LIGHT AND WATER: The sights and sprays of Yosemite Valley are some of the best-known in the world, and especially in the springtime, when the national park's waterfalls are at their most robust. But it isn't always just the water-and-rock element that visitors journey to the Sierra to see. Very often how the light plays off the famous falls is the draw, specifically at certain times of the year or certain phases of the moon. Take the Horsetail Fall's annual "firefall," a mid-February marvel that results from the rays of a setting sun and the fall itself (the "fire" in the name is a clue as to the appearance). But moonbows can also be seen around the valley at certain times. Surely you know the moonbow, yes? Less common than a rainbow but just as magical, a moonbow is simply a bow created from light reflected from our lunar orb. We'd almost be inclined to call them even more magical than rainbows, since the light has to make a pit stop on the moon before reach our watery planet, but we don't want to be accused of thinking anything is more magical than a rainbow. That's practically law, right?

HERE COMES A MOONBOW NOW: There may be a chance to see this enchanted sight on the evening of Saturday, May 25 at Lower Yosemite Fall. "May"  is the operative word, of course. As with all natural wonders and marvels, timing, atmosphere, and a hundred other elements play into the final result. But, still, there's a full moon due, and there are only "a few days a year," per a Yosemite site, that a bow is possible. May 25 is one, hooray hooray, so bet the bow buffs'll be out. Even if the magic doesn't happen, you'll be in the Valley, on Memorial Day Weekend, so we're just betting you'll find a horse to ride or a hike to join.

MOONBOW PREDICTIONS: The moonbow predictions shared by Yosemite are made by Texas State University researchers. Wouldn't you love to be a moonbow predictor? No joshing here. We'd put that at the top of our resume, out of pure pride.

FAR SOUTH OF COLOMA: California's Gold Rush was truly one of those fairly localized events that changed the course of the planet's history, and definitely the path of the young United States. But the stories told of mining camps and the influx of dreamers hoping to get permanently rich very often center around Sutter's Mill and Coloma and the foothills of the Sierra (okay, Sacramento and San Francisco, you get your mentions, too). But the southern part of the Golden State also played a role in the rushes, perhaps most notably Julian, which still retains much of its 1800s-era character today. And yep, we did say "rushes" there, since California has seen a few. Julian's lode-laden days arrived a couple of decades after the mania of 1849. The good news, though, for students of the state's Gold Rush-y past and Old West town spirit is Julian throws a weekend-long festival honoring its pickax past during Julian Gold Rush Days.

GOLD PANNING AND BEYOND: The miners'll be out, and several people in miner-type costume, on Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2 at the Julian Mining Company in Wynola. Gold mine tours and gold panning are two of the weekend highlights, but arts and crafts vendors, vittles for sale (yeah, you gotta say "vittles" during an old-timey party, right?) and other fam-nice to-dos will abound. A scavenger hunt for a gold nugget and tunes are on the calendar, too. And bet you'll come away knowing more about Julian's lively 1870s, when its own particular Gold Rush was in full heated force.

Admission is free. Can we get a yeehaw?

DAY IN THE COUNTRY: If we're ever made President of Field Trips -- we see this as some sort of national office, duly appointed by important people who know that getting out of the classroom and into the field can be highly educational -- we know what policy we'd scrutinize first. It's the whole concept that visits to farms and ranches only happen once for a schoolkid, often around the first or second grade, and then never again. How can this be? We won't knock any field trip a city kid takes, but getting out into the country and learning about agriculture and animals and where our food comes from and where practically our everything comes from is essential knowledge. If you're already a farm kid, you know, but this single-field-trip deal is not enough. That's why we're major endorsers of field-tripping as adults to all of the places you wish you'd gone as a student: bee-keeps and dairies and, yep, places dedicated solely to beasties. There's one in Ojai that is especially awww-enducing and it is open to visitors. Bet you can guess who lives there from the name: El Paca Pastures. And El Paca Pastures just happens to have the perfect field-trippy day just ahead: The Shearing Festival.

HAIRCUT TIME: Yep, that's how the people of the ranch describe it, and it is apt. The resident alpacas, all of whom are cutely monikered, are due for their springtime visit to the barber. We're recommending this because a) Ojai b) educational c) alpacas and d) if you or your kidlets have never seen something sheared, in person, it is interesting, and a fine conversation starter about where clothing comes from. Date's Sunday, May 26, cost is five bucks, dogs are not allowed (plus you don't want your pup to get an accidental shave, right?). More educational field trips, we say, and over a person's whole life, not just the first few years.

QUIRKY CANINE CONTEST: One could truthfully say that the internet is one giant morass of "awww"-inducing photos. You only need to click on three or four different links before you come across some animal playing a guitar or snoozing -- this is practically fact, right? -- and then the "awww"-ing begins. But few real-world, offline events can give the internet a run for its "awww"-some abilities like the World's Ugliest Dog Contest. Covered by every known form of media from practically every part of the planet, the Sonoma-Marin Fair event has catapulted to mega fame. It isn't hard to figure out why: People love dogs, and if those dogs happen to, um, have a certain distinct look? Our hearts grow three sizes, much like the Grinch. And while most of us just see pictures of the competition, some humorous hound lovers make the jump and actually enter. You can, too: Entries remain open for the Friday, June 21 happening, which happens to be the 25th year of the canine contest.

THE DOGLY DEAL: There's an entry form to fill out, and you'll need to submit a picture, and there's some vaccination stuff to consider as well before making for Petaluma. Top prize? One thousand, five hundred dollars, plus a trophy. And worldwide acclaim and affection for your sweet pet.

PREVIOUS WINNERS: If you follow the World's Ugliest Dog, you can see patterns. Hairless dogs show well, as do pups showing a certain snaggle-o-sity in their teeth region. But beauty, or non-beauty, is in the ocular region of the person looking at the pup, so whether you consider your hound a possible front-runner is up to you. And if you don't have a dog to enter? You can vote for the pup that is the, um, most charming, to your heart, soon. That will soon kick off, so watch the Ugliest Dog HQ for details.

MID-MAY DECISIONS: When one sees the graduation greeting cards line the shelves, and one starts to receive invitations to Memorial Day barbecues, and one feels the approach of summer, one needs to make a decision: Will there be one more snow moment to this season or not? If so, and one would like to ski one final time, at least regionally, before next November or December, one must act come Mid-May. Slopes are doing the shuttering thing, though some will push the bye-bye date with a few creative twists. For creative twist numero uno, look no further than Mammoth Mountain, which is touting a Ski-Bike-Golf Challenge over Memorial Day Weekend, the final weekend that the slopes'll be open at the Sierra resort.

YEP, YOU REALLY CAN.. go skiing, do some pedaling, and swing a club, all in a matter of hours. There might be a perfect window for all in the late autumn, but the Memorial Day deal is solid: pay ninety bucks, get unlimited skiing and biking, nab nine holes of golf, and enjoy a lodging deal, too. It's part of the West Coast Invitational, so you'll receive an invite to the invitational's reception. We like it because it is an offbeat threesome. Sure, you can swim and bike and run, and that is totally amazing (and difficult). But skiing is almost never part of a trio that also includes common summertime pursuits.

MOUNTAIN SUMMER: And the mountain doesn't shutter come the warmer weather. Mammoth has stuff to do of the hiking, biking sort. The gondola also runs people up the hill for picnics and lunch. That sounds pretty summertime chillaxy to us. Yep, we just broke out "chillaxy," but easier/breezier days are nearly here. It fits.

SUMMER'S CULINARY CHAMELEON: Strawberries have a way of staying on our shelves and in our food-loving hearts year-round, mostly due to preservatives and jams and ice creams and those products in which it makes a cameo. But a truly fresh berry's time to shine -- or glisten, perhaps, is more accurate -- is late spring and early summer. That's when the cameos take a back seat to bowls of berries without another ingredient added. That's when strawberries begin to show up atop cakes -- how can you make a Fourth of July flag cake without strawberries for the red stripes? -- and in other summery foodstuffs, like sorbets and ices. And that's when Southern California's trio of tasty strawberry fests have their day. Or days, rather; the California Strawberry Festival of Oxnard wrapped on May 19, but Garden Grove and Vista are still ahead.

STRAWBERRY RUN AND BEYOND: The Vista festival, which is set for Sunday, May 26, has a sporty component in the Strawberry Run, which tops out at 10k (but offers a few shorter routes). A costume contest, tunes, and strawberry-based cooking contests are also on the schedule, as is a beer garden and a homebrew festival. Will you try strawberry beer there? Have you tried strawberry beer before? It's pretty good, but then that is a beverage that tends to blend well with natural flavors, even offbeat ones.

AND IN GARDEN GROVE: The Garden Grove Strawberry Festival, a 4-dayer from the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend through to Monday, has a lot going, but probably its biggest highlight is the cutting of the ginormous strawberry cake on Friday evening. If ginormous strawberry cakes are your special thing, you know where to be on Friday, May 24.

