DAY TRIPPING

-- Danette Goulet

There are signs that warn you. You start empathizing with the woman in

the Calgon commercial. On the drive home, you consider what it would be

like to miss your exit and keep driving until you reach Vegas or San

Francisco or somewhere else not here. And every day you check the flights

to London, Cancun and New Orleans on Orbitz.com, mentally calculating

whether you could afford to leave if you stopped eating breakfast, lunch

and most of dinner for the next three months.

Then you know. It’s time. You need a vacation. One that you won’t need

to mortgage your house to pay off. One that won’t eat into the vacation

time needed to visit your mother, your children, your grandparents. A

trip that only takes a day. That’s right, a day.

Whether you only want to drive for 10 minutes or an hour, we have five

fun places to take the edge off the vacation blues. See what a difference

a day makes.

LAGUNA BEACH

Travel time: 10 minutes

To act like a tourist: Stroll Gallery Row, stop in Studio 7 Gallery,

head to the beach

Off the beaten path: Cruise Laguna Canyon, go to Victoria instead of

Main Beach, check out the art at Sherwood Gallery, go vintage at

Tippecanoe’s

Where to eat: Jolly Roger, Madison Square and Garden Cafe

Where to snack/drink:Taco Loco, Royal Hawaiian

You could do the “tourist” thing in your 24 hours, but then you might

miss what locals think makes Laguna Beach special. And that means the

beach and art.

To do it right, drive through Laguna Canyon (Laguna Freeway) and enjoy

the chaparral-covered foothills that have been the subject of many a

canvas and brush. If you look close enough, you can see one of the lakes

that gave Laguna its name from the Shoshone Indians. It used to be called

Canada de los Lagonas but officially became Laguna Beach in 1904. Moving

past El Toro Road, gaze upon the canyons and fields the city’s officials

and locals fought to keep from development 10 years ago. Don’t forget to

look at the old oak trees on your left as you go around the “big bend.”

When you get to town, also known as the “Village,” eat breakfast at

the Jolly Roger (400 S. Coast Highway, moderately priced, [949]

494-3137). I know its name is corny, but it’s Laguna mom and pop on the

inside with a traditional and filling gimmick-free menu. If you can get

the corner table next to the windows, you will arguably have the best

table in town. You can watch the day unfold on the street.

Speaking of breakfast, forget the long lines at the Cottage. If you

must, try the Madison Square and Garden Cafe (320 N. Coast Highway,

slightly expensive, [949] 494-0137). It’s an up-and-coming rival with

excellent food and without the ridiculous wait.

Unless you play beach volleyball or basketball, going to Main Beach is

not the way to go. It’s a feast for the eyes, but not for tranquillity.

It’s the Honolulu of Laguna -- fun to watch for the weekend mayhem and

filled with tourists. For quality beach time, head south to Victoria

(Nyes Place and South Coast Highway).

Filled with clean sand, rocky outcroppings and clear water, Victoria

has all the elements necessary for a nice day. Parking is residential,

but you can find it. A ramp on the south end makes for easy access.

Victoria is where the “extreme” sport of skimboarding was developed in

the ‘70s. Competitive volleyball still takes place daily. You can explore

rocks and tide pools to the north -- look for the old lighthouse -- on

small surf days and walk in the sand south toward Aliso. Check out the

clear water and rocky point of Treasure Island, a geologic wonder in

itself. While you’re walking, it’s hard to miss the million-dollar homes

on the bluffs.

After exploring the beach, get in your car and head back to the

Village for an art tour. For first-timers, it’s best to begin at Gallery

Row. Start at the corner of Aster Street and North Coast Highway and take

your pick from a variety of original art on display in more than 20

galleries as you walk north.

In particular, Studio 7 Gallery (384 N. Coast Highway, [949] 497-1080)

has a nice selection of landscapes and seascapes by local artists. These

are the type of paintings that put Laguna on the map. It’s way Laguna,

dude.

Another fun spot is the Sherwood Gallery (460 S. Coast Highway, [949]

497-2668). It’s off Gallery Row, but worth the walk or drive south. The

place has a reputation for cool, functional art furniture and mixed media

wall sculpture. Have a sense of humor when you visit here.

