California Coast Town and Gown College Tour, Claremont (Part One)

While academic programming may be considered the most important factor in selecting a college, also essential to success are both the campus and local culture. College tours are an excellent way to experience a slice of student life, obtain specific admission and housing details and visit in-depth the area surrounding the institution.  Parents should accompany the student on the tour if possible and turn what could be a tedious exercise into an opportunity of a lifetime. Sharing this event can be, not only informational, but additionally a chance to bond, a vacation and an adventure themed around the unique offerings of each college town.

The California State University System is the largest state university system in the country with hundreds of institutions of higher learning. Three of the most sought after schools offer campus tours and are located in cities, Claremont, San Luis Obispo and Berkeley, that have a unique ambience that enhances the university experience. Adults  embarking on this 400-mile trek, whether accompanied by a student or not, get to immerse themselves in California culture.

Claremont, 32-miles east of Los Angeles, is known as the “City of Trees and PHD’s” because of its 23,000 trees and five stellar undergraduate Liberal Arts Colleges designated as being among the country’s best. The city is nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains about 40-minutes from the Pacific Ocean and some of California’s best beaches and surfing options. The 540-square mile San Gabriel National Monument is 17-miles away and features campgrounds, trails and breathtaking views. www.discoverclaremont.com

Native Americans lived in the area for more than 10,000-years prior to Spanish exploration in the 1600s. Mission San Gabriel Arcángel was established in 1771 and  Captain Juan Bautista de Anza camped nearby. Until the late 1800s Claremont was part of Rancho San José when the railroad crossed the land in 1887 and laid out the city. It was ideal as a transportation hub and had been the juncture of the Camino Real and the Mojave and Spanish Trails and a stop on the Butterfield Stagecoach route. In 1931 two-miles of Foothills Blvd. became part of Route 66.

Claremont Village is a 12-city block area showcasing more than 150 Boutiques, locally owned businesses and food venues. The city has earned national accolades for the quality and diversity of its dining options. It is the first Fair trade town in Southern California, supporting businesses that do not use forced child labor, offer safe working conditions, fair remuneration for employees and global environmental issues. Guided and self-guided tours are available. www.thevillageclaremont.com

The historic Spanish Colonial Revival Santa Fe Train Station Depot was constructed in 1927 to replace an earlier one. It is an architectural gem with spectacular doors adorned with the railroad’s cross and circle logo.

Hotel Casa 425 is a boutique hotel situated in the heart of Claremont Village and steps from all its offerings. The Mission-style structure blends Mexican and Southern California elements to create a series of spectacular public and private spaces. The hotel boasts all the modern amenities and an outdoor living room complete with fire pits. Small plates are on the bar menu and the Kobi beef sliders and ahi and shrimp burrito are reasons that NBC LA designated Claremont a “Food Neighborhood”. www.Casa425.com

A must stop in this foodie paradise is The Back Abbey is a Gastropub inside a historic structure. There are more than 110 international beers and an innovative menu featuring the award-winning “Best burger in L.A”. www.thebackabbey.com

The Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology is the only accredited museum in the US on a high school campus. Alf, a teacher, collected fossils and on a trip in 1936 discovered a 15-million year old skull of an undiscovered species, the peccary, a pig . His years of collecting resulted in the construction of a 1967 museum to showcase his collection. Galleries are chronological and displays are artful. A highlight is the Hall of Footprints featuring one of the largest fossil trackway collections including those of the bear-dog. www.alfmuseum.org

Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden is the largest botanic garden dedicated exclusively to CA’s native plants. The  86-acre garden has three distinct areas, Indian Hill Mesa, Alluvial Gardens and California Plant Communities. Artworks and more than 22,000 native plants, including endangered species, are there for guests’ enjoyment, edification and contemplation. www.rsabg.org

DoubleTree by Hilton Claremont is perfectly situated for touring Claremont and the college campuses. It is located on Route 66, Foothills Blvd., and is a short drive to all the sites and attractions. It offers free parking, on-site dining, a free shuttle and 194 beautifully appointed rooms with access to quiet courtyards and an outdoor waterfall. The staff is knowledgeable and will assist you with your itinerary. www.doubletreeclaremont.com

Adjacent to the DoubleTree you can take in PianoPiano:: Dueling Piano Show. This is one of the hottest live shows in town and reservations are recommended. www.duelingpianopiano.com

San Luis Obispo is 220 of the most scenic miles you will ever travel whether you choose the iconic  SR1, the Pacific Coast Highway, or travel more inland on US-101 N. Our next campus is in the heart of the Central Coast of California. www.visitcalifornia.com        

