Aaaah Avalon!

When you need to escape the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, California then hop on board the Catalina Island Express shuttle and head for Avalon. In less than an hour on this high speed boat, you will be a world away on Catalina Island in the Pacific Ocean. The ship is very comfortable, serves food and makes trips throughout the day. Hotels are available on the Island, too. So are tons of activities. Tour, fish, scuba, snorkel, glass bottom boat, kayak, camp, hike; the list goes on and on.

If activity doesn't suit you then stroll the shops and restaurants right on the beautiful harbor, visit the spa or sit and people watch.

This is a great escape with a small town feel in an Island setting. Don't miss it.

Long Live the Queen

The Queen Mary in Long Beach, California is huge. Over 1000 feet with more than 2,000 portholes! The anchor chain alone weighs 45 tons and fuel economy. Howsa bout 13 feet to the gallon...

But this attraction is so much more than a ship's tour. You can do a guided or self-guided tour of the ship filled with old photos and artifacts from days gone by when royalty and celebrity stood on these decks but the cool thing is how parts of the ship have been converted. You can even spend the night.

A hotel with 365 original staterooms is available complete with spa, five restaurants, shops and banquet facilities. Events are constant from music and concerts to dinner with Psychic Peter James and The Rocky Horror Picture Show featuring a live local cast.

One of my favorite activities is the Ghosts and Legends Haunted tour. Our group explored deep into the bowels of the ship in areas not open to the public where historic tales were spun and special effects brought the many reported hauntings to life. Good stuff.

You can spend a lot of time at the Queen Mary exploring the many options. But don't get lost...some of the long-term residents aboard the ship you don't want to meet.

Filtered Light

The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California features over 12,000 animals. It is a very busy place. The exhibits meander indoors and out with the favorites being the Shark Lagoon and the Lorikeet forest. I enjoyed the Whale film projected on the walls in the main hall.

Touch tanks are popular and folks lined up for the opportunities. Animal shows and feedings were a hit too. It's fun to watch the divers hand feed in the tanks.

The aquarium is basically divided into three sections representing Northern, Southern and tropical Pacific regions. Construction is in progress to make the Aquarium even better and my visit was wonderful. Don't miss "Monsters of the Abyss" in 3D. It's creepy.