A fun place to browse is Tippecanoe’s (648 S. Coast Highway, [949]

494-1200), a vintage clothing store that was there long before vintage

clothing became popular in the ‘90s. I found a pair of golf shoes there

that, to my surprise, fit perfectly. When I looked at the price, I was

stunned to see that they were $13. In a retail store, they cost more than

$100.

If you need a nibble, go next door to Taco Loco (640 S. Coast Highway,

inexpensive, [949] 497-1635), a casual California sidewalk cafe offering

New Orleans- and Southwest-style tacos. Very good, if you don’t mind

waiting on the sidewalk, tapping your toes to reggae music with the

twentysomethings.

A classic way to finish your Laguna experience would be to venture

north to the Royal Hawaiian (331 N. Coast Highway, [949] 494-8001). Sure

you can eat the savory seafood and steaks, but people drive from all over

Orange County to sit at one of the small tables under the tropical fish

tanks and enjoy a drink. Generations of Laguna residents will attest to

meeting at the Hawaiian early to catch up on small talk before going

their separate ways. The warm, dark Polynesian ambience of the Royal

Hawaiian is still the classic meeting place but has gotten trendy lately.

Get there early, while it’s quiet. The secret is out, and people who

discover the magic fill the place by 10 p.m. It closes at 11 p.m. Have

fun.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES

Travel time: 40 to 55 minutes

To act like a tourist: Catch a show at the Ahmanson, walk down Olvera

Street

Off the beaten path: Check out the Museum of Neon Art, walk through

Union Station, get cultural in Chinatown or Little Tokyo

Where to eat: Phillipe’s Original Sandwich Shop, Traxx

Where to snack/drink: Top of Five at the Westin Bonaventure

I know what you’re thinking. Visit downtown Los Angeles? That place

filled with grime and grit? That boring city space that lacks the flash

of the clubs on Sunset Boulevard or the class of Beverly Hills or even

the crass commercialism of Hollywood? If your concept of downtown is

stuck in the ‘80s opening sequence of “LA Law,” you need to take the

45-minute trip up the Costa Mesa Freeway to Interstate 5 to the Harbor

Freeway and snap out of it. It may not be perfect. It may not be a

centralized city. But it can be a lot of fun.

Exploring downtown Los Angeles requires a car, a map and a sense of

humor. It also may require some advanced planning, especially if you

decide to go the cultural route -- more on that later.

As it takes a little driving to get there, I suggest you plan to be in

L.A. by about noon -- just in time to catch the lunch rush at Phillipe’s

Original Sandwich Shop (1001 N. Alameda St., inexpensive, [213]

628-3781). With its sawdust floors and 10-cent coffee, Phillipe’s is a

throwback to L.A.’s golden years. Its patrons are the truest measure of

the city’s society -- old and young, businessmen and starlets, families

of all varieties. Order a double-dipped French dip sandwich, which

allegedly was invented here in 1908, and pay a little extra to have a

slice of blue cheese wedged between the layers of meat and bread.

Culinary heaven.

While you’re there, walk a few blocks south to Olvera Street. Rebuilt

in 1930 to resemble a Mexican marketplace, the brick street is lined with

stalls and shops selling ponchos, churros, guitars, hats, Mexican

candies, artwork and more. The street is central to where Los Angeles

began in 1781 and pays tribute to the city’s roots.

Directly across the street is Union Station (800 N. Alameda St., [213]

683-6875). Designed by John and Donald Parkinson in 1939, the station is

one of the true treasures of the city. Its marble floors, wooden beam

ceilings and leather seats harken one back to a time when women wore

minks and men wore hats. Even if you have no desire to step onto a train

platform, check out this aesthetic wonder.

If you’re there in the evening, enjoy a cocktail at Traxx (inside

Union Station, slightly expensive, [213] 625-1999). Besides being a fun

place to watch travelers -- many from different countries -- depart and

arrive, its California-French cuisine is noteworthy. Be aware Traxx is

only open in the evenings on Saturday and is closed Sunday.