TRAVEL TIPS:
The Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package is available at 49 hotels from December 1, 2018 to March 3, 2019. It includes free overnight hotel parking; two tickets to the Barnes Foundation; admission and ice skate rental for two at the Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest; a $20 voucher for Chickie’s & Pete’s at the Lodge at the Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest and a $10 Lyft credit, a $218 value. www.visitphilly.com

NYC’s Hotel Week will be held from January 4-14, 2019. Prices are a fixed rate of $100 to $400 per night. www.hotelweeknyc.com

The Air Force One Experience at National Harbor features a former Pan Am Boeing-747 cargo plane, recreated as Air Force One, provides rare glimpse into presidential travel. Audio tours of the 232-ft. long aircraft are offered daily at 801 National Harbor Blvd. in MD. www.airforceoneexperience.com

Symphony of the Seas Sets Sail

Musical symphonies are composed of individual movements, distinct sections, written to be played by a large orchestra. Haydn and Mozart are credited with creating the classical symphonic arrangement and later composers have layered the form with creativity and innovations. Royal Caribbean’s  newest cruise ship, the aptly named Symphony of the Seas, has deftly blended all aspects of the perfect cruise into one awesome experience much like an orchestral arrangement. All of the signature Royal Caribbean experiences, with numerous additions, that have made the line the Best Cruise Line Overall for the past consecutive 15-years are on offer. Time Magazine named Symphony of the Seas One of the World’s Greatest Places in 2018 to visit now. www.RoyalCaribbean.com/SymphonyoftheSeas.

The Symphony, the largest cruise ship in the world, is 1,188-ft. long, 215.5-ft. wide and has 18 decks, 16 of which accommodate guests in 2,759 staterooms. The 6,680 guests never feel crowded because the ship features seven unique neighborhoods, Central Park, Boardwalk, Royal Promenade, Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone, designed to fit your lifestyle, age, mood and leisure expectations.

Each neighborhood has distinctive features. Central Park, located in the heart of the ship, is an open-air garden lined with restaurants, luxury shopping and secluded benches. The park displays more than 20,700 plants for garden and land lovers. The Boardwalk is a family favorite and is known for its entertainment and dining venues, a hand-painted, full-size carousel and the first food truck at sea.

You will be able to feed your soul and your stomach in 23 venues, 14 of which are specialty restaurants, on board with more than 300 menu selections,100 types of pastries and 124 specialty cocktails including oyster shots featured at Hooked Seafood. Approximately 3,200 slices of pizza are served hourly, daily 479,314-gallons of water are imbibed every 24 hours and 6-million coffee beans are used weekly.

Days onboard are a whirlwind of activity choices. The intergalactic “Battle For Planet Z” Laser Tag and the submarine adventure “Escape the Rubicon” Escape Room experiences are offered as well as 24 pools, waterslides and FlowRiders. The 10-story tallest slide at sea, the Ultimate Abyss, at 150-ft. above sea level, is taller than Mount Rushmore and is heart-stopping. The Perfect Storm gives riders three opportunities to be petrified with a trio of waterslides. The Zip Line above the Boardwalk and the 40-ft. Rock Climbing Wall both provide stunning views of the ship below.

Royal Caribbean creates and designs shows for their cruise ships and the team has outdone itself with the Symphony of the Seas productions. The featured works include an updated version of Hairspray that has significant implications for our time and Flight, a specially written musical that explores the history of flight through the decades. State-of-the-art technology is employed and the audience is awed as the cast dances tumbles and flies through the cosmos.

With all the “movements” aboard the Symphony it is difficult to select the biggest “WOW” but the Ultimate Family Suite is a strong contender. The 2-story suite includes an in-suite slide, balcony table tennis and Jacuzzi, master suite for adults, colorful décor and panoramic views. An included amenity is the Royal Genie who crafts exclusive services and daily adventures for you. The suite accommodates eight at an approximate cost of $85,000 a week. #comeseek

Symphony of the Seas is the perfect choice for reunions, honeymoons, anniversaries, families, couples and singles of all ages. The elements of cruise travel blend and make each guest part of a symphony of pleasure. All reservation services and specials are available online.@RoyalCaribbean

Western New York’s Fabled Corridor: Niagara to the Enchanted Mountains (Part Two)

The 400-acre Niagara Falls State Park is situated on the New York side of the Falls and is the oldest state park in the country. It was created in 1885, approximately 10,000 years after its creation, and receives nearly 10-million tourists annually. There are a trio of falls, American, Bridal Veil and Horseshoe and an extensive list of activities at all skill levels for visitors to enjoy. @niagarafallsusa

                  

Visits should begin in The World Changed Here Pavilion with exhibits and an orientation film that relates the history of the Falls, the role of Nikola Tesla and balancing the splendor of the Falls with its use as a power source. The theater is state-of-the-art with 180-degree screens and authentic artifacts. 

