By Greg Aragon California is replete with natural wonders and Mono Lake holds its own against them all. As one of the oldest lakes in the western hemisphere, it is eerily beautiful, with giant tufa structures jetting from its serene surface and the snow-capped Sierra Nevada reflecting in its shimmering blue waters. A friend and…
By Greg Aragon Winter is here and I thought it would be a great time to look back on my last visit to the beautiful tropical island paradise of Kaui, Hawaii, where I stayed at a luxurious ocean-front resort and sailed in a catamaran along the beautiful Napali Coast. The getaway began when my friend and I landed…
By Greg Aragon Bishop, Calif. may have a small town feel but because of its location in the Eastern Sierra region, the city is close to lots of big time sights. Set about halfway between Yosemite and Death Valley National Parks, Bishop is on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada along the banks of…
By Greg Aragon The Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village is not only a luxurious resort; it is a world-renown sanctuary and wellness retreat. It is also less than an hour drive from Downtown L.A. Located in the city of Westlake Village, in the Santa Monica Mountains between Malibu and Santa Barbara, the 270-room, five-diamond resort is a secluded paradise, surrounded…
By Greg Aragon While recently charting my course to California’s Eastern Sierra, I spotted a tiny town on the map called Independence. It was located off Highway 395, right along my path. And with a name like Independence, it screamed history and small town California. I had to investigate. My getaway began at the historic…
By Greg Aragon I experienced a lot of fascinating sights and sounds on my trip to Ireland last fall. I drove passed rolling green hills, speckled with thousands of fluffy white sheep and herds of slow-moving cattle. I stopped by the mysterious Johnstown Castle that was built between the 15th and 18th centuries in beautiful…
Growing up as an only child in Cincinnati, Ohio gave me plenty of opportunity to shovel snow in sub-zero temperatures. Let’s just say, I’m grateful to live on the California Central Coast where we don’t have to deal with ice on our windshields and plowing snow out of the driveway in the morning. We may…
By Greg Aragon The Belmond El Encanto hotel has welcomed discerning guests since 1918. Perched in the hills above Santa Barbara, this iconic hideaway offers serene seclusion in a relaxed, yet luxurious setting of lush gardens, winding paths and private bungalows. It is has been described as Hollywood glamour in a modern classic and after my recent visit I…
By Greg Aragon The 1930s was a great time for Hollywood westerns and for the city of Lone Pine, Calif. Film crews came looking for adventure in the nearby Alabama Hills, where giant granite boulders provided the perfect backdrop for hideouts, ambushes, stage coach rides, and gunfights. These movies brought big names like John Wayne,…
By Greg Aragon Mammoth may be a more popular destination in California’s Eastern Sierra, but neighboring June Lake is just as beautiful and also offers unlimited outdoor fun and adventure, such as great fishing, hiking, skiing, sightseeing and more. Tucked at the base of 10,909-foot Carson Peak, the scenic little town and the 14-mile-long June…
