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Entertaining Out of Town Guests
How to Give Your Guests the Southern California VIP Experience
We've got news for you...you live in the #1 vacation destination this year. Yup, California ranks above Florida for the first time as the desired vacation spot.
The news gets even better (or worse, depending upon your relatives and friends). Mantill Williams, a spokesman with AAA, comments on vacationers: "When we ask people how they're going to deal [with higher gas prices], they usually say they may stay with a friend or family member, they may eat out less, they may even take a shorter trip, but it's not going to be a deal-breaker in terms of preventing them from going on vacation."
Guess you'd better prepare the guest room...and brush up on your tour guide skills.
Sure, the easy answer is to take them to Hollywood Boulevard, the beach and perhaps up to Santa Barbara. But the key to creating a memorable trip for your guests is to identify their interests and then allow them to experience it as a local--not just a tourist. How do you do that? We've outlined some ideas to get your brain juices flowing. And the best part: everything listed here is either local or a day trip...because they're probably going to want to eat most of their meals at your house.
And don't forget to check out our Calendar of Events for lots of fun things to do in the Santa Clarita Valley--many of which are free!
Hollywood
Escort your guests around Hollywood with the flair and confidence of an insider. And with our ideas, your tour can start right here in the Santa Clarita Valley, stopping in at Hollywood Boulevard, and moving beyond Los Angeles County. But don't miss all that the Santa Clarita Valley has to offer on the subject. Check out Hollywood's Backlot-SCV for "Hollywood" places they'll love right here!
Wineries
For some, a trip to California is not complete without wine tasting. Make a day of it together or send them off packing for an overnight stay and a tour of some of our local wine countries. Be a pal and offer to be the designated driver.
Beaches
Rarely do landlocked family and friends make a visit to California without planning to spend a day at the beach. Send them to this page to help them figure out which beach fits their vacation personality.
Theme Parks
So. California theme parks are known the world over. No matter what their age or style, they're sure to love one of them.
Our Great Outdoors
Vasquez Rocks is always a popular destination, but we have so many other great places to get out into California's natural beauty. They can even access the great Pacific Coast Trail right from Agua Dulce. If you want something a little less rugged, check out the Parks page. Boating, lake swimming, campfires, moonlit hikes...it's all here.
Wet & Wild
A water park, aquatics center, community swimming pools, and a lake all provide ample opportunity to cool off in our summer heat.
Animal Encounters
Right here in the Santa Clarita Valley we have gibbons (monkey-sized apes), tigers, bison, and even reptiles that you can get up to very close. If you want to venture out, you can even go whale watching--or help feed a 600-pound sea lion! Of course, there is always horseback riding, which you'll find on our Get Outside and Hollywood pages.
The Wild, Wild West
Long before movie production came to Los Angeles and the Santa Clarita Valley, this area was considered the wild west. Without leaving the valley, you can see where gold was first discovered in California, tour mid-19th century buildings, hike an old stagecoach route, or catch a glimpse of cattle. Head out of the valley, and you can attend a rodeo, tour a real ghost town--complete with re-enactors, walk through an old army post, or even a mission.
Active Sports
Besides picking up a game of basketball at a local park, guests can play paintball at one of the largest paintball fields in LA County, try out their shooting skills, skate a 75' snake run, go golfing or kayaking. If it's too hot, they can head indoors to play paintball, climb a wall, or hit the bowling lanes.
Museums
SoCal abounds with incredible museums. If the sun isn't shining (or it is shining hotly), go exploring!
The news gets even better (or worse, depending upon your relatives and friends). Mantill Williams, a spokesman with AAA, comments on vacationers: "When we ask people how they're going to deal [with higher gas prices], they usually say they may stay with a friend or family member, they may eat out less, they may even take a shorter trip, but it's not going to be a deal-breaker in terms of preventing them from going on vacation."
Guess you'd better prepare the guest room...and brush up on your tour guide skills.
Sure, the easy answer is to take them to Hollywood Boulevard, the beach and perhaps up to Santa Barbara. But the key to creating a memorable trip for your guests is to identify their interests and then allow them to experience it as a local--not just a tourist. How do you do that? We've outlined some ideas to get your brain juices flowing. And the best part: everything listed here is either local or a day trip...because they're probably going to want to eat most of their meals at your house.
And don't forget to check out our Calendar of Events for lots of fun things to do in the Santa Clarita Valley--many of which are free!
Hollywood
Escort your guests around Hollywood with the flair and confidence of an insider. And with our ideas, your tour can start right here in the Santa Clarita Valley, stopping in at Hollywood Boulevard, and moving beyond Los Angeles County. But don't miss all that the Santa Clarita Valley has to offer on the subject. Check out Hollywood's Backlot-SCV for "Hollywood" places they'll love right here!
Wineries
For some, a trip to California is not complete without wine tasting. Make a day of it together or send them off packing for an overnight stay and a tour of some of our local wine countries. Be a pal and offer to be the designated driver.
Beaches
Rarely do landlocked family and friends make a visit to California without planning to spend a day at the beach. Send them to this page to help them figure out which beach fits their vacation personality.
Theme Parks
So. California theme parks are known the world over. No matter what their age or style, they're sure to love one of them.
Our Great Outdoors
Vasquez Rocks is always a popular destination, but we have so many other great places to get out into California's natural beauty. They can even access the great Pacific Coast Trail right from Agua Dulce. If you want something a little less rugged, check out the Parks page. Boating, lake swimming, campfires, moonlit hikes...it's all here.
Wet & Wild
A water park, aquatics center, community swimming pools, and a lake all provide ample opportunity to cool off in our summer heat.
Animal Encounters
Right here in the Santa Clarita Valley we have gibbons (monkey-sized apes), tigers, bison, and even reptiles that you can get up to very close. If you want to venture out, you can even go whale watching--or help feed a 600-pound sea lion! Of course, there is always horseback riding, which you'll find on our Get Outside and Hollywood pages.
The Wild, Wild West
Long before movie production came to Los Angeles and the Santa Clarita Valley, this area was considered the wild west. Without leaving the valley, you can see where gold was first discovered in California, tour mid-19th century buildings, hike an old stagecoach route, or catch a glimpse of cattle. Head out of the valley, and you can attend a rodeo, tour a real ghost town--complete with re-enactors, walk through an old army post, or even a mission.
Active Sports
Besides picking up a game of basketball at a local park, guests can play paintball at one of the largest paintball fields in LA County, try out their shooting skills, skate a 75' snake run, go golfing or kayaking. If it's too hot, they can head indoors to play paintball, climb a wall, or hit the bowling lanes.
Museums
SoCal abounds with incredible museums. If the sun isn't shining (or it is shining hotly), go exploring!
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