1.Exploring San Francisco There’s a practical reason why the route starts in San Francisco. From here, you can drive south along Highway 1 to Los Angeles without having to double back. Plan to spend 2 days on the drive so you can reach Los Angeles in time for the Chinese New Year celebrations. The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is one of the most photographed bridges in the USA, it has featured in a number of Chinese film and TV productions such as Little Daddy and The Legend of Bruce Lee. A San Francisco CityPASS and a harbour cruise will cover a lot of the tourist highlights, but San Francisco's greatest appeal is its aged, lived in character. It's what sets it apart from other cities. Experience the rhythm of the city as you ride in the historic cable cars. In downtown San Francisco at Powell Street and Market Street you can still see a cable car being turned by hand – it's a surprisingly tangible piece of history in a very modern country. Suggested route in San Francisco: Lombard Street – Chinatown – Fisherman's Wharf – Golden Gate Bridge Lombard Street is one of the most famous streets in the world, and is often regarded as the most crooked. It's definitely a must see. How to get there: Take the Powell-Hyde Cable Car Line to Lombard St & Hyde St. Entrance fee: Free Opening hours: All day Street address: Lombard Street, San Francisco, California Chinatown is the largest in the country and offers a great atmosphere for the Lunar New Year celebrations. ``` Lion and dragon dance performances and parades are held in Chinatown as part of the holiday festivities.
Fisherman’s Wharf One of the must-see places in San Francisco where you can enjoy the waterfront and seafood, which is a highlight.
Getting there: You can take buses 2, 4, 8, 18, 24, 27, 38, 44, 54, 56, 58, 72, 74, and 76 to Beach St & Taylor St, then walk about 2 minutes. You can also take the F Market line to Beach St & Stockton St or The Embarcadero & Stockton St.
Admission: Free
Hours: Open all day
Address: Pier 39, San Francisco, CA 94133
Golden Gate Bridge Driving south over the bridge is a toll road, while the north side offers a free bridge crossing. The south side charges a toll each time you go over the bridge. There is a charge for crossing the bridge, and you can't pay cash at the toll booth. You can pay the toll online at any time between 30 days prior to crossing the bridge and 2 days after the crossing. The toll is $6.
Hours: The bridge is open to cars and bicycles 24 hours a day. Pedestrian traffic is allowed on the bridge during the following hours: Mon-Fri 5am-6:30pm & 5am-9pm during daylight saving time.
Address: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA You can stay in Monterey or San Simeon. For this trip, we recommend Sausalito, often referred to as the Italian style Sausalito is a great place to stop, Monterey is known for its Mexican style cuisine, followed by 17-Mile Drive, Carmel, Big Sur, and then on to Elephant Seal Beach, Hearst Castle, Solvang, Santa Barbara, Malibu Beach, and Santa Monica Beach.
Los Angeles
As a visitor to Los Angeles, you can expect:
The Los Angeles Chinatown Golden Dragon Parade, where guests can celebrate the Lunar New Year with Chinese people from different countries.
The seasonally decorated and Chinese folk music playing Universal Studios in Hollywood.
NBA games where the teams sometimes dress in Chinese clothing for the Lunar New Year and there is a Chinese dance themed show at halftime.
You can go to Universal Studios for one day, then the Chinatown parade and NBA game, then one day at Disneyland or the Palm Springs outlet, then shopping. Universal Studios If you want a lively first day, start in Hollywood. Most of the attractions are in the same area, so you can easily walk to Universal Studios, the Walk of Fame, Madame Tussauds, the Kodak Theatre, and the Chinese Theatre. Save Griffith Park for evening because the view from the top is one of the best in Hollywood. No visit to Los Angeles is complete without a picture of the giant Hollywood sign, and this makes it one of the best places for photos. Address: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA, USA Hours: The park is generally open from 8:30 am to 10:00 pm and closes between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm. hours vary, so check the official website before visiting. Getting there: If you're driving, use Highway 101, the Hollywood Freeway, Universal Center exit, and follow the signs to Universal Studios parking. Parking costs $8. If you're visiting via public transport, take the Red Line to Universal City and use the free shuttle, which is a two or three minute walk, to Universal Studios. Universal Studios Hollywood is a place that has great value as it is located in the heart of Los Angeles. This means that it was built from a working Hollywood film studio and developed into a large theme park. It mixes Hollywood filmmaking with state-of-the-art special effects to make world-class attractions. It includes rides like Jurassic Park, Revenge of the Mummy, Transformers, and Minions 4D rides that will take you into a fast cinematic world and will get you out of the world quickly. The Studio Tour takes you through real Hollywood sets and recreates scenes with real plane crashes, floods, explosions, and other special effects. The park gifts you with character photo opportunities, a changing showcase of film merchandise, and daily shows, and is designed for a day instead of a quick visit to the attractions. Now you can spend the Lunar New Year with Mickey Mouse at Disneyland, the place where the fantasy is the point and where the real magic happens. While all generations will find something to enjoy, no other place will create quite the same memories for young children as Disneyland. Children will enjoy a host of attractions including the chance to board a pumpkin coach, meet Snow White, and take a ride through the kingdom with Alice and Donald Duck.
