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California Travel Tips

California Ambassadors Promote Destinations in Exceptional Ways

Published on: August 08, 2012

Missing in California are old-fashioned smiles and welcomes when you visit new destinations. Everywhere you’ll find hotels, the coast has beaches, mountains have skiing, and wine is abundant in California. There are plenty of road signs and street signs promoting the city brand, ho-hum. But what about the one-on-one?

Pictured (left) is David Harter, who actually fills that tall order in Corning, Calif. When we recently published a story about him and his role as photographer, webmaster, and voice to tourists on the Internet who contact him seeking advice about visiting Corning, an outpouring came from those who know him. They said this guy is amazing–one of a kind!

In Laguna Beach there once was a man, Eilar Larsen (center photo), known as The Greeter. The thin Dane with a tall stature, long hair that matched his lengthy beard, dressed in a plaid shirt and blue coveralls, was known to stand at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Forest Avenue, waving to the cars passing by, or greeting youngsters and adults as they passed along the sidewalks of  Laguna Beach. ‘Hello there,’ he used to say. Sometimes he’d give a penny to a kid passing by with mom or dad (pennies were worth a lot more back in the 1970s!) No one has ever taken his place, and today he is commemorated with several statues throughout downtown.

In Huntington Beach a gentle soul named John Gustafson (right photo) used to ride a giant, three-wheel bicycle up and down the Huntington Beach Pier, advertising The End Cafe. His bicycle was tremendously popular and John spent most of his time stopping and welcoming tourists who comfortable approaching him with questions. He gave directions, friendly advice, and always a smile, whether the sun was shining, it rained or it was cold and dark out on the pier. John Gustafson helped put Huntington Beach on the map as a friendly tourist destination when people spread the word about this really nice man who rode the big three-wheel bike.

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