DESERT SUMMER: There are those places that are forever bragging about their moderate temperatures and ability to stay in a ten-degree range. Yep, we said "bragging," because the people engaging in the chest-puffery do not control the weather, unless they're onto something we don't know about. But we also aren't sure if moderate temps are brag-worthy; yep, things stay consistent, but the experience of a place never varies. Then you have the desert, where a December night can feel positively frosty and a July afternoon can deliver a dry-heat to out-dry-heat any of the dry-heat that cities like Phoenix cling to, with pride. In short? The desert is always different and its beauty does change depending on what the thermometer reads. Us? We love a good desert summer, where everything feels dramatic and that moment right when the sun goes down -- think 7:50, 7:51ish -- is pure perfection. 

EVENING MAGIC: At Korakia Pensione, in Palm Springs, that's about the time when the famous lights and atmospheric lanterns start to light up, providing a whole bunch of mood for the desert summer night. The pools, help, of course, as do the Mediterranean, Tangiers rooms and suites, spaces that are at once austere and elegant. Oh, and something else that helps in the summertime? A notable deal.

SUMMER RATES: Rooms start at $129, studios are $179. Good stuff, and suites? They're $229. And here's something very desert: Korakia keeps limited open dates in the summer, like some historic properties do. Meaning you can book for a Friday and Saturday in July and August, but only those days of the week. Picture it now: A hot day in the city, a hotter day in the desert. Then evening. Then a cool pool. Lanterns and low lights and dusk-sweet conversations.

FAMOUS FEATHERS: Free Flight, the exotic bird sanctuary in Del Mar, is one of those funny famous spots that everyone has heard of, if they've lived in Southern California any time after 1981, but not everyone has visited. Frequent visitors -- let's call them super-serious fans, really -- are those people who keep and love exotic birds, those majestic parrots and cockatoos that are long of tail feather and bright of eye. (Yep, we had to go greeting-card-y there for a second; just wait until we start describing the birds' spectacular hues.) But other people find the peaceful, fairgrounds-close nook, even if they don't have a pet at home that happens to have wings. It's a fine way to see some stunners up close, very up close. And by stunners we mean Macaws, Moluccan Cockatoos, and White-Bellied Caiques, among others. These are some big birds, which means that if they step onto your forearm, you'll immediately know that isn't a canary or finch you're suddenly carrying.

OH, DID WE MENTION... that visitors are permitted to invite some of the resident birds onto their arm? It's a thrilling moment, if the bird chooses to accept (though, like the Free Flight FAQ says, your new feathery friend might opt out, instead wanting to eat or do their own thing). We visited the sanctuary with a confident bird lover, but if you're new to handling birds, you might ask a volunteer to accompany you to one of the perches. Cameras are welcome, too, so helloooo social media update. (Birds are hams for that sort of thing, right?) Cost is five dollars for an adult. Free Flight is open seven days a week. If you're a big bird buff, you might look into some of Free Flight's programs, like adoptions and companion animal support.

AND WHY WE MENTIONED 1981: That's when Free Flight opened. Some birds famously have long lives, thriving for decades, so it makes sense that a place that debuted as a "boarding and breeding facility" transformed into a safe place for birds seeking adoption, recovery from illness or injury, or just a place to live. Call them the longtime avian ambassadors of SoCal.

THE MOVING IMAGE: The reasons that the Pageant of the Masters, Laguna Beach's hold-still-and-pose-like-a-painting summer extravaganza, is known around the world are plentiful. Maybe it was being lovingly satirized in "Arrested Development" (the Bluths, an Orange County family, would of course participate). Maybe it is because the long-running stage spectacular is, well, spectacular, in a more silent, quiet sense, as compared to 99.9% of all other performance genres. People get painted to fit into artworks, or to be the artwork, and then they keep very still and very quiet. See? That's charming. And it's unique, at least fairly so in these modern times (people have been paying homage, via poses, to paintings and sculptures for centuries). So knowing all of this, and being aware that actors have been remaining still on the Pageant stage since the mid-'30s, it can surprise one to learn what the 2013 theme is to be: The Big Picture. As in movies. As in moving movies. Has the Pageant entered a new chapter?

THE STILLNESS REIGNS SUPREME: Fear not, tradition mavens. The Pageant's film tribute will be dedicated to the "classic art that inspired legendary filmmakers." This means those quintessential "living pictures" will remain still, while summoning the spirit of Thomas Gainsborough (an artist loved by director Stanley Kubrick) and recreating work by Jean-Leon Gerome, a favorite of Ridley Scott. It's always interesting for cinephiles to see the art their star helmer loved, but to see it recreated in a rather filmic way, with human beings, right before the eyes, is positively cinematic in scope. Plus, think of all the Hollywood people who've loved and lived in Laguna Beach over the years. It's a great fit, we think, for a tradition that keeps the parts people love while breaking things out a little, too, in offbeat and fresh ways. The Pageant of the Masters runs from Sunday, July 7 through Saturday, Aug. 31.

BEYOND THE RIDES: If you were to ask a hundred regular Disneyland Resort visitors about their favorite part of the parks, you'd probably get a few dozen attraction-based answers, at least twenty responses involving food, and then one really random, charming entry, like the third tombstone to the left in the Haunted Mansion's graveyard. But many people have a love for something that is everywhere in the park, all around. It's an element, though, that plays a quieter background role among the twinkly lights and thrill coasters. We're talking about the landscaping, the trees and the shrubs and, yep, the giant floral Mickey Mouse that greets visitors when they first walk in the front gate at Disneyland. That Mickey is one of the most noticeable parts of the landscaping scene, but think of all the many, many verdant things that line every attraction, and how each tree is themed to each land (fir trees around Frontier Land, ferns around Adventure Land). If this is indeed an area you adore, there's a tour for you, nature lover: Cultivating the Magic.

THREE TIMES WEEKLY: There's a tour on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday mornings -- 9 a.m. on the weekends, 10 a.m. on the weekday -- and it covers a wide swath of the park's plant scene. "Select attraction experiences" are part of the walk, and what is visited can change, so let's call this a fluid tour. No surprise there, since nature itself, the star of the walk, is ever-changing. You'll hear about the 260 acres of citrus groves that once covered the area, and how the team of crack horticulturists determines what goes where and why. There are literally millions of leaves and petals around the park, so this is a monumental job, but highly rewarding, too, we expect. Just try and picture Disneyland devoid of its trees and flowers. It completely changes, right? It's a fantasy built on outlandishness, yes, but nature is its earthy base. 

The Cultivating the Magic Tour is $49. Oh, and you leave with not only a souvenir pin -- very DL -- but a seed packet as well.

THE NEXT CENTURY: So, say you had your 100th birthday party a couple of years back, your big centennial, the whole fabulous whoop-di-doo. What to do after that? Do you go with something quiet for your 101st, or 102nd, something low-key, or do you invite thousands of people to costume up, come back, and do it all over again? Obviously the latter, if you're Bay to Breakers. It isn't often that a venerable sporting event, one that has oodles of historic moments and athletic accomplishments to spare, is also known as one of the most outlandish and free-spirited happenings on the running calendar. But not every venerable sporting event can be in San Francisco. The run, which hoofs it over 12 kilometers from the Embarcadero to the Pacific, is famous for a few things. For some serious hills (yep, there are hills in San Francisco, spoiler alert). For people who move their feet really fast over a dozen consecutive kilometers (top athletes are regulars). But mostly? For the costumes, the hairstyles, and the desire to rock the race in a memorable, highly photographable way.

DATES AND DETAILS: The 102nd Bay to Breakers is set to run on Sunday, May 19. Registration is open to runners and walkers both; get on it by May 16. You are certainly welcome to participate in traditional running gear, shorts and a tank, but if you decide to dress up, eye the costume contests ahead of time. We're sweet on Most Creative Group, if only because it can be hard to wrangle more than one person at a time. (This collective won for showing as the gang from Clue.)

ZANY, SWEATY, HEART-POUNDING: Is Bay to Breakers a patriarch of all of the other zany races now afoot? The runs where color dyes are thrown your way? The glow-in-the-dark jogs? We're absolutely eager to give some credit. So the next time you're in a run where you have to eat a cupcake at every mile marker, give a thought to San Francisco, which has been pairing weirdness and fitness for many a decade.

SUPPING IN SEPTEMBER: Sunset magazine has been synonymous with Western living for decades, but for many years the readers had to put its recipes and suggestions into practice on their own. Then the Menlo Park publication began to step out of its food-filled, patio-lined pages, hosting events that boasted a certain Sunsetian flair. One of the premiere happenings, an annual favorite that's now a staple of early autumn? Savor the Central Coast. The three-day gathering is very much about delicious dishes, and local wines, and visits of the area's landmarks (think Hearst Castle and other pretty destinations). It has become popular, for sure, meaning that events do sell out (like the opening night at the San Simeon castle). The time to purchase a ticket is well ahead of late September, and the organizers of the Savor have gone one better: They've put weekend passes on sale through the end of May.

REALLY ON SALE: A weekend main event pass is typically $150, but if you purchase it through Friday, May 31, you can nab it for $100. Nope, a special code isn't needed, that's just the price Savor has set. Wine tastings, food tastings, farm-to-table haps, and more goodies are included in the weekend main event pass. At any rate, if you do want to attend the Sept. 29-31 weekend, you should move on your ticket soon.