Address: 1313 S Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92802, USA
Hours: 9:00–18:00; in summer 8:00–24:00. Hours are not the same day to day, season to season, or even area to area, so check before going.
To get there: Drive or take the bus (43, 83, 430, or 460) to Disneyland.
Disneyland Resort California Disneyland is the only theme park in the world that was built by Walt Disney himself. As a result, it is the most special Disneyland park and combines many of Disney's most popular attractions and characters. The resort is made up of two parks, Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. Guests can purchase tickets to one park, or a combination ticket to both. Disneyland Park is divided into five main themed sections: Main Street USA, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. Disneyland has some of the best theme park entertainment in the world. The nightly fireworks show happening in front of the castle of Disneyland is one of the most photographed and filmed moments at Disneyland. Disneyland is not just for kids. There is a lot that adults can enjoy too.
Watch an NBA Game - Get Close to Your Favorite Players
If you are there at the right time, you can also join the larger Chinese community to celebrate the Lunar New Year by attending the Chinatown parade in Los Angeles. In the evenings, you can go to the Staples Center and watch an NBA game. It’s a good opportunity to see some big-time players up close. Ticket website: *** Address: 1111 S. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90015 SHOPPING IN PALM SPRINGS A good excuse to get some new clothes for the year is to do some shopping at Palm Springs. The destination is described as having the largest outlets in the western United States, with 130 premium-brand stores, and prices up to 30 percent below regular retail. Be sure to set aside a whole day if you plan to do some serious shopping! Location: Palm Springs, CA Desert Hills Premium Outlets Located about an hour away from Los Angeles and just under 30 minutes from Palm Springs, The Desert Hills Premium Outlets is one of the largest luxury outlet destinations in California. It has 180 designer stores including Alexander McQueen, Burberry, Coach, Michael Kors, Prada, Roberto Cavalli, Saint Laurent Paris, and Tom Ford. Fast casual dining options include Blaze Pizza, Five Guys Burgers &
Fries, and Jody Maroni’s Sausage Kingdom. Nearby, you can also find Ruby’s Diner and the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa. The outlet is also conveniently located near Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park.
San Diego: A Small City Full of American History
Recommendation A: San Diego Naval Harbor Best for: Fans of the Military Check out the home port of the U.S. Pacific Fleet to see some military aircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers, and more. For people interested in military history, war ship tours are a great way to spend an afternoon, especially since, when they book these tours, they may have the opportunity to hear some retired veterans of the military spell guiding the tours and share their stories of conflicts during their military service. Address: 910 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101 Hours: Daily 10:00 to 17:00. Last entry 16:00. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. How to get there: It is a bus ride to the Santa Fe Depot. Recommendation B: San Diego Old Town Best suited for: Travelers interested in culture and geography Old Town is located near the US-Mexico border and is one of the region's first sites of settlement by European colonists. This historic district has a strong Mexican influence and offers a glimpse of the region's multicultural milieu as well as its Mexican food, all without crossing the border. Address: 2383 San Diego Avenue, San Diego, CA 92110 How to get there: Take buses 8, 9, 10, 20, or 30 to San Diego Old Town. San Diego Old Town When the US took possession of California from Mexico, the area that is now San Diego Old Town was a Mexican pueblo. The history of this place goes back to when the first European colonizers settled on the North American continent but that area was also the home of many Native American tribes and the settlement of the European colonizers changed the culture of the region. Old Town is a great example of the blend of Mexican and Spanish culture that developed in that area. The district is only a few minutes from downtown and has many attractions including a unique collection of shops, civic buildings, restaurants, schools, and churches. The Native American cultural village also has a 19th-century settlement look with staff dressed in period clothing. Local snacks and handicrafts can be found at a Saturday market, while more context can be found at various history museums.
