Phila Airport Parking Vacations

From the San Diego Business Journal:

Airport Parking Rates to Inch Higher in July

“Short-term parking rates at Lindbergh Field will increase starting July 1 following action Jan. 7 by the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, the public agency that manages the downtown facility.

The fee increases were part of a more comprehensive plan for the airport’s ground transportation that included every aspect of how passengers arrive and depart from the airport.

Under the new rates approved in a 5-3 vote by the airport authority board, parking at Lindbergh for up to 20 minutes will cost $2, up from $1; for 20 to 30 minutes, $2, unchanged from current rate; for 30 to 40 minutes, $4, up from $2; for 40-60 minutes, $4, up from $3; for one to one and a half hours, $6, up from $4.50; and for one and a half to two hours, $8, up from $4.50.

The increases gradually continue until the time gets to seven to 24 hours, which remained at $21. For each additional 24 hours it’s another $21, which was also left the same.”

Read The Whole Story Here…

Encinitas has a different vibe than any of the beach towns north of San Diego – but what is it that makes it so captivating, so special? Many feel its because Encinitas is still lost in time back in the 1960s when California was a much simpler place with small roadside motels along Highway 101. Encinitas hotels didn’t exist back in the 60s, nor were there any Encinitas Bed and Breakfasts or hotels in Del Mar or the Cardiff Lodge.

Encinitas is home to romantic bed and breakfasts, Stone Steps Beach, The Roxy Restaurant where you can buy a glass of rum and an ice cream cone, cute boutiques, funky old hotels on the historic Pacific Coast Highway, Moonlight beach, the La Paloma theater (still featuring weekly surf movies) and romantic Encinitas bed and breakfasts. Encinitas is so laid back that it is often referred to as “San Diego’s Sleepy Surf Town.”

Students, tourists and surfers jam Karina’s Mexican Restaurant for lunch and dinner. The wide sidewalks along the old historic Pacific Coast Highway through “downtown” Encinitas are lined with outdoor restaurants, a seaside “bazaar” and boutique shops. No other beach town in the San Diego area has such a great selection of restaurants – from Mexican take-out to fine Italian dining. If you come to visit, make a reservation at an Encinitas B&B or Carlsbad Bed and Breakfast and bring your appetite!

Moonlight Beach is one of the top five San Diego beaches and is only a block from downtown Encinitas, an easy walk from the Inn At Moonlight Beach Bed and Breakfast Inn. You won’t find a better beach to work on your tan, go boogie-boarding, enjoy a picnic or play a pick-up game of volleyball. Or, you may like to try your hand at surfing or body surfing, people-watch, work on reading that novel or simply relax. There is lots of parking, clean bathrooms and showers, a great children’s playground and cute little lunch shop.

Ann Dunham is the hostess of the romantic Encinitas B&B (Bed and Breakfast) called the Inn At Moonlight Beach. This lovely boutique inn is far more intimate than a Del Mar B&B or Encinitas hotel. The inn is situated on a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Moonlight Beach and is often called the San Diego Beach Bed and Breakfast, said to be more romantic than Del Mar Hotels and more lovely than the Carlsbad Bed and Breakfasts.

The four suites at the Inn At Moonlight Beach are decorated like the rooms you’d find in a French Seaside hotel or inn along the Mediterranean. Each suite has a private bath and refrigerator. What makes Ann’s Encinitas bed & breakfast really special is that she bakes delicious home-made, warm-from-the-oven pastries for breakfasts every morning.

Terry Hunefeld retired as CEO of a San Diego coaching company to follow his love of exploring the ocean to study seabirds and marine animals. Hunefeld and his wife Ann Dunham own the Inn At Moonlight Beach in Encinitas near Del Mar and San Diego. For more information visit: Solana Beach Bed and Breakfasts or Carlsbad Bed and Breakfasts.

Del Mar California is the quintessential dream beach town – a quaint, yet chic Southern California community overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Like La Jolla and San Diego, Del Mar’s aura of paradise comes in a large result from its world-class beaches and persistently clear blue skies. Add to all that a unique fairgrounds, horse track and a quaint, upscale “downtown” village, and you have activities for everyone.

1. The Place To Be Is Epazote

Del Mar’s downtown area has a definite European flavor. More than seventy unique shops, cute hotels and 23 restaurants offer enough variety to please everybody. The artsy “Italian” outdoor mall, Del Mar Plaza, is at the north end of town at the corner of Highway 101 and 15th Street, where you will find trendy shops and unique bistros among the ironwork and tiled fountains of an Italian piazza.

One of our favorites for outdoor “ocean-view” dining is Epazote, a great place for lunch. It’s sunshine-splashed outdoor patio swells with sea breezes and sweeping panoramic views of the ocean. Epazote is also one of Del Mar’s popular night spots featuring a fun but noisy bar with an upscale and sophisticated feel. You can have a few margaritas and walk back to your bed and breakfast or hotel. The fare at Epazote is creative, tasty and unique.

2. Take A Hike Through Time

If you enjoy a nature hike with phenomenal scenery, Torrey Pines State Reserve is for you, with nearly 2000 acres of natural habitat along the ocean. The reserve was created because this is where the rare and beautiful Torrey Pine tree grows. You will find 6 or 7 trails for hiking, each with it’s own brand of awesome views: wind bent Torrey pines, abstract rock formations and lush wildflower displays, all framed by the magnificent Pacific Ocean. Parking Tip: You can park outside the park along the ocean and Highway 101 for free, then walk up the drive into the reserve for a great workout with magnificent views. Take your camera – especially in the spring when fields of wild flowers are in bloom and everywhere you look are fantastic views of the ocean.

