommodation without sharing a room. You can find very different prices for cabins rental depending on the location and amenities you are looking for.
- There are a lot of hotel choices in Big Bear. Check online or when calling, ask for special deals. There are lots of hotels offering the AAA membership discount in Big Bear. Also during ski season, hotels offer special weekend or midweek deals where you can buy 2 one-day lift tickets with a room, for a great price. You can find some information here but this is not the entire list. Deal Base also gives great insights on special deals. The Lakefront Lodge has a lot of choices from cabins to master bedrooms, and the best location to enjoy the beautiful Big Bear Lake in the summer, and easy access to the slopes during the winter. Also, some of the most popular hotels are the Vintage Lodge and Timberline Lodge, but they both have their price. Of course, you will also find the typical hotel chains such as Best Western and Motel 6 in Big Bear.

Big Bear is  a great way to experience two completely different worlds in very little time in California. Beaches on the coast, and mountains 3 hours away! It’s amazing! And once you’re going up the ski lift, don’t forget to look back and see the desert, it is truly breath taking!

Planning A Weekend in Palm Springs

The desert never really sound that appealing to a lot of people, however, if you plan your trip there at the right time, you can be impressed by the landscape and how relaxing a weekend in Palm Springs could be! So why not fly in San Diego or Los Angeles, rent a car and take a ride to Palm Springs!

More to do than you expected!

When you are planing your weekend in Palm Springs you have 2 choices: make it a relaxing weekend getaway, sitting by the pool and taking things slow, or see and do as much to get your mind off of your job and discover what the desert has to offer. Golf is a favorite activity, yes, even in the desert. Let me inform you about some things you can’t do close to home! If you opted for a more active weekend, consider a nature adventure at the Palm Canyon of the Agua Caliente Indian Canyons. The scenery is worth the hike. Come enjoy the color contrast of the rocks, walk along the water, and learn about Indian art…

If you don’t want to walk so much you can always plan a horse riding adventure to discover the landscape and canyons surrounding you. Coyote Ridge Staple and Crazy Horse Ranch give you the choice of different riding adventures.Then if you need to cool down a little, discover Palm Spring from the sky!
The Palm Springs Aerial Tram lifts you above the Sonoran Desert and takes you up the San Jacinto Moutains. Just the ride up itself is amazing. Thanks to the glass windows of the car and the fact that it turns around its center while bringing you up, you can enjoy every single view and see the five climatic zones you pass on your way. Once up there, the panorama is just breathtaking, and if you’re hungry, you can even stop for snack or a meal!

Now, if you prefer the relaxing side of a weekend escape in Palm Springs, you are at the right place. Palm Springs is one the best Spa destination of California. Most hotels offer spas package deals, and most of the accommodations found in Palm Springs are Spa Resorts. Palm Springs is home of one of the top 10 spas in the country: Parker Palm Springs Spa. This really is the deluxe version of all spas. If you are looking for something not as fancy, you have quite a list of Spas in Palm Springs to choose from.

Shopping in Palm Springs

If you are planning a weekend in Palm Springs during the summer time, shopping is a great way to hide from the heat for a while. Check out this list of shopping destinations in and around Palm Springs. Palm Springs is just steps away from the “Desert’s Rodeo Drive”, Palm Desert’s El Paseo Shopping District. From little boutiques to the Westfield Palm Desert mall you better wear comfortable shoes for your shopping trip. Men who don’t like shopping be aware, women will be there all day… plan something else to do! Even though you probably will have more choice than you dreamed of, if you needed another shopping treat after visiting El Paseo, Palm Springs Downtown is another great shopping experience thanks to its beautiful street set up. Now if you want a shopping experience a little more entertaining check out the River at Rancho Mirage. This amazing shopping and entertainment center brings together boutiques, live music and water falls… you should think about checking it out just for the beauty and style of the center; it is much more than just a shopping experience!

Eating in Palm Springs

For breakfast, think about stopping by Cheeky’s. The location is great, but wait until you read their menu: diverse, different, and tasty! You will get great service and regret breakfast is not served all day! For lunch, Jake’s Ready to Eat is your next stop. Chic atmosphere, great staff, and amazing food guaranteed. The price quality value is definitely a surprise in Palm Springs. For dinner if you like to discover a new cuisine and new tastes, make reservation at Copley’s on Palm Canyon.

The chef is known for its original cuisine as well as amazing dish your mouth will water thinking about it! Their wine selection is pretty complete and they have an impressive dessert menu, so keep a little room for some Basil Ice Cream…

Of course when planning your weekend in Palm Springs you should also include culture and art stops. Check out some art galleries and learn about the Indian art of the natives. So don’t hesitate, make your reservations today and come enjoy a relaxing time in the desert…

Visit the City of Orange

You can’t really visit Orange County without stopping in the City of Orange. Sure Disneyland will keep you busy, but you ought to visit the City of Orange during your stay in OC. It is one of the rare cities that preserved most of its 1920s houses.

City of Orange: Popular Attractions

When you plan your visit to the City of Orange, there are 3 main most visited attractions:
- The Vans Skatepark. This park consist of an indoor skate park, great for every level of skaters; and an outdoor course probably more suitable for better skaters. It is the largest Skate Park in the world, so even if you don’t practice this sport, it might be interesting to check it out.
- The Irvine Park, is a great park to relax or take a family afternoon. You can ride the mini Railroad and enjoy a scenic train ride in the park, or you can rent a pedal boat and take over the lagoon. Plan a nice picnic and take advantage of the nature center and a hike to change your mind!
- Finally, the last popular stop is The Block at Orange, an entertainment /shopping center, where you can find everything a Mall has to offer and more!

City of Orange: Shopping

If you are visiting the City of Orange, you have to check out at least one of its Antique Shops. Orange is well known for its antique Shops, sometime called the “antique capital” of California. Downtown Orange, Old Town more specifically, is a historic landmark where you find most of them. It is also called the Orange Circle. You can find all sort of gifts and other interesting things. You can also find art galleries, with diverse styles of Art for all tastes. If you don’t find what you want there, make sure to come visit the Antique Depot in Old Town. This 2 story warehouse style antique shop is organized in booths where people can put their antiques and nick nack up for sales. It’s kind of an up graded garage sale ! You will see: time will fly once you start looking around.

City of Orange: Food recommendations

After a nice walk along Main Street, visiting some of the antique shops and a break in nature at the park, you built an appetite I suppose! Since you are in a pretty historic part of California, why not try Watson Drugs and Soda Fountain! It is a diner just like in the old days, where you can fill up your prescription and order a juicy hamburger! Dairy Treet is another great stop for a great milkshake. This is the oldest burger stand in town! Now if you are craving Mexican Cuisine, you should check out Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen. This is the finest Mexican and authentic cuisine you will find around here, but it is however not the best place for kids. Now if you want something a little different , Darya is a great Middle Eastern/ Persian restaurant, with a great ambiance and delicious dish.

City of Orange: Fun Events

Every year Orange organizes fun events locals as well as visitors love to attend. The Orange International Street Fair is organized every Labor Day weekend. It brings together neighbors and visitors to discover diverse culture, musics, food and more from all around the world. Each street around the plaza usually represents a different country.
During the summer, every Wednesday night, concerts take place in the Hart Park. You can plan a fun evening picnic while listening to live music. So bring a blanket and enjoy the nice SoCal summer evening. If you travel with pets, be aware they are not allowed there.

The City of Orange is a great historic city with great antique shopping opportunity and a lot of fun activities to plan. So remember, there is more to the OC than Disneyland!