Both Chinatown and Little Tokyo are a stone’s throw away. Chinatown is

considered to be the 700 to the 1000 block of North Broadway and is

bordered by Ord, Alameda, Bernard and Yale streets. Shops and restaurants

abound inside buildings that look like Americanized pagodas. Walking

tours are available if you call the Chinese Chamber of Commerce ([213]

617-0396).

Little Tokyo is bounded by 1st and 3rd streets from Main to Alameda

streets. Besides the sushi houses and the many shops selling everything

from sake sets to kimonos, this cultural hot spot boasts the Japanese

American National Museum (119 N. Central Ave., at East 1st Street, [213]

625-0414) and the Japan American Theater (224 S. San Pedro St., [213]

680-3700).

While the Museum of Contemporary Art gets plenty of attention, it is

the Museum of Neon Art (501 W. Olympic Blvd., [213] 489-9918) that is

quintessential L.A. Displaying a combination of old advertising signs and

new works by contemporary neon artists, the museum will redefine how you

look at the shiny lights above your local pharmacy or hotel.

If you plan it right, you can highlight your evening -- and give your

feet a break -- by catching the latest play or musical at the Ahmanson

Theater (135 N. Grand Ave., [213] 972-0700). While James Lapine’s revival

of “Into the Woods” will be headed to Broadway after it closes Sunday,

there are wonderful shows coming up -- “The Full Monty,” April 16 to June

8; “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife,” June 18 to Aug.11; and “Mama Mia,”

Sept. 10 to Nov. 3, to name a few.

End your trip downtown with a view to remember. Have a drink at the

Top of Five inside the Westin Bonaventure Hotel (404 S. Figueroa St.,

slightly expensive, [213] 624-1000). This bar-restaurant has 360 degrees

of cityscape on display, and you will see it all just by sitting down.

The bar revolves slowly, giving you an ever-changing view of an

ever-changing city. You will never see L.A. the same again.

SAN DIEGO

Travel Time: 1:15

To act like a tourist: Cruise San Diego Bay, check out Shelter, Harbor

or Coronado islands, and admire a panoramic view of the city at the top

of the Manchester Grand Hyatt

Off the beaten path: The puppet shows and U.N. Village at Balboa Park

Where to eat: The Bay Beach Cafe, Manchester Grand Hyatt

Take a cruise on San Diego Bay, and you’ll feel the awe that explorer

Juan Cabrillo felt when he first set eyes on the area. As the sparkling

water glistens in the sun, you can drink in all the bay and its

surroundings have to offer.

The bay and the expansive waterfront area that surrounds it are being

marketed for the first time as a tourist attraction, including 250 acres

of open space, 16 bayside parks, 21 marinas and yacht clubs, and 69

restaurants.

For tourists, the bay is accessible by ferry and water taxis. The

ferry is $2 each way, and the water taxi is $5 per person per stop. As

the boat skims across the water, passing seals lounging lackadaisically

in the sun, you are inundated with a sense of warmth and relaxation.

The three main islands to visit are Shelter, Harbor and Coronado.

Shelter Island features Shoreline Park; the Pearl of the Pacific, a

multicolored tile mosaic sculpture with a fountain; and the newly

dedicated Cancer Survivor’s Park, a canopied pathway to give people with

cancer hope they can survive. Harbor Island boasts a bevy of walking,

biking and in-line skating trails with marinas at either end and a

breathtaking view of the Coronado Bridge.

On Coronado Island, you can shop at Ferry Landing Marketplace, hangout

at Tidelands Park and be chauffeured around the island by buff bikers of

the Coronado Pedicab Co. ($5 per ride). There is also a skateboard park

at Tidelands Park.

When all the island-hopping works up your appetite, you can take a

break at the Bay Beach Cafe (1201 1st St., [619] 435-4900) and enjoy

lunch entrees such as the Crispy Calamari Sandwich ($8.95) or the Bay

Beach Burger ($9.95). The restaurant offers a fabulous view of the bay

and the San Diego skyline.

After lunch, head over to Balboa Park, where you can check out an

entertaining puppet show at the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater (11 a.m.,

1 and 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; $2 for children and $3 for adults).

Upcoming puppet shows include “The Three Billy Goats Gruff”, “The Really

Hot Jungle Show” and “Giddy up Cowboys.”

