CalActive.com Activities Blog

Last Friday we received a visit from our friends and makers of the fantastic Go San Diego Card (click the link to order your very own card). Actually, they make Go Cards for many different destinations, such as Los Angeles, Boston, Orlando, Miami, Chicago and many others. It’s such an amazing idea, really. You purchase a card that comes with a free guide. The guide has tons of ideas for things to do locally and will get you in at no additional cost to about 50 different attractions.

The representative that paid us a visit was nice enough to leave us a couple of Go San Diego Cards to try out. At some point in the next couple of weeks two of us will be going to San Diego to enjoy the benefits of the card. Looking at the guide, there are so many different things to do, it will be tough.

Here are my initial thoughts:

Breakfast at the Cheese Shop Restaurant and Delicatessen. I LOVE CHEESE AND BREAKFAST. We get 20% off our breakfast and a Free Frisby! We need one of those down in Laguna Beach - Orange County!

Tour PETCO Park. I am a big baseball fan, and going to take a tour of the San Diego Padres home park sounds like a perfect thing to do. How could I miss this?!

Wine Tasting! Why would we not go drink some free wine?

You will have to wait to find out what we actually end up doing

On Saturday, Heather and I went to our Military Flight Simulator activity in Southern California. First of all, when I left my house it was nearly 100 degrees. HOT AS CAN BE. So I was happy we were going to be inside in an air conditioned room.

When you first walk in to the location, there is a mural with a totally cool jet scene and three jet fighter seats. Take a look:

The mural:

The Jet Fighter Seats:

Heather sitting on the Jet Fighter Seat:

Our activity started at around 12:15pm. We walked to the back room and got into our flight suite. It was totally TOP GUN!

Heather and I in our suites:

After we were suited up, we were brought into a class room to learn everything we needed to know about flying a jet fighter plane. All I remember the teacher telling us is that we had a throttle, a button to load our missiles, a button to launch the missile, a button to shoot bullets (that are basically harmless unless you are 2 feet away, and ready to crash into, the other jet fighter), and a button to speak to our assistant back in the control center.

Learning how to fly:

Great, now that we know exactly how to fly a jet fighter (yeah, sure we do!), we are ready to jump into the cockpit of our Jet Fighters! It was so cool to jump in and really feel what it’s like to sit inside such a small area with complete control of this huge piece of machinery that can fly faster that the speed of sound. After I sit down, I hold on to the throttle on my left (which also has a button that works just like the Nextel/Sprint Push-to-Talk feature whenever you have something to say) and what looks exactly like an Atari joystick on the right. There is someone there to walk you through every step of the way as many times as needed to make sure you have a great time. While you are flying, back in the control deck, someone is on the headphones talking you through any problems or questions (they also give you more missiles when you run out, so don’t be shy, and ask for more!).

The Jet Fighters:

The Throttle:

The Joystick:

Getting more help:

Control Deck:

Check out the Missiles:

If there are guests that are not going to be flying, there is a great area right outside with 8 screens for the visitors to see all the action while it takes place (see below). There are also some simple rules, which are listed on the photo below, but no big deal.

Waiting Room:

The Rules:

This is really an amazingly fun activity that does not cost very much. You will not regret doing it! Oh yeah, and before I forget… Guess who won the dogfight?

Most Kills:

Sometimes fear stops us from doing some of the most exciting and adrenaline packed things in life. Ever since my friend passed along her copy of “One Month To Live: Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life,” I treat everyday as the most important!

News or friends inform us about such stories that relate to life, and often make us wonder why things happen the way they do. For example, this morning there was a rare and freak shark attack in Solana Beach, San Diego. A 66 yr. old man in great shape was training for his next triathlon and was freakishly bitten by a shark and didn’t survive. And then I stumble upon a more uplifting story where a 96 yr. old former US Navy pilot took a trip to Knott’s Berry Farm so he could take in some excitement and ride the fastest rides there, regardless of being in a wheelchair.

His daughter mentioned that “He doesn’t get out at all, so sometimes I plan a day where we go out,” she said. “That morning, I told him, ‘If you get out of bed, I’ll buy you breakfast, and maybe we could take a ride up to Knott’s.’ He liked that idea.”

