Santa Cruz, CA: Surfing Hot Spot

I like the ocean. Let me rephrase this. I am an ocean addict. When I look back at my personal day trips around the San Francisco bay area, I find one trip that I frequent every few months, year after year.

What is my favorite region? Every trip is special. I always find one feature that pulls at me. There is one place I consistently return to every few months.

I like to walk and watch the surfers along Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz, CA

Reasons why I enjoy:

• Up close – I stand on the cliff edge (behind the fence) that is immediately above where the surfers gather in the water to practice. This is where the Monterey Bay reaches the Pacific Ocean.
• Easy access – I drive my own car and park in one the many parking areas on Cliff Drive. If I am lucky, I get a parking place by the Surfer Museum Lighthouse. I advise leaving before 8 am during the summer months to avoid traffic and leave early afternoon around 1 pm. (or make advance hotel reservations and spend the night)
• Free – So far, knock on wood, it is free to park and walk. 
• It is a great place to stop and talk with people. I find people from everywhere around the world because of the fabulous vista point. And, I like the fun stories from the local surfers too.

I know my family in Central USA might think I am nuts that I spend most of my leisure time watching these surfers at this vista point. Perhaps they tire of my surfers pictures that I keep posting every year. When I go I find something different - weather, people, events. The wind was blowing so much on this day I took the video that it was difficult to hold my camera.

This is where I relax and an escape. Is it because I grew up in the middle of USA without the ocean? I enjoyed going to lakes, the ocean is different. The vast, endless body of water without a shoreline across from you – the unknown surprise of what it brings to you.

I love watching this water sport. I admit I am not interested in participating, I am a spectator. Surfers are independent, they watch and decide which waves to ride and pass, yet they are social with their friends while they wait.

I share videos and pictures on Instagram, this video is one of my top two posts with views and likes.

What makes you want to engage with this video? 

Surf History

Wait for the Right Waves!

  
 This is a picture from my Instagram feed:

Santa Cruz, CA - Bay meets Ocean


Watching the surfers along Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz, CA, my favorite escape ~ The Fun Tour Guru

Dresden's Christstollen Bakery in Germany

Be sure to save your dollars and visit Dresden, Germany around Christmas Holidays. There are so many fun activities to do in this city with holiday traditions that sits next to the Elbe River.

I will always remember relaxing and sipping freshly brewed hot tea with a plate of this delicious Stollen German bread (Christmas cake) in front me after our tour of the bakery.  My month still waters for the tastes of this baking tradition of Dresden's Christstollen. Yum!

Do you think this baker will miss one of the loaves behind him? 

This was a fun tour going inside this bakery (Bäckerei) of which our local guide translated the demonstration. 

Dresden's Christstollen Bäckerei Tour

Inside a Dresden Bakery

Dresden Baker and Local Guide who translated for us

Did you like this article? Please review the items in our sidebar and share with your friends.  Chat with us in the comments below!
 
The holidays are here again - so many things to do around the world ~ The Fun Tour Guru

  
Contact me for details

and picture usage.  Thank you. I spent my own dollars on this trip with my favorite Tour Company.  

Continue reading our fun day with San Francisco Sourdough!  

Frankfurt, Germany

I love this picture from Frankfurt, Germany with both flags, city and country. Frankfurt is a fun place to start your overseas trip.  I enjoy Frankfurt because it is a mixture of (of course) a modern day city with an old world charm - this makes it easy for me to make the adjustment and transition after a long flight before I start my vacation.  I use these modern day amenities (food, banks, and shopping) while I get ready for the rest of my trip.

Frankfurt also conveniently serves as a transportation hub for Germany with air, rail, and other  transport ways. 

What do you like about Frankfurt, Germany?

Downtown Frankfurt, Germany

Be patient if you need to contact me, I may be on a trip too! Let's Go!~ The Fun Tour Guru


Let us help you with trip and itinerary planning! You may book your own hotels too! We donate a % of proceeds to Alzheimer's Association for future research.


- See more at: http://www.funtourguru.com/#sthash.fAWbYIRU.dpuf

Be patient if you need to contact me, I may be on a trip too! Let's Go!~ The Fun Tour Guru


Let us help you with trip and itinerary planning! You may book your own hotels too! We donate a % of proceeds to Alzheimer's Association for future research.


- See more at: http://www.funtourguru.com/#sthash.fAWbYIRU.dpuf

Be patient if you need to contact me, I may be on a trip too! Let's Go!~ The Fun Tour Guru


Need a hotel room now? Are you a self booker? Books online with us and you will pay it forward to YOUR favorite charity!    Thank you!

Be patient if you need to contact me, I may be on a trip too! Let's Go!~ The Fun Tour Guru


Let us help you with trip and itinerary planning! You may book your own hotels too! We donate a % of proceeds to Alzheimer's Association for future research.


- See more at: http://www.funtourguru.com/#sthash.fAWbYIRU.dpuf

Berlin, Germany and the Berlin Bears

Even the Berlin Bears need rain gear! 

I love stuff Teddy Bears and I connected with this Bear when I was in Berlin on my Germany trip.  He is not far away from Brandenburg Gate.  As ambassadors, Bears promote tolerance and living together in peace all over the world now. 

Even the Berlin Bears need rain gear!

"The bear has become the symbol of Berlin. Especially the Berlin Buddy Bears. People find all over Berlin. Buddy Bears are  colorful, cheerful bears with their arms stretched up high. They have become Berlin's symbol for tolerance and "Weltoffenheit" (world openness)." description from Wikipedia

With the Buddy Bears, the centuries-old heraldic animal of Berlin took on a new shape and adopted a new role: The bears are a cheerful welcome for Berliners and their guests as well as ambassadors promoting tolerance and living together in peace all over the world.

Additional historic information is found at The Bear - the Symbol of Berlin.


Travel tip: I bought Berlin Bear charms to make fabulous earrings and jewelry! [Ad]

Do you like this article? Comment and let's talk below.  Please share with your friends. And have fun with the items in our sidebar.  Thank you in advance following our blog.


 
Be patient if you need to contact me, I like trips too! Let's Go!~ The Fun Tour Guru


Let us help you with trip and itinerary planning! You may book your own hotels too!

Fun Activities on the Streets of San Francisco CA

Fun on the back streets of San Francisco: GoCars

Of course this day activity was on an unusual March day in San Francisco which included almost every type of weather - fog, rain, clouds, and even a touch of sun - within a duration of 2-3 hours.  We were lucky  to be without snow driving over the hills.  I believe these weather elements actually created our best memories!

This is an unusual way to explore the side streets away from the traffic after you take a sightseeing tour.  Driving solo is fun in these cars, going with a group on a GoCar tour with their guided GPS is extraordinary event with your  friends.  I was fortunate to have one of the company guides as my chauffeur as I listened to insights that made these events special and I was able to snap these pictures to share with everyone. 

Challenges  

It rained on us and

Of course we had a couple of cars stray away from the group - all people and cars found their way safely back to the garage.  

Finale 

We went places where you don't always get to go on the back streets of San Francisco with our friends. 

Go Cars in San Francisco Courtesy of FunTourGuru

   

Go Car Tour in San Francisco Courtesy of FunTourGuru

 
Information on GoCar GPS-Guided Tours - this was a paid group activity. We make the arrangements with you. 

Stay tuned for more pictures, off the beaten path ~ The FunTourGuru 

Click and subscribe to our newsletter and join our private Facebook group to find fun activities like this. 

Pictures is the property of the FunTourGuru.com