Another hidden gem at Balboa Park is the U.N. Village, which features

an eclectic display of international culture. Each cottage is decorated

with china, dolls, money and trinkets characteristic of its country. At

China’s cottage, for example, you can see statues, masks, multicolored

dolls and have your name written in calligraphy. On Sunday afternoons

from March through October, lawn programs are held that feature

entertainment and cuisine from the culture of one of the cottages. The

cottages are open from noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is free.

At the end of the day, head to the 40th floor of the Manchester Grand

Hyatt (1 Market Place, [619] 232-1234) for a dazzling view of the sunset

and a panoramic view of the bay, the Coronado Bridge, downtown San Diego

and the mountains of Mexico.

Capture the San Diego experience by sipping on a San Diego Bay Breeze

martini with citron, cranberry and pineapple juices ($8) or an OB Sunburn

(short for Ocean Beach -- $7.25) with two rum varieties, bananas, creme

de banana liquor, and cranberry and pineapple juices. Appetizers include

a hot crab dip ($13.50) and a shrimp cocktail ($10.75). And after all

that exploring, you’ll have earned the right to indulge in a guilt-free

serving of tempting tiramisu ($7.25) or cheesecake baklava ($6.50).

PALM SPRINGS

Travel time: 1:40

To act like a tourist: Walk Palm Canyon Drive, drive around trying to

find old stars’ homes, work in a round of golf

Off the beaten path: Drive east along Highway 111 to Indio for a few

dates -- the dried fruit, that is

Where to eat: Blame it on Midnight, your pick of steakhouses

Where to snack/drink: Mykonos, anywhere that serves ice cream

OK, we all know there’s golf here.

But in this man-made desert resort of Palm Springs, there’s more to do

than just club a ball across miles of sparkling green grass.

Really.

It’s easy enough, even, just to start downtown -- the old downtown,

Palm Springs, where everybody once roamed before Palm Desert took the

bloom off the cactus with its high-end resorts, spas, tennis courts and,

yes again, golf courses.

Downtown, along Palm Canyon Drive, offers everything from high-culture

art to low-culture “California Attitude” T-shirts. There’s even a Walk of

Fame, Hollywood-style, beneath your feet, making the stroll worth getting

out of the car for. You can walk it, catching a glimpse of a Rolls Royce

rolling by, followed by a bunch of Harleys.

It’s that kind of place. Kind of Laguna Beach, only with a much wider

temperature range.

Along with the ton of things to see, there’s no shortage of places to

eat. Mykonos (139 E. Andreas Road, just off Palm Canyon Drive, [760]

322-0223) offers an inexpensive place to stop, a quick break from the

rush of the main drag and a refreshing bit of hummus and pita bread on

those hot summer days or a warming bowl of lentil soup for those cooler

desert winter evenings.

There’s also a wilder side to Palm Springs, and it’s captured

perfectly by the postmodern lounge feel to Blame it on Midnight (777 E.

Tahquita Canyon Way, [760] 323-1200). There you’re as likely to find a

strange voice in the bar as at the table next to you.

The food is affordable, with most dishes in the $10 range, but the

taste is far above and beyond. And, if you like a fine cocktail -- it’s

best out here to call them something a bit more cool than drinks --

here’s your place. Big, strong, smooth. Frank would’ve approved.

And once you’re done in Palm Springs proper, it’s worth -- well worth,

tremendously worth -- heading down to 80-225 Highway 111 in Indio (maybe

stop in Palm Desert for that golf game on the way) for a look at Shields

Date Garden ([760] 347-0996) and its in-house movie, “The Romance and Sex

Life of the Date.” Not as wild as it sounds, or even as wild as Blame it

on Midnight, this short film is bizarre, dated -- remember those

education films from the ‘50s? It’s like that.

How could you go wrong?

TEMECULA WINE COUNTRY

Travel time: 1:10

To act like a tourist: Callaway Vineyard and Winery, Thornton Winery

Off the beaten path: Tour of Callaway Winery, hot air balloon rides

Where to eat: Carol’s at the Baily Vineyard and Winery

Where to snack/drink: Mediterranean Deli at the Mount Palomar Winery

Rolling hills crisscrossed with vines, barren and brown this time of

year as the young sprouts begin to stretch and grow, rise all around you

as you enter Temecula Valley.

