Yosemite Valley - Spectacular Winter 2007 Season
I just returned from a holiday tradition, the Bracebridge Dinner show at the Ahwahnee Lodge in Yosemite, California. This annual event that began in 1927, is located in one of the most beautiful places on earth. The Bracebridge Dinner, itself, is not only a feast for the taste buds, but includes visual splendor and the chorus of voices in a pageant about Christmas based on Washington Irving’s ”Squire of Bracebridge.” Ansel Adams was one of the early founders, and I discovered in a book in the Ahwahnee Lodge lobby that he even set the “no photo” policy for the production. While the 3-hour pageant doesn’t come cheap (over $300/person), it’s one of those rare celebrations that my neighbors from Seal Beach and Newport Beach traveled a day’s journey by car to see. What a treat to experience weather such as cold, misty rains and dustings of snow! Many only dream of the sandy Christmas I enjoy each year but honestly, it’s the same, day in and day out, all year long. And though it is pleasant, it can become a bit too predictable.
Just as I left Yosemite, there was a promise of snow in the air. Badger Pass ski slopes were slated to open and I was sad that I couldn’t stick around an extra day to try some skiing in what’s billed as a beginner to intermediate ski resort considered “one of the best places to learn to ski.” (According to literature, 15% of slopes offer advanced challenges.)
On my way home I took Amtrak to Oakland where I’d fly to Long Beach on Jet Blue. I stayed at the nice Waterfront Plaza hotel at Oakland’s Jack London Square, which was all dressed in holiday cheer. Heinhold’s First and Last Chance bar (established in 1883) just a block away along the Square was filled with jokers, one and all. If you go in the bathroom, a voice broadcasts over the PA system, “What’s taking you so long in there?” Sunday morning’s organic farmer’s market is one of the finest I’ve seen for quality cheeses, bakery goods, fruits, vegetables and fish. It’s one you won’t want to miss if you happen to be in the area. My bag was packed to the brim so I couldn’t bring home any of the gourmet foods I sampled and loved.
It was pure joy to experience a pre-Christmas chill in a down jacket and jeans as I hiked around Yosemite, communing with the grazing deer. The Bracebridge tradition only reminded me more of growing up in Missouri, Ilinois and Kansas, and skiing in Colorado during the winter break at KU. Predictably bright when I got back to sunny, sandy SoCal, I’m convinced it’s necessary for us beach people to break up the routine with some mountains and snow. It’s no wonder that the days surrounding December 25 are sold out at most California mountain resorts. Back at the beach, I sit at my computer, wearing flip flops and shirt sleeves on a cold winter’s night, feeling a chill in the air. They say it may get down in the 50’s. Brrrrrrrrrrr!
Califiornia hotel deals - For those seeking deals on California hotels, the winter season makes for a great vacation.
With the recent Santa Ana winds and warm days that hover around 75 degrees at the beach this winter, the sun shines more often during this season and you can find hotel rooms more readily and at lower prices in the winter. There are some incredibly popular destinations that still maintain high prices, however. We checked out Santa Barbara hotels, Pismo Beach hotels and the Central Coast, for instance. If you’re looking for a getaway, there’s availability but you won’t find tremendous discounts overall, in this desirable destination. In San Diego, Coronado and even San Francisco, we found some high end (Four to Five Diamond) properties now offering some of the lowest prices you’ll find just days before Christmas. Many of the beach hotels that cater to a corporate crowd, have availability now as conferences are shelved until after the new year. If you are able to spend $150 to $275 per night, you are going to find some really nice places that often charge double or more for a room, offering four and five diamond ratings, amenities and quality. Relax and have a low-stress beach winter vacation. Why not treat yourself to a high-end hotel room or suite this time around? Believe it or not, some of these resorts have prices that are as good as the more popular beach hotels in the 2 and 3 star ranks.
A few values and deals we found during California’s winter months (through February 2007): The Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay; W San Diego; South Coast Winery Resort & Spa in Temecula; The Island Hotel near Fashion Island, Newport Beach; Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach in Oxnard; Loews Coronado Bay Resort in Coronado. There are plenty more.
The high season for some destinations is December and the mountain resorts are one of the favorite family getaways for Christmas and New Year’s. You’re usually going to pay more to get a cold, hopefully white Christmas in places such as Big Bear Lake, Idyllwild and South Lake Tahoe.