BECAUSE.. The schedule is a draw. There are more hands-on activities and demos, and adventure tours are now two days, instead of one. A new Pismo Beach event -- it's cocktail-based -- will be a Friday night thing, too. And picturesque Santa Margarita Ranch outside San Luis Obispo is still a main hub for all of the celeb chefs and winemakers. Plus the fans of Sunset, of course. It's nice to live beyond the pages of the magazine for a few early fall days.

THE EL CAP CLICK: If you've been to one of the world's most famous valleys, and certainly what is among our best known national parks, we're going to make a pretty solid guess that you pulled over to take a photo of El Capitan. We're talking about the spot that is always lined with cars, regardless of the season, as people brake, exit, and pause to gape at the granite behemoth. And, truly, El Cap deserves all the gaping that comes its way, so we certainly aren't casting aspersions (and we've been among the gapees in the past). But there are other views in the park, of course, and other things to photograph. We can get in our wonder and beauty ruts, even in a spectacular setting that offers up a million, literally, new sights in all directions. One way to go and find those fresh takes is by horseback. The Yosemite Valley Stables just opened for the summer season, and, hello hello, they bypass some of the main sights of the meadow-laden floor and make for Mirror Lake.

THE CLIP-CLOP CLICK: And the ride is definitely about taking pictures in addition to communing with nature, your fellow riders, and, of course, your gorgeous pony. The ride takes two hours to Mirror Lake, meaning you should carve out about a half day in all. You'll see Vernal Fall. You'll also want to be aware it is described as a "strenuous ride," with switchbacks and slope action, so take note. If you are up to that ride, though, and you want some novel perspective on areas most visitors don't get into, a half-day hoof to Mirror Lake and back could be the ticket. Call it Yosemite for the adventurous, ready-to-ride shutterbug.
 

SWEET HEAT: If the desert resorts were to have a serious paramour, and it had to be one of the months of the year, it would of course be February. That's the high season for visitors to Palm Springs and the surrounding cities, in part because of major events like Modernism Week and in part because temperatures can hover in the 70s, and even 80s, while snow falls in many parts of the country. Prices at many a hotel can reflect this busy time of year, meaning that regional locals turn to their summer calendars for a desert trip. Summer is actually many a SoCaler's favorite time in the desert -- we're raising our hand and joining that group -- because the wintertime hubbub has settled down but the pleasures are still plentiful. More than that, prices on rooms go down in many quarters, so there are Deals, capital D, to be had.

ONE WE'RE LOOKING AT... Is Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Palm Desert. It just underwent a full-scale renovation, meaning that everything is looking spiffier: The resort plaza and spa have been updated and the suites have been refreshed. This would all seemingly add up to extra dollar signs at check-out but summer prices in the desert tell a different story. Meaning? Guests can nab rooms for $99 a night.

HOW THIS WORKS: You'll need to book by May 20 for a July, August, or September stay. Go early August, we say, when things get truly toasty 'round those parts. Then you can make for Splashtopia -- that's big with the little tykes -- or the Azure Pool, which is reserved just for grown-ups. Yep, it'll be warm, but that's what big hats, SPF lotion, and retreats to a cool room are for. So three cheers for a desert summer. Yep, we know that February is the famous month, but we'll take a local's August any year.

POWERFUL PEDALS: Spectators who like to take in major bike races are probably of three ilks, though there is some line-crossing within the ilk categories, we imagine. Ilk #1? Those people who like to be in a city where a bike race is running, so they can enjoy some of the city's amenities, and a possible expo or concert, too, that may be related to the tour. Ilk #2? Those people who follow the riders, either as a volunteer or just a fan that wants to take in a few stages of the event. And Ilk #3? The person who desires an emptier stretch of highway from which to observe the quick whizz-by, a place where they are free from jostling crowds and other city noise. The Amgen Tour of California, which is billed as "America's Greatest Race," sees spectators from all three ilks, and probably a few more beyond this trio. It's highly spectated, both in the urban areas it visits and along the country highways, too. The only thing for you to do, bike buff? Pick what stage you want to see.

STAGES ONE THROUGH EIGHT: Stage One lifts the kickstand in Escondido on Sunday, May 12. Palm Springs and Santa Clarita follow the next two days, and then the mega sports spectacular marches, or more accurately spins, north. Stage 5 is sure to have some stunning spots to watch, given that the riders are rolling between Santa Barbara and Avila Beach. San Francisco is the biggest city on this year's tour, and it is the city at the final stage leaves from, on Sunday, May 19. Bet there'll be fans who follow the whole way, but you can get a slice of the excitement pretty much anywhere. Starts and finishes will have more extra action, of course, but there is something nice about seeing top athletes zip by in the middle of practically nowhere, too.

THEY OWN IT: There are several words that are nearly synonymous with the Carmel-Pacific Grove-Monterey nexus. "Monarch" is one, given the wintertime butterfly population. "Cypress" is another, thanks to all of those twisty, turny trees that reach out from the highlands. And "otter" is way up there (we know, otters exist elsewhere, but they're the bewhiskered ambassadors for Monterey Bay). But we'd like to put forth another word that very much belongs to this particularly area: bracing. You're nodding, yes? Because you know. You know what it is to feel some salty sea air in the face, and "bracing" is the perfect descriptive. But if you're driving through the area, doing the scenic thing, it can be hard to truly enjoy the area's bracing qualities, even if your windows are rolled down. One solution? Find another mechanized transport, one where you're more at one with the elements. Are you thinking Segway? Heck yeah, you are.

17-MILE DRIVE TOUR: Segway Tours of Monterey offer up a few different routes around the area, including rolls over recreation trails and past historic sights. But that gorgeous, rambling, and, yep, bracing drive is also on the see-it-by-Segway list. You'll "ride on a portion," of course -- you probably guessed that -- but you'll take in some the Seventeener highlights: The Links at Spanish Bay, Point Joe, and plenty of cypresses along the way. The whole shebang is three hours, with training time, so you'll get a good amount of bracing-air action. Cost? Ninety five bucks. Reservations? Yep, make 'em ahead of time. Beauty, otters, golf courses, history? You bet.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, AVALON: A century can play out in different ways in different places. We're not claiming that time actually expands or contracts depending on location -- we'll leave that to the time travel movies -- but we are saying that a hundred years looks different depending on where those hundred years have happened. Cities can grow a thousandfold, or more, and the architecture can change dozens of times. But some special cities, towns that are removed from the hubbub, places that are, say, on islands, experience that span differently. History is alive there, and buildings remain in place, and cared for, for decades. Avalon on Catalina Island is a great example. You can stand on Crescent Avenue, at night, with the waves lapping, and the Casino Building in the distance, and feel as if it is indeed 1930. We love this about Avalon, as do many locals and visitors alike; it has retained its character over an entire century, even as new features and buildings arrived. The close of its first century is now nigh, and the start of the next one, and the small town out in the Pacific is ready to celebrate its 100th birthday.

FISH FRY, FESTIVAL, FAIR: June 20 through 26, 2013 has been designated as the town's birthday celebration week. Food events -- of course there's got to be a fish fry -- plus concerts and fests dot the calendar. A gala dinner at the Casino Building, plus fireworks, round it out.

MORE AHEAD: But if you can't make the birthday week, you can head for Avalon any time. Silent film screenings, dances, boat events, flying fish, buffalo tours, and general beachside chillaxing are par for this island course. Happy 100th, Avalon. We just bet that you'll still be as sweet and as past-pretty on your 200th as you are today.

FOLDY, SNARFLY FUN: Dogs have been gathering for millennia, but actual people-planned meet-ups, by breed, are a much newer phenomenon. And while every breed has their true-hearted champions, those people who organize and plan the canine-sweet get-togethers, it is hard to outdo Pug people. It just is. Not only are annual Pug meet-ups some of the most venerable and long-running -- look to the famous one in Central Park for further proof -- but they're apt to get a coveted spot on the evening news. Why is that? Science shouldn't devote too many dollars to studying this: The fact is the snarfly, flat-snouted, roly-poly wonders make good visuals, especially when they're dolled up in gingham like Dorothy or in a white, sparkly jumpsuit a la Elvis. And you just might see both of those costumes on a small, curly-tailed dog if you're at the Del Mar Fairgrounds on Saturday, May 4.

22 YEARS: The San Diego-area Pug Party deserves its long-standing dog-gathering crown, definitely. After all, it has been rounding up the foldy-skinned Fidos for over two decades and putting on one of California's best known pup romps. The theme of this year's gathering is Superheroes, so there will be plenty of capes in the crowd. But if you want to show with your Pug au naturelle, you certainly can. Admission is ten bucks for adults, five for kids. You'll need to show with some vaccination info, too, so read about that before Del-Mar-ing it.

While the day is filled with contests and cameras -- oh yes, this is a Facebooker's dream, you bet -- there will be a vet tech around doing nail-clipping and such. Whyever you go, we think the dog meet-up is healthy not just for playing pooches for humans, too. Seeing thirty or forty Pugs all in one place? That's good for the heart. Nope, that isn't a medical opinion, but it is a human one.