3. Come Sail Away In Your Beautiful Balloon

Thought by many to be one of the best balloon rides in the world, a sunset flight from Del Mar is an extraordinary way to see Southern California. A coastal Del Mar Sunset flight is an unforgettable experience – up there the air is clear, the sun seem to shine brighter and a sense of relaxation overcomes you. You can soar through the sky and glide effortlessly above the hills and valleys – a calm, peaceful and relaxing way to panoramically take in the enormity of the Pacific Ocean and San Diego countryside.

Google the following companies to compare itineraries and rates: Panorama Balloon Tours, Skysurfrer Balloon Tours or Sky’s The Limit Balloon Adventures. On clear days you can see San Clemente and Santa Catalina Islands, 60 – 70 miles off shore. It doesn’t matter if you’re staying at a hotel in Del Mar or an Encinitas Bed and Breakfast, you’re just minutes away from experiencing a lifetime treat.

4. World-Class Beaches

For good reason, Del Mar is one of the most popular beach communities in San Diego County. With more than two miles of world-class beaches, the usually warm, calm water makes for near-perfect conditions for surfing, swimming, boogie boarding or just catching up on that beach novel. Del Mar also has two seaside parks – Seagrove and Powerhouse, both great for picnicking, playgrounds for the kids and stunning ocean views. Often referred to as “Malibu South,” Del Mar beaches have gentle waves and warm water, making them the perfect beaches to learn to surf. Beachgoers can also find good, cheap lunches at Roberto’s Mexican Restaurant on Carmel Valley Road just east of the Penasquitos Lagoon parking lot. Out-of-town visitors love the quiet, romantic Encinitas Bed & Breakfast near the ocean, Inn at Moonlight Beach.

5. Pedal Around Town

Bike riding is one of the simplest ways to have fun, enjoy the wonderful Del Mar scenery, especially if you’re staying at a Del Mar B&B or other vacation lodging. With near-perfect weather all year, enjoying the great outdoors is a way of life for most Del Martians who enjoy riding down quiet residential streets along the ocean. Del Mar is full of paths and trails that give cyclists an opportunity to relax, exercise and explore. Any way you cut it, Del Mar is a great place to have fun, get fit, and relax!

Based on information recently released from the FBI, crimes of violence and property crimes dropped across the state of California. Very few cities saw increases in crimes. Those that did, tended to be amongst the smaller cities in the state. In large California cities, the overwhelming majority witnessed substantial decreases.

Violent crimes, which are of a particular concern, dropped in Los Angeles. Even more assuring, the numbers from LA were very similar to the numbers of California as a whole. For every 100 crimes from the previous year, there were 4 less this year.

The city of San Diego was another city that saw less property incidents and violence. They had 5% less crimes involving violent crime from the previous year. That exceeds the national drop by almost 2%. With respect to crimes involving property (i.e. theft, grand theft auto, etc.) the city saw a 9% drop.

California can be proud that it has 6 out of 25 of the safest cities in the country and none of its cities are among the top 25 most dangerous. Additionally impressive, San Jose and San Diego are amongst the most safe cities with 500,000 residents or more. According to the FBI, the safest cities in California include Hillsboro and Moraga (Bay area communities), San Marino, Sierra Madre, Palos Verdes Estates, Soledad, Moorpark, Rancho Palos Verdes, Saratoga and Avenal.

With some places to choose from, California offers some of the best vacation spots in the world. With gorgeous weather and beaches, you can be sure your family will enjoy every second of their California trip. Plus, you can rest assured that you aren’t putting your family in a dangerous situation. There is nothing worse than being victimized by crime while on vacation.

My name: Friday. My town: Los Angeles. My beat: the beach. The City of Angels has a sordid and luminous history, evoking the flickering light of countless fantasies in countless movie theaters and a dark heart that beats to a rhythm all its own. Me, I like to get away by stabbing the old gas-guzzler into drive and making haste for the sun-soaked beaches of Manhattan. Thats right, you heard me: Manhattan. The Big Apple doesnt have dibs on the name, you know, and youll be hard-pressed to find a stretch of beach as fine as this one.

Thought by rights Manhattan is Lenape Indian for “island of many hills” Manhattan Beach is not an island. No man or woman is an island and thats the special something about this beach. People want to get to know one another. They care, they look, they stare. Sometimes, they even say, Hey. Or Hi. Once someone even said, How are you? I was shocked ” they were tourists and that was all right in my book.

The city is a cruel mistress, she has broken lesser souls and weaker hearts, but thats ok. They just shuffle off to Buffalo to pick up the pieces, leaving more room for the likes of you and me. More room at the beach and more room on the dance floor. Didnt think I could dance? Didnt think I was hip to the groove? The lingo? The jive? Well, baby, this Friday is taking it to he next level. Nothing compares to the LA nightlife ” though I hear New York types complain about how the bars close at 2 AM. Were respectful types around here. No sense making a fuss until dawn. Thats what house parties are for. House parties in the Hollywood Hills, that is. Take that, NYC.

Its no small feat to rationalize spending two grand a month on rent, but thems the breaks, kid. You toughen up after the first year. You realize the money is nothing ” so what if your landlord is driving the latest German sports car. You like your Korean jalopy and you like the privilege of telling your lame-o friends in Des Moines that you live in Los Angeles. With the rent comes the perks, and nothing buys you cultural cred like saying you live in Los Angeles.

If a hotel is what you need, a hotel Los Angeles can give. She’s housed generations of tourists before you graced this Island Earth, and she’ll house all the generations to come. As long as Disneyland doesnt relocate to San Diego and the movie studios stay in LA county, this fine city and this gorgeous beach arent going anywhere. Get in your jalopy and get here. Book a plane, train, whatever. This city waits for no one and loves each and every one of you. I know. Im Friday.