When you exit the highway, you could be anywhere in America. You are

greeted by McDonald’s, Mobil and modern strip malls. But down the road,

the glaring concrete and stucco drop away.

Narrow drives that head up steep inclines meander up to the left and

to the right, in between the neat rows of thick stubby vine shoots.

The purpose of the day: to taste as many of the winemakers’ sweet

nectars as possible.

Your first stop may be the Callaway Vineyard and Winery (32720 Rancho

California Road, [800] 472-2377). There you may either have one taste for

free or chose four delectable varieties to sample for $5 and take a

complimentary wine glass etched with the Callaway name with you. Visitors

are given a list of eight wines in a suggested sampling order, which

usually goes from white to red and sweetest to driest, but ending with

the sweetest of dessert wines. It’s time to break away from the simple

chardonnay, cabernet and merlot and sip on a syrah, a rich supple red

(1999 Coastal Reserve Syrah $16 bottle) or delight in the sweet surprise

of a Muscat Canelli, with its soft mint flavor and crisp finish (2001

Special Collection Coastal Muscat Canelli, $10 bottle), which can only be

purchased at the winery.

Free periodic tours offer the history of James Callaway (clearly an

idol of the guide) and his many adventures before and after establishing

the vineyard and a tour of the winemaking process -- from the huge steel

machine that sorts and splits the grapes to the stainless steel vats

where they becomes the alcohol we adore. The vast, chilly room stacked

high with fat oak barrels, each holding enough wine for 300 bottles, is

where I learned the most interesting of facts -- there are about four

pounds of grapes in every bottle of wine.

Enough of the learning, back to the drink.

A definite favorite is bound to be the nearby Mount Palomar Winery

(33820 Rancho California Road, [909] 676-5047). As soon as you enter, the

warmth of the dark-wood interior envelopes you, and the aroma of baking

focaccia from the Mediterranean Deli makes you think you’ve found heaven.

Here you are given a list of 12 wines of which you select six to

sample ($4). For the bold and robust of heart, there is a 1996 Mount

Palomar Meritage Library Selection ($24 bottle), which is bound to

capture your attention. It is a Bordeaux blend of cabernet sauvignon,

merlot and cabernet frac.

While sipping your selection, wander over to the deli and grab a

little focaccia pizza with pesto and tomato ($6.25) that, sliced in four,

offers a quick nibble.

If you can brave the harsh sunlight after this distinctly European

tavern, head to Baily Vineyard and Winery (33833 Rancho California Road,

[909] 695-1895), where you can put your name in for lunch at Carol’s. If

there is a wait, and there may be, just let them know you’ll be in the

winery sampling their award-winning 1998 TV Red ($12.95 bottle -- don’t

be fooled by the casual TV of the Temecula Valley Red -- it’s a wonderful

Sangiovese). The fun whimsical castle interior offers a bright and airy

feel. Here, chose from the listed six wines ($5 incudes an etched wine

glass).

The castle theme is carried through to the restaurant, but the fare is

distinctly civilized. Start with six juicy shrimp ($6.45), as you’ll

certainly need sustenance by now. Follow that with a special of the day,

seared tuna over Filipino fried rice ($11.94). This dish melts in your

mouth. The tuna was succulent; the rice a burst of flavor. The duet of

ravioliwas a blend of colorful Gorgonzola and pesto ravioli with Montage

beurre blanc sauce (the restaurant’s own) with pine nuts and tomato

($9.95).

You’ll certainly have time for a stop at one more winery, perhaps the

Thornton Vineyard (32575 Rancho California Road, [909] 699-0099), where

champagne -- actually sparkling wine, as the word “champagne” can only be

used to describe sparkling wines from Champagne, France -- is a favorite

for tasting. It is a bit pricier ($12 for four sparkling wine tastes, and

$9 for four wine samples), but it is a sit-down venue with bread and

cheese and twice the amount of wine.

But before it gets too late, head out -- because if the winds are

right, you can end your day with a hot air balloon ride over the

vineyards as the sun sets. ($128 per person during the week right now,

and $148 per person on weekends for a 40-minute ride, www.temecula.com).