NATURE'S FRONT DOOR: Certain assumptions can be made about accessing wilder places, even among those adventurers who are frequent visitors to such treasured spots. One assumption? If it is in nature, and here on earth, and there are roads that lead to it, it must always be available to we humans, year-round, 24/7, whenever we want it. This is not true in a number of cases, of course. Several of our natural gems do periodically "shut the front door" in so many words due to weather conditions or roads or staffing. The good news, of course, is that the front door usually opens again just in time for summer visitors. Case in point? Devils Postpile National Monument in the Sierra Nevada.

IT'S NATURAL... RIGHT? We'll got out on a limb -- or perhaps postpile -- and call it the most instantly recognizable of our state's national monuments, which is no small feat, given our cornucopia of choices in California. That's due to Devils Postpile's unique, geometric columns of basalt, and all the chunks of fallen basalt at the base of the columns. It's striking, and even a little jaw-dropping, but it was not built by some math-loving doodler with a penchant for columnar shapes. Nature did the work, over eons, with the assistance of lava and glaciers, the sibling-like Heat Miser and Snow Miser behind the construction of our planet's mountains and valleys and wonders.

OPENING DATE: The tentative day is Saturday, May 25, 2013. But stand warned: Devils Postpile is not a cinch to access. The Red Meadows Shuttle Bus trundles visitors from Mammoth to the Postpile, and back, and it is, in a word, mandatory. There are a few exceptions, like campers, but you'll need to study up on the cans/can'ts before making for the Sierra. Also? It isn't open for all that long, so if you want to have your Postpile moment, aim for summer.

SERIOUSLY: Whatever you do, it is time to stop letting it linger there on your must-see bucket list, along with Catalina Island's Flying Fish and the other funky wonders of our state that happen to be seasonal. Seasons pass fast, as the Postpile can attest. It's seen one or two or a few million of 'em.

SLEEK 'N MEAN: Ever gone to another city, for work or a wedding or just your basic vacation, and spent a few hours driving a car that wasn't your own? Yep, we probably all have at some point. What make and model was it? Do you remember? Was it a 2013 Corvette Z06? Or a 2014 Camaro Z1? In short, was it sleek, a little tough-looking, and pure muscle-car vroom? Probably not. But things change up on this motor matter in Las Vegas (as things change on practically every matter in Las Vegas). Nope, you can't go to the counter at the airport and pick up the newest make of muscle car -- or we don't think you can as of yet -- but you can get a lift over to World Class Driving on Dean Martin Boulevard and spend some quality time behind the wheel of a Corvette.

AND A CAMARO AND A... Shelby and a Dodge Challenger. The driving experience company just introduced muscle cars to its line-up of auto outings last month. How it works is this: You go out for a guided tour through Red Rock Canyon -- yep, those roads are mighty pigtail-y around those parts -- and enjoy being at the controls of a Shelby GT500 or other newer muscle car. You can go one step further and book four cars for your driving day, taking in a larger feel of the fleet. Packages start at $299 per person, while the four-car experience -- that's got "XL" in its name, of course -- kicks off at $399.

VEGAS AND VROOM: Oh, dear LV. You and your desire to put people in offbeat seats, be they in a muscle car, in front of a slot machine, at the front row of an extreme magic show, or at the controls of a bulldozer. Wait. You totally know you can operate a bulldozer in Las Vegas, too? If it is a machine, and it goes, look to Sin City for the key to the ignition. It is probably there.

FRUIT AMBASSADOR: There are certain members of the produce section that one rarely sees on billboards and advertisements. The gooseberry? Nope, it doesn't get a lot of love (and it could be mistaken for a grape). Parsley? Maybe, maybe, but, again, some might think that they're look at cilantro. But the strawberry? There's not mistaking it. You could take an illustration of the famous fruit and remove the red and remove the seeds and remove the leafy green top and its distinctive shape -- it's kind of triangular, right? That's the word we'll go with -- would still convey it to be a strawberry. That's why it is truly one of our state's fruit ambassadors. We don't make such a claim lightly, given that our state pretty much grows everything, and grows everything well. But you can't see an old-timey fruit box label or travel poster featuring fruit without seeing a certain seedy superstar. (Okay, citrus, you're a Golden State ambassador, too.) And the largest yearly party for the strawberry, the one with "California" in its very name? It happens in Oxnard every May.

MAY 18 AND 19, IN FACT: That's the weekend of the California Strawberry Festival, which turns 30 this year. Now that it is officially an adult, at least according to some sociology textbooks that say adulthood begins at age 30, you'd think it might stop with the messy tart throwing and pie-eating contests. Au contraire -- those are the crowd favorites, and they're not goin' nowhere. Other contests, like one for strawberry hats -- you've made several, right? -- are on the schedule. And music, kid stuff, and more strawberry-type eating options. A ticket is twelve bucks, but you'll totally buy one, right? How often do you get an audience with California's own fruit ambassador?

OPEN FOR BUSINESS: When times get tough, and profits are not seen, and financial goals are not met, what's a business owner to do? An owner can hang a "closed forever" sign on the front door, lock it, and walk away. But what if the business a) doesn't have a front door and b) is still much beloved by sporty families and people looking to strap on a pair of skis for the first time? Some downtime is taken to consider solutions and then? A reopening. That's just what June Mountain did and is doing. The Eastern Sierra peak has struggled to turn a profit over the years, and management opted to close for the 2012-2013 season to explore what could be done. It was announced on Tuesday, April 23 that the peak, which is overseen by the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, will reopen for the 2013-2014 season. "Mid-December" is the probable week when the proverbial door will be thrown wide once again.

NEW ADDITIONS: "(T)he possibility of a new lift and enhanced snowmaking" may greet returning skiers, says June Mountain general manager Carl Williams. Regardless of fresh additions, the patrons who enjoyed June Mountain the most have to be happy. It was known as a family favorite, and an a-ok place for a first-timer to try out their fledgling stuff (whether that first-timer is a skier or snowboarder).

And, as always, a Mammoth Mountain MVP pass gets a winter maven free access to June Mountain.

Still need some June-ness closer to, well, June? There's always gorgeous June Lake Loop, which is the mountain's summertime sibling.

UNPLUGGING'S MIDDLE PLACE: What does "unplugging" mean to you, in terms of a vacation? Does it mean a posh, well-appointed room with a television and hair dryer and various amenities or does it mean setting up a tent somewhere in a wide open space far away from everything? Opinions are as different as people, but there isn't a lot of middle ground with this particular question. Either you're in a room with telephone or at the very least lights or you're camping. The Drakesbad Guest Ranch, however, is that rather marvelous and rare middle place. The Lassen Volcanic National Park destination -- it is inside the borders of the gorgeous and wild Northern California park -- features cabins with no electricity. We were tempted to type "that lack electricity" there, but it is not a lack. Rather it gives guests a true sense of away-ness, something we all need in our hectic, ping-heavy world (the pings being from our various devices as they constantly alert us to new messages). Kerosene lamps are provided, which charms.

DARK NIGHT SHINE: The ranch recommends packing a flashlight, of course, but this is good to know: If you do need an outlet for some reason, they're available in the lobby. In short? You're unplugged, but not that unplugged. Again, the perfect middle ground.

WHAT TO DO: Stargazing is at the top of the list, as would be expected at a national park ranch that is mostly light-free come nighttime. Horseback rides and visits to hot springs are more fresh-air, let-go go-outs.

WHAT TO EAT: Meals are included with your room rate. You can request a sack lunch if you're heading out on a ramble, too, so not every meal needs to be taken at the ranch.

OPENING DATE: June 7, 2013. Closing date is Oct. 14. Summer gets a bit busy, so we'd aim for early fall, when the season is at its cooling-down turning point.

Ready to unplug? Who'd say no?

TRIPS TO SIP: There was a day not too long ago when the word "tourism" did not have any other term or modifier preceding it. It simply meant going someplace, travel, and catering to those people who've arrive in your town from somewhere else. Now there's just about a tourism type for every interest, which we think is a good thing. It seems like a positive to receive maps and brochures and information and tours specifically tailored to your likes. And growing on the niche tourism list? Wine tourism, of course. You may long to stop us here while assuring us that you've been a wine tourist for years. Doesn't a trip planned solely around wineries and vineyard visits count? Indeed, but the sector's profile is growing, so much so that there is now, for the first time ever, an official Wine Tourism Day. It's on Saturday, May 11, and a particular region intends to celebrate it in myriad ways. Hello, Temecula Valley.

RESERVE DAY: A number of Temecula Valley wineries have designated May 11 as Reserve Day. Some wineries in the area may offer discounts on bottles or cases, and others will hosts special reserve tastings (Doffo Vineyard & Winery, Wiens Family Cellars, and Chapin Family Vineyards are all on the list). This is the day to get that extra sip of something very special at bevy of tasting rooms in the region. For more on Reserve Day, and wine tourism in general, read on, intrepid wine tourist. Read on.

NATIONAL PARK GEMS: It's National Park Week, that time of year when fees to enter dozens of our glorious parks are waived. Yosemite is one such park, but it doesn't have to worry that visitors will trickle away after the free days go. On the contrary, summertime and the waterfall-laden destination go way back on the family vacation front. Meaning that while the park gets an uptick of visits during National Park Week, the soon-to-come summer will really hum. This means that a lot of activities start up around late April, including the Valley Floor Tour, the opening of the stables, and other outdoorsy pursuits. One we're feeling rather sweet on, though, is the Big Trees Tram Tour at Mariposa Grove. The outside-the-valley tour, which is near the south entrance (and not too far from Wawona Lodge), just opened for the 2013 season on Saturday, April 18.

