La Jolla Cove /Sea Lion Rockery

 La Jolla Cove 

La Jolla Cove is a small cove with a small beach area that is surrounded by steep 100 foot tall cliffs. The size of the beach changes with incoming and outgoing tides. During extreme low tides tide pools are revealed.  Large swells roll in from the pacific ocean and can be scene crashing overtop of exposed rock. In order to get to the water you will walk down a pathway and walk down a set of stairs. The water and air temperature can be cooler than the average San Diego Beach.

 There is limited public street parking, so plan accordingly especially on weekends and holidays. There are also some paid garages and parking lots a few blocks away. 

Point La Jolla on the south end of the cove is home to a sea lion rockery. During pupping season May through June, you can see new born sea lion pups and their mothers having out on the rocks below. Do to continued harassment and encroachment by humans in recent years the city of San Diego closes the access Point La Jolla. Pay attention to signage and respect the wildlife 

Along with Seals and Sea Lions you can common shore birds such as Brown Pelican, Brandts Cormorant, Black Double -crested Cormorants, Osprey etc. 

Classic Rotors Helicopter Museum in Ramona

Classic Rotors Museum

Ramona, CA

Websiter https://rotors.org

As of my visit in May 2024 the museum hours were Tuesday and Friday 10am to 4pm and Saturday 10am to 6pm. Visit their website's  for more information. 

Classic Rotors Museum is located 40 miles northeast of San Diego at the Ramona Municipal Airport in Ramona, California. The museum collection has over 40 of some of the rarest rotorcraft in the world that you will not find anywhere else. The non-profit and all-volunteer organization staff are very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their collection and rotor craft history. 

The Museum is dedicated to the preservation of rare and vintage rotorcraft. Our mission is to preserve these rotorcraft as a tribute to the pioneers who risked so much to develop vertical flight technology. A Key objective is to provide education about, and demonstrate various designs in rotor technology including., tandem, co-axial, conventional (single), sync (intermeshing) and tip powered. 

Big Bear Lake

Big Bear Lake is a manmade, fresh-water reservoir that sits at 6,800 feet above sea level. In 1884 a damn was installed on the western edge of a valley to hold back water flowing down from the surrounding Santa Barbara Mountains. The lake is 7 miles long and a 1/2 mile wide. Lake depth changes seasonally with the snow melt and rains. Maximum depth is approximately 72 feet and the lake shoreline spans over 22 miles.  The indigenous Serrano, "People of the Pines, " have been living in the Big Bear Lake area for over 2000 years until the area was explored by Benjamin Wilson  an appointed Justice of the Peace of the Inland Territory in 1845. Wilson was tasked to pursue a group of Native American Raiders who had been stealing numerous horses form local ranchers in the valley and drove the horses up tot he high desert near the town of Lucerne. During their pursuit of the horse raiders Wilson's group of men were able to collect 22 bear pelts and so he named the area Big Bear. 

In the last 30 years the population of Big Bear has tripled and there has been a construction boom going on for years for luxury lake side homes and short term cabin rental properties. Big Bear's close proximity to Los Angeles and Las Vegas means that multi seasonal sport fans can easily get from sandy beach to snow covered runs in the winter and hike alpine trails in the summer months. 

Big Bear continues to adjust its marketing and appeal to entice new visitors to check out their growing amenities and culinary options. New bus routes running through Big Bear have been introduced to help deal with the limited parking in the downtown area. Expect high volumes of visitors on weekends with fair weather during winter and summer months. 

Things to do in Big Bear 

Big Bear Zoo

Big Bear Discovery Center 

Deer Park Winery and Auto Museum

 

Deer Park Winery & Auto Museum is located just off of I-15 near the Welk Resort in Escondido. The private collection of vintage cars from 1800- to the 1980s owned by the real-estate magnate Robert Knapp was made open to the public in 1979. There are 3 buildings on the winery property that are a short walking distance from each other,  that house the over 100 cars, plus many other nostalgia items such as vintage radios, neon signs and gas station memorabilia. 

Tickets are available for purchase onsite. $12 adults / military and +55 adults – $10 /  Kids 9 and under are free. No reservations needed.

Winery

Deer Park is family-owned for 50 years and is the fifth oldest winery in the S.D. region. Deer Park annually produces and releases Award-Winning Estate Wines available for wine tasting on the weekends, as one of the top things to do in San Diego County. Come for the wine & stay for the vintage autos. Or vice versa. Both are worth a visit to unique Deer Park Winery & Auto Museum in Escondido. Deer Park produces such award-winning varietals as Merlots, Sangioveses and dinner-style reds. The tasting room is open at 10 am. Thursdays through Sundays. From the gift shop, visitors can pick up wine, plus deli-style, picnic spreads to enjoy on the patio.

Deer Park Winery & Auto Museum

• 15 acres of vineyards, orchards, picnic grounds
• Over 100 antique convertibles
• Radios & TVs from yesteryear
• Neon signs & ads
• Bicycles, antiques, & American
• Coca Cola room
• Barbie room

Del Mar Beach and OFF-Leash Dog Park

 

  

Del Mar Dog Beach Located at 3902 29th St, Del Mar, CA 92014 has limited pay street parking on the south bound lanes of Camino Del Mar / St HWY 101. Pay terminals accept credit cards and print out receipts to be displayed in vehicle. If you plan on walking north along Solana Beach be aware of the tide table for incoming and outgoing tide 

Zoo & Animal Rehabilitation at Big Bear Lake , CA

Big Bear Alpine Zoo

Website: https://bigbearzoo.org

The Big Bear Alpine Zoo (formally Moonridge Animal Park) opened its doors in 1959 after a devastating wildfire roared through the San Bernardino National Forest. Originally, it was not a zoo, but a safe place for injured animals to rehabilitate and get a second chance back in the wild. For some, returning to the wild was not an option as they had been imprinted by their human caretakers or were too injured to take care of themselves. The first animals in the zoo’s care were a black bear and two bobcats.

In 1960, a 50 year lease was obtained and allowed the zoo to grow to be the zoological facility that it is today. The zoo is currently home to animals and birds representing over 85 species and is located in San Bernardino County, the largest County in the contiguous United States. Our primary objective is to rescue, rehabilitate and release wild animals. The Big Bear Alpine Zoo is the “go to” facility for injured and imprinted animals. Local, county, state and federal entities as well as other non-profit organizations and the public turn to the Big Bear Alpine Zoo to help animals in need.

Photo Tip: Bring the fastest zoom lens you have in your kit. The animal enclosures are ringed with chainlink fencing and nylon netting to prevent predators from attacking injured and recovering animals as well as preventing escape for those unable to be released. A lens with a fast aperture of f4 or f2.8 will be able to focus past the  barrier.