Recommendation C: Spanish Village Art Center, San Diego - A Living Re-creation of an Old Spanish Village\nThe Spanish Village Art Center is located in Balboa Park, which is one of the largest urban cultural parks in the US. The park is home to 14 major museums, 4 theaters, sports fields, a rose garden, and a Japanese garden. But even deeper into the park is this lesser known artist colony.\nIt is reputed to be an accurate reproduction of an old Spanish village. The cottages have been rented out as studios, creating an actual village for artists. The village is home to painters, glass artists, watercolorists, sculptors, printmakers, and various other creators.\nAddress: 1549 El Prado, San Diego\nHow to get there: Take bus 7 to Park Bl & Zoo Pl.\nCost: Free entry; some museums in the park have a separate entry fee.\nHours: Open 24 hours.\n
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【SeaWorld San Diego】SeaWorld Adventure Park in San Diego, California is one of the largest marine theme parks in the world. People can see shows with marine animals, have close encounters with the animals, and can even eat next to baby orcas.\nThe guide also mentions that SeaWorld’s parent company had a partnership with Budweiser brewing, and beer lovers could attend a free class on beer brewing in the park.\nHow to get there: Take bus 9 to Sea World.\nCost: The guide lists prices as $79 for visitors 10 years and older and $71 for children ages 3 to 9.\nHours: Depending on the season, the opening hours are 10:00 to 11:00 and closing hours are between 17:00 to 19:30. Always check the official site before visiting.
SeaWorld San Diego
At SeaWorld San Diego the focus is placed on direct interactions between guests and marine animals. Guests get to see dolphins, sea lions, and other animals who can be seen walking on the grass with no barriers. With so many exhibits and shows, it’s best to plan your day in advance to see everything. SeaWorld provides an easy to read show schedule so you can plan accordingly. Each show has it’s own uniqueness including an orca show and a sea lion show where the sea lions dance tango. There are plenty of activities for adults as well so this is not only a kids attraction.
5. Las Vegas
High Roller
For an extravagant proposal or honeymoon, Las Vegas is the perfect destination. Hop on the High Roller, one of the biggest observation wheels in the world. It stands at 167.6 meters (near Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip) and cost $550 million to build. It takes about 30 minutes to complete one rotation so be sure to enjoy the views on your way up. It is 30 meters higher than the London Eye, making it a must-see when you visit Las Vegas! The structure is 30 meters taller than London's The Eye, 9 meters taller than The Star of Nanchang in China, and Singapore's Flyer is 2.7 meters shorter. One full revolution around the wheel is 30 minutes. It has 28 cabins, that are fully air-conditioned and glass-encased which hold up to 40 people.
2. The stage shows in Las Vegas are a must and have become one of the entertainment capitols. The shows do not miss include the wonderful visual o and le rêve.
3. Grand Canyon: It is one of the seven wonders of the world and one of the enduring destinations in America. Explore its vastness from a helicopter, paddle through the canyon, or ride a mule along the inner trails to taste the American West. There are also endless beautiful canyon trails to experience. The Grand Canyon is usually divided into the South Rim and West Rim. If you want the Canyon to have the best natural scenery, then head to the South Rim, if you want to experience a combination of cultural and modern elements Native American then head to the West Rim. Ultimately the best option depends on what is most convenient based on your route.
Address: 3545 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109, USA
Hours: Daily 11:30–02:00
How to get there: Use the Las Vegas Monorail to get to Harrah's / The Linq Station or Flamingo / Caesars Palace Station.
Grand Canyon National Park
· Grand Canyon National Park is one of the seven wonders of the world and is located in northwestern Arizona. It has the South Rim and North Rim, which each have their own characteristics. The South Rim has more visitors, with a more developed scenic driving route. The North Rim is higher, with thinner air and super blue skies. It is not the world’s deepest canyon, but its scale and scenery make it one of the most important national parks. Conclusion This trip combines 4 of the typical cities of the American West. Starting in San Francisco is logical because Highway 1 goes straight south to Los Angeles without backtracking. Give yourself 2 days for the drive to the coast so you can get to LA in time for the Chinese New Year celebrations. Travel doesn't mean hurrying to the biggest landmarks. If your vision of the American West includes a romantic, artistic, and meandering quality, consider spending more time in the small towns along Highway 1. As the scenery becomes less obvious, the stories become subtler, and the encounters more memorable.