THE STORY OF SEQUOIAS: The tram tour is not hosted by a ranger but rather features an audio component. Meaning? You'll strap on some headphones and sit back for the hour and fifteen minutes drive. An adult ticket is $26.50, and they're not reservable, so get to the Mariposa Grove Gift Shop early on the day you want to see the trees. The tours run through October.

MEET MARIPOSA GROVE: Around 500 mature sequoias populate this Yosemite tree-laden favorite. Yep, sequoias are often called the largest living things on earth, so you'll be doing a lot of looking/marveling/ahhing/oohing. There's a lot of age-talk with these trees, too, so if you're on the tour prepare to hear about how some of the specimens in the grove are over 3,000 years old. Yep, very ahh/ooh-worthy, indeed.

BIG SWING, BIG THING: California is pretty comfortable with the whole "let's throw on some shoulder pads and a snood and kick up our heels, big band-style" thing. Maybe it is the presence of Hollywood -- all of those old movie musicals were made in the Golden State -- or maybe it is the fact that we're fairly live-and-let-live here. Meaning if you want to dress like you a late-'30s starlet, just to go to your job, well, by gum, do it. The happy consequence of this is that there are a number of occasions throughout the year when one can wear their fedora and their tie and go to town for an evening, old-timey glam style. But they're really just single nights here and there, maybe a dance, maybe a dinner. 

NOT ON CATALINA: Going to an island, though, for an event changes everything. Because you're there, on the island, once you arrive. It sounds plain, and obvious, but it is true. So if you've gone to Catalina Island for its vintage-sweet Avalon Ball in the past -- snoods on everyone! -- you know you've got more time to fill before your trip back to land (which is usually the following day, not that night). But that's been solved: The Art Deco Society of Los Angeles, the people behind the Avalon Ball, are making the annual event into an entire weekend. 

AND THAT WEEKEND IS... Friday, May 12 through Sunday, May 14. So in addition to the Saturday night ball, which remains the centerpiece of the three-day hoop-di-do, there's a swanky Friday night cocktails meet-up, a silent comedies film festival, and more doings. Meaning your cute little period outfits? You can rock several of 'em throughout the weekend, not just one at the big ball.

ROAD TRIP QUIZ: If you know Bodie, and we hope you do, since it is rightly billed as "the best example of an old west mining town in America," we have a question for you: What do you see a lot of when you're there? Historic buildings is a good answer. Reverent, hushed-voice visitors works, too. And, yes, maybe even crows (they tend to be particularly chatty around the Eastern Sierra-close ghost town, but maybe that's just our observation).

But photographers always win out in the numbers game. Cameras sometimes seem to outnumber people in Bodie, which is a positive thing, since documenting the gold-mining town helps others learn about the town, which in turn lends to its preservation efforts.

And as any photographer who has visited the "arrested decay" town knows, there isn't a bad picture to be taken. Bodie looks very much like it did in the 1800s, without a coffee shop or t-shirt emporium to be found. The place is a composition of a few simple and stunning elements: big sky, chatty crows, dusty roads, and detritus lying about (that one never, ever takes, given that there's a curse. Oh yes there is.)

PHOTOGRAPHER DAY: You're allowed entry with your camera any day that Bodie is open, but, from May to October, the park marks the third Saturday of the month specifically for photographers. Meaning you may arrive at sunrise, just when the rays are peeping over the hills and lighting up the clutch of wooden and brick structures in fresh and interesting ways. No pics inside buildings are permitted, but you'll have plenty of great shots outside.

Cost? $75. Benefit? Your photos help Bodie live on, crows and curses and all.

STEP ASIDE, WINE: Areas that are really good at making one thing are very often really good at making a lot of different things. It makes sense, right? If a lot of effort and heart goes into a single product, that's likely the style and commitment that the locals bring to a host of stuff. Which means that the Santa Ynez Valley, which famously excels at making a certain corked-bottle, white or red or sparkling beverage, also does an excellent job with a certain bottle-cap'd, amber or golden beverage, too. Nope, beer isn't the usual first drink that people cite when the Santa Barbara wine-making region is named -- movies like "Sideways" assure that it will always be wine first -- but brews are on the rise. The valley threw its first Craft Beer Week in 2012, in conjunction with American Craft Beer Week, but the Santa Ynezers are going one better this year. How? They're turning Craft Beer Week into Craft Beer Month, as if by magic, or at the very least crafty planning.

MAY IS THE TIME: All of May has been given this foamy designation. And while events aren't on every day, there are some highlights: Buellton Brew Fest pours on Saturday, May 11 and the Solvang Brewing Company throws a brewmaster's dinner on Wednesday, May 15. And Firestone Walker will release a few special ales during the course of the celebration. But, but, but -- what if you can't make it down for any of that? Fear not, as there is the craft brew map. Nope, you don't have to bid Santa Ynez wine goodbye forever, but getting to know its hop-laden, amber-sweet cousin is definitely a pleasant, heading-into-summer diversion.

KITCHEN, MEET YOUR MATCH: There are whole companies that make cute signs for kitchens, such as "Kiss the Cook" and "My Favorite Thing to Make Is Reservations'" and such. But one of the most popular and true signs is this "The Kitchen Is the Heart of the Home." Can anyone who has ever been in a kitchen dispute this fact? While the den and formal living room sit empty, people gather near the stove and refrigerator, chatting up the cook and sneaking bites from whatever is being made. There is a contender for this title, though, and it gets mighty powerful come summertime: the outdoor backyard grill. The kitchen is displaced as the meet-up space and the grill takes over. Ever seen five people gathered around the guy or gal who is holding the sauce brush? Yeah. We all have.

MEANING... Barbecue festivals, by their very nature, have a very high gatherability factor. Cooks stay close to their grills and coals and wood and hot meats, the better to tend them and keep them all well-rubbed. Fans stay close to smell some smoke action -- mmm -- and to ask the people rocking the aprons about their techniques. All of that is set to go down at the West Coast BBQ Barbecue Classic at the Queen Mary on Saturday, May 11.

THE SPICY HAPS... It's year two for this eat-fest, which actually goes down in the park next to the Long Beach-based ocean-liner. It's ten bucks to park and ten bucks to get in (if you buy online, that is; otherwise it is $15 at the door). Oh, and tastings are two bucks a pop. Are you picturing yourself eating something highly tangy while soaking up some sweet salty breezes? Do so now, if not. And pause to give thanks to the grill for being our summertime gathering place. The kitchen will reign again come fall, but the fiery outdoor meat station makes a fine warm-weather hangout.

SAND AND SHIRAZ: Think back to the '70s. If you weren't there, think back to items from the '70s you've seen in vintage stores and garage sales. What were some popular motifs? "Star Wars" and anything space-y was big; burnt sienna and avocado green were major colors, too. And California-type couples, big smiles, tiny bathing suits, sipping cold glasses of Chablis on a beach, were all the rage in advertising. You know these ads: Lovers laughing, a sunset, a frosty bottle of wine prominently displayed. This iconic image has worked its way into many a brain, but it is a bit disappointing that it crops up now less than it used to. After all, many Californians still believe in the power of a beach, a bottle of local wine, a halter dress, feathered hair, and laughter, right? We certainly do, which is why we're always happy to see the California Wine Festival come back around. It's a traveling party that knows location, location, location means a lot, if not everything. And the two locations it has chosen for its 2013 stops? Doheny State Beach in Orange County and Chase Palm Park Oceanside, a pair of ocean-close spots. Nicely done, California Wine Festival.

MORE DETAILS: The Orange County party rolls on Saturday, April 20 and Santa Barbara happens on Saturday, July 20. There are Friday events paired with both events, but the Saturday soiree is the one you'll want to sundress-up for and apply the coconut lotion. It's major -- the name should convey that -- and dozens of wineries show up to grab some table space. On the OC roster? Huge Bear Wines, Nottingham Cellars, Lorimar Winery, and Vena Vineyards. A ticket to the Doheny State Beach festival is eighty bucks. Go with a wine-loving friend, enjoy the ocean breezes, sip your chardonnay, and discuss whether that California-couple-on-the-beach motif will ever make a pop culture comeback. We think the time is due.

MAY CLOSING: We live in an all-access world nowadays, which means that when something closes for the season, or opens, well. It feels rather quaint, like something from a century-old novel. It also is very tied to weather, the weather of our most extreme locations, meaning that if a hotel or resort chooses to shutter for a few months, snow is the reason. Or some triple-degree temperatures. Such is the case with the historic Inn at Furnace Creek, the 1927 hotel inside Death Valley. It closes every May -- May 11 in 2013 is its final date -- and reopens in October. Quaint, right? Definitely, but it does lend the feeling that the national park puts out the "Do Not Disturb" sign come late spring. This is not the case at all, and while winter and wildflower-rich spring tend to be bigger than say, August, there is a place to stay and things to do. That place? Ranch at Furnace Creek, the more casual, down-the-road sibling to the Inn.