At the conclusion of the film visitors proceed to the Cave of the Winds and a 175-ft. descent into the Niagara Gorge. Clad in a souvenir poncho and sandals, and after a brief elevator ride, guests find themselves on a wooden walkway that leads them to decks within a few feet of Bridal Veil Falls and the buffeting wind and water of the Hurricane Deck. The wooden decks are dismantled each year to protect them from the icy conditions. www.niagarafallsstateparks.com

The Maid of the Mist has been operating since 1846 and is the oldest tourist attraction in the country. The Maid has a long and storied history, some connected to the Underground Railroad because it plied the waters between New York and Ontario, Canada. The boat cruise takes you into the heart of Horseshoe Falls. This is a bucket list experience. www.maidofthemist.com

The Niagara area has a reputation for producing outstanding wines and you can take the Niagara Wine Trail, USA while taking advantage of discounts by purchasing a Vino Visa in advance. There are more than 20 wineries on the trail as well as distilleries, breweries and dining options. Information is available online. niagarawinetrail.org

The DoubleTree by Hilton is a good option for the Niagara portion of this trip. It offers free parking and is within walking distance or a 5-minute drive of most attractions. The hotel features a fitness center, on-site restaurant, state-of-the-art technology and 192 accommodations outfitted with upscale linens and amenities. www.doubletree3.hilton.com

The Enchanted Mountains can be found in Cattaraugus County and their charm encompasses the scenery, history and unique sites including the Amish Trail featuring more than 125 family operated venues, identified by latitude and longitude instead of address, and designated with a special sign. Visitors can purchase an amazing array of handcrafted items including quilts, toys, candy, baked goods and furnishings, dine on farm fresh meals or simply take in the passing bucolic scenery. Complete information, including maps, guides and business listings, are available at the sites and online. www.AmishTrail.com    

New York has also established two Amish Geo Trails (NYAGT). Each trail has 12 caches as well as a trackable Geo Coin. A magnetic geo-button is earned for locating individual caches and the lucky explorers who find 10 of the caches will be gifted a limited NY Amish Geo Trail Coin. www.AmishTrail.com/Geotrail

The earliest culture fostered within these mountains remains as serene and steadfast as the hills themselves.  The sovereign Seneca Nation has lived here for centuries and probably encountered the first Europeans in the 1500s. They call themselves the Onöndowa’ga:’ and consist of eight clans, Turtle, Bear, Wolf, Beaver, Snipe, Heron, Deer and Hawk. They are the “Keepers of the Western Door”, because they were the westernmost of the nations and guarded the land any foreigner had to cross to gain access to the Confederacy. Records indicate that the Seneca assisted freedom seekers crossing their land.

The Great Confederacy, formed in the late 1500s, is credited with being the oldest participatory democracy in the United States. The Sacred Tree of Peace, the Iroquois Constitution, was created to establish peace and promote justice, morality and the rule of civil authority. Decisions made under The Great Law of Peace required a council mandate based on one vote per tribe and absolute agreement. Concepts in the Iroquois Constitution were used as a model for the US Constitution. 

Just as the Seneca were gatekeepers of the Confederacy they now serve as guardians of their culture. The 33,000-ft Deyonöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center campus is a state-of-the-art museum, cultural center, educational facility, Seneca-Iroquois Living Cultural Village and performance space. Visitors can eat traditional cuisine and purchase native crafts as well as view the more than 85,000 artifacts in 10 exhibit galleries. www.senecamuseum.org

A guiding principle in the Seneca belief system is that we are all spiritual beings living an earthly existence. Our spirits are renewed in the Seneca-Iroquois Museum and our earthly desires can be fulfilled in the nearby Seneca Alleghany Casino and Resort, whether you are a high roller or a lover of art, history, leisure and luxury. Architecturally the resort focuses on the symbols and beliefs of the Seneca culture through use of natural materials, iconic images and indigenous art. 

The AAA Four Diamond resort is the winner of numerous honors. Visitors can choose from 413 luxury accommodations with panoramic views of the cultural center and surrounding area, world-class dining venues, live entertainment and a plethora of award-winning gaming options. The spa and salon offer a complete menu of services and feature themed and specialized treatments. www.senecaalleganycasino.com

You will fall in love with the Allegany State Park, the largest in New York and third largest in the nation. In summer you can enjoy hiking and multi-use trails. There is a large lake for water sports including kayaking, canoeing and paddle boarding. In winter it transforms into a ski and snow fun resort. There are 424 campsites, 375 cabins, a covered bridge, a Stone Tower, a small museum and much more. www.stateparks.com      

Nearby Ellicottville is the quintessential small town filled with shops, eateries, a winery and a town museum. I suggest you stop here to soak up the ambiance and reflect on your adventure. www.ellicottvilleny.com