Aliso Beach, Laguna Beach CA

My Review:  Aliso Beach is right next to Treasure Island Beach in Laguna Beach, CA.  Aliso beach has a pay parking lot right next to it, Treasure Island has a pay garage up the bluff. Both are right off the pacific coast highway.  Come early if you expect to get a spot on a weekend.  The beach is nice, but swimming can be iffy, the waves break at the shore so it can be rough.  Both the north and south side of the beach have rocks and tide pools.  The north side also has a natural arch tucked off the main beach a bit, which is great for a picture looking south, you may have to get in line as it is popular with photographers.  No dogs allowed on the beach and I even saw a lifeguard kick a couple of dogs off the beach, so don't even try it.  The Montage resort is next to Treasure Island Beach.

Orange County Park

I said before that Sacramento had the best parks, but Orange County certainly gives them a run for their money.  This is a random Orange County park, one of many small ones scattered around.  Sacramento parks can have giant trees, Orange County's are smaller and better manicured overall.

Scott's Flat, CA

Scott's Flat Lake is about 90 minutes from Sacramento, California up highway 49.  The campground is big, expensive, and crowded on weekends.  They do have pay showers and reasonably nice restrooms though.  In July the lake water was perfect and swimming was great, the lake wasn't that crowded, boats and water skiing are allowed, personal watercraft are not.

Loon Lake, CA

Loon Lake Reservoir is in the Eldorado National Forest about two hours east of Sacramento, California.  It has a campground and boat ramp.  Loon Lake is at a higher elevation than Ice House Reservoir (which you drive past to get to Loon Lake), so it opens later in the year and is usually less crowded.  A general store is nearby at Ice House for supplies and showers.  My wife claims the boating at Loon Lake is superior to that at Ice House, but you really can't go wrong either way.

Ice House Reservoir, California

Ice House Reservoir is in the Eldorado National Forest is about 80 minutes east of Sacramento, CA.  It is a bit cold in June, but its the lowest elevation of the Sierra lakes on Hwy 50.  We saw a bald eagle flying around while we were on the lake.  It has a paved boat ramp, a few camp grounds, and a $7 day use fee.  Just a couple miles away is a general store where you can fill up on the things you forgot.

San Francisco's Pier 39

Another picture of Pier 39 on a crowded weekend.

Golden Gate Bridge

This shot of the Golden Gate bridge is from the first stop over on the Marin side, I must look like a camera geek because 3 people stopped me to take pictures of their groups while I was walking around over there.

San Francisco's Pier 39

Turkey

Northern California is infested with "wild" turkeys, they're everywhere, this one was at River Bend Park in Sacramento, one of about 30 I see regularly. There is a bunch of turkeys that hang around work too, and that is one large business park with not much uncontrolled space.

Spring is here

Everything looks so much nicer in the springtime in California.

San Francisco and Bay Bridge Skyline

The Bay bridge and San Francisco Skyline as seen from the East Bay. This was taken at low tide and all the trash is visible in the San Francisco Bay.

The American River

The American River in Sacramento, CA.

Walking on the beach

Doran Beach, near Bodega Bay, California. Dogs allowed on leashes only!

Richmond, CA

California isn't all seashore and rainbows.

Santa Cruz, CA

Sacramento River

San Francisco Skyline

A great shot of the San Francisco skyline from Aaron Logan.

American River

The American River, near Sacramento, CA, is very low right now, hopefully for these guys the recent rain has helped out.

Lake Tahoe Snowmobiling

A scheduled hot chocolate stop on the snowmobile trail in Lake Tahoe. This snowmobile tour left from Zephyr Cove, NV. They shuttle you up the hill and then you follow in a slow line for 3 hours @ $150 a person, nice views of Lake Tahoe, a little bit of fun, but too expensive.

Lake Tahoe Paddle Boats

Miss Dixie II at Zephyr Cove, NV (its close enough to California for this blog) is one of several big boat tours available at Lake Tahoe all year around.