Really Fun Stuff to See in California

By C. MacDonald

The Goleta Butterfly Grovewill welcome thousands of Monarch Butterflies on the Ellwood Mesa mid-November through mid-February as they migrate (GoletaButterflyGrove.com)…

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museumhas a new exhibit, "The Point Conception Lighthouse Fresnel Lens." This national landmark is 160-years-old and stands 18-feet tall, with 624 individual glass prisms. The museum is open 10-5 daily, except Wednesdays (SBMM.org)…

The 5th annual New Noise Music Festivalhosts 50+ bands and music industry speakers from Oct. 17-19 throughout Santa Barbara (NewNoiseSB.org)…

Redding's Three Incredible Must-See Bridgesinclude

—The famousSundial Bridge, a unique structure that's a pedestrian bridge crossing the Sacramento River through the middle of Turtle Bay Exploration (a complex of art/history museums and discovery centers). The impressive structure, designed by legendary architect Santiago Calatrava, is 217-feet tall with the pylon functioning as the gnomon in the World's Largest Sundial.

—TheDiestelhorst Bridge, the First Bridge for Automobiles, was built in 1915 with an open spandrel arch. It's now a pedestrian and bicycle crossing and favorite site for wedding photos.

—TheRibbon Bridgeis a dramatic ribbon of concrete suspended over the Sacramento River. Opened in 1990, this pedestrian bridge was built in the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Germany (VisitRedding.com)…

The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuarywas created as a 1,128 square nautical mile section of the Pacific Ocean and is ranked as one of the World's Top Diving Destinations. It's absolutely breathtaking with more than 30 different species of whales and dolphins (NPS.gov/chis)…

The Catalina Swing Dance Festival, Nov. 8-10, is devoted to the heyday of the Swing Era with workshops for all levels. (CatalinaSwingDanceFestival.com)…

Visit Oakland's Lake Merritt, the only fresh and salt-water lake located in the heart of a city. Everyone is fascinated by the famous Children's Fairyland, which inspired Walt Disney, who later built Disneyland. You can also identify birds at the Lake's Rotary Nature Center, the country's oldest wildlife refuge (VisitOakland.org)…

The Western Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridgefeatures "The Bay Lights" a monumental light sculpture by Leo Villareal (thebaylights.org)…Also be sure and go to the festive Pier 39, celebrating its 35th Anniversary in San Francisco. Every Saturday night in October there will be Fireworks at 8:30 and a Live DJ at 6pm (Pier39.com)…

For more than 75 years The Little River Inn, overlooking the beautiful Mendocino Coast, has greeted guests to a special place (littleriverinn.com). Also, while in this county, check out the Vichy Springs in Ukiah, home to the "Champagne" mineral baths. It was established in 1854 and is a popular historical landmark (vichysprings.com)…

Grab your camera and explore the wildlife atSafari Westin Santa Rosa. It's not a zoo or a drive-through park. It's a working ranch, home to 800 individual animals, from giraffes and lemurs to zebras and cheetahs. Stay overnight in the deluxe African Tented Camp with onsite dining and memories you'll never forget! (safariwest.com)…

Claremont is Southern California's First Fair Trade USA Town. Eco-friendly travelers will appreciate that the community uses ethically-sourced products. Many locally-owned boutiques and eateries carry "Fair Trade Certified" merchandise and products (discoverclaremont.com)…

The Olympic Spirit at Mammoth Mountain—The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association has named Mammoth as an Official Training Ground for the top skiers and snowboarders in the country to train for the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games. The 2014 Olympic Snowboarding Team for halfpipe and the new Slopestyle Olympic event will be announced at Mammoth during the final Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix, Jan. 18-19, 2014 (MammothMountain.com)…

"Holiday in Humboldt"—Do December different. Cheer the Christmas Convoy in Eureka, one of three electric big rig parades that month. Enjoy Redwood National Park on a candlelight walk. Light the World's Tallest Living Christmas Tree in Victorian Ferndale (redwoods.info)…

The Sawdust Art Festival Winter Fantasy(Nov. 23-Dec. 15) will be a wonderland where 175 artists create, display and sell original creations over four weekends (sawdestartfestival.org)…

Visitors are welcome all year at theEmigrant Trail Museum and Pioneer Monumentat Donner Memorial State Park. In Winter, people can cross-country ski and snowshoe on trails and joy the breathtaking beauty (truckee.com)…

Go to Yosemiteand see the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. You'll see the Grizzly Giant with a diameter of 31 feet and a circumference of 100 feet. The amazing grove has 470 of these behemoths, many of which are around 2,000-years-old (nps.gov/yose)…

Continued... see part two!