A LONG HISTORY: Thought the ranch at first glance will seem newer than the 1920s-style Inn -- and it is -- its story goes back the 1880s, when it was indeed a working ranch. (We love when names are perfectly truthful.) Today is the place inside the arid, moon-like park to stay when temps shoot north. A spring-fed pool, a few restaurants, and a really well-appointed store are just three features on the bustling, summer-camp-y property. So, why go to Death Valley when the thermometers turn red? There's the Badwater Ultramarathon, which is set for July 15-17 this year. There's the Heatstroke Golf Tournament, which swings from June 21-23. And there's simply kicking around in a vast space that feels a little emptier. Honest, how many summertime family destinations can you say that about? If you're impervious to the occasional sweaty swelter, and even find it a little interesting, a Death Valley summer trip might be for you, pardner. (Please -- you'll be staying at a place with "Ranch" in the name. Say "pardner" and have some fun with it.)

MUSIC AND MORE: There's always a "more" part to a major music festival. When something is more than one day -- heck, when it is more than a few hours -- festival attendees expect that there will be goings-on off the stage in addition to what's happening concert-wise. Coachella Music & Arts Festival delivers on this with a cornucopia of artsy to-dos, and San Francisco's Outside Lands serves up a whole beer- and wine-tasting element. And Stagecoach, which clip-clops into Indio from Friday, April 26 through Sunday, April 28, has its own flavorful elements, from dance-it-all-out country DJs to a showing of Clydesdales. But expect nothing less from a fest billed as "California's Country Music Festival."

GORGEOUS HORSES: The famous equines are one of the headlining attractions off the music stages. They'll make an appearance at the RV Resort on Friday, April 26 in the morning and in the lobby on Saturday and Sunday. There are artists signings at the Zia Record tent, the aforementioned DJs spinning kick-up-your-bootery-type tunes, and a Ferris wheel, too. What would the big desert festivals be without their Ferris wheel? Seen in a thousand Instagrams, it is now one of the symbols of a Coachella Valley spring.

AND THE LINE-UP: If you're just out for the music, here you go: Toby Keith, Hank Williams, Jr., Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Darius Rucker, and Dwight Yoakam are just a few of the bold-print names, but, given that this is a three-dayer, you'll a veritable country-style buffet of sounds is assured. So, what to do? Stick solely to tunes or ride the Ferris wheel a few times? At a major music festival, there's usually time for everything.

DESERT IN FLOWER: Springtime and wildflowers not only go together well, they're one of the examples people cite when they want to reference one of the most long-running pairings in all the world. Sorry, peanut butter and jelly. Too bad, mac and cheese. Springtime and wildflowers have been around for a lot longer. But wildflowers in California aren't simply the sorts of buds that spread across a hillside or dell, all poppy-like and low to the ground (though we do have our poppies, too; they are the state flower, after all). Our Golden State flowers can show up in the desert, atop cactus, and in the prickliest of conditions. Take the Joshua Tree, one of the most recognizable bits of flora our state has to offer. Right 'around April the plant's white bursty bud begins to make its notable appearance. But because our Joshua Trees are a bit spread out, the National Park Service kindly keeps an eye on things, reporting back when flowers are seen in the desert areas around the national park.

A HANDY PDF: Because there are so many things popping just about now in and around the interior of California, the NPS has a handy PDF that guides flower fans to the prettiest of blooms. The bloom strength is rated, too, so you can get a sense of what is really going all out and what is blooming on the more conservative side. The update last week shows reports of Joshua Trees, Creosote bushes, and Mojave yuccas all doing that showy springtime thing. The whole listing is here, with the canyons and basins one might find them in. It's also rather timely, too, given that the desert not too far from Joshua Tree National Park is getting a major influx of music lovers this week. What to do in the downtime? Flower-watching is a plenty meditative pastime.

LESSONS FROM TV: If  "Downton Abbey" has taught us anything it is this: Some really dishy stuff goes on in the kitchen, and we don't mean dishy as in dishes. But isn't that always the way? Everyone everywhere gravitates toward the place in the house that holds the food and the warm stoves and the beverage cart and the pantry. This is the case even grand houses (on "Downton Abbey" it sometimes feels as if Branson and Lady Mary are downstairs as much as they're up). Take Hearst Castle, for example. William Randolph Hearst wasn't just your everyday tycoon who liked to oversee lavish parties but never venture near the larder. He would in fact lead his flapper-fied, tuxedo'd guests to his grand kitchen for a snack of Welsh Rarebit, a cheesy concoction that he himself would cook. You just wonder what the staff made of this, or if they expected it when the house was full of revelers. Look no further than the docents of the San Simeon landmark for stories about this, and more tales, on the Hearst Castle Cottages and Kitchen Tour.

DOMESTIC DAY-TO-DAY: Tour goers are a funny lot. They want to see the grandeur and the silver and the paintings, but just about everyone wonders what went down behind-the-scenes in the house. But tours at Hearst and other American mansions tend not to visit the humbler nooks. The Cottages and Kitchen Tour is truth in advertising: You'll see "the most personal rooms of the property" and not just the halls filled with tapestries. Plus? The wine cellar. You know that has to be Hearstian in its impressiveness. An adult ticket is $25.

SPEEDY WHEELS: Spring must be the official time for zoomy pursuits of the street race sort 'round Southern California. We have the Formula Drift and the Toyota Grand Prix in Long Beach, and then a few weeks later? The Catalina Island Classic. This Riviera-backed competition, which will mark its 40th in a few years, is pretty singular amongst street races. Nope, people aren't driving golf carts, which you might guess when you see the words "Catalina Island." They're not racing boats, either ("street race" should be a giveaway on that one). Rather, elite skaters are invited to take their boards high up in the hills above the Pacific Ocean and then point them downhill, board them, and proceed to go extremely fast. If you know your Catalina, and we hope you do, you know that the swoops, inclines, declines, and little valleys of the water-surrounded burg are Impressive with a capital I. Now picture a group of helmeted, well-suited skateboarders rushing for over a mile downhill on one of them, via streets fully closed off to cars and golf carts.

RUSH OF WIND: Just picturing this in our mind gives us a rush of wind to the face. Let's also give props to these skaters for those pigtail, curly Q turns Catalina is known for; if you watch the video you see the skaters, all in heavy gloves, putting their hands down to help maneuver the hairpins.

WHEN WILL THIS ALL HAPPEN? The Classic rushes by on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5. It's invitation only, for skaters, although catching some of the speeding-by action is free, if you're there. You might want to eyeball the video, though, for the whole downhill experience.

APRIL RESOLUTIONS: January 1 pretty much has a lock on all of our "be better in all ways pronto" resolutions, from losing weight to working smarter to driving less to all of the above. Did we say January 1? We meant December 29-31, which is prime resolution-making time (Jan. 1 can sometimes be full of overindulgence regrets). But April gives the end of the year some competition in one resolution area: getting healthier. Yes, many of us make that promise with the dawn of the new year, but the dawn of the new year is typically chilly and full of warming, heavier foodstuffs. It's hard to get to the gym in a bitter rainstorm and we're not watching our waistline if it is under three layers of clothing. But April? We get serious about this stuff. The sundresses and shorts are making their first showings, and we're thinking of doing everything healthier, from exercising more (or just starting) to cooking with more veges and fruit. So the the Healthy Living Festival, which will unfurl at the Del Mar Fairgrounds on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14, could not be timed any better.

HEALTHY LIVING AHOY: What's to be found there among the 150 exhibitors? Well, free samples, hooray! (Fact: Two of the nicest words in any language are "free samples.") And bunches of products designed to make moving more and cooking lighter easier. As always with major shows of this sort, there shall be performances including belly dancing and kickboxing. Workshops and seminars are set to get you over that healthy hump, too.

So, January 1, do you feel the heat? April kind of owns that "healthy living/starting anew" thing, courtesy of warmer, longer days and the concept of spring cleaning in all ways. Healthy Living Festival, get us going on that, stat.

ON THE ROAD: Many a Californian grew up with a View-Master, like many a kid in other states did. Did you have one? Yep, as we thought. But children of the Golden State could peer into those two little windows and know there was a real possibility that a weekend family road trip or a school outing might lead them to Half Dome or El Capitan or the tallest trees on the planet. We live among treasures in California, including some of the most famous national parks in a system that brims with parks that are household words. What are some of California's stars? Well, Joshua Tree, of course, and Death Valley, the redwoods, the sequoias, and Yosemite all ring bells for many a traveler. And while we're encouraged to get out and enjoy them any and every day of the year -- the colder, quieter months are especially nice and semi-painless with traffic -- we all should seize a certain few days in late April. That's when National Park Week arrives, and five full days of skipping the entrance fees to the parks that usually charge admission. The free days are April 22 through 26.

WHAT ELSE TO KNOW... Over half the national parks -- 268 out of 401 -- do not charge a get-in fee, regardless of the day or time of year. Some do, like Yosemite. And annual passes always help alleviate some of the fees (not to mention they help the parks). If you find yourself returning time and again to, say, the Channel Islands, maybe this National Park Week is the moment you set out for something new. After all, View-Master-worthy sights are really just a few hours away, or less, for most Californians. And to access them without admission? That's awesome, indeed.