How I look at…we’re dealt with a deck of cards each day - you can play or pass. I’d rather play!

It’s nice when I leave my house in the morning to head to work and there is not a cloud in the sky and 65-70 degrees. A PERFECT DAY! So, a few days ago I am heading down to Laguna Beach (where our office is) and all of a sudden, as I drove down Newport Coast, it seemed as if I was driving straight down into the clouds. Seriously, it looked so weird. Take a look…

After about 2 hours, the clouds were gone and we were back to a perfect day. Weather Rules!

Anyway, this weekend we are going to try out the Authentic Military Flight Simulators in Anaheim… Will most definitely take some pictures and video and do a write-up on it.

Okay, so after reading this blog, I’m dying to go paragliding! For me it’s hard to imagine the feeling of flying thousands of feet in the air… and not in an airplane. The adrenaline rush, the fear, the excitement, the euphoria, the gratification one feels after just going out there and doing it. It takes some major guts to paraglide, but for millions of people around the world, it’s on their weekly agenda.

Luckily for me, we just added paragliding to our extensive list of activities. I think it’s time for an “Activity Day”, eh? First activity on my list: flying! Who hasn’t wanted to fly sometime in their lifetime? And the great thing is that there are so many beautiful places to fly in Southern California. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get high…..

As many may know, Laguna Beach is home to great art and many fabulous artists. In fact, the first Thursday of every month, galleries in town stay open later to host “1st Thursday’s Art Walk,” a time where all can enjoy award-winning art amid the crowded paths of pch.  It’s a fun time for residents and othera alike to meander around town, sipping wine, enaging in conversation and exploring new techniques used to create such diverse works. In fact my favorite gallery, the Surf Gallery, on Thalia Street is having a sneak peak art show this Friday, April 25th. The work will display most recent paintings and prints from local artists. I can’t forget to mention the live music -that’s always a huge plus for me! The show is hosting some up and coming artists whose illustrations are recognized on surf clothing, wetsuits, shoes, logos and surfboads from a hand full of years.

Hope to see some of you there!

This morning we went out kayaking in Laguna Beach (Thalia Beach to be specific), and what a perfect day it worked out to be. There is a reason why many people call Laguna Beach a Paradise. The water was crystal clear, the weather was perfect, and the sea lions were on the rocks tanning as usual. Sea Lions? Yup! They were so cute sitting there with absolutely nothing to do being as lazy as one could ever be. Regardless,  they definitely made this trip that much more enjoyable.

One thing I love about ocean kayaking is that you can go easy or be more adventurous. Constantly trying to read the waves, the wind, and the current makes it all that much more exciting. There’s also another plus to kayaking that I just recently learned about. Kayaking is helpful for rafting. What do I mean by this? Well, rafting is a completely different activity, but the truth is that when you learn to kayak, it helps with your rafting skills. I will have to try this out myself!

On another note, we are just about getting ready to open our doors at the Montage Resort to those who want to go Kayaking, Snorkeling, or Buggy boarding, or even if you want to learn how to surf. The “life changing luxury travel” resort should definitely be a fun place to start a kayak tour from. Can’t wait!

Our starting point today:

I was introduced to these via conversation with one of our customers who ordered mountain bikes for a trip with his buddies. Unaware of this destination, I asked where these were. You’ve never heard of this spot? No. Unfortunately I had not, but was so eager to google it I hopped on the internet ASAP. In addition to being a destination for some beautiful, natural hot springs, it’s also a common destination for skinnydippers and skinnysoakers alike… hmmm. Located just southeast of Hesperia, Deep Creek Hot Springs are a cluster of natural hot springs with various temperatures that are accesible by foot or bike. To get there, hike a vigorous 2-miles or meander the 6-mile trail… the choice is yours. Either way, the pictures I’ve googled are amazing and definitely scream fun! I’ve stumbled upon plenty of sites that provide directions and other important information. In addition, I discovered a very cool site that’s a great resource for natural hot springs in California, Colorado and other places in the country.