GREATEST HIT: We'll assume you're a regular Julian visitor, and we'll assume you regularly visit in the autumn, and we'll assume that you always stop for a treat that is rather triangular in shape and a bit crusty and filled with soft-cooked fruit. Is our assuming correct? Yep, we thought so. It's the rare town that is associated so prominently with a single food, but then Julian is a pretty rare town. That food is -- say it with us now -- apple pie, and it is truly above and beyond. (Our favorite way to eat it? Sitting on a curb on a crisp November day with a school-style carton of milk.) But like the rock star who only ever gets a request for his greatest hit, Julian must, at times, wonder if its loyal fans know that it offers a lot of cuisine choices beyond its most celebrated pastry. You know this, yes, because you've walked by the restaurants while stroll the Old West-y village, but have you gone for anything but the pie? If not, here's your moment to widen your breadth: Taste of Julian will spotlight all of the eateries and dishes that too often are pie-adjacent. The date? Saturday, April 13.

ON THE PLATES: There's a lot of savory goodness in and around Main Street. We remember a club sandwich that nearly eclipsed our pie moment, which is saying something, so here is wishing you come across that same sandwich. If you don't, try a bite at Wynola's Pizza & Bistro or Bailey's BBQ or one of the other participating eateries. A ticket is twenty bucks ahead of time, but you can get 'em at the Town Hall on April 13 for twenty five. An art stroll is part of the day, too, so bet you'll come away sated in several ways. And, yes, you can have your pie and eat it, too. We wouldn't ever recommend visiting Pie Central without a slice.

SPRINGTIME SKIING: Mammoth mavens know that some of our top California mountain destinations open right past spring equinox. The lift doesn't stop running come April, nor do the fireside nights comes to a close in May. But some skiers do have a wintry ideal in mind, and may eschew a weekend on an icy slope when wildflowers are bursting in nearby valleys. To tempt those skiers, and to show everyone that yes indeedy, skiing is to be had in the Golden State late into spring, there is this novel deal from Mammoth: Stay two or more nights from April 14 through May 23 in "select units" around the destination and nab a discount each night that's equal to the previous day's high temperature. Meaning? If it is 38 degrees the day before, you'll get 38 bucks shaved off the previous night's lodging at checkout. Skiers don't traditionally desire high temperatures, but you might in this instance: The higher the mercury goes, the more you'll save.

WHERE THE TEMP IS TAKEN: At the Main Lodge. The ski patrol site will post the temperature, making it all official and whatnot.

THE FLIPSIDE: This isn't the first time a Sierra destination has offered a temp-based deal. Curry Village in Yosemite traditionally offers a deal on its unheated tents during the coldest months. Guests pay the previous night's low temperature. Maximum price? Thirty nine bucks.

There's something charming about temperature-dependent deals in a world where everything is group-tested and marketed so thoroughly. Cheers to you, Mammoth and Curry Village, for choosing to wing it in a way. A guest's rate is so rarely up to Mother Nature.

ONE SWEET PAIRING: So remember that childhood song that went "X and Y, sittin' in a tree..?" Of course you remember. You likely still sing it now, and often, whenever you want to suggest two people are perfect for each other and belong together. But concepts and activities and places can be as simpatico, too, and whenever we think of the Central Coast and long-distance biking, that old-school ditty pops into our minds. (Though it is a bit of a mouthful to sing "The Central Coast and cycling, sittin' in a tree...") It's just that the scenery is perfect, the weather can be sublime, and spinning your wheels through it is a happy-maker. That's all; no hyperbole or anything. Now El Capitan Canyon, that luxury campsite just a pinch outside of Santa Barbara, is welcoming people who like to pair the Central Coast and a few days spent on two wheels. The rustic property has just launched its new Spring Bike Camping Package.

WHAT'S THE DEAL? Bikers'll stay for one night at Ocean Mesa's bike camping site. A 55-minute massage is in the mix -- that sounds good any time, but especially after several hours on the saddle -- and a bottle of Happy Camper wine. Use of the hot tub -- yeah, you want to do that, too -- and other add-ons are included. Cost kicks off at $175 a night and lasts through May 23.

ALSO ON AT EL CAP: Plan on swinging by in your auto and not a bike? There are special packages at the posh-but-low-key campgrounds. A Springtime Adventure Package spent in the site's Adventure Yurt sounds like just the ticket to us. And that's just the ticket to about anything. Work stress, road stress, life stress, or all of the above.

MIDDLE-OF-THE-WEEK MUSIC: Ever since the Coachella Music & Arts Festival extended to two weekends a few years back there's been a question hanging over attendees' heads: What to do if you're spending the whole week in the desert? You can sit by a pool and work on your tan, of course. (Quick aside: Does the phrase "working on one's tan" make you laugh? Because the sun is doing the work. You're relaxing with a magazine and a cold beverage. Truth? Truth.) You can see friends who've traveled in for Coachella. You can go watch one of our state's greatest industrial films at Shields Date Garden (it's called "The Romance and Sex Life of the Date," which is pretty easy to remember). You can visit The Integratron for a sound bath and a sonic experience.

But things are changing up 'round Palm Springs way. There's a new concert that's a complement to the Coachella weekends and it happens exactly between the two. That's a Wednesday -- there isn't a more between-y day of the week than Wednesday -- and the show is Tachevah, A Palm Springs Block Party. The date? As mentioned, it is indeed the Hump Day of that week, which is April 17.

ON THE ROSTER: Passion Pit is set to headline the indie-flavored festival, a jam which will also include Alf Alpha and The Pedestrians. Cost? Nada. Which is exactly the cost of going to see "The Romance and Sex Life of the Date," we'll add (yes, we want everyone to see this movie). Time? 5 p.m. Place? The Spa Resort Casino in downtown P.S.

Will this get you through the week, vacationers? It's a tribute, we think, to Coachella, when smaller events spring up near it (think of the Sundance Film Festival and Slamdance, for instance). But can it be long before Tachevah too grows and splits into two separate events? The desert, it turns out, is quite the fertile ground for all things music.

DESERT DIVINE: It's hard to think about the more famous destinations of California without thinking they've always been there, in their present form, beckoning those city-weary folks with a few days of sunshine and poolside lounging. Pictures and movies and television shows and songs can drill a place -- drill in a good way -- into a person's ether. But our vacation destinations are newer inventions, and Palm Springs, the city as it stands today, has really only been around for three quarters of a century. That was around the time that Hollywood turned their cars east and began to visit. Soon after, stars like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley were setting up homes. And luminaries from around the planet came to play golf and play tennis and take some sun and, yes, take a dip. The city and its fans, though, have kept tabs on its journey over the years, and that journey is at the forefront of Palm Springs' 75th anniversary. There are doings all year long, but the big birthday bash is set to roll on Saturday, April 20.

OTHER P.S. GOINGS-ON: Wintertime and the cooler months have long been prime time for the arid resort, but we rather like the P.S. when it begins to flirt with triple-digit temperatures. Palm Springs Restaurant Week falls smack dab in triple-digit territory; it's happening from May 31 to June 16 in 2013. The Forever Marilyn statute -- that's the 26-feet-tall sculpture of Marilyn Monroe -- is still on view downtown and will be for a few more weeks. Now's the time to see this much-photographed artwork. And other special events? Summertime heat can't stop 'em. Find many on the 75th anniversary site.

PONY POWER: Horses roaming free? It may seem like just a calendar photograph-type fantasy in these modern times, but there are places where ponies have the run of the land. A major one happens to be in Shingletown, not far from Redding, at the Wild Horse Sanctuary. Wrangler Dianne Nelson saved some 80 wild horses back in the late '70s, horses slated to be rounded up by the U. S. Forest Service. Now hundreds of horses and burros call the 5,000-acre sanctuary home. And, yep, they indeed have the run of the rustic setting. But humans can visit, too, to see the animals in action and take in a few trail rides along the way. Those trail rides are reserved specifically for the warmer months, meaning they generally start up around the middle of spring. As they will again, this year, when Wild Horse Sanctuary opens up for trail rides on Saturday, May 4.

WILD HORSE TRAILS: The rides begin at the sanctuary and are either led by Ms. Nelson or a volunteer, Then trails are followed, but trails created not by humans by the sanctuaries horses. The purpose of the outing? To spot the sanctuary's wild denizens as they frolic among the manzanita, oak, and pine trees.

MULTIPLE TO-DOS: Beyond trail rides, Wild Horse offers other special events throughout the summer months. But don't tarry if spending a day among free ponies has been on your bucket list; the last ride of the season clip-clops out into the brush on Columbus Day Weekend 2013.

LEVELS AND INFO: When signing up there are a few must-dos, like figuring out at what level you ride. Here's your starting point, buckaroo.

WHEELS OF THE WEST: Carriages have been popular through the centuries, but it took the Old West to make this mode of transport truly iconic. The small wheeled structures served many of the same functions as the carriages found the world over, but lore rose up around companies like Wells Fargo and those adventurers that set out where there were no established roads. And a film Western? It's can be challenging to find a classic example without at least one stagecoach scene (often filmed around someplace like Monument Valley). But riding that other famous mode of transport of the west -- the horse, of course -- is far easier to do nowadays than finding a stagecoach to jostle about in. There are exceptions to be found, of course; the occasional theme park will feature a carriage. Yet riding out in the wilderness is different and authentic, too. The Spirit of the West symposium celebrates the stages and carriages of yore, both through talks and special events and a full Saturday of come-one-come-all stagecoach rides around Santa Ynez Valley, a valley that doesn't look all that changed from when carriages really were the vehicles of choice.

SATURDAY, APRIL 13: We said that carriage rides were "come one come all" but there is an asterisk: You should be at least 10 years old to step inside. A ride is $25 and takes you around Chamberlin Ranch, which should deliver the rustic vistas you desire when inside a coach. If you want to jump into more Spirit of the West events, you can, but note that they open up on Wednesday, April 10. But be at Chamberlin on April 13 to get your ride in. It's all pretty yippee-ki-yay, and we're sure that there are many Western buffs who haven't yet gotten their moment to ride a stage (just stepping into one inside a museum isn't quite the same). Happy trails, stagecoachers.

MEGA PAINT WEEKEND: If you were to tell a co-worker that you were all set to have a "mega paint weekend" we'd bet that your pal would assume you were set to take the roller to your living room, top to bottom. But a mega paint weekend in Ventura means something else, and definitely when springtime rolls along. That's because the city, which is one of the places at the heart of the California plein air art movement, invites painters to set up their easels hither and yon over one weekend. But Paint Ventura, which is schedule to unfold on Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28, is more than inviting artists to set brush to canvas. Works are for sale, some of them created that weekend, and there are several other art friendly happenings about.

LIKE... Music shows and chalk artists at work and dog rescue groups talking adoption and a number of kid-themed to-dos.

MOST EVENTS ARE FREE: Truly. Also, this is one of the best bits: You can meet the artists painting the paintings you just might buy. In fact, you can see the painting you take a shine to come together, right in front of you. Call it one of California's largest "everyone paint all together at once" gatherings, with the traditional theme of plein air at its heart.

MORE PLEIN AIR: Want to see more of this truly regional form? Make for Santa Barbara Museum of Art before June 16 for a closer look at these soft but naturalistic artworks.

SEQUOIA-ADJACENT BEAUTY: When you're the largest living things on the planet, you can rightly pull some attention and focus. And the sequoias naturally do; when you're driving up to the national park, it's all you can do not to talk about the General Sherman and General Grant trees and the wonders that await. But one of the entrances to the park happens to also be one of California's prettiest towns (we'll just go on record with that statement, so feel free to quote us). It's Three Rivers, and, nope, there isn't a sequoia to be found -- those are up the big mountain -- but there are bucolic scenes aplenty. The whole area is wild and rustic, with manicured bits here and there, lending the foothill burg a painterly feel. Many locals keep gardens, including the occasional celebrity who calls the area home. Those gardens are often part of the springtime tour, and, yep, famous residents throw their hats in the ring, too. If you know the area you might recall that William Shatner's ranch played a star role on the Three Rivers Hidden Gardens Tour a few years back, and this year? Anjelica Huston's Flying Heart Ranch will welcome lovers of all things natural and wild.

DATES AND DETAILS: The date for this year's look-about is Saturday, April 20 and tickets are $40. As in years past, the money raised helps out education in Three Rivers. It should also be noted that there will be a few patches of prettiness beyond the Flying Heart Ranch. A lavender plot will be featured, and a look at original adobe homes (and how adobe is made). Music and food round out the day. Us? We'd make it a part of a bigger sequoia drive weekend. In fact, Three Rivers should be a part of every sequoia weekend in our book. Even a stop in town for lunch has a way of gentling one's pace. Just don't tell the General Sherman or General Grant trees they've got a little natural competition down the big hill.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING: If you've ever put toothpicks in an avocado pit and placed it in a jar with water on the windowsill, you know that waiting for that first sprout can be difficult. Every day you check for a bit of green, but still, the pit won't show any leaf or stem. And then! It happens, seemingly all at once, and you have plant. For the people behind the Flower Fields in Carlsbad, it can be much the same wait, only over a much vaster area. How much vaster? Some fifty acres, acres full of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers. Flowers in all different colors, eye-popping hues, really, hues so marvelous they tend to show up in travel brochures and postcards of the area. But when the blooms will show is another matter. No matter how well science can predict these things, weather and other factors play a part, meaning that despite the Flower Fields opening on March 1, the blooms might start to come a bit later. But the good news as March ends, and just in time for Easter and April, too? It's happening.

BLOOMS EVERYWHERE: The fields report that the "last block of flowers" is starting to open up, while all the other blocks are showing full-on dazzling, Technicolor-type shades of red and orange and yellow. And no, that just isn't the travel-brochure-y part of us talking; if you've seen the Flower Fields you know. These things are bright, so you'll want to arrive with a camera. There's a small admission fee to get in, but walking around the garden store in front of the fields is free (take a look -- it's a good one). And when do the fields call it another year? May 12, so best make for Carlsbad before nature takes its course, as it always does.

TURKEY-LEG'D OUT: If you've ever spent an entire day at a renaissance faire, you know what we mean when we say that a person can get turkey-leg'd out by the close of the day. If you're not a turkey leg fan, feel free to substitute "joust'd out" or "madrigal'd out." It's that special brand of tired that comes over one when they've consumed many eats and enjoyed many colorful revelries all within a few hours' time. Flagons of mead, or mead-type product, have been savored, dances have been viewed, jesters have been applauded. And now? The long drive home, where one must face freeways distinctly lacking in jesters and jousting (although we suppose that freeways do have some jest and joust to them). What's the serious medieval fan to do when the big fair sets up the booths? Find a stay-over package somewhere in the vicinity. And huzzah! The Renaissance Pleasure Faire, Southern California's annual springtime rite, has a deal on with the Doubletree near Santa Fe Dam.

ROYAL PACKAGES: There are actually two packages that tie-into Ren Faire. The first, the Lord Mayor's Package, nabs you a room, two tickets to the festival, and a shuttle ride to and fro (this is seriously one of the best parts). It starts at $149. The Queen's Package is a bit more but breakfast is an add-on, in case you need some sustenance ahead of that ye olde snacking. This is the Doubletree in Monrovia, note, so you won't be adjacent to Santa Fe Dam, but not to far (and, anywho, you'll be shuttling it). Now, will your costume fit inside the shuttle? That's something worth considering. If you go tights and a doublet, you should be fine.

The Renaissance Pleasure Faire opens on Saturday, April. 6.

SAN JACINTO, WINTER AND SUMMER: It's the rare place in California where winter is distinctly different from summer. We know, there are differences everywhere, but we're not talking about a twenty-degree temperature swing. Rather, we speak to those places that get snow in the colder months and provide a pleasant respite from triple-digit heat in the summertime. These are usually our mountains, and Mount San Jacinto is a major among majors, certainly for residents of the desert resorts and the Inland Empire (and, yep, you too, San Diego and Los Angeles). Let's call it by its official name -- the Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness Area -- and let's give it props for giving us a few snowball-making opportunities in January and a few ways to keep it cool in July. And keeping it cool just got a little less expensive: The Palm Spring Aerial Tramway's Summer Pass was just announced. It goes on sale April 8 -- and starts April 8, too -- and the price is $50.

WHAT THAT NABS YOU: Unlimited rides on the tram through Aug. 9, plus 10% off additional tram rides (you'll want to invite friends to enjoy the cool temps with you, we'll guess). There are also dining admission discounts for pass holders. And what will you find on top? Fifty four miles of hiking trails, plus picnic and camping opportunities. And the Wilderness Area? That's 14,000 acres altogether. Call it a nice summer getaway. And if you want heat? You're just above Palm Springs, which can definitely deliver on that front for you.

AND SPEAKING OF HEAT... We do love that Palm Springs throws its annual Restaurant Week right when temperatures starting with a "1" really kick into gear. Oh, how lovely it is to sit under a mister and enjoy a nighttime meal outside. Game to go after your mountain hike? Dates are May 31 through June 16.

Now is the time to check out the desert wildflowers east of San Diego.

It's been a wet year in San Diego and some of the best evidence of this can be found in the eastern most region of the county, the Anza-Borrego Desert. 

Images: Desert Blooms

The flowers will be out for an Easter weekend trip and through the rest of Spring Break according to Betsy Knaak, Executive Director of the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association & Borrego Desert Nature Center.

Knaak reports that when visitors arrive in downtown Borrego Springs, near the Borrego Desert Nature Center and the round-about that is Christmas Circle, they will notice the Palo Verde trees in full bloom with yellow canopies.

"Also in full bloom now are the bright pink blossoms of the beavertail cactus, and the red, flame-tipped Ocotillo, and the pretty yellow windmill flowers of the creosote," she adds.

To get some idea of what you're missing or what you'll see if you plan on making the 90 minute drive east, take a look at this desert  website dedicated to desert blooms.

Send your pictures to isee@nbcsandiego.com

For more desert ideas, check out this "